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FCC warns pirates on 106.3, 87.7, 101.3

raccoonradio

raccoonradio

Walk of Fame Participant
http://www.insideradio.com/free/fcc...cle_5d263e3a-685d-11e7-84f2-1b10566408fe.html

>>hunting for whoever was behind a pirate station at 106.3 FM in the Boston suburb of Mattapan. Their signal-tracking equipment took them to an unlikely location—the steps of the Revelation Pentecostal Holy Church on Blue Hills Avenue.

(Note:Mattapan is part of the City of course...)
The feds also discovered two separate pirates in the same building on Blue Hill Ave, one at 87.7 and one at 101.3 (soon to be the home of Bittner's translator) Can someone get away with being on 87.7? guess not.
 
Interested in this part of the story:

"In the letters the Enforcement Bureau tells both men that they could face “severe penalties” including “substantial monetary fines” as well as potential criminal charges for operating an unlicensed station. That’s true since both New Jersey and New York have passed laws criminalizing pirate radio in state statutes."

Since wireless spectrum is owned by the feds, can states criminalize pirate radios? Any case law to support this?

I would think they couldn't, if they can't authorize a station to operate on a particular frequency, they certainly can't say operating on that frequency is a violation of a law.
 
My understanding is that the state is using environmental health and safety law to go after the pirates, citing them for unsafe RF levels or something.
 
But, same question: Can states regulate RF? Same issue: the RF spectrum is regulated by the Feds, and the Feds set the acceptable levels.
 
Methuselah said:
But, same question: Can states regulate RF? Same issue: the RF spectrum is regulated by the Feds, and the Feds set the acceptable levels.
Click to expand...

RF can cross state lines, therefore it can be interpreted as "interstate commerce." Constitutionally, the Federal government regulates interstate commerce.
 
It seems in the dark recesses of my mind that some pirate somewhere tried to use the argument that his signals didn't cross the state line, therefore, the FCC didn't have jurisdiction.
 
gr8oldies said:
It seems in the dark recesses of my mind that some pirate somewhere tried to use the argument that his signals didn't cross the state line, therefore, the FCC didn't have jurisdiction.
Click to expand...

Other than the most miniscule-powered transmissions authorized under Part 15, all RF is capable of crossing state lines. Hams have proven that for decades with ultra-low power level transmissions that have gone 1000 miles or more. UHF-and-higher transmissions such as your home WiFi, ISM devices, or police radar won't, but in most cases where the ionosphere can come into play, it will.

As a general rule, RF can go anywhere, and as such, can be Federally regulated.
 
Is the pirate on 101.3 what is keeping the translator from starting up ?
I thought that was supposed to be operational by now.
 
freqlost said:
Is the pirate on 101.3 what is keeping the translator from starting up ?
I thought that was supposed to be operational by now.
Click to expand...

I don't think the pirate is preventing the WJIB translator from starting, there's no reason it would, I think Bob is still dealing with other things to get it going. He posted on Facebook that he just got the FM antenna mounted a couple of weeks ago, and did a couple of brief blank carrier signal tests.

The pirate will certainly interfere with the translator as long as it's still on the air, especially toward Boston and maybe even on the Boston side of Cambridge, but there's no reason why it would prevent it from broadcasting.
 
Of course, this wasnʼt the result of random, stepped up unlicensed station raids—they were going after 101.3 for Bobʼs translator and 106.3 for the benefit of Beasleyʼs 106.1 translator! :cool:
 
Uncle Kaimbridge said:
Of course, this wasnʼt the result of random, stepped up unlicensed station raids—they were going after 101.3 for Bobʼs translator and 106.3 for the benefit of Beasleyʼs 106.1 translator! :cool:
Click to expand...

Has the FCC ever gone after pirates in the AM expanded band? Not sure if there are any in the Boston area, but I've heard a couple here in Connecticut -- overmodulated Spanish-language religion -- for years and nothing has ever been done about them. Then again, there are no legal X-band stations in Connecticut other than TIS, so maybe no one's ever complained. Is there similar activity above 1600 in Boston?
 
CTListener said:
Has the FCC ever gone after pirates in the AM expanded band? Not sure if there are any in the Boston area, but I've heard a couple here in Connecticut -- overmodulated Spanish-language religion -- for years and nothing has ever been done about them. Then again, there are no legal X-band stations in Connecticut other than TIS, so maybe no one's ever complained. Is there similar activity above 1600 in Boston?
Click to expand...

In the grand scheme of things, we have enough trouble getting the FCC to take action in the for lack of a better term "regular" part of the broadcast spectrum.

I could not care less about the extended AM band, and if that is where the pirates want to play, IMHO it is a great spot for them.


The expanded band is as big a waste of space as there has ever been, 99% of the world does not know it exists.... I can't remember the last time I went above 1600.

A quick look at Radio-Locator shows 2 stations between 150 and 200 miles away from Boston in the extended band.
 
MRBIboredop said:
In the grand scheme of things, we have enough trouble getting the FCC to take action in the for lack of a better term "regular" part of the broadcast spectrum.

I could not care less about the extended AM band, and if that is where the pirates want to play, IMHO it is a great spot for them.


The expanded band is as big a waste of space as there has ever been, 99% of the world does not know it exists.... I can't remember the last time I went above 1600.

A quick look at Radio-Locator shows 2 stations between 150 and 200 miles away from Boston in the extended band.
Click to expand...

I've been told (by David Eduardo and others) that x-band stations do show up in the Nielsens in parts of the country in which they are more common. New England has never been among them. I remember listening to Trenton Thunder baseball (Eastern League) on 1680 from New Jersey some years back. I think that station has gone Spanish, though.
 
Pirate or Legitimate Broadcaster

Interesting discussion you guys are having about pirates. Has anyone been following the recent story of the so-called "pirate" in Kentucky? Its an LPTV station that appears as DW10BM in the CDBS. A couple of months ago the FCC made a big deal in press releases about how the LPTV station had made no attempt to renew its license, and continued to operate another 15 years without a license.

The case is on appeal now. https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101760214&formid=917&fac_num=0

Turns out there was a glitch in the electronic filing system. In reality, renewal applications were submitted. Not only that, the same filing system charged the licensee's credit card for the renewals. The FCC really has a lot of egg on their face now, because under 47 CFR 162 a station is legally authorized to continue to operate while their renewal application is pending.
 
Last edited:
CTListener said:
Has the FCC ever gone after pirates in the AM expanded band? Not sure if there are any in the Boston area, but I've heard couple here in Connecticut -- overmodulated Spanish-language religion -- for years and nothing has ever been done about them. Then again, there are no legal X-band stations in Connecticut other than TIS, so maybe no one's ever complained. Is there similar activity above 1600 in Boston?
Click to expand...

On the subject f Connecticut pirates, You and I both know it's not, but 1620 in New Britain claims to be Part 15. They're simulcast on an LPFM WPRF-LP 96.9 . Don't forget the 1KW pirate on 1120 with antennas in Bristol and studios in New Britain.
 
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