I have done a lot of reading about how the FCC zealously monitors amatuer radio operators, and is quick to issue letters to hams for infractions. Yet, there are CB freebanders galore and even more egregiously, there are the CB channel 6 ding-dongs running tens of thousands of watts on a band which should be limited to only four watts maximum. The FCC doesn't do anything about CB it seems. Is it simply easier for the FCC to punish hams because they self-identify?
Perhaps it isn't the FCC doing all that monitoring, but hams themselves that are monitoring and reporting violations to help keep the ham bands generally operating legally. The FCC has a policy where they consider the ham bands to be "self policing". To assist, the ARRL has set up the Official Observer Program (
Official Observer) to train hams to correctly observe, identify, document, and report violations so the FCC can use minimal effort to validate those reports and issue violation notices. The OO folks don't just report the bad operators, but also have a way to report folks that they identify as "Good Operators" that go above and beyond the norm so they can receive recognition and commendation for helping improve the amateur community.
Perhaps if there were the same general attitude among the CB crowd where apparent violators are logged and reported the CB bands would have more infractions on that band as well. It also doesn't help that the general attitude is that any violations on the CB bands will go unnoticed or unreported while those in the ham band, thanks to the OO folks, will be noticed and reported.