FCC cracking down on unlicensed broadcasters

FCC cracking down on pirates and other illegal broadcasters

WASHINGTON: "One way to free up spectrum is to shut down rogue broadcasters. Federal Communications Commission agents have been busy this month, issuing more than a quarter-of-a-million dollars in fines. A majority have targeted pirate radio operations.
So far in the month of May, the FCC has issued $258,000 in fines; $141,000 for operation of unlicensed radio transmitters. On May 5, alone, the commission fined five pirates a total of $50,000. Other violations involve failure to maintain functional Emergency Alert System equipment, inadequately maintained transmitter and tower facilities, excessive power levels and improper record-keeping."

souce: www.televisionbroadcast.com...

other article;
"The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau page is starting to look more like a police blotter with radio violations handed out faster than traffic tickets at a deep-south speed trap. This month, EB badges flashed for everything including
FM pirates, AM pirates, shortwave pirates and imbeciles making phony marine distress calls."
FM Pirate Busts Galore
"For whatever reason, FCC field agents have stepped up enforcement of AM and FM radio piracy in actions that even got the attention of several mainstream news outlets. Field agents seem to be ratcheting up the fines just as pirates seem to be ratcheting up the defiance. But, the pirates are in a losing game as so many found
out in the month of May, the last reporting period since the previous Communications column."
Monitoring Times, July 2011 issue

Conscientious public service or waste of tax dollars punishing the harmless?

(hope this is the right forum)

reply to post by works4dhs


It seems ludicrous to me to imagine that someone needs a license to broadcast.

It sounds like the late years of the CB radio boom .we all knew when Uncle Charlie (FCC) was in town.C B radio became so prolific that the FCC couldnt keep up and stopped enforsement and closed down their monitering stations .Today the FCC seems to spend a lot of energy on the marine band I think that the Coast Guard is acting as their ears monitering drug traffic

I could care less about people illegally broadcasting, but with limited spectrum width it needs to be regulated.

Idiots making phony distress calls on marine radios need to go to jail for a while. They could divert resources needed by some poor SOB who is really in trouble.

So they're limiting broadcasters that don't have lisenses to make more Americans rely on mainstream media which is obviously controlled. Does Alex Jones have a lisence?

Yeah it seems we're at the point that governments seem to say, "If we can't earn anything on what you're doing, stop doing it!"

Originally posted by mydarkpassenger
I could care less about people illegally broadcasting, but with limited spectrum width it needs to be regulated.

Idiots making phony distress calls on marine radios need to go to jail for a while. They could divert resources needed by some poor SOB who is really in trouble.

ditto to that. some tech wannabe playing dj in his basement with 100 watts doesn't hurt anyone, but anything interfering with distress calls/channels needs to get whacked.
I notice anytime the FCC writes someone up they talk about interfering with emergency communications.

oh yeah. I know all about the FCC...

www.youtube.com...

i'm sorry all, but I couldnt help myself.

I would guess the FCC is running low on money.... just look at this one, it's ridiculous.

[

Jose Torres of Philadelphia was not a pirate’s pirate, but he did get popped for operating his ham radio base station on an unauthorized frequency in 2008. Torres claimed he wasn’t home at the time of the transmissions and submitted cell phone records as evidence. The FCC said the documents proved only that Torres was using his cell phone. He owes $4,000.

How can they charge someone from 2008? Is it from a Ham log? Are hams ratting on each other...

Internet is still free. Anyone can Broadcast anything on the Internet.

Originally posted by works4dhs

Originally posted by mydarkpassenger
I could care less about people illegally broadcasting, but with limited spectrum width it needs to be regulated.

Idiots making phony distress calls on marine radios need to go to jail for a while. They could divert resources needed by some poor SOB who is really in trouble.

ditto to that. some tech wannabe playing dj in his basement with 100 watts doesn't hurt anyone, but anything interfering with distress calls/channels needs to get whacked.
I notice anytime the FCC writes someone up they talk about interfering with emergency communications.

See? We DO agree on something!

Originally posted by Skyfloating

Internet is still free. Anyone can Broadcast anything on the Internet.

Yeah, but its far more fun to broadcast on radio without a license just to be a thorn in their side.

Originally posted by dalan.
reply to post by works4dhs

 

It seems ludicrous to me to imagine that someone needs a license to broadcast.

I agree. Radio waves are a source of nature and existence. The government did not 'create' or 'invent' them. They just are. If someone can access and make use of them, more power to them, I say. Next they'll start saying it's illegal to paint a picture using 'red' because that spectrum of color needs a license?

Originally posted by new_here

Originally posted by dalan.
reply to post by works4dhs

 

It seems ludicrous to me to imagine that someone needs a license to broadcast.

I agree. Radio waves are a source of nature and existence. The government did not 'create' or 'invent' them. They just are. If someone can access and make use of them, more power to them, I say. Next they'll start saying it's illegal to paint a picture using 'red' because that spectrum of color needs a license?

It is puzzling to me that we are suppose to be free, but when you start looking at the list of activities we need a license for, that sense of freedom goes out the window.

You are only free, so long as you have a permit for that freedom.

Originally posted by dalan.

It is puzzling to me that we are suppose to be free, but when you start looking at the list of activities we need a license for, that sense of freedom goes out the window.

You are only free, so long as you have a permit for that freedom.

This is the very same disturbing conclusion that has been slapping me up-side the head in the last couple of years. Very disturbing when you wake up and see it for what it is.

I was a DJ on a pirate radio station in the late 90's in central Texas, we operated at 45 watts and had a range of about 15 miles. Received local news coverage, even had the local PD stopping by to say hey or calling me to request songs. We started the project to boost awareness of the Medical Marijuana Initiative that was on the ballot at the time - when it went to the polls, we had overwhelming support from the people, law enforcement and other city leaders - but it somehow failed, even tho we had the votes. Go figure.

We sent a letter to the FCC stating our purpose along with $25 to cover any sort of low-power licensing fee. We received a letter back stating no license was needed to operate under 50 watts - AND they sent the $25 money order back!!!!

A month later, they came and stole our equipment.

Think about this one for a minute. Every cell phone is a transmitter so will the day come that you have to have a radio transmitter license to use a cell phone? A $50 a year "cell phone operators license"? Just think of the money that could make off that? I understand that there is over 300,000,000 cell phones in the US.

300,000,000
X $50 per phone
$15,000,000,000

Originally posted by TupacShakur
Does Alex Jones have a lisence?

He probably does, and even if he doesn't, the stations broadcasting him certainly do.