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Author Topic: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up  (Read 12945 times)

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FTL_Ian

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FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« on: February 17, 2010, 04:35:44 PM »

Here's the story from the FCC-loving Erie "press and tower":  http://www.pressandtower.com/2010/01/fcc-shuts-down-two-erie-pirate-fms/ , complete with bootlicking comments and links to the NOTICES.

One of the heroic operators continued to operate even after the FCC's threatening NOTICE:
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100217/NEWS02/302179881
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AL the Inconspicuous

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2010, 07:12:46 AM »

I like the idea of people putting out pirate Internet content and underground censorship-resistant Internet access hotspots, but pirate radio...  seems like a waste to me...
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FTL_Ian

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2010, 03:05:19 PM »

I like the idea of people putting out pirate Internet content and underground censorship-resistant Internet access hotspots, but pirate radio...  seems like a waste to me...


Except that you don't realize how many people listen to the radio.
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AL the Inconspicuous

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2010, 03:34:44 PM »

You mean a subspecies of homosapiens that still can't figure out portable Internet streaming?  I wouldn't call them "people" exactly...  :lol:


(Just some feedback from the peanut gallery.)
« Last Edit: February 18, 2010, 03:36:46 PM by Alex Libman »
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FTL_Ian

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2010, 12:32:11 PM »

You can feel superior all you want, smarty-pants.  Some people just want to turn the car on and hear something.  At this point, internet streaming takes a little more effort, not to mention cost.  Most people aren't going to go through that effort.
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blackie

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2010, 12:45:29 PM »

I listen to the radio when I am in my car. Mostly horrible talk radio, like Democracy Now!, or something else on Pacifica.
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AL the Inconspicuous

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2010, 05:05:44 PM »

Ian, I completely understand and respect your support for analog / terrestrial pirate radio, but it seems tactically illogical after a certain point.  I agree that radio is still important because it's accessible to most people, but technology is a moving target.  One can go to jail for selling VHS bootlegs to make a point, or one can set up The Pirate Bay instead.

By focusing on the old, those pirate stations may be neglecting the new.  The money they spend on old-school broadcasting equipment could have been used to set up resilient local Internet infrastructure (i.e. a decentralized wireless mesh), which can be much more difficult to jam and can have much greater benefits for free speech.


I listen to the radio when I am in my car.

For like $25 you can get a cheap USB MP3 player AND a cassette / radio hookup to your car stereo.  And devices that can stream or download audio via wireless are falling in price pretty fast as well.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2010, 05:17:02 PM by Alex Libman »
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FTL_Ian

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2010, 05:21:35 PM »

It doesn't cost a whole lot to set up a pirate station.  If you're using a computer to source your audio, you already have what you need for internet streaming.  No one ever said a pirate couldn't have an internet feed.

Besides, people have to seek out content pretty specifically online.  There are thousands of choices, so stream listeners usually know what kind of content they are looking for.  Not the same with most radio listeners.  They hit the "scan" button and sample what they encounter.  If they like it, they'll stay and set a preset for your station.  If not, they scan on until they find something listenable.  Internet streaming does not have this type of listening.  Therefore, radio allows the liberty message to reach the ears of the people who were not seeking it out in the first place.  That's incredibly valuable.
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libertylover

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2010, 11:18:58 PM »

It doesn't cost a whole lot to set up a pirate station.  If you're using a computer to source your audio, you already have what you need for internet streaming.  No one ever said a pirate couldn't have an internet feed.

Besides, people have to seek out content pretty specifically online.  There are thousands of choices, so stream listeners usually know what kind of content they are looking for.  Not the same with most radio listeners.  They hit the "scan" button and sample what they encounter.  If they like it, they'll stay and set a preset for your station.  If not, they scan on until they find something listenable.  Internet streaming does not have this type of listening.  Therefore, radio allows the liberty message to reach the ears of the people who were not seeking it out in the first place.  That's incredibly valuable.

That is absolutely correct.

I have looked into what it takes to get a radio station.  You may as well forget it as a start up.   In my area all the frequencies are spoken for but most are not used they are listed as Null on the FCC website.  I think but I could be wrong that means either the richer stations have snapped up frequencies and have no intention of setting up a station.  Or the people who got the station for whatever reason are not selling it but not developing it either.   Maybe someone knows what a Null license for a frequency means.

I wish I did understand the frequency issues about limiting the amount of radio stations on each band.  Is it more a limitation of the radio receivers out there than an actual limitation of frequencies which could be utilized.  And I wish it could be less restrictive.  I suppose satellite is the new frontier but  end user up front cost kind of limits the audience. 
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Bill Brasky

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2010, 06:50:31 PM »

I totally agree with Ian on this one.  I meet people every day who are web-challenged.  Their lives are more-or-less 20th Century normal.  Their biggest technological leap of the last ten years was getting a digital converter for bunny ears television.  But they do listen to the radio, and those are the ones that lean towards talk-radio format - music gets boring. 
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AL the Inconspicuous

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2010, 07:18:46 PM »

You can spend your broadcasting dollars targeting Paula-in-FL, or you can spend them improving your 1337 h@X0r skillz with the next generation of telecommunications technology.  Ian, I am glad we have someone on our side who can do the former, and do it so well.  I certainly couldn't, even if I wanted to...
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libertylover

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2010, 07:49:58 PM »

I suppose no one on here knows the ins and outs of radio broadcast but I will pose another question.

How difficult is it for the FCC to locate a signal source?  Is it much more difficult if that signal is mobile?  Just wondering.
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FTL_Ian

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2010, 07:59:30 PM »

I suppose no one on here knows the ins and outs of radio broadcast but I will pose another question.

How difficult is it for the FCC to locate a signal source?  Is it much more difficult if that signal is mobile?  Just wondering.

Not difficult, but the operator in the story was on for a year before they sent the threat letter.  It'd be pretty tough to broadcast 24/7 from a mobile rig.

First someone has to complain, then the FCC has to investigate, then take action.
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RFBurns

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #13 on: September 04, 2010, 09:07:16 AM »

I suppose no one on here knows the ins and outs of radio broadcast........

Not so. 30 years in the broadcast engineering field.  8)

......but I will pose another question.
How difficult is it for the FCC to locate a signal source?  Is it much more difficult if that signal is mobile?  Just wondering.

Extremely simple. Using directional antennas and multi-point plotting, they can find a signal in less than a minute after positioning themselves at 3 different locations. Each "snag-n-bag" van is equipped with very sensitive receivers connected to a directional antenna on a rotor. They simply rotate that antenna till they get the maximum signal strength, plot the direction on the map. With at least 3 of these doing this....they can pin point your exact location.

They can even determine how much power your putting into the air.

Locating a mobile setup is not difficult either. 3 or more monitor vans are used.

RFB
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RFBurns

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Re: FCC shuts down two pirate FMs in Erie, one pops back up
« Reply #14 on: September 04, 2010, 10:12:17 PM »

You mean a subspecies of homosapiens that still can't figure out portable Internet streaming?  I wouldn't call them "people" exactly...  :lol:


(Just some feedback from the peanut gallery.)


It will be very interesting to see how all the iDevice generation manages when the telecommunications grids go silent. No iPhones, no mobile or fixed internet, and oh my my....no text messaging! IT CAN'T BE!!!  :lol:

Well while all the "next generations" try to figure out what to do next without their life depending iDevices and literally going nuts in the streets causing chaos...us "old school" types will be doing just fine from the investment in all that "old school" equipment.

While digital devices smoke and choke....the old school will be here to lean on.  :P


RFB
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