Messages

1

General Radio Discussion / Re: FCC Confirms Huge Fine Against Radio Impacto 2

« on: June 05, 2024, 2302 UTC »

You're right, JP.   Having spent 45 years in loss mitigation, asset management and paralegal debt collection I can tell you that the 1st rule of debt collection is not how much is owed, its how much can you get?  First the plaintiff (in this case the FCC) has to get a judgment against the defendant to prove in court that the debt is legally owed.  The defendant has to be served with a subpoena (good luck finding them) . If they successfully serve them they probably won't show up in court . The FCC can  then get a default judgment which will probably be worthless because the defendants are long gone.  It makes zero sense to spend the money to collect on this debt.  But then again , it IS the Federal government so.........

Once I got a call from a debt collector who was seeking to collect a debt against my ex-wife....
but they used her remarried name, and I said "never heard of her!"
after which they politely ended the phone call. LOL

It was only afterwords that I realized whom they were talking about...

2

General Radio Discussion / Re: Boston-Area Pirate Operators Face Possible Monetary Penalties Under PIRATE Act

« on: June 05, 2024, 2257 UTC »

"WASHINGTON, April 25, 2024—The Federal Communications Commission today proposed fines against seven pirate radio operators under the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act (PIRATE Act) for operating six pirate radio stations. These pirate radio stations, investigated during the Enforcement Bureau’s sweep in the Boston area under the PIRATE Act, now face proposed fines totaling $857,775."

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-402087A1.pdf

Asking ain't getting...
especially when they ask for unrealistically crazy amounts of money....

Think about it:   these fines go 10 times or 100 times beyond what violent criminals
might be fined...

A side note: the format of the board seems to have changed,
what happened to the "REPLY" button???

Took me a while to figure out to use the "quote" button to respond to posts here

Maybe this board is so busy that you don't mind cutting down on replies for the sake of web space?  I have no idea...
but the traffic here has gone way beyond the old FRN.  My congratulations to you!

3

General Radio Discussion / Re: Last FCC Bust of a SW Pirate?

« on: June 05, 2024, 2251 UTC »

The format FCC enforcement database does not make it easy to determine that but my potentially incomplete search revealed the following in 2015, from operation on 6876 KHz in Michigan:
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-336269A1.pdf
which would be associated with this thread about The Crystal Ship, which was the "reboot" of a very well-known HF pirate in the 1980s, though there is no mention of "the knock" here, for what that is worth:
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,23152.msg84410.html#msg84410

Going backward in time from there, the next thing I found was the YHWH incident at the end of 2014, already discussed in this thread. Before that, I found this from 2013:
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-320165A1.pdf
I was unable to find an HFU thread associated with this incident.

Later that year, I found this though it is unclear to me if this was associated with what we would consider to be a pirate broadcast, or something else like run-of-the-mill RF interference, which is documented quite often in the enforcement database:
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-324212A1.pdf
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-324211A1.pdf

I do remember, back in 2016 or 2017, John Poet talking about getting the knock somewhere on the board. But I also remember that there was some heated argument where real names were revealed which I know got deleted forever by the mods or admin, and perhaps that particular post was among those that were removed. The gist was that some other pirate ratted out TCS, which led to JP finding other folks to relay his shows while he was still making them. He seems to be permanently retired now.

You are remembering the controversy over the 2011 bust, which continued for years...
I never made any public comment about anything which may or may not have happened after that, other than this:
http://www.tcsshortwave.com/2015/12/yes-virginia-there-is-still-tcs.html

Yeah, there was some tussel with JTA years later, after I had made some negative comment about "the rabbit",
and JTA posted my real name on this board (which everyone who cared already knew anyway),
stated that "any pirate who has been busted deserves to have their real name publicized"
or something to that effect, (talk about "fighting for free radio"??)

after which I reminded him that his home address was a matter of public record
because he held an FCC amateur license--
at which point the conversation was terminated, and removed by our kind host here.   LOL

Ah, memories

"Memories
Like the corners of my mind
Misty watercolor memories
Of the way we were"

Nothing but death is 'permanent', and I am still alive....
I have just been 'busy elsewhere', not permanently retired...


I guess this leaves my station or associated operations as the last "bust"  (sort of) of a shortwave pirate!
I will claim that mantle with pride, as I am incorrigible

However, please note that there were numerous TCS relay broadcasts in the months after that rumored second bust:
http://www.tcsshortwave.com/2015/12/yes-virginia-there-is-still-tcs.html

4

General Radio Discussion / Re: Last FCC Bust of a SW Pirate?

« on: June 05, 2024, 2233 UTC »

Anyone know the last time a shortwave pirate got busted in the US?

The format FCC enforcement database does not make it easy to determine that but my potentially incomplete search revealed the following in 2015, from operation on 6876 KHz in Michigan:
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-336269A1.pdf
which would be associated with this thread about The Crystal Ship, which was the "reboot" of a very well-known HF pirate in the 1980s, though there is no mention of "the knock" here, for what that is worth:
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,23152.msg84410.html#msg84410

Going backward in time from there, the next thing I found was the YHWH incident at the end of 2014, already discussed in this thread. Before that, I found this from 2013:
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-320165A1.pdf
I was unable to find an HFU thread associated with this incident.

Later that year, I found this though it is unclear to me if this was associated with what we would consider to be a pirate broadcast, or something else like run-of-the-mill RF interference, which is documented quite often in the enforcement database:
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-324212A1.pdf
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-324211A1.pdf

One of my "relay friends" got a little careless for a time...

There was no mention of a "knock" because nobody ever heard or answered one...

There was never any public comment by John Poet, that is to say "me", about this alleged incident,
except for this somewhat cryptic blog post several months afterwards:

"Yes Virginia, there is STILL a TCS"
http://www.tcsshortwave.com/2015/12/yes-virginia-there-is-still-tcs.html


6876 kHz?  who ever broadcast on that frequency ??

5

General Radio Discussion / Re: Active Shortwave Pirates (North America) April 2024

« on: June 05, 2024, 2219 UTC »

Surprised to see R. Free Whatever only having three. I remember they used to be far more active.

Thanks for your cataloguing though, this is extremely resourceful. At least the pirates keep providing something good to listen to on SW.

Much more than 3 times in a month could be unhealthy.... I'm here to tell ya!   LOL

6

General Radio Discussion / Re: FCC Confirms Huge Fine Against Radio Impacto 2

« on: October 16, 2023, 0155 UTC »

They won't....

The FCC had a poor record of collecting fines, even back when they were a few thousand dollars... and the US Justice Department, who would have been their primary means of collection action, had better things to do...

Millions??   This is a CROCK! 

Even if they had the means, which they probably don't, they would hang onto their money and skip town!

They will probably fold the station, and restart as another name and frequncy---
but if they are selling advertising and actually making money off their operation,
they may continue for a little longer--- using remote unmanned sites,
where there is no one who can be arrested....

7

General Radio Discussion / Re: Active Shortwave Pirates (North America) August 2023

« on: September 05, 2023, 0550 UTC »

One of these days....................



thank you for your research

8

Huh? / Re: Rude mushrooms!

« on: September 05, 2023, 0544 UTC »

I got a pizza today, sausage, mushrooms, and peppers. I opened the box and said, "Hello, mushrooms!", not a peep out of them. I tried again, no response. Why do Zeeky's mushroom's talk and the one's from the local pizzeria don't? Is it something about him that makes them open up to him? Is he the Doctor Phil of the fungal world? If anyone has a clue, please let me know. I thank you.

You want 'talking mushrooms' ??


I am satisfied just to eat them, when I can afford them....

Talk is not necessary...

9

Huh? / Re: FCC ISSUES NINE WARNINGS TO MIAMI AREA LANDOWNERS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS.

« on: September 05, 2023, 0541 UTC »

Another SWL'ing rip, and nothing new under the Sun, of course. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-395376A1.pdf   At this rate, FM piraters might have to do what shortwave pirates have done, 'gorilla warfare' style of broadcasting. Go mobile, broadcasts at a temporary location, and get-out. It's been done before.

Whoever did that ??

 

10

Huh? / One Dog or Two Dogs???

« on: September 05, 2023, 0539 UTC »

I do wish I could have another dog now,

but I have thought it would not be fair to the dog, or to me, right now...

(I understand they can be very expensive, especially Vet bills,
so I am a man without a dog...)

11

General Radio Discussion / Re: FCC Says Its Pirate Enforcement Is Picking Up, Including New Hires And Equipment

« on: April 29, 2023, 0438 UTC »

The FCC has relegated enforcement of us 'old guys' to the bottom of the barrell....

Nice of them, but commercial AM-FM broadcasters don't give a shit about what is going on, on shortwave frequencies---
since very few Americans listen to shortwave radio anymore....

Hell, AM and FM broadcasting stations are losing out to streaming and the internet now,
is that not true??

"Broadcast radio" on the commercial bands is doomed to die a slow death--
the youngsters are tuned in to something else


Soooooooo--- they might as well give over some of these bands to 'amateur broadcasters'--
but the NAB and other capitalist pigs will never permit that to happen.....


"Pirate Radio" remains one of the issues that is neither "far-left" nor "far-right"
The Establishment of both political wings remains committed to total state control,
of what remains of commercial radio

12

General Radio Discussion / Re: A reminder about stuff not allowed on the HFU

« on: April 29, 2023, 0425 UTC »

I feel like I just posted something along these lines recently, yet here we are again...

The pirate loggings boards are for loggings. If your post is not specifically about a transmission you heard, with details, it should not be posted there. 

The HFU message board has a wonderful feature that lets you... get ready for this... modify a post! You can go back and edit your post, adding additional details. You don't need to reply again to the logging thread. And again... and again.  There may be a very small number of cases where multiple posts in a logging thread are warranted. And of course in non loggings threads where there is a conversation, ideal. But for loggings threads? In general you should make one and only one post.

There's a sticky topic at the very top of the loggings board that shows the Official HFU Approved Logging Message Topic Format. Here it is if you can't find it: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,8448.0.html

It should be followed. EXACTLY. This even means using the correct case for month abbreviations, modes (AM/USB/etc.) and so on.  The correct spacing between words. Why so apparently pedantic? A few reasons:

It makes it easier for people to find the correct logging thread, so they can add to it, rather than starting a new one, which then needs to be merged.

It makes it easier for people to search for logging threads, to find info about past transmissions.

Logging info is often used to generate reports on pirate activity, and a consistent and coherent format makes this much easier to accomplish.

A gentle reminder that public speculation about the location of pirate stations is frowned upon. Now, of course, this doesn't mean very vague things like "I think this station is in Europe, or I think that station is somewhere on the west coast". It means mentioning the state, etc. Common sense stuff. 

This (and some other things) also pertain to what should not be included in loggings on the HFU.  Obviously if one operator is outing the QTH of another, don't post that location in your logging. Likewise, we're trying to keep the HFU (ideally) PG rated. If an operator goes on a psychotic obscenity laced rant, you don't need to quote his exact words. And should not do so.  Likewise, use some common sense when it comes to SSTV images. If it's pr0n, don't post it.

Postings that violate these reasonable standards (and others not listed here, there's so many forms of bad behavior that we cannot enumerate them all) will get deleted. As might your user account.  Note that this may even pertain to those who for example post, announce or otherwise promulgate the locations of stations outside of the HFU. If you're that much of a menace to the hobby, you may not be welcome here.

I applaud your efforts to herd cats here, Chris...

Carry on, amigo!

13

General Radio Discussion / Re: All right, fess up! :-)

« on: April 29, 2023, 0421 UTC »

It's me and Marie's brother, Donnie. We transmit his early 70's hit "Puppy Love" to repel Sasquatches. So far it's working.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

14

General Radio Discussion / Re: HFU Discord Server

« on: April 29, 2023, 0417 UTC »

Also a reminder for anyone who has not yet joined, our HFU chat link is:

https://discord.gg/hfunderground

Hope to see you there.

Thanks, Beerus...   I made a soliloquay late at night.....   cheers!

15

General Radio Discussion / Re: How long until a station is no longer active?

« on: April 29, 2023, 0347 UTC »

There are number of stations that will pop up out of blue after being inactive for awhile, WJFK is one that springs to mind. Solid Rock Radio turned up after years of being off the air last year. Some stations have two or three different ops using the same station name. I did Radio Al Fansome, but so did two other guys that I know of, there may have been more. A lot of stations use id's that are infectious and work like a ladder conspiracy. There's a Ramones song called, "Do You Remember Rock n' Roll Radio" that ends with a 60's era sounding Boss DJ announcing, "This is Rock And Roll Radio. Stay Tuned For More Rock And Roll", it sounds so slick and it's so easy to lift, I've heard several stations using it. I know I did. I don't know who the others were, and by putting this in a public forum there's a decent chance some wannbe or existing pirate will read this and do it again?

Pirate radio is all about having fun from the op's viewpoint. Some heathen might put his studio back together and "Whammo!" the Voice of The Epileptic Catfish is back on the air. It's tough to say who is active and who isn't, they could also be using revolving station names and transmitters. I always had a minimum of three stations going at any one time, one primary station, a secondary one, and one that I used every few months for special things. Most ops I knew had several stations going at once, we sure joked about it a lot. I think the late George Zeller wrote ,"There are 30 to 40 pirate stations and 4 transmitters." which was very close to the truth.

That may help and it may not, but it's a guide to the op's side of things and why stations pop up and disappear. One major reason stations go silent is these folks have lives. Things come up that are more serious than playing radio. It may be long term, or they might be back in a short amount of time, you just don't know.

At the moment I'm wondering if Bud Bigly is doing ok? He was on the air regularly for a few months and he's been MIA for a few weeks. If anyone knows anything PM me.

There is at least ONE station that was inactive for 20 YEARS----   but then came back with incessant broadcast on multiple frequencies for many years, and created "Sunday night" as a pirate radio institution to equal Friday and Saturday, singlehandedly !

I will name no names.... lol

Howdy, Pigmeat!   Glad to see you still rambling around here...