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101.3 Gets Fined, 96.5 (Brockton) Gets a Visit

Yes there's no guarantee they'll pay that fine, etc.; I read in at least one case someone begged
for mercy and got the fine reduced from $10k to $100 or so...?

This site has a chart showing the percentage of fines, visits, and convictions, etc:

http://diymedia.net/fccwatch/ead.htm

Scroll down and look for "Enforcement type". Only 8 per cent get a raid; 12 per cent get
a NAL/Fine while a mere 1.6 per cent get arrest/conviction
 
raccoonradio said:
I read in at least one case someone begged for mercy and got the fine reduced from $10k to $100 or so...?
Click to expand...

"Begging for mercy" is a gross oversimplification. If the violator claims he/she can't pay, FCC rules state that they need to back that up with tax returns and/or balance sheets, using GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles). Otherwise, the FCC does NOT back off on fines.
 
Maybe so but I did read somewhere that they allowed the fine to be greatly reduced. Maybe it wasn't
"begging for mercy" but pleading poverty. Then, "Otherwise, the FCC does NOT back off on fines"
(and I would hope so!)
 
http://diymedia.net/fccwatch/ead.htm
Scroll down and look for "Enforcement type". Only 8 per cent get a raid; 12 per cent get
a NAL/Fine while a mere 1.6 per cent get arrest/conviction
Click to expand...

Scroll a little further, too...notice the percentage by band?!?! FM accounts for 95.4% of all FCC actions, meanly AM pirates account for less than 4%. Jeez, if you're gonna be a pirate, I guess you ought to do in the AM band after all.
 
jlehmann said:
Sounds like the pirate that was on 96.5 in Brockton moved to 94.9 tonight. Goodbye W235AV.
Click to expand...

Hi Jeff. Man, these guys in Brockton are not all that bright, are they? After being raided, you'd think they would "get the hint" and cool it. But, nooooooo! These are the same people who have applied for a Class A non-comm (full-service) FM in Brockton. I doubt they will get it, especially now.
 
Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:
jlehmann said:
Sounds like the pirate that was on 96.5 in Brockton moved to 94.9 tonight. Goodbye W235AV.
Click to expand...

Hi Jeff. Man, these guys in Brockton are not all that bright, are they? After being raided, you'd think they would "get the hint" and cool it. But, nooooooo! These are the same people who have applied for a Class A non-comm (full-service) FM in Brockton. I doubt they will get it, especially now.
Click to expand...

Well that didn't last long... they're back on 96.5 again.
 
Gotta agree with WBIMDJ-a mere wrist slap. I'd just toss them in the Federal pen then and there and break up the equipment. better yet, give it to a legal station....
 
101.3 was coming in loud and clear Saturday afternoon in Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop. I listened to very lively discussion about island politics. I couldn't work out what island they were talking about I assume it was Hatti.
 
Yes...same here on I-93. Wish the pirates would go away as I am running out of freqs with which to
play my sat. radio or mp3 player. (Which is LEGAL)
 
There Were Some Good Pirate Stations Out There Though Like RNI From New York And Radio Caroline From England Which Both Played Classic Rock And Classic Top 40

Radio Caroline: 1964-1990

RNI: 1987
 
raccoonradio said:
Yes...same here on I-93. Wish the pirates would go away as I am running out of freqs with which to
play my sat. radio or mp3 player. (Which is LEGAL)
Click to expand...

I use 88.5. There are pirates on 88.5, but the transponder overcomes them in my car.
 
88.5 does tend to be good and sometimes 88.3, 88.7, 89.3 etc depending on where I am. I have 2 diff
FM re-transmitters from Belkin, one doing 88.1-88.7 and the other the entire FM dial. Am almost thinking of
getting XM's Sure Connect which connects right to the antenna (in my older car the antenna was right
outside the driver's door but now it's on the roof, in the back, etc.) Would involve having to string a long
wire to do this.

One of the problems I have is that the FM recep I get on my car stereo can be TOO good. I could try 90.1
but the signal from Maine comes in so well, etc. Maybe just the time of year.
And of course radio-locator offers the service of "best frequencies" for these things. In Beverly for
example they list 96.3 as best bet, then 89.3, 90.1, 94.9, 99.9 etc

The FM re-transmitter which does all the FM freqs sometimes doesn't seem as effective as the one that does
just the 88.1 to 88.7 but the adv. I have is that I can use DC power. My new car has 2 DC outlets (aka
"lighters"), and I use one for the sat. radio and one for the re-transmitter. Could also use the re-transmitter
for mp3 player of course.
 
I just got the Sure Connect for XM ($20 at Best Buy though I think the XM site sells it for $10); does
pretty good so far on 88.5, 88.7 etc
 
I was in a spot today where the pirate "Off Coast Radio", the descendent of the old "Radio Free Cambridge" on 88.5, totally overcame my FM transponder in my car.

I was at the top of Winter Hill in Somerville, on Broadway near the intersections of Central and Main Streets. As soon as I began heading down the hill toward the McGrath Highway, my transponder came through again.

So, that must be around where "Off Coast Radio" is transmitting from. From the top of that hill, it's no wonder that they cover a lot of ground in the metro-north suburbs and through Cambridge into the city, until the middle-eastern music pirate in Dedham(?) overpowers them farther to the south and west. (There was also a strong Caribbean pirate on 88.5 in Dorchester last year, but I don't think that one is still on).

I didn't have time to look around for a house or building with the VHF base antenna that used to be on top of the building behind the old Zeitgeist Gallery in Cambridge, but I know it's the same equipment that was used when it was there. Someone who was involved with the station took the equipment home with them.
 
Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:
Man, these guys in Brockton are not all that bright, are they? After being raided, you'd think they would "get the hint" and cool it. But, nooooooo!
Click to expand...

They know perfectly well how slowly the wheels of FCC justice grind. They'll just milk it for all they can until the FCC finally catches up with them.
 
DG02816 said:
I'd just toss them in the Federal pen then and there and break up the equipment. better yet, give it to a legal station....
Click to expand...

The FCC has done that in the past, but only after repeated warnings, visits by RIs and fines, and not very often. If you read the FCC notices, they say that one possible mode of enforcement is "in rem arrest of equipment." Sounds funny, but what it boils down to is the FCC takes the equipment and destroys it after receiving what amounts to an arrest warrant from a judge. They got one guy in Florida a few years back this way. He had been fined three times, never paid the fines, ignored all the official notices, refused to let the FCC into his place...and that finally pushed the FCC too far. They had him and his equipment arrested, tried him and got a conviction, and the guy did a few years of federal time. They put his equipment in a crusher. Instances like this are, however, far too rare.
 
I posted this in the "Part 15, Unlicensed radio in Boston" thread, but feel it applies here also,

nspunx said:
There are avenues for people who love radio and want to be on the air and play whatever music they choose. I decided to look into it and I was on the air legally within three days with my own weekly show. I find it funny that these pirate stations who want to serve the community and just love radio so much that they have to break the law sell advertising! There are ways to get on the air legally but you won't get paid for it, I guess you only love radio that much if you're making money off of it!
Click to expand...
 
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