HFU HF Underground

General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: ChrisSmolinski on May 27, 2023, 1420 UTC

Title: Feds claim a pirate radio station is hiding in a space launch facility
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on May 27, 2023, 1420 UTC

Spaceport America calls itself “the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport.” It was funded with an estimated $200 million investment from the New Mexico state government and provided the base for Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, which has launched humans into outer space from this facility.

According to the Feds, Spaceport America may also be hiding a pirate radio station.

On May 24 the Federal Communications Commission’s enforcement arm sent a notice to Spaceport America alleging that their Denver office is investigating a complaint about an “unlicensed FM broadcast station operating on frequencies 95.3 MHz and 96.3 MHz”:

“An Agent from the Denver Office confirmed that unauthorized radio signals were transmitted on frequencies 95.3 MHzx and 96.3 MHz from the Spaceport America property located between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, between June 21 and June 25, 2022 during the Spaceport America Cup 2022 event.”
 
https://5mag.net/news/fcc-claim-pirate-radio-station-rocket-launch-spaceport/

Title: Re: Feds claim a pirate radio station is hiding in a space launch facility
Post by: Molvania Poacher on May 27, 2023, 1617 UTC

Wonder if they were using transmissions on those frequencies as part of their on-site "Public Address System," as referenced in this 2019 SOP document (Section 8.4, page 26):

https://www.soundingrocket.org/uploads/9/0/6/4/9064598/sa_cup_irec_range_standard_operating_procedures_20190603__baseline_.pdf

8.4 CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS
While on the Spaceport, participants at the Spaceport America Cup should plan on experiencing degraded cellular
telephone network reception – or none at all. Limited testing indicates only Verizon Wireless customers may receive
usable service within the VLA. Participants are highly encouraged to bring their own handheld radios to coordinate
their operations. Similarly, participants are highly encouraged to bring their own portable FM radios, which will
receive general announcements broadcast over the Public Address System in addition to the Giant Voice speakers.