Before I completely leave this topic, and going off Carl here...
From a legal standpoint, if atrain uses the transmitter illegally than by all means he does need to stop if he wishes to comply with 15.239, however we are not the FCC and cannot make him stop. We also do not have any evidence that proves without reasonable doubt that he operates a pirate radio station.
EDIT: If past experience proves anything, Atrain you may want to shut off the FM for awhile if you are still using it. A thread about mine popped up much the same way a few years back on RI, a month later the FCC knocked on my door.
I agree with both mighty1650 and Carl. There is no 'snitching' here...no one is going to file a complaint with the commission. I'm sure I haven't exposed 'atrain' to any legal issues. If there are legal problems, they won't come from here. And while it's noble to give 'atrain' the benefit of the doubt, I was only quoting his own words. This forum is a wonderful way to discuss issues and exchange ideas. I enjoy the technical talk. I also enjoy Rich's comments about compliance. He also doesn't appear to be judgmental, only explaining the letter of the law, which has merit.
The technical side is the main reason I even do part 15. The programming side doesn't interest me half as much.
I agree 100% with Archie. It matters not that he is a newcomer - this is a site for LEGAL Part 15 operation. He has the right to question something when it doesn't make sense.
As a past moderator here, I can tell you Archie that the individual who e-mailed you does not speak for the site (I can guess who it was) - no moderator would do that. In fact, I would have welcomed your post as a moderator, as they cannot be everywhere and read everything.
I personally am tired of the nudge nudge wink wink approach to Part 15 broadcasting discussions, here and elsewhere. The rules are there - they need to be followed. Whether it's FM or AM, field strength, long ground leads, or playing music without paying licensing fees (over the air or streaming).
WHAR-FM has been on for four years. I have never recieved complaints. In fact many of the people in my town have recognized my voice and complimented me on my station. So I'm not going to turn off the transmitter because radio is my #1 passion. I cause no splatter and no harmonics and check each time I go on air. I live for my station and making it as perfect as it can get. I love radio and this community. I also apologise to Archie for sounding rude. I hope you and I will be able to get along fine, and look forward to many good conversations on here!
EDIT----------
I had no idea about pirate radio or part 15 radio when I first signed on. I was 16 mind you. Once I found out about the two about 8 months after going on air, I figured that since I barely got a mile on my original transmitter, that I never had to worry. To this day, I now fully know what I am. Hopefully you now get exactly what is going on. I now cover about 2 1/2 miles. I won't lie about that.
I appreciate your post, Artisan. Thank you. I really didn't mean to stir up a hornet's nest.
I sure learned that honesty can cost dearly.
I was a very succesful religious broadcaster for many years while secretly knowing that the whole superstitious package was ludricrous nonsense, but the proper behavior for succeeding is hypocricy.
Many people in religion are hypocrites who know which side the bread is buttered on, and there are some true believers who are unwittingly living the life of fools, but they are in a safe profession. so long as they don't figure out the lie.
The big mistake for me was to become honest, something promoted by religion, and admit my hypocricy. I was proud of being so good at it that I wanted to admit it, but that got me expelled and I'm no longer welcome in religious circle. They hate too much honesty.
Being a pirate and supporting part 15 at the same time is a form of hypocricy, but only if the person denies being a pirate. Hypocricy only works if it is denied.
It's called situational ethics.
I understand your passion for radio. When I was a teenager I had an old Lafayette broadcaster--that thing would go 3 or 4 miles--it was the very early 60s. Never heard about Part 15. I later went into broadcasting and spent 50+ plus years behind the mic--it never got old.
Follow your passion and dreams, atrain. Have you ever thought of commercial radio? Many stations are looking for people with the drive that you have.
I absolutely have nothing against you, atrain. I'm sure we can continue to share and enjoy this website and the opportunity to exchange ideas and info. I certainly will not bring this up again. Truce?
ANY POSTING REGARDING THIS TOPIC BEING MADE THROUGH BEHIND THE BACK PRIVATE E-MAIL IS DECEPTIVE AND INVALID AND NOT A LEGITIMATE PART OF THE DISCUSSION!!
Way back on Post#4 Rich Powers said: "Carl, I like your chart a lot.. First time I recall seeing it, but it looks like a lot of stations are missing??"
YES, many stations need to be added. Let me know any station that needs to be added and I will do it.
Its not a secret how Album Rock was all but killed on terrestrial Radio. How Real country Music is slowly being changed to Raptry music. Its not a secret how Gospel is being changed to Rapspel. We the Hobby Broadcasters are part of a New Radio Revolution. We play what others can't or won't due to the fear of a lawsuit. Since 1984 the RIAA has been fighting to control what we hear and thus what we buy as far as music. The Legacy started off in 2008 as an Internet Only Radio station. Our mission was to bring back Album Rock to the masses and musical creativity to the open minded folks who won't stand for the censorship of the RIAA and other organizations who try so hard to put a kibosh to Hobby Broadcasting. Later we went to FM and AM so we could promote our Internet station. Now the system is not happy with Internet Radio. The winning never stops and thus as a part of a new Radio revolution we have to sometimes think out of the norm. Athony has gone way outside the call of duty at presentations that promote the need and virtue of a Hobby Broadcasting Radio station in a rural area where as no interference will occur. In return for his hard work there are some folks who are appointed by other website administrators to spam, accuse, or otherwise start a scene in order to turn one against the other. Suffice it to say there is a jelous person in every crowed. There are many other groups who feel the way we do. I myself give Prometheus credit for what they did and how they did it. They are true Radio Gods and need to be worshiped for their actions in which again were not the norm but in the end result got what the communities wanted which was LPFM. There are leaders and then there are followers and then there are those who spend their lives winning about what CAN'T BE DONE!! For some of us we chose to do SOMETHING. Because doing nothing is just watching your rights go down the toilet. Some of us hear the same Dudly Do Right crap, but in reality it just don't always work that way. Take the Michigan water issue. That mom was ridiculed for her stance that that water was making her family sick. She went outside the box and made the change. If your not oing anything to promote change it is the same as agreeing to what the dictators who take your rights away. Even Christian churches teach this to their members. So yes I think Anthony is helping Hobby Broadcasting. He is not going to let a bully stop him. The bully can bring other bully's out to create a scene and start doubt among the other broadcasters however all that does is show ignorance on the part of the originator who stirs up the crap and watches the games begin. I still believe in the phrase that snitches will get stitches so one must be very careful on how they try and mud sling on another hobby broadcaster rather you believe they follow the rules or otherwise. We are all in it for the same reasons rather we want to admit or not. LONG LIVE the New Radio Revolution!!!!!
"I had an old Lafayette broadcaster--that thing would go 3 or 4 miles--"
So, you admit that you are a "Pirate" operator?
See how easily that happens. But then again there was no FCC enforcement action, no way to verify your field strength. It's as if it never happened.
But did you feel that rush of anxiety? The thought that you have been judged a "Pirate" operator?
Fortunately the goal here is to promote legal operation, not prosecute with unsubstantiated facts.
Let us abstain from "name calling" lest this thread be locked. The object of this forum is to discuss radio, its technical and aesthetic aspects.
I posted a strenuous objection to purported behind the scenes e-mailing based on this statement in Post#34 by Artisan: "As a past moderator here, I can tell you Archie that the individual who e-mailed you does not speak for the site (I can guess who it was) - no moderator would do that."
But after going back through everyone else's post I see no mention of an e-mail that would fit the description.
Therefore I don't know what Artisan was referring to.
Other than that... let me know any Part 15 stations and frequencies that I can add to my National Frequency Spectrum Listings at this website:
Call my FM station and my AM station is now in Deltaville Virginia. My FM frequency is now 100.1.
Carl, my comment about the e-mail was only that a moderator would not have threatened to kick someone off this site for causing trouble. And certainly not for the initial question, which, when I was a moderator, would certainly not be causing trouble.
I don't want to stir up a hornets nest here, either, but I believe that some things do need to be said. I am no longer a moderator, I no longer speak for this site, so I'm saying them for myself only. I don't mean to upset people, just lay it on the line as I see it.
Of course someone can promote Part 15, and behind closed doors do something differently. That's THEIR problem.
But unfortunately, pirates also become OUR (that is, Part 15'ers) problem, because the FCC and licensed stations tend to and actually do lump in legitimate, legal operators with pirates. We see it all the time, and most recently with FCC press releases on the 'pirate problem'. Remember, perception is reality.
And that isn't fair to the people who make every effort to keep their unlicensed radio stations legal.
In this environment, I believe that there is absolutely NO WAY that the FCC or anyone else is going to listen to requests to change the Part 15 rules and make them more lenient. Particularly when it appears that it's coming from some of the same people that either have broken or are breaking the current rules. Or at least are sympathetic to their cause.
This site and Hobbybroadcaster (although sometimes the latter goes too far) are trying to counter the 'pirate' perception by being zealous in trying to keep things legal.
That's the ONLY way that the FM initiative (or an AM Initiative or whatever) is going to succeed. Convince the FCC that most of us are NOT pirates (and that we don't support those who are), and that we have a legitimate interest in moving their objectives forward as well as our own. I have a tough time believing the latter as I read some of the posts about this topic.
And if I (who is sympathetic to the cause) have a tough time believing it, then imagine how the FCC and others are going to react.