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Why Aren't There Any Real Pirates in Houston?

C

Capt. Crunch

Guest
Most of the major cities on the east and West Coasts have pirate radio stations. San Antonio used to, and Austin still has 90.1 Liberty FM. Despite notices and unpaid fines, Alex Jones' brand of radio has been on in Auston for so long the FCC oughta just give 'em an honorary license. So what's the deal here? Houston, the 4th biggest in the country. No pirates? What's wrong with you guys?
 
I think it's because the FCC's agent's right there in town.
 
To many snitches if you had a fm setup and it got 3 blks and one of the radio people here found out it about you will be shut down in 10 weeks max for only 3 blks range smh. I bet if one of them found out you were running a part15 am setup that got 1mile range one of them would try to get you shut down to. Having FCC office in your city does not mean much if you do not have any snitches that hunt down anything they think that is remotely a pirate. Your station could last 6 to 8 months having a FCC office in your city if you only got 2 mile range and nobody turned you in. Another thing is Houston FM radio is to crowed only 2 open enough frequencies.
 
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ChuckTiller said:
It's against the law. If you break the law, you can expect an eventual visit.
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Part15 am is not illegal but one of the radio people here in Houston would turn you in if you ran a part15 am setup if it get 1.5 mile range
 
DJboutit3 said:
Part15 am is not illegal but one of the radio people here in Houston would turn you in if you ran a part15 am setup if it get 1.5 mile range
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Brian, reread the subject of the thread. It was about pirates, not Part 15 stations. It's against the law to operate a pirate radio station...period. If you break the law, you deal with the expensive consequences. Those consequences could be a fine, confiscation of equipment and all of the time it took an individual put into putting it on the air. You and I have had this same discussion over the years on this same forum with different names. I told you a long time ago, get an internet station. You don't have to be concerned about licenses for transmitters and their maintenance upkeep.
 
Getting disco music all evening on 87.9. No ID. I45 and North Loop. Pirate?
 
If so, it must not be very strong. My current location is N. Main and the North Loop and nothing on 87-9 on the car radio.
 
I just check I am in the Meyerland Willowbend area I hear nothing but static and maybe a little tropo so range might be like 2 to 2 1/2 miles max. This station could be running one of those dumpy Chinese 5 to 7 watt transmitter they got off Amazon and using the little 24" to 30" telescoping antenna. With a better antenna with one of these . transmitters car radio you could get 5 to 7 mile range no problem.
 
DJboutit3 said:
I just check I am in the Meyerland Willowbend area I hear nothing but static and maybe a little tropo so range might be like 2 to 2 1/2 miles max. This station could be running one of those dumpy Chinese 5 to 7 watt transmitter they got off Amazon and using the little 24" to 30" telescoping antenna. With a better antenna with one of these . transmitters car radio you could get 5 to 7 mile range no problem.
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Not on anymore. Checked again when I left church. Nothing. Before church, I did a little driving around. Signal could be heard all around West loop to I-10 to downtown and around on 59, but in and out. It was strongest in River Oaks, where it came in even with my switching the car stereo from Distant To Local setting. Based on strength, I think it was coming from this highrise. http://youtu.be/OLFgjit-FF8

And come on, if you're gonna pirate, puh-lease! Anything but disco!

no-disco.jpg
 
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Maybe the person reads this forum and turn it off for good or if they are in a tall apt complex maybe this person got complaints because they were getting interference all through out the building. Never run a FM transmitter without a TVI filter
 
After more reading, there's a lot more to using 87.9 with 4 watts. Any whitespace device must be FCC approved, and it has to have the ability to connect to the internet to check and see if the frequency is clear. Real complicated stuff for broadband wireless technologies. I can't find where anybody has tested the grounds on whether analog audio broadcasting under these new rules is legal or not. The FCC would probably say no because you were doing it with an unapproved device.
 
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Radio-locator.com can check for vacant frequencies in one's area.
 
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