87X Community Radio

87X Community Radio was an unlicensed, independently operated micro-powered radio station that began operating in Ybor City, Florida in the early 1990s, later moving to Seminole Heights and operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until being forcibly shut down by federal agents in an early morning raid on the home of Kelly Benjamin in November, 1997.87X was resurrected around 1998 in the Seminole Heights neighborhood of Tampa. A group of young activists began broadcasting at 87.9 FM attracting more media attention. 87X was among several microbroadcasters shutdown by federal agents in dramatic raids that made headlines across the country. 87X continued to live on in many forms using guerrilla broadcasting techniques.

Goals

The radio station's stated goal was to shatter the monopoly of corporate-run commercial stations that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had given licenses to on the FM band, and turn the airwaves back over to the people. Another stated goal was the disbanding of the FCC by the people.

Objections to the FCC

The operators were repeatedly threatened with fines and imprisonment by the FCC, who also attempted numerous times to enter the private residence that housed the radio station. The operators believed that the radio waves should be free and unregulated by the federal government. Further, the operators felt that the Federal Communications Commission was an illegal, unconstitutional organization that was given power to dictate and censor material broadcast over the airwaves, believing this to be a violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. 87X was inspired by Stephen Dunifer and the activists at Free Radio Berkeley [http://www.freeradio.org/] .

Live Bands

In the three short years of the original incarnation of 87X, the station hosted live performances by many local and national bands including: the Independents, Fifteen, Hot Water Music, Magadog, Hickey, In/Humanity, Anti-Christ, Code 13, and the Americar Underworld.

Technical details

The original 87X transmitter was hand built by "Billy Buddget" and put out about 40 watts on an otherwise unused frequency (87.9 FM). Later transmissions using different transmitters reached up to 100 watts.