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Miami/Fort Lauderdale LPFM caught with 1000 watt ERP!

Michi said:
  • There is a field office in Miami, which makes enforcement more convenient.
  • There is already increased enforcement in south Florida because of the PIRATE Act, which mandates increased enforcement for unauthorized operation.
  • Miami is a hotbed for pirate radio operation and in that area, as well as most of urbanized Florida, the LPFM stations are a cancer because of the significant pirate influence in the area. Right now, from the 2023 LPFM Window, both MX Groups 28 and 29 remain pending due to various issues, including alleged pirate pasts. Florida even has a pirate radio law at the state level.
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A large percentage of the pirates are operated by Haitian refugees. They come from a country that has been declared to be without the rule of law, and people from there are used to taking rules, regulations and laws as suggestions and not requirements.

And due to the lack of significant licensed station options, those Haitians have an incentive to create options with different programming, music and content
Michi said:
  • Broadcasters are reluctant to file complaints regarding technical parameters because of a fear that if they complain and the Field travels to their area, they will also make inspections on
    • uninvolved stations in the area.
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Many stations are fearful of violent reprisal for any complaint. Going back some years, there was a pirate next to Power's frequency. They sold ads to local stores and clubs with the "if you don't buy ads, we will set your place on fire". Power was very concerned about "payback" if they filed a complaint.

And, yes, there were cases where clubs that did not advertise got vandalized or worse.
 
Trying not to be political.

No matter what you think about the immigration enforcement, this could be the perfect time for the FCC to round up the pirates in the area being targeted. Isn't operating a "non licensed OTA" a felony? I'm not saying that all pirates are undocumented, but IMHO the undocumented pirates need to find another country to live in. And folks that are "legally in" or US citizens convicted of operating a non licensed OTA stations need jail time not just fines. There is someone who is responsible or the folks on the board of directors of a non profit.

The FCC should also make repeat violators of power "unqualified" and striped of all licences. No quickie sale to another subsidiary but the licenses and allocations go back to the FCC even if it has been sold to another operator. If you can't afford proper equipment to control you transmitter one you think you can't afford to run your station. Also extra power almost always creates a bigger electric bill.
 
secondchoice said:
Trying not to be political.

No matter what you think about the immigration enforcement, this could be the perfect time for the FCC to round up the pirates in the area being targeted. Isn't operating a "non licensed OTA" a felony? I'm not saying that all pirates are undocumented, but IMHO the undocumented pirates need to find another country to live in. And folks that are "legally in" or US citizens convicted of operating a non licensed OTA stations need jail time not just fines. There is someone who is responsible or the folks on the board of directors of a non profit.

The FCC should also make repeat violators of power "unqualified" and striped of all licences. No quickie sale to another subsidiary but the licenses and allocations go back to the FCC even if it has been sold to another operator. If you can't afford proper equipment to control you transmitter one you think you can't afford to run your station. Also extra power almost always creates a bigger electric bill.
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Not sure jail time or deportation is a good answer as you could be tied up in court for years plus it would be a serious case of "who hit John" trying to determine who goes to jail. However a significant fine levied against the licensee or operator that DOJ really did make an effort to collect might make them go away. It did for one of the LPs down here. They were fined $25K and just went away.
 
Folks going to their hearings have been nabbed in the hallway after their hearing. There was a guy from Puerto Rico who got picked up because "looked like an undocumented". He was walking to the neighborhood pool and didn't have his wallet. Just some cash, bathing suit and beach towel. The scary part of the roundups is the "non access" to the defendants. If they are harassing anyone who looks "Hispanic" why not give the same treatment to non documented folks that are OTA pirates who are caught.

I was in the Air Force with a guy who's family had been on Texas before it was a state. If ever someone looked like a stereotype Mexican, he was.
 


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