TOUCH 106.1

[raccoonradio]

Maybe...SRF-M37v
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31TDNZNJYHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

 

[reelyreal]

>>cause interference to law-abiding, tax-paying full-power stations. That's not right.

Yes; like a co-worker of mine who couldn't hear WMBR because of a pirate. Or some classical
fans in Boston who couldn't pick up WCRB 99.5 due to a Dorchester pirate on 99.7. Or the
aviation frequencies affected by the same folks: "Datz Hits". Yes, and datz illegal too, guys.

Not all pirate radio stations should be on the air, I do agree with that, 99.7 Datz Hits was interfering with Logan Airport and WCRB, but the Boston Radio dial is crowded, and people who are going to start these unlicensed stations are going to choose FM or AM frequencies that interfere with other stations, it's just the way it is, it's always been that way in major cities like Boston, Miami, New York City, or even cities in other countries like London or Manchester, England.

Just look at this list of Pirate Radio Stations in London:
http://www.transmissionzero.co.uk/radio/london-pirate-radio/

I know its ILLEGAL, i know these stations are UNLICENSED, i could be wrong about the stations (Touch, Big City, Etc), they could be off the air in a couple of months or years, all that i'm saying is that they have a community that listens to them, if they could become licensed, they would probably need to find a new frequency, but yet again, were talking about the Boston Radio Dial, maybe they feel that the FCC can't give them a license because the radio dial in Boston is already so overcrowded with all the Unlicensed and Licensed stations, so being a pirate radio station is easier for them.

I can understand that the pirate radio stations are causing interference with law-abiding and tax-paying full-power stations. I know that it's wrong, but their are always going to be pirate radio stations in Boston or any other cities in the United States or Europe or where ever.

If I understand you correctly, you're suggesting that because the FM spectrum is already overcrowded in Boston, we should cram more stations into it?

 

[John MacCormack]

>>cause interference to law-abiding, tax-paying full-power stations. That's not right.

Yes; like a co-worker of mine who couldn't hear WMBR because of a pirate. Or some classical
fans in Boston who couldn't pick up WCRB 99.5 due to a Dorchester pirate on 99.7. Or the
aviation frequencies affected by the same folks: "Datz Hits". Yes, and datz illegal too, guys.

Not all pirate radio stations should be on the air, I do agree with that, 99.7 Datz Hits was interfering with Logan Airport and WCRB, but the Boston Radio dial is crowded, and people who are going to start these unlicensed stations are going to choose FM or AM frequencies that interfere with other stations, it's just the way it is, it's always been that way in major cities like Boston, Miami, New York City, or even cities in other countries like London or Manchester, England.

Just look at this list of Pirate Radio Stations in London:
http://www.transmissionzero.co.uk/radio/london-pirate-radio/

I know its ILLEGAL, i know these stations are UNLICENSED, i could be wrong about the stations (Touch, Big City, Etc), they could be off the air in a couple of months or years, all that i'm saying is that they have a community that listens to them, if they could become licensed, they would probably need to find a new frequency, but yet again, were talking about the Boston Radio Dial, maybe they feel that the FCC can't give them a license because the radio dial in Boston is already so overcrowded with all the Unlicensed and Licensed stations, so being a pirate radio station is easier for them.

I can understand that the pirate radio stations are causing interference with law-abiding and tax-paying full-power stations. I know that it's wrong, but their are always going to be pirate radio stations in Boston or any other cities in the United States or Europe or where ever.

If I understand you correctly, you're suggesting that because the FM spectrum is already overcrowded in Boston, we should cram more stations into it?

I was saying that if they (TOUCH or Big City) could become licensed they would have to find a new channel, I don't think the FCC would allow for TOUCH FM to have the FM frequency their both using (106.1 FM) or Big City (101.3 FM). That would mean they would have to find a new frequency, But due to the Boston Radio Dial, thats probably not going to happen. I wasn't saying that we should cram more stations in it, that would be a mess. I was just saying if only 1-2 community stations could be licensed, then they can continue to be a Community station, without fearing that they are going to get shut down.

 

[aerie]

If these people are breaking federal laws, why can't the local police raid them? Why does the FCC itself have to raid them?

If someone were passing counterfeit $20 bills (a federal law), they would be arrested by the local police, not the Treasury Department's G-men.

 

[raccoonradio]

Think it was said Federal Marshalls have to be involved with raids and they are busy with other stuff

In some places like Florida laws are a bit tougher
2005
http://www.frn.net/vines/Forum1/HTML/001677.html

>>State agents silenced two pirate radio stations this week and arrested two operators whose profanity-laced broadcasts have been interfering with a local student-run station since May.
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Marquis McDonald, 23, and Rasheem Oriley, 26, on charges of unauthorized transmission of a radio station. The arrestsare likely the first under new state laws making the operation of pirate radio stations a third-degree felony, said Paige Patterson-Hughes, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They could also face federal charges and fines.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

I was saying that if they (TOUCH or Big City) could become licensed they would have to find a new channel...I wasn't saying that we should cram more stations in it, that would be a mess. I was just saying if only 1-2 community stations could be licensed, then they can continue to be a Community station, without fearing that they are going to get shut down.

You just set a new Guinness world record for contradicting yourself. You can't have it both ways. Neither the station nor the FCC can "find a new channel" when all available channels are filled, and the FCC is never going to grant a license to someone who openly breaks the law.

Do yourself a favor and stop attempting to defend lawbreakers.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>the FCC is never going to grant a license to someone who openly breaks the law.

I do remember situations like Radio Free Brattleboro where this was said.
I have said something like "maybe the FCC could, say, open up an ex-band freq" (doubtful but who knows) and have a community organization run it. Now who knows, maybe some of these
pirate folks can wind up on there but they wouldn't own/run it...someone ELSE would. And
heck, run ads if possible; broker time. It may actually cost the pirates less to broker time
on such a station than it would be to buy equipment, etc. The station would be legit,
they would pay taxes on advertising...sigh, I can dream can't I? [Better yet go to a legit AM or FM and do the shows THERE]

(again far fetched but if the FCC were to do it...)
BOSTON COMMUNITY RADIO (call letters ???) 1670 kHz
Featuring
Hip hop, R&B
Local religious shows
The Occupy Program
Haitian/Caribbean
Youth group Action Radio (high school students do a show)
Public Service Programming

Again I highly doubt that would happen but in the past had they done it they could have at
least provided a legit home for some of this; just as my own WMWM has some Spanish
language programming for the community. I'd rather have it on a legit station than say,
some folks nearby starting up a pirate on an adjacent frequency. "Gee, I can't pick up
WMWM in Peabody because someone's on 91.5 with pirate radio..." Nope, instead we have them
do it on SSU Radio.

 

[raccoonradio]

Going back to 1997--The Boston Phoenix

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/alt1/archive/news/97/02/27/RADIO_FREE_ALLSTON.html

>>Wollman agrees with Provizer that the 100-watt rule was a "bad and mean-spirited idea," but says he disapproves of the unlicensed broadcasters' approach. Even though station-ownership fees may be prohibitive, there are many AM stations that lease airtime, and there are still high-school or college FM stations that will allow outsiders to use some of their hours*. Provizer's chosen frequency of 106.1 falls in a rare gap on the Boston radio dial, Wollman says, but it will still keep hobbyists who listen to distant stations from hearing WCOD in Hyannis, whose signal reaches here "almost all the time in the summer."

*--emphasis mine. Hint, hint!

Provizer is Steve Provizer and the station being talked about was Radio Free Allston, later Allston Brighton Free Radio. Later they went on a couple AM frequencies "legally" though poss.
still overmodulating. I was driving thru the area on a March day when they debuted and the
signal seemed to go a few blocks. Provizer was heard to declare in a speech that while he was
happy they had a home on the air, "I am also angry..." at what the FCC, etc. was doing in
making it so tough for them to go on.

http://lists.bostonradio.org/bri/v03/msg06346.html

Yours truly recalls it.
>> Then Steve Provizer
came on; a short tape had English-as-a-second-
language students chanting, in unison,
"Allston-Brighton Free Radio, AM 1580, is on the
air!".
Provizer said he was ecstatic that the station was
on the air, but he was also disgusted that the
community station was legally limited to a mere
100 milliwatts.
He played a song by the Rebirth Jazz Band and then
talked for awhile about the difficulty the community
has in having a

 

[Nate Wesley]

Why bother to shut them down? Because it's ILLEGAL. If I rob a bank and use the money to serve the community is that okay?

How is less-than-legal radio comparable to bank robbery?

 

[WNTIRadio]

Both are felonies.

Both steal from others. In this case, causing interference to a licensed station that pays its regulatory fees/taxes/employees.

One doesn't pay any taxes, licensing fees or anything else. I'm surprised that the RIAA, ASCAP or BMI hasn't gone after these people yet to make a point.

 

[NHRadio]

If these people are breaking federal laws, why can't the local police raid them? Why does the FCC itself have to raid them?

Because laws and federal regulations are not the same thing. Administrative regs are generally not crimes but violations punishable by fines.
The FCC and many of the other alphabet agencies cannot pass laws and have no law enforcement authority, so fines are their only option. Kind of like a traffic ticket.