Thread: Undocumented radio station

My Undocumented Radio Station

By Lynn Woolley
March 30, 2006

I'd really like to have a big, high-powered radio station - but to get one you have to apply to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), file a lot of paperwork, and wait a long time. So I'm thinking that I'll just open up an undocumented radio station.

And why not? I could have it on the air in no time since the rules and regulations would not be holding me up. And the government wouldn't mind since I'm only doing it to earn some money that I can send to my family. The best thing about it is that I can run music and talk that other radio stations won't do.

And since I will save a ton of money by not having to deal with all the regulations - why I won't even have to hire a law firm - I'll be able to sell advertising really cheap. Some people will say that I'm getting an unfair advantage over those stations that waited in line, and dealt with all the paperwork, but they won't mind. Remember, this is not an illegal radio station; it is merely undocumented. It is just for the purpose of bettering my life. And the large companies that buy commercials from me will enjoy the big savings that they'll be getting by doing business with me.

Some people may say that my undocumented radio station is artificially holding down the cost of commercials at competing radio stations. Poppycock. They can open up their own undocumented stations. Even if they do, it'll be several years before the radio dial is totally packed with undocumented stations.

And so what if my station brings in some interference with legal, er, documented stations? Can't they just move to some other part of the dial? Really, why would the government care? Some laws are just not meant to be enforced. Besides, it would be immoral to stop me! I have rights!

Of course, it is possible that the government might shut me down. If that happens, I'll go to Plan B.

I'll just cross the border into Mexico, and set up my undocumented station in the heart of Mexico City. The government there would welcome my station and me with open arms!

And why shouldn't they? I'd broadcast stuff that Mexican stations won't broadcast. I'd have news from the United States, and American popular music, advice on how to avoid Mexican immigration officials, and occasional historical features such as how Sam Houston kicked Santa Anna's butt at San Jacinto. And everything would be in English!

I would even contribute to the Mexican economy by purchasing billboards to advertise my station. The headline would proclaim: Mexico City, USA! That's just to get the attention of Americans living in Mexico City.

Of course, I'd be in Mexico as an undocumented immigrant, but that's all right! The Mexican people are known for their understanding of such things. If they gave me any flack, I'd march in the streets carrying a United States flag! That would show them.

Of course, I'll bring my family along, but since we won't be making enough money to buy health insurance, I'll find a place to live near a really good emergency room. I feel certain that Mexican hospitals would not turn away a needy patient.

My kids do not speak Spanish, and so we'll have to send them to a Mexican bilingual school where they can take their classes in English for the first twelve years or until they learn enough Spanish.

Naturally, I hope it doesn't come to that. After all, I wouldn't have to take my undocumented radio station to Mexico in the first place if there were enough radio stations available in the United States. Since stations are scarce here, I will just have to do what I have to do.

That doesn't make me a criminal -- does it?

Originally Posted by PinestrawGuys

My Undocumented Radio Station

By Lynn Woolley
March 30, 2006

I'd really like to have a big, high-powered radio station - but to get one you have to apply to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), file a lot of paperwork, and wait a long time. So I'm thinking that I'll just open up an undocumented radio station.

And why not? I could have it on the air in no time since the rules and regulations would not be holding me up. And the government wouldn't mind since I'm only doing it to earn some money that I can send to my family. The best thing about it is that I can run music and talk that other radio stations won't do.

And since I will save a ton of money by not having to deal wit
That's just to get the attention of Americans living in Mexico City.

Of course, I'd be in Mexico as an undocumented immigrant, but that's all right! The Mexican people are known for their understanding of such things. If they gave me any flack, I'd march in the streets carrying a United States flag! That would show them.

Of course, I'll bring my family along, but since we won't be making enough money to buy health insurance, I'll find a place to live near a really good emergency room. I feel certain that Mexican hospitals would not turn away a needy patient.

My kids do not speak Spanish, and so we'll have to send them to a Mexican bilingual school where they can take their classes in English for the first twelve years or until they learn enough Spanish.

Naturally, I hope it doesn't come to that. After all, I wouldn't have to take my undocumented radio station to Mexico in the first place if there were enough radio stations available in the United States. Since stations are scarce here, I will just have to do what I have to do.

That doesn't make me a criminal -- does it?

If someone setup a transmitter illegally right over the Mexican Border in the desert they would be under Mexican jurisdiction and not FCC. They could even have a link to the United States to broadcast just as long as the transmitter is in Mexico. It's a crime in Mexico and illegal but Mexican Law can easily be changed with bribes

Pinestraw,
I work with Lynn. I'll let him know this was posted here, he always appreciates having his work passed on.
BTW, if you'd like to listen to his radio show, you can hear it via streaming audio at www.belogical.com He is on 9 pm to midnight central time, M-F.

Glad someone brought this up...

Just need some observers for some "digging" here in the Bay Area...

Been playing with a headset style analog tuned low power radio here in the south bay.

Noticed something odd....

There's seems to be a Spanish channel that is so powerful it actually get's picked up from one end of the AM dial all the way to the other...

It literally drowns out KSFO, KCBS, and KNEW which all put out decent power of their own. KGO is barely audible...and I believe KGO is a 50,000 watt station...

Either my low power radio has a bad crystal - or someone is exceeding their spectrum license.

Does anyone here observe the same using low power handheld portable analog tuned radios...

(Don't use today's digital tuned car radios or home stereos...)


Just a curiousity...

=

Originally Posted by mrrabbit

Glad someone brought this up...

Just need some observers for some "digging" here in the Bay Area...

Been playing with a headset style analog tuned low power radio here in the south bay.

Noticed something odd....

There's seems to be a Spanish channel that is so powerful it actually get's picked up from one end of the AM dial all the way to the other...

It literally drowns out KSFO, KCBS, and KNEW which all put out decent power of their own. KGO is barely audible...and I believe KGO is a 50,000 watt station...

Either my low power radio has a bad crystal - or someone is exceeding their spectrum license.

Does anyone here observe the same using low power handheld portable analog tuned radios...

(Don't use today's digital tuned car radios or home stereos...)


Just a curiousity...=

Nothing new here.

Back in the early 1960's Wolfman Jack's home was a station with call letters XERF broadcasting from Mexico. This station's signal power was far above what the FCC allowed US stations to use, and completely smothered the signals from adjacent US broadcasters.

Not suprisingly, they were(are) called "border blasters", and operate with the full cooperation of the Ministry of Communications and Transport in Mexico.

This just goes to show that our great ally Mexico has been showing its comtempt for the US and its laws for a very long time.

XERF - Del Rio, Texas, has been a powerhouse station for as long as I can remember - that's from the 40's.

I saw a documentary about low wattage stations, and one they showed was a group of Mexicans,(I read that illgeals) who got a permit for their own station. It was designed, they said, to keep other workers informed of weather, work, etc.

This was in Fla, I think.

There was a "pirate" spanish language station operating in Cleveland a couple of years ago. They were complaining about having to be licensed by the FCC. I wonder how common this is.

Reason I bring this up is that we already know that "official" Spanish language stations are playing an organizing role in the marches that have occurred.

Who's to say that one or more might not decide to spread out in the spectrum being received on all analog tuned radios - those with analog tuning picking it up while those with digital tuning pick up the signal in the designated frequency.

(Most of use at home and in cars have digital tuning...)

It would be one way to avoid having to own multiple stations and coordinating them...

I only noticed this one station because I happened to play around with a headset unit that had the rotating dial - analog tuned - and got what wasn't apparent on my car radio - Honda Digital Tuning system.

So basically, I'm asking if anyone here in the Bay Area (SF) is noticing a Spanish language station that is literally spread across the AM dial.

...

Bunch of smiley faces - sorry....baby boy insists...


:P

Originally Posted by MissT4TX

Pinestraw,
I work with Lynn. I'll let him know this was posted here, he always appreciates having his work passed on.
BTW, if you'd like to listen to his radio show, you can hear it via streaming audio at www.belogical.com He is on 9 pm to midnight central time, M-F.

do you think he would want to be a member of our 'undocumented political party'?

I'll ask him.