It was startling to be told by a close relative that she and her son had decided that I "imagined" I had a radio station.
Once she told me this I immediately explained how we had an agreement to carry concerts from the world's largest fine arts radio network and a file folder full of many other permissions and agreements to carry programming. And our online listeners were located in most states and several countries. How could all this be taking place if KDX were only imaginary?
Yet rather than concede the point she went silent on the matter, her particular way of steering clear of a disagreement.
In another situation a lady friend was so impressed by my station that she started her own radio station, the problem being that we are now both too busy listening to our own and have no time to hear the other.
The most negative condition exists in the neighborhood where several religious fanatics might become a lynch mob if they knew my station was anti-religious, so I'm compelled to be secretive about it.
Not all walls of separation are physical.
Carl said......... "The most negative condition exists in the neighborhood where several religious fanatics might become a lynch mob if they knew my station was anti-religious, so I’m compelled to be secretive about it."
Maybe for that reason there's the CRTC rule here on BETS-1 programing that religion and politics have to be left out of content whether anti or pro, left or right. A licensed station is different as you are licensed and they know where you are and if a listener is offended they can complain and you are a registered station.
But I don't know if streaming has this rule. You shouldn't have to be so secretive about having a legal unlicensed station.
Growing Pains when my station started as my Stepson thought I'd get paid!!
In 2008 while watching the movie Pirate Radio my stepson said to me Dad you know Electronics why don't you start a Radio station of your own. I did tell him that I could start an Internet Radio Station (before I got a Transmitter) and people could listen anywhere as long as they either had a smartphone with unlimited Data or a computer.
At first we were using Streamerp2p as it didn't require any fee for a server and it relayed my stream from one person to the other (Unlimited Listeners). However Streamerp2p was limited to the computer not available to smartphones. That meant alienating my potential mobile listeners so I got a Shoutcast server and paid $30/Mo at first for a dedicated Shoutcast server which as I got more listeners I wanted more slots.
I then decided to make my station an Album Rock station because of the many Top40 stations already on air and I wanted to once again resurrect the format. It was great as long as I didn't have both my stepsons playing online games and Downloading mods for his trucking game or worse using Facebook video messenger to group chat gobbling up all the bandwidth.
Fights began as I tried to become North America's true source for True Album Rock and Deep Tracks. I could NOT have my stream chopping in and out all the time as I was on iTunes and that meant looking bad to my listeners.
Installing a separate Internet line for the Radio Station was the sure thing to make the station a success. But my Stepson living with us and of course he and his girl had to have the BEST. we're talking designer pocketbooks (one for every week), his expensive tattoos, and his other wants without a job to pay for these wants which led to financial woes while my Wife fought cancer and other health issues. He and his girl was suppose to help me while I was supporting my Wife in the hospital. Of course both of them lied and didn't pay the bills (Even when we gave them our money to do so) and the station was NOT on their priority list since I didn't play the Black Eyed Pees - I'm Oh Be or Run DMC or any of that crap.
So it was off to McDonalds to get WiFi in the parking lot or the library parking lot to try and save the station while I caught up on the bills and save the station. I then had to get donations to try and save our house and the station. This took a few years of pure T Hell as he and his girl called my station "Imaginary" because it didn't pay for their wants they had the idea I should be making $1K/Mo on it. I finally got a sponsor who paid for my Shoutcast server and Music licensing because he Loved Album Rock and wanted to see my station a success for North America.
In 2015 we had a little transmitter and got listeners. This time I had local success and was known very well in Elizabeth City, NC as I lived right next to the library and several homes and businesses on the block. Many upscale places (Lawyer's office next door, Sports Bar) listened to my station. I was a focal point of that town.
I lost the second home due to these folks living with us who thought they were entitled. So in 2016 Debra and I moved and let them fend for themselves while we went to Deltaville, VA and re installed our station their. At first it was a slow process but we were back and this time no cut outs on the Internet and our Transmitter could be picked up in the small town.
Work Hard and you'll be rewarded
Now Canada listeners support the station including a former member of the band Fludd and Goddo. Donations do come in from Locals and the Internet listeners and since we've got rid of dead weight we no longer are in financial ruin. But the road to our final success was a painful and daunting road while many asked me why do it I was not getting paid for it and even after getting some money said "you can't depend on it" truly lost the importance of why the station was erected in the first place. It was in retaliation of the Radio pollution caused by those who want to make it a cash cow and don't care what the Educated people actually want. Many are not satisfied with repetitive phrases like I'm Oh Be which sounds like a baby throwing a temper tantrum because it hasn't yet mastered the skills of language and has to make a lot of noise to get attention. The Legacy is now North America's oasis from Radio Hell. So again work hard and your station will get somewhere. Don't listen to those who make fun of your efforts.
Legal Unlicensed Security Department
These small radio stations are the pride of low power owner-operators, but as we've heard in TheLegacy's story, attract the attention of critics who wonder "what can they get out of it" and "does it meet their approval".
Mark wonders: "You shouldn’t have to be so secretive about having a legal unlicensed station", but I specifically mentioned being concerned about the Christian neighbors who greet with such a loving smile until they learn someone had a legal abortion than they shoot an abortion doctor in church or gather a hate mob to demand that an atheist radio station move out of the neighborhood. Disordered minds swing quickly from humble meekness to over-bearing authoritarianism.
Therefore we need to wear a Security Hat and be ready with a can of bear mace.
There will always be someone who doesn't approve your station's programming. But since your own the station you can do what you want and its up to them rather they want to listen or not. Also your not reaching 20 miles on AM with a legal station unless you have multiple transmitters.
Speaking of helping a station this is how you can help The Legacy and save $100/Mo on your cable TV.
1. Buy a Roku Premier Plus. 2. Click the link below and subscribe to Hulu+Live and add the entertainment channels to it. Now add the Enhanced Cloud DVR and your TV bill will be $62/Mo. You'll need the Fastest Internet your provider has which will cost around $110. 110+62=172/Mo. I use to pay 282 for Cable TV+Tivo+Basic channels. for $10 I could have starz and still only pay $182/Mo which is a $100 savings.
Help The Legacy while helping yourself to $100 in savings per month.
http://tinyurl.com/save100dollars
As if we didn't have enough ads already appearing within the post.
I like Ruko a lot, but I stick with the totally free channels. It cost me about $40 for the box about 5 or 6 years ago and hasn't cost me a cent since. All the movies are totally uncut (and there a lot of good ones to choose from) but do include commercials since it's free, but those commercials are very short and not very frequent. Fortunately I don't even have to pay for the internet since there are so many free WiFi hotspots near me. So - mine has cost me a grand total of $40 for six years..
I would never consider paying $182 a month for TV even if it was a $200 savings from the usual cost.
A little known secret. The FCC allows over-the-air signals to be broadcast via an antenna using proven RF technology!
Getting It Straight About Licensing
We shoot ourselves in the foot by saying we are "unlicensed".
What is a license?
A license if a piece of paper stating particular permissions.
What is Part 15.219?
Part 15.219 is a piece of paper stating particular permissions.
Know what I'm saying?
Yes technically we are licensed.
In Canada the certificate on the transmitter is your license to broadcast, the user just doesn't pay for it.
The document of the BETS-1 rules is my license or permission to broadcast.
Carl's right, in a way we are licensed also. And with it a set of rules we have to follow also just like the other stations.
Thanks Carl for enlightening us that this has never been unlicensed broadcasting.
On the subject: https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/low-power-radio-general-information
The FCC needs to be enlightened. They use the word "unlicensed."
The Lights Are Turned Off
Correcting AMRadioLegend who said: "The FCC needs to be enlightened. They use the word “unlicensed.”
Not during the government shutdown.
Actually, both BETS and Part 15 state that we are tolerated. Stations operating under these rules can be shut down at any time.
Any license whether a radio station to a doctor's medical license to driving a car, whatever, can be cancelled if terms of the license agreement are not followed....commercial stations also. Only a marrage license is written in stone. As for us with part 15 or BETS-1 as long as we follow the terms of the permission granted we can't be shut down any more than a commercial station.
I think the only reason we are called unlicensed is we are not registered with the FCC, Industry Canada or the CRTC but a better word than tolerated is permitted.
I have seen permitted in the documents but never tolerated.
Broadcasters in Canada require BOTH an Industry Canada and CRTC license. If you follow BETS or RSS211, you are exempt from those licenses. But notwithstanding that, either of those regulatory bodies can force you to be licensed for any reason, effectively taking your station off the air.
That certainly sounds like being tolerated to me.
Mark said:
"I have seen permitted in the documents but never tolerated."
I have, or damn close to it. Always remembered it because I had to look up the word "sufferance":
suf·fer·ance
Noun: Absence of objection rather than genuine approval; ie: toleration.
"...are considered to be sufficiently lenient that a reasonable operating range is provided for a Low PowerCommunication Device . Moreover, regardless of strict adherence to the technical limitations in Part 15, a Low Power Communication Device is permitted to operate on a sufferance basis only."