Pirate radio in North America

Cuba

Government propaganda stations

Since the 1960s and the advent of the revolutionary government of Fidel Castro, the United States has engaged in a number of overt and covert political broadcasting operations intended to undermine the government of Cuba. Because these activities are licensed and authorized by the government of the USA, stations such as Radio Martí and TV Marti are not illegal according to the laws of the United States and they do not fall within the classification of "pirate radio" broadcasting.

The Cuban government has made some attempts to turn the tables on the USA. Cuban medium wave stations can be easily heard at night throughout the Eastern United States, and some of the broadcasts are programmed for American listeners, both English and Spanish speaking. In addition, Radio Habana broadcasts on shortwave, from "Cuba, free territory in the Americas".

Pirate radio by Cuban exiles

Unlike the sanctioned and fully licensed transmissions by the United States government, a number of groups in exile, mainly based in Florida, have attempted various offshore radio broadcasts to Cuba, from time to time. These stations are mainly short lived and sporadic in transmission times, but because their broadcasts are not licensed by any nation, their signals are considered to be from "pirate radio stations" and the USA has taken various physical and legal steps to close them down at different times.

Mexico

Pirate radio in Mexico

The strict definition of a "pirate radio station" is a station that operates from sovereign territory without a broadcasting license, or just beyond the territorial waters of a sovereign nation from on board a ship or other marine structure with the intention of broadcasting to that nation without obtaining a broadcasting license from that nation (such as Radio Caroline before its present incarnation). The border-blaster or other border stations in Mexico do not meet either definition.

The most recent example of a true pirate radio station in Mexico is La Tremenda 106.5 in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. It broadcasted international contemporary music and news in Spanish and English. It used the fictitious U.S. callsign "KLPR" on its logo. The station began operations in May 2006, was shutdown in June 2008 by the federal police in a "violent" take over. It was suspected that the signal was also used for transmitting messages of members of organized crime.

Border blasters

From the earliest days of the history of broadcasting, a number of radio stations licensed in Mexico, became known to the general public as border-blasters. This was due to their excessive use of power which was necessary to reach their intended audience in American cities far north of the border. The traditional border-blasters were AM radio stations; though there are numerous FM radio and even television stations along the border that broadcast to the U.S. from Mexico, the power of FM stations along the border is limited by a U.S.-Mexican agreement.

However, because these stations are licensed by the government of Mexico, they can only be classified as "pirate radio stations" in the same way that the British government classified Radio Luxembourg as a "pirate radio station". Radio Luxembourg was a licensed station broadcasting with a power and on a frequency that the British authorities objected to, because the intended audience for its programs were located within the United Kingdom. The objection by the government of the United Kingdom to commercial broadcasts from Luxembourg, France and other countries, was primarily based upon its protection of the non-commercial BBC Radio monopoly. Also, the UK at the time required a license for radios, which was limited to UK stations; it still requires a license for television sets. However, the U.S. has never required a license to listen to broadcast radio or TV; today, it even issues routine licenses under the Brinkley Act, originally enacted to silence the border-blaster charlatan John R. Brinkley, for the operation of Mexican stations from studio facilities in the U.S.

United States of America

Land-based unlicensed broadcasts

In the United States, the term "pirate radio" implies the unlicensed broadcasting use of any part of the radio spectrum that is reserved for use by governmental, public or commercial licensees by the Federal Communications Commission. This includes the FM, AM and shortwave radio bands.

Compared to authoritarian systems of government which restrict access to the means of communication, the airwaves of the USA are relatively free from direct government censorship. As a result of this difference, the term "pirate radio" has a different interpretation than in countries where access to communication is limited.

In the USA pirate radio is frequently, but not always associated with anarchism which considers governmental spectrum regulatory schemes as favoring the interests of large corporations. Therefore, some anarchists consider pirate radio transmissions to be a challenge to that authority.

Pirate radio is also in large part the resulting backlash from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations restricting low-power broadcasting, although this is how nearly all college radio stations began. NPR and the NAB convinced the FCC to eliminate the class D license in 1979. This kept all new low-power stations from getting a license, and bumped all of the old ones down to secondary status, forcing many more off the air since then. Despite this, an explosion of broadcast translators on FM, technically-identical but rebroadcasting other stations, has occurred since then. This further fueled pirate operators in the 1980s and 1990s.

In 1982, an organization of pirate radio monitoring enthusiasts was formed by Darren Leno. Known as the Association of Clandestine Radio Enthusiasts (ACE) the organization was and remains a very popular conduit for sharing information about North American pirate radio and other unusual radio transmissions.

Another such group, calling itself "The RPMRADIO Network" launched a series of projects aimed directly at the corporate radio media in central Texas. Responding to FCC raids of several pirate FM stations in the Austin-San Antonio area, RPMRADIO started by gathering grass roots support, then turned on 10 pirate fm radio stations across the entire area, with the promise to replace each station raided with 10 more stations. Fueled by remarks made by Alex Jones on his radio talk show, this "Ten for One" campaign is reported to have caused the FCC to rethink its approach to the fight that was developing between Pro-Corporate radio and Anti-Corporate radio forces. Because of this severe lack of access, numerous pirate radio operators (such as Stephen Dunifer), as well as other groups petitioned the FCC for a new LPFM service. After many years of trying, this finally was passed around 2000, although it blocked former pirate operators from holding licenses. Lobbied by the commercial radio industry, the U.S. Congress intervened and limited the new service even further, though technical tests later proved this to be baseless, and the added restrictions were lifted.

Although this should mean that pirate radio has seen a decrease, most of the licensees are churches, colleges, and state or local government transportation departments, as the FCC requires the licensee to be a non-profit organization. Pirate radio also continues because legal open spots on the FM dial have been filled in since and because of the 1979 ruling, by both full-power and translator stations.

While Part 15 of the FCC rules allows for some unlicensed broadcasting, it is extremely restrictive in order to prevent its legal use by pirates.

Because basic radio transmission equipment is relatively easy to obtain in the USA and because it is relatively easy to hide, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has the authority to regulate radio communications, sometimes has difficulty in finding and prosecuting offenders who transmit without a license. Triangulation may be used, but most frequently a spectrum analyzer is driven around the affected area, with a person monitoring where the suspect signal is highest, and another one looking for any obvious signs such as an antenna or small tower (like that used for amateur radio).

Hearing pirate radio stations in North America

Finding, identifying and even corresponding with pirate radio stations is, for many radio enthusiasts, itself a hobby. Most radio listeners in North America, however, will never hear a pirate station unless they seek one out.

Pirate radio stations on FM are often found towards the bottom of the FM broadcasting band, particularly between 87.9 MHz and 91.9 MHz, which is allocated to educational, public and religious broadcasters. On mediumwave (AM), pirate radio stations are often found between 1610 kHz and 1710 kHz. The most common frequencies to check for pirates in North America is the 6800 to 7000 kHz range, with 6855, 6875, 6925, 6950 and 6955 kHz being most commonly used, with 6925 kHz being by far the most commonly used frequency. Pirates can pop up anytime, but anytime on weekends and evenings during the week are the best times to listen. Pirates operating on shortwave from North America often use single sideband modulation as an alternative to AM.

There are a wide variety of stations. Some just play music, others like The Crystal Ship and Radio Free Speech are political, KIPM produces its own science fiction programming with radio plays reminiscent of old time radio. WHYP is the James Brownyard memorial station, playing clips from an old PA daytime AM station of that same name. The Voice of the Sea Cucumber was known for some very strange programming, its announcer called himself Dear Leader. There are also many stations that are specifically aimed to the pirate radio listening community, many are long running gag stations, such as WBNY, the Voice of the Rodent Revolution, with programming by its leader Commander Bunny, who frequently sends coded messages to operatives in the field, as well as instructions to Al Fansome to check his tire pressure. There are also a few stations that mysteriously appear once a year, such as WJFK, which is usually on the air around November 22nd. There are a number of parody stations based on the famous radio hobbyist Jay Smilkstein an electrical and mechanical genious, who designs and builds amplified loop antennas and other receiving aids, as seen at the Winterfwst (swlfest.com).

Geographically, FM and mediumwave pirates tend to cluster in urban areas such as New York City, San Francisco, Toronto, and throughout Florida. However, pirate stations are active throughout all regions of North America. Shortwave pirates are widely dispersed throughout North America and can be heard hundreds and even thousands of miles from their location. Most shortwave pirates operate on the east coast of the USA.

Differing somewhat from the pirate radio stereotype of "kids playing radio", there has been a growing trend towards ethnocentric pirate radio in North America. Usually these stations broadcast in native languages such as Spanish or Creole, but sometimes English, as in the case of a widely heard mediumwave pirate with a Jewish Orthodox format. When listening for a pirate station, it pays to keep in mind that the announcers may not be speaking your language.

Pirate radio in Europe can often be heard in North America with a good shortwave radio and antenna. This is considered DXing. The 6200 to 6300 kHz range is most commonly used.

Partial list of pirate radio stations in the United States

* Big City 101.3 in Boston, Massachusetts, broadcasts hip-hop and rhythmic CHR.
* Haitian language pirate stations broadcast from the Brockton, Massachusetts area on 94.9 and 96.5.
* Grosse Pointe AM Radio Operates on Saturday nights out of Grosse Pointe Michigan on 970/kHz. Plays mostly classical & Big band music. Also runs a remote link from Grosse Pointe Gardens. Good signal outside Grosse Pointe.
* FRSC: Free Radio Santa Cruz (on-air since 1995)
* [http://www.piratecatradio.com/ Pirate Cat Radio] 87.9 FM San Francisco and simultaneously in LA, also has a TV station, Pirate Cat TV, on channel 13 in SF. First station to use Code of Federal Regulations Title 47 Section 73.3542 to broadcast legally.
* FRSD: Free Radio San Diego (on-air since 2002
*FRO 98.5 [http://www.frolympia.org Free Radio Olympia] They have been on the air since March 2001 in Olympia, Washington. The broadcast is also streamed through the internet.
* [http://www.radiodiversity.com/kbltstory.html KBLT] : Los Angeles (on-air in the 1990s)
* [http://www.liberationradio.net/ San Francisco Liberation Radio] 93.7 FM (started in 1993, ceased operation in October 2003 after raid by FFC & SFPD)
* Beat Radio 97.7 FM Minneapolis, Minnesota (1997)
* [http://www.wnaz.com/ T-FM] : 90.7 & 105.1 in Nashville, TN. (From 1999-2001, a controversial and sometimes subversive program called Pirate Radio aired Friday nights from midnight to 1 AM. The live show featured music, on-air personalities, pre-recorded sketch comedy, and uncensored call-ins. The parent station, WNAZ eventually canceled it due to production staff changes and questionable content. 78 complaints were filed with the FCC during Pirate Radio's 2-year run.)
* Lake Shore Radio. Operated out of St Clair Shores, MI. first appeared around the winter of 1997 into 1998. Transmitted on 94.3, later on 89.1. Would sign on within a minute of WPHS signing off at 89.1. Played mostly one hit wonder rock top 40 and local garage/bar scene bands. Sometimes played bizarre sound effects for hours. Other times the station would simulcast SW pirates either live or recorded. Station would run several hours to all night. Station could be reliably heard up to 20 miles away in stereo. Signal and sound quality were of commercial standard. Disappeared in the early summer of 1998 and was never heard again. Station had a following especially with the local rock & jock crowd. Station also had a WEB page for a short time but little info was supplied on this page. Claimed to have a 300 watt commercial grade transmitter.
* [http://www.geocities.com/geigertree/flortis.html Florida Low Power Radio Stations] - constantly updated list of unlicensed (though not necessarily pirate) radio signals heard through out Florida.
* [http://www.myspace.com/powerhits1033 Power Hits 103.3 FM] (on-air April to November 2006) Available in the Quad Cities metropolitan area, this station had been a controversy due to the interpretation of Code of Federal Regulations Title 47 Section 73.3542 saying you can broadcast without a license during time of emergency. The regulation states that a war is considered a "time of emergency." The station's online stream was on its MySpace page. Most of the music played on the station fell under a CHR or Top 40 format with some occasional 80s and 90's hits. The station also occasionally aired commercials for a local Honda dealership and a night club. A rental dispute caused a change in operation (from the station founders to their landlords, as the landlords seized Power Hits' equipment and rental space for their own to pay off back rent), which eventually led to the station going off the air.
*103.3 Radio Limbo in Tucson, Arizona, uses a mobile transmitter to avoid detection, sometimes broadcasting at night in the valley area.
*KBFR (pirate radio) Boulder Free Radio (KBFR) 95.3FM. Highly active from 2000-2005 (24/7 operations); now on air sporadically from a location near downtown Boulder and from mobile units.
* [http://www.wino.com 90.5 WINO FM] Napa, California. This radio station was active for a short time in 1997. It was broadcast out of a repair shop, and the signal had a radius of about 2 miles. It lasted about 6 months, and was shut down by the FCC after KVYN FM / KVON AM Napa filed a formal complaint because while the station operator was out of town his equipment overmodulated and drifted into their signal. The station had a huge following, and stickers proclaiming Napa as "wino country" can still be seen on cars around town in 2006.
* [http://www.dznutts.com DZ NuTTs Radio / Free Radio Vallejo, Ca 91.3FM] - Broadcasting on 91.3FM since December 1996. Staying true to the Vallejo, Bay Area Rap scene. Also collaborated with Free Radio Berkeley (Stephen Dunifer), HipHopSlam. Publications featured in: XXL Magazine, URB, Murder Dog, BAM, and other local industry related publications. Visited by the FCC three times for "Listener Stealing" but never fined.
*RPMRADIO Central Studio" San Antonio Texas operated on 97.7FM, broadcasting uncensored rock and roll for over 5 years. Using publicity stunts and public demonstrations at large music concerts to gain supporters, The RPMRADIO Network brought the first pirate radio broadcasts to an area that was considered "the garden of eden" of radio markets, and caused a minor revolution in the programing practices of radio broadcasters in that area. When they finally received their first notice to quit from the FCC, the station operators went underground, and continue to operate several "Low Power Pirate FM Stations" throughout the area. During this time, the local corporate media outlets, including all the TV stations, newspapers, and radio stations, maintained a total news blackout as to the existence of this group of pirate radio stations.
*Radio CPR Washington, DC Station concerned with negative impacts of welfare and immigration reform legislation in the 1990s on those communities, plays Latin, punk rock, underground hip-hop, and world music.
* [http://www.wickedradio.org Wicked Radio (Edgerton and Door County simulcast on Shoutcast)]
* [http://www.lunkradio.com LUNk Radio (Lincoln, NE)]
* [http://www.radiofreecanton.net Radio Free Canton] on air since 2000
* [http://70.4.22.100:80/radiodestiny.html Free Radio Folsom (CA)]
*The Radio, broadcasted on 100.5 FM in Ticonderoga, New York from August 2004 to November 2005. It is possible that operations may resume soon on the same frequency with the same name, and a slightly tweaked format.
*Lewis FM, broadcasted a mix of predominately American and British Top 40, as well as Christian Rock to a section of Lewis, New York, which has a total population of approximately 1,200 people. Lewis FM used a Ramsey FM-30 transmitter. Operations ceased in January 2007 after seven months of broadcasting. Regular operations are set to resume in Willsboro, New York, either under an entirely different name or using "The Radio" branding.
*http://www.wickedradio.org one of the oldest pirate radio stations, located in WI but also streams online.
* [http://www.berkeleyliberationradio.org Berkeley Liberation Radio] works to facilitate ordinary non-commercial community access to the airwaves for the purpose of political discourse as well as cultural enhancement. BLR has been broadcasting on 104.1 fm since 1999 and serves Berkeley and Oakland, California. Since 2007, the broadcast has been streamed through the internet.
*91X, WLGX-FM, La Grange, IL (1997-1999). Ran a continuous 24/7 operation on 90.5 FM at 250 watts from a basement in a house near downtown La Grange. The station played a mix of alternative and hip hop. Ran special formats for various holidays. Live DJs, morning show and strong community following. Ceased operations in 1999 after the operator graduated high school and went to college. Broadcasted again briefly during the summer of 2000 and heard once again in June 2003 for a "91X reunion weekend" but not heard since.
*KFAR, Knoxville (Tennessee) First Amendment Radio. Shut down by an FCC raid about a year ago, now back on the air as of 9/26/08. Currently boradcasting on 90.9.

tations from international waters

*1933::RXKR, aboard the SS "City of Panama" anchored off California, USA.

*1973::Radio Free America, a brief religious station by Dr. Carl McIntire aboard the MV "Columbus" anchored off New Jersey, USA.

*1987 & 1988::Radio Newyork International, from a ship anchored off Jones Beach, Long Island, New York, USA. (See the article about Radio Newyork International for more information).

ee also

* Pirate Radio (Nashville)
* Community radio
* Low-power broadcasting
* Pirate television

External links

* [http://www.frn.net/ Free Radio Network The FRN is popular for message forums mostly geared towards shortwave pirate operations in North America. It is not currently accepting new users.]
* [http://www.rfny.us/ Radio Free New York A detailed history of some Brooklyn NYC-area AM and FM pirate radio stations from the 1970s to today.]
* [http://www.frn.net/ace/about.htm ACE website]