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Pirate Radio Station arrest in lakeland

M

MusicMan11

Polk county sheriff's office release:
News Date: 11/7/2008

PCSO Detectives Shut Down Illegal Radio Station Operating Out of Motel

Polk County Sheriff's Bureau of Special Investigations detectives, working in conjunction with the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), the Lakeland Police Department, and the State Attorney's Office, served search warrants on three rooms at the Kingston Inn Motel located at 910 East Memorial Blvd. in Lakeland, and arrested a Lakeland man today after they discovered he has been illegally transmitting a radio broadcast on frequency 87.9 FM MHZ for several months.

According to the affidavit, on September 13, 2008, one of the detectives saw a flier advertising a party sponsored by "Blazin' 87.9 Da Biz." With the assistance of the FCC, the transmission source of 87.9 FM was located at 910 East Memorial Blvd. in Lakeland, but the FCC showed no license for broadcast for that radio station or that frequency.

Throughout the months of September and October, detectives observed and listened to Frankie Grover, DOB 4/24/55, of 1017 North Lake Parker Avenue in Lakeland, the former owner of WHNR AM, running live web cam internet broadcasts of 87.9 FM simultaneously with radio broadcasts, which featured morning talk shows, live interviews, and R&B, soul, gospel, and blues music.

Due to Grover's self-proclaimed 30 years in the radio business and prior ownership of WHNR AM in Winter Haven, he knew or should have known the broadcast of 87.9 FM without an FCC license is a 3rd degree felony under Florida law. On November 7, 2008, detectives served search warrants at the three rooms (1377,1378, and 1379) he has been renting for $450 per month at the Kingston Inn, which served as his business, and seized all of his equipment. Grover was booked into the Polk County Jail on one count Unauthorized Transmission of Radio Frequency and was released the same day after posting $1,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing.
Grover has one prior arrest in Polk County, in 1991, for one count Assault and one count Battery.
 
I wish someone would challenge the constitutionality of the Florida law. The state has no legal jurisdiction over radio matters. It is a federal matter. This guy sure was stupid though...using the frequency for channel 6 audio. He wasnt even in the FM band.
 
BTW... Bay News 9's website has more info on the story, includion a 2:00 soundbyte from the "Morning Show." For those that say that business is off right now... listen to all the sponsors he plugs. This guy was a hard working morning host AND a good salesman!

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/11/7/400766.html

Sounds like Frankie had a pretty good business for himself! In addition with operating an unlicensed facility, wonder if the FCC will tack on additional charges for airing what is clearly commercial content on a non-comm frequency?

Plus... if someone in that area were smart, they'd be going to those businesses that did advertise to try to snag those ad dollars!

BTW... Who gets custody of the equipment? Will the Polk County Sheriff's Department sell it at their next auction? Maybe over at Tampa Machinery Auction?
 
Somebody should hire this guy as a sales manager. Obviously he would be good at it. I'm impressed with the flyer too... BTW, he was tranmitting out of band on the Channel 6 TV frequency. 87.9 isnt even in the FM band
 
Amazing how some of these non-commercial types can do radio a heck of a lot better than the supposed "pros."

I've heard Lakeland radio. Kind of sleepy.

Nice to have the Federal Broadcasters Protection Agency sweep down like goons and raid any kind of potential competition.
 
First of all, I don't think the station was called Blazin' 87.9 Da Biz, if you look at the Flyer the web address is "wgbcfm.biz" and I think that's where the confusion came.

Plus, he should've known better.. however, he was heard to tell people "I have special authority from the FCC, I'm not worried"
 
sbe1 said:
I wish someone would challenge the constitutionality of the Florida law. The state has no legal jurisdiction over radio matters. It is a federal matter. This guy sure was stupid though...using the frequency for channel 6 audio. He wasnt even in the FM band.
Click to expand...

You are correct. A state has absolutely NO legal authority over a federal license. In the past, an unlicensed pirate who was caught was subject only to administratve sanctions imposed by the FCC, and administrative branch of the U.S. Government and not a judicial branch. It was rare that law enforcement ever got involved in these matters, and if they did, it was a federal marshall, not the local police.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]
 
sbe1 said:
BTW, he was transmitting out of band on the Channel 6 TV frequency. 87.9 isn't even in the FM band
Click to expand...

I assume everyone knows this, but I'll throw it out anyway, but 87.9 FM is in the FM band, see KSFH San Jose, California. Also, if I'm not mistaken, TV Channel 6 audio is really on 87.7 but bleeds over to 87.9 on radios that don't tune down to 87.7. If anyone wants to make it more complicated than that, chime in.
 
poledo said:
sbe1 said:
BTW, he was transmitting out of band on the Channel 6 TV frequency. 87.9 isn't even in the FM band
Click to expand...

I assume everyone knows this, but I'll throw it out anyway, but 87.9 FM is in the FM band, see KSFH San Jose, California. Also, if I'm not mistaken, TV Channel 6 audio is really on 87.7 but bleeds over to 87.9 on radios that don't tune down to 87.7. If anyone wants to make it more complicated than that, chime in.
Click to expand...

TV audio is on 87.75
 
I hear he was doing some very good business too!

He sold WHNR but was going to reposses it... unfortunately no, if you've been "convicted" of running a pirate operation, you can't hold a broadcast license.
 
Well, there was Allan Weiner (just Google him) who went on to get a license for WBCQ.

And I can tell you there was an experimental FM licensed station in Tampa years ago that, um, just may have had it's beginnings as a pirate.
 
TerryKay said:
Well, there was Allan Weiner (just Google him) who went on to get a license for WBCQ.

And I can tell you there was an experimental FM licensed station in Tampa years ago that, um, just may have had it's beginnings as a pirate.
Click to expand...

Allan Weiner was a very special case and the FCC has gotten strict about things like that.
 
Not real bright to use 87.9 in an area where TV Channel 6 is in local use (Orlando.)

As far as 87.9 being a "legit" FM frequency, everything I have read shows the FM band as 88.1-107.9Mhz. Although there is a LPFM which is licensed as an LPTV on Channel 6. He transmits audio only, thus using the loophole to create a quasi-FM station just below the band limits and receivable by most FM radios. Anyone else hear of this? I can't remember where it's located. New York City, maybe?
 
MN Maniac said:
Not real bright to use 87.9 in an area where TV Channel 6 is in local use (Orlando.)

As far as 87.9 being a "legit" FM frequency, everything I have read shows the FM band as 88.1-107.9Mhz. Although there is a LPFM which is licensed as an LPTV on Channel 6. He transmits audio only, thus using the loophole to create a quasi-FM station just below the band limits and receivable by most FM radios. Anyone else hear of this? I can't remember where it's located. New York City, maybe?
Click to expand...

it's not an LPFM, it's WNYZ-LP.. as in LPTV and it is legal..... they have pictures up on the video portion.

THis was also done in Anchorage for the longest time, as KZND.. but they are now on 94.7..

its being done in California.... and was almost done in Hartford, CT
 
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