FCC agents on this board.. please respond!

[radiopilot]

I'm sure there is at least a couple of FCC agents that frequent this board...

Please give us the scoop on the reality if you will on the 'real' threat of getting a visit with 100mw - 1 watt of FM transmitter coverage...

Give us details of what you don't like to see when you pay someone a visit...

What serious things should we adhere to so that our signal is clean, no one complains, etc. I don't mean the obvious, ie. filters, language, content, but rather what is it that makes you go to someones's home or business if the power level is very low compared to someone with 10-1000 watts!

Will the local licensed broadcaster issue an interference report for someone with a 100mw transmitter or the fact that 'advertising' took so called revenues from his business' bottom line?

Are all inspectors similar in determinig whose's in compliance and whether they feel you're ok with 1 watt... or do they just intrepet the law as it's written...

The reason I say this is that many licensed broadcasters are blatant violators of the FCC rules and does the FCC have the manpower to issue citations to each violator or violation?

These questions would greatly add to what we think we know based on heresay or how we intrepet the rules.

Radiopilot

 

[kc8gpd]

I don't Beleive they are allowed to comment. it is more than likely in the contracts they sign before going to work with the government. They are more than likely not even allowed to admit to browsing these forums. I will be very supprised to see an FCC agent respond.


Rev. Robert P. Chrysafis


> I'm sure there is at least a couple of FCC agents that
> frequent this board...
>
> Please give us the scoop on the reality if you will on the
> 'real' threat of getting a visit with 100mw - 1 watt of FM
> transmitter coverage...
>
> Give us details of what you don't like to see when you pay
> someone a visit...
>
> What serious things should we adhere to so that our signal
> is clean, no one complains, etc. I don't mean the obvious,
> ie. filters, language, content, but rather what is it that
> makes you go to someones's home or business if the power
> level is very low compared to someone with 10-1000 watts!
>
> Will the local licensed broadcaster issue an interference
> report for someone with a 100mw transmitter or the fact that
> 'advertising' took so called revenues from his business'
> bottom line?
>
> Are all inspectors similar in determinig whose's in
> compliance and whether they feel you're ok with 1 watt... or
> do they just intrepet the law as it's written...
>
> The reason I say this is that many licensed broadcasters are
> blatant violators of the FCC rules and does the FCC have the
> manpower to issue citations to each violator or violation?
>
> These questions would greatly add to what we think we know
> based on heresay or how we intrepet the rules.
>
> Radiopilot
>
<P ID="signature">______________
Rev. Robert P. Chrysafis
Universal Life Ministries (ULC)

http://www.freecycle.org
Join the FreeCycle Revolution</P>

 

[RADIOBRANDY]

Re: FCC agents on this board. can't respond!

There are agents from the F.C.C. reading this board often I know because they visit my website. Don’t expect them to reveal themselves to us here; blowing ones cover has little value. What RADIOMIKE says is by the book, about as close to an agent as you are going to get here.

Radio Brandy uses our part 15 FM transmitters on private property in Arizona. Our signal stays well within our 40-acre property. The signals primary feed student housing and offices though leaky cables. Our main purpose is to teach broadcasting and produce programming. The FM transmitters help teach the effects of processing and how small adjustments can have a dramatic effect on the other end.

My experience comes from working on both sides, starting my work at the age of eight at a legal station back in 1967. I became the human automation so the jocks could watch movies at the theater two doors from the station and eat at McDonalds in the same shopping center. I have also worked for some undocumented stations: 3 AM’s and 4 FM’s.

One AM stayed on the air for twenty years without a single visit. One FM survived 5 years running a 24/7 operation. The other stations went down because the owners got bored with them. Are got married to a control freak.

The FM got a visit two weeks after making the front page of the local newspaper. The agent said the local legal stations had nothing to do with the
Visit. We had a good working relationship with the legal FM as we shared our remote equipment with them, provided back up power whenever it was needed.
Though discovery it was determined it was another undocumented station in town that turned us in.

What I have learned from my years as a broadcaster is to keep a low profile,
The guy going on a bulletin board like this one and announces to the world he is going on the air with a 100 milliwatt transmitter has just gotten the attention of an agent from the F.C.C. That’s like telling a cop you are going to be driving down I-5 at 100 MPH at six o’clock in your bright yellow Corvette. You have just invited a visit.

The two recent busts in San Luis Obispo were from one station inviting and getting press coverage. The other broadcaster had been on for years without hassles until the press coverage, which invited a visit from the FCC that took both stations down. The clueless station running 100 watts one frequency away from a local legal station was also inviting trouble.

I know one manufacture of a popular FM broadcast antenna sells over 100 units a month to the USA alone and has been doing so for over three years. Each antenna is likely plugged into a FM transmitter somewhere. Another antenna manufacture has sold over 600 tuned FM ground planes this year. Well over 4200 antennas and that does not include Ramsey or the many other manufactures.

With that many undocumented broadcasters on the air the FCC is more likely to focus on those running excessive power are causing interference first.. Just like the Cop is more likely to have his attention drawn to the drunk weaving all over the road than the guy driving 10 miles an hour over the speed limit.
Another tip don’t have $5,000 worth of equipment near your transmitter. Use a wireless link like Broadcast Warehouse has.

Steve
Radio Brandy

> I'm sure there is at least a couple of FCC agents that
> frequent this board...
> Radiopilot
>

 

[carlvanorden]

> I'm sure there is at least a couple of FCC agents that> frequent this board...> > Please give us the scoop on the reality if you will on the> 'real' threat of getting a visit with 100mw - 1 watt of FM> transmitter coverage...> > Give us details of what you don't like to see when you pay> someone a visit...> > What serious things should we adhere to so that our signal> is clean, no one complains, etc. I don't mean the obvious,> ie. filters, language, content, but rather what is it that> makes you go to someones's home or business if the power> level is very low compared to someone with 10-1000 watts!> > Will the local licensed broadcaster issue an interference> report for someone with a 100mw transmitter or the fact that> 'advertising' took so called revenues from his business'> bottom line?> > Are all inspectors similar in determinig whose's in> compliance and whether they feel you're ok with 1 watt... or> do they just intrepet the law as it's written...> > The reason I say this is that many licensed broadcasters are> blatant violators of the FCC rules and does the FCC have the> manpower to issue citations to each violator or violation?> > These questions would greatly add to what we think we know> based on heresay or how we intrepet the rules.> > Radiopilot> Before I read the rest of the thread, I have to say a few things: The FCC is threadbare-manpower-wise, which doesn't give anyone permission to disobey the law, but they won't be looking at certain violations........................When you are part 15, keep to it best as possible;...don't interfere with any licenced stations or step on anyones toes; in other words don't piss anyone off. Even a strong part 15 station (and some are strong due to lack of interference) can seem illegal and are not at all!!.....surely, keep language local and legal, songs the same way, and just be a very good neighbor.............................There are certainly cases where the FCC comes after people for what seems nothing; however their cases are pretty good; major interference, bad language, bad songs, and no thinking on the broadcasters part at all.............Generally, the FCC will issue you a STOP order (I'm being basic here) if you do interfere with the law....if you stop, they will go away, and that is in everyone's interest........if you don't and increase your signal, increase interference, increase bad language and generally piss off your town, they will go after you again....and with good reason.......................................People did ask what I was doing and I'll tell you.........my signal is maybe a bit better than legal, but, it has a very small range; it literally serves about the area you can see if you stand on the house.....and I need to add that the antenna is way below where it should be. I personally spent a lot of time determining if I would interfere with any commercial station, and I'm not. The mountains and the rock around me take care of anything that I may be more powerful in......no matter what you do here, you will have a limited signal. Not so elsewhere, but here, it is a given.The trick is to put out a listenable signal and remain legal, and I have been able to do that, because of the reasons I mentioned above.As a general rule, part 15'er's (and broadcast stations too!) can't afford a visit from the FCC....who needs it, or wants it?.....so, for everyone who reads the site, I suspect that nearly everyone, if not everyone does respect the rules and aheres to them as best they can. Correctives happen, but if the issues are corrected, the FCC is generally ok with what is accepted as part 15 radio.<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]</P>

 

[jingle_freek1]

Like most, I beleive that as long as a person has good intentions of being part-15, even if they are a little over, 1 watt max, keeps a low profile, don't step on any toes, and don't cause interference then a visit is not near as likely. Most people that are interested in part-15 does not have the knowledge, or equipment to test feild strenth. So in other words most just have to assume that they are part 15 or very close. People that get out there and set up high power transmitters regardless if its 10 watts or 1000 watts and start broadcasting might as well turn them selves in and save someone the trouble of doing it. Those people ruin it for the people that have good intentions and try thier best to abide by the law. I feel good saying that the fcc agents are all alike when it comes to enforcing the law. All they can do is read it as printed, I would think that it would depened on the judge as to how the law is interpurted.

Thats my 2 cents.

 

[carlvanorden]

excellent opinion, "jingle freeK"..I applaud your opinion...n/m

> Like most, I beleive that as long as a person has good> intentions of being part-15, even if they are a little over,> 1 watt max, keeps a low profile, don't step on any toes, and> don't cause interference then a visit is not near as likely.> Most people that are interested in part-15 does not have> the knowledge, or equipment to test feild strenth. So in> other words most just have to assume that they are part 15> or very close. People that get out there and set up high> power transmitters regardless if its 10 watts or 1000 watts> and start broadcasting might as well turn them selves in and> save someone the trouble of doing it. Those people ruin it> for the people that have good intentions and try thier best> to abide by the law. I feel good saying that the fcc> agents are all alike when it comes to enforcing the law. > All they can do is read it as printed, I would think that it> would depened on the judge as to how the law is interpurted.> > > Thats my 2 cents.> <P ID="signature">______________
[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]</P>

 

[dbdigital]

> Like most, I beleive that as long as a person has good
> intentions of being part-15, even if they are a little over,
> 1 watt max, keeps a low profile, don't step on any toes, and
> don't cause interference then a visit is not near as likely.
> Most people that are interested in part-15 does not have
> the knowledge, or equipment to test feild strenth. So in
> other words most just have to assume that they are part 15
> or very close. People that get out there and set up high
> power transmitters regardless if its 10 watts or 1000 watts
> and start broadcasting might as well turn them selves in and
> save someone the trouble of doing it. Those people ruin it
> for the people that have good intentions and try thier best
> to abide by the law. I feel good saying that the fcc
> agents are all alike when it comes to enforcing the law.
> All they can do is read it as printed, I would think that it
> would depened on the judge as to how the law is interpurted.
>
>
> Thats my 2 cents.
>

Some time ago, I visited the local FCC office for Los Angeles. It was a dingy little office with bullet-proof glass. I would say no more than three people worked there.

I talked to an agent about LPFM and casually brought up the subject of someone running a 1 watt, unlicensed FM or AM station. He plainly said they wouldn't investigate unless they received several complaints. The violators who concern them the most and tie up a good deal of their time, according to this agent, are dispatch services that are either unlicensed or running too much power. That truly has the potential of being life-threatening. Some guy broadcasting Zydeco music over his neigborhood would only be a threat to some people's sense of taste.

So it's a calculated risk. But it seems that the FCC, at least in LA, has 'bigger fish to fry'.

db