Total posts : 45366
I have real problems with both Carl’s and Bruce’s statements.
If Crow 99.9 was knowingly an illegal FM station (and it sounds like it was, right from the horse’s mouth), then others do have the right to question the operation and the FCC definitely has the legal right to investigate. My inclination would be to follow Robert’s path, but I can see where others wouldn’t.
If Part 15 (or whatever the rules are called in other countries) broadcasters don’t respect the rules, then how can we garner any respect from others, whether it be hams, the FCC/Industry Canada or the general public? How can we truly be called community minded?
If you don’t like the rules, attempt to change them, but I believe it is absolutely necessary to follow the ones that exist. Or get out of the game. One or the other. Because if you don’t, you’ll probably be put out of the game, and in the process put another blemish on Part 15 in general.
From its inception, Artisan Radio has attempted to live within the Canadian rules. I’ve had to work hard to develop strategies to bring in listeners, even though our broadcasting coverage was extremely limited. And one of those strategies was definitely NOT using ‘slightly more power’ than the rules allowed.
Early on, before we were really established on Bowen Island, Artisan Radio had to live with it’s signal being blasted by a blatently illegal transmitter that covered up my puny signal (listening on a car radio) within a couple of hundred feet of my transmitter – until the outcry within the community shamed the operator into turning it off. So I have very little tolerance or sympathy (if they get caught) for those who deliberately decide to operate as pirates. And I delineate VERY strongly a legal, unlicensed operation (which is what Part 15 et al is) vs a pirate operation. No matter who the pirate operation supposedly doesn’t hurt. And no matter how much power they are running.
When I operate, I want to operate openly, within the community – and that community includes the potential listeners, other users of the radio spectrum including hams and licensed stations (who I’ve found are generally far more open to LEGAL micro broadcasters than what is usually portrayed here), other media (such as newspapers, who I’ve found are VERY supportive) AND the regulatory bodies.
That is truly bringing radio back to the people.
