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AM Pirate Nailed!

D

dbdigital

Guest
Looks like the FCC nailed a pirate operating on 1620. In this case the pirate was the otherwise respectable Mt. San Jacinto Community College.

"The San Diego Office received information that an unlicensed broadcast
radio station on 1620 kHz was allegedly operating in San Jacinto,
California. On December 14, 2007, an agent from this office confirmed by
radio direction finding techniques that a radio transmitter operating on
the frequency 1620 kHz was located at the Music Building inside the Mt.
San Jacinto Campus, San Jacinto, California. The Commission's records show
that no license was issued for operation of a broadcast station at this
location on 1620 kHz in San Jacinto, California.

Radio stations must be licensed by the FCC pursuant to 47 U.S.C. S: 301.
The only exception to this licensing requirement is for certain
transmitters using or operating at a power level that complies with the
standards established in Part 15 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.
S:S: 15.1 et seq. Your operation on frequency 1620 kHz was measured at
65,000 microvolts per meter (uV/m) at 100 meters. This exceeds the
allowable unlicensed limit of 14.8 uV/m at 30 meters established in 47
C.F.R. S: 15.209(a). Thus, this station is operating in violation of 47
U.S.C. S: 301."

I don't have the math for this but operating at 65,000 microvolts per meter at 100 meters would be what in terms of wattage?

http://www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-279229A1.html

db
 
They should stop worrying about "Pirates" and get this IBOC garbage off the dial,that is the real monster!!
 
lol, funny how the f.c.c. picks on some people but yet dont bother the real A**Hat pirates
 
As an educational institution, why was San Jacinto not eligible for FCC measurement at the boundary of campus property, instead of right near the transmitter?
 
i bet one of there "on-air" staff said somthing they shouldn't have
 
Johnathan said:
As an educational institution, why was San Jacinto not eligible for FCC measurement at the boundary of campus property, instead of right near the transmitter?
Click to expand...

I was told when I was designing an on-campus leaky coax system that the FCC will allow the signal limit to be measured 3 feet from the exterior wall of the building, not the parking lot or the boundary line of the property.
 
dbdigital said:
I don't have the math for this but operating at 65,000 microvolts per meter at 100 meters would be what in terms of wattage?
Click to expand...

The effective radiated power needed to do this is about 469 milliwatts.

As the radiation efficiency of even an elevated "Part 15" AM system rarely is more than a few percent, the transmitter output power probably was at least 5 watts.
//
 
R. Fry said:
dbdigital said:
I don't have the math for this but operating at 65,000 microvolts per meter at 100 meters would be what in terms of wattage?
Click to expand...

The effective radiated power needed to do this is about 469 milliwatts.

As the radiation efficiency of even an elevated "Part 15" AM system rarely is more than a few percent, the transmitter output power probably was at least 5 watts.
//
Click to expand...

Thanks for the calculations.

The FCC reported that they shut down 85 pirates in '07 (according to the enforcement bureau's PowerPoint presentation).

I guess that gives Mt. San Jacinto CC the dubious honor of being the first for '08.

db
 
The rules say they are allowed 24,000 microvolts per meter 30 meters off campus. So, was that
FCC reading 30 meters off campus? Defferent rules apply to educational institutions. I don't know
all the facts here. But someone may have made a mistake here.
 
Timewarp said:
The rules say they are allowed 24,000 microvolts per meter 30 meters off campus. So, was that FCC reading 30 meters off campus?
Click to expand...

The FCC limit at the perimeter of their campus is 24,000 / 1620 µV/m in this case, which is about 14.8 µV/m as stated in the FCC NOUO.

If this setup had a measured groundwave field of 65 mV/m at 100 meters from the transmit antenna, then the path length needed for that signal to fall to 14.8 µV/m could be 50 miles or more, depending on earth conductivity along that path.

Probably the campus is not that large.

Below is the applicable text.

+ + +

Sec. 15.209 Radiated emission limits; general requirements.

(a) Except as provided elsewhere in this subpart, the emissions from
an intentional radiator shall not exceed the field strength levels
specified in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measurement
Frequency (MHz) Field strength distance
(microvolts/meter) (meters)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.009-0.490...................... 2400/F(kHz) 300
0.490-1.705...................... 24000/F(kHz) 30
1.705-30.0....................... 30 30
30-88............................ 100 ** 3
88-216........................... 150 ** 3
216-960.......................... 200 ** 3
Above 960........................ 500 3

From 15.221

1) On the campus, the field strength of emissions appearing outside
of this frequency band shall not exceed the general radiated emission
limits shown in Sec. 15.209 as measured from the radiating source. There
is no limit on the field strength of emissions appearing within this
frequency band, except that the provisions of Sec. 15.5 continue to
comply.
(2) At the perimeter of the campus, the field strength of any
emissions, including those within the frequency band 525-1705 kHz, shall
not exceed the general radiated emission in Sec. 15.209.
//
 
These guys may well have thought they were legal operating under part 15. I know of one university
that used this to serve a medium size town. Another could be heard all over the city of Indianapolis.
Both of these have pulled the plug and are now off the air. Maybe, just in time. After some complaints
were filed with the FCC about part 15. The FCC has now been forced to take a hard look at part 15.

Once, part 15 looked like an easy way to get on the air without a license. Now it looks like a good way
to have a FCC investigator in your bedroom asking you and your wife questions. Maybe in the wee
hours of the morning too. Don't want to go through that, even if its legal.
 
It's hard to believe the FCC would waste their time picking on a 500-milliwatt radio station, when they manage to look the other way when a legal licensed radio station runs 920 watts over its licensed nighttime power of 10 watts, and do it for over a year.

Oh I forgot the rules are different for Clear Channel, and the mega broadcasters!

Radio Rebel since 1983
Steve
XRQK Radio
 
man you said it there.
2 sets of rules
1 for mega broadcast companys
1 for the rest of us
 
There was a college near me that took their carrier current transmitter and tied it into an antenna. They were running it that way for months. I don't know what finally brought it to an end, but I was surprised they got away with it for so long.
 
dbdigital said:
"The San Diego Office received information that an unlicensed broadcast
radio station on 1620 kHz was allegedly operating in San Jacinto,
California. On December 14, 2007, an agent from this office confirmed by
radio direction finding techniques that a radio transmitter operating on
the frequency 1620 kHz was located at the Music Building inside the Mt.
San Jacinto Campus, San Jacinto, California. The Commission's records show
that no license was issued for operation of a broadcast station at this
location on 1620 kHz in San Jacinto, California.

Radio stations must be licensed by the FCC pursuant to 47 U.S.C. S: 301.
The only exception to this licensing requirement is for certain
transmitters using or operating at a power level that complies with the
standards established in Part 15 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.
S:S: 15.1 et seq. Your operation on frequency 1620 kHz was measured at
65,000 microvolts per meter (uV/m) at 100 meters. This exceeds the
allowable unlicensed limit of 14.8 uV/m at 30 meters established in 47
C.F.R. S: 15.209(a). Thus, this station is operating in violation of 47
U.S.C. S: 301."



http://www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-279229A1.html

db
Click to expand...


remind me the next time I'm afflicted with insomnia I should
break out some FCC Press Releases and read them.....Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Even the guy who wrote the dialogue for Sgt. Joe Friday would be
embarrassed to put his name to that!

Take pity on those poor field agents....they are probably going
insane from having to read FCC manuals and inter-office memos all day.
 
FreddyE1977 said:
Remind me the next time I'm afflicted with insomnia I should break out some FCC Press Releases and read them.....Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Click to expand...

Insomnia or not, if the FCC knocks on your "Part 15" door either literally, or by other means -- probably you'd best pay attention.

But better yet, learn and follow the physical realities permitted by Part 15 AM/FM, if you wish to avoid such FCC field investigations and subsequent citations/fines.

//
 
More fun with pirates.

In this case the pirate is Mt. San Jacinto College which is freely advertising the fact that they are using 30 watts ("30,000
milliwatts") of power.

According to the San Jacinto's technology department, their 1620 kHz signal serves Hemet and San Jacinto and may be heard as far as Moreno Valley.

Sounds like another case for the FCC's field investigators.

Check out their website. You'll be amazed.


http://www.msjc.edu/music/audiotech/serv04.htm

C5
 
The FCC in the real world allows power violations out the wazoo for commercial stations, so long as ther are not interference complaints. Stations authorized to run specific power is not enforced. Daytme power / nightime power not a problem. Tower lights not a problem. I live in the Tampa enforcement district. What goes on around here is a joke.

Just make sure you're not running a 1/2 watt LPFM!!! and...your AM ground lead is not to long! :D
 
druidhillsradio said:
The FCC in the real world allows power violations out the wazoo for commercial stations, so long as ther are not interference complaints. Stations authorized to run specific power is not enforced. Daytme power / nightime power not a problem. Tower lights not a problem. I live in the Tampa enforcement district. What goes on around here is a joke.

Just make sure you're not running a 1/2 watt LPFM!!! and...your AM ground lead is not to long! :D
Click to expand...

And we still think LPAM will even happen with those clowns in charge?
 
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