The Free Radio Milwaukee Coalition came up with the following
conclusion: The bust happened on February 1st, but the press
release was dated
Feb 16, and it was in the paper on Feb 24.
Other pirates in Milwaukee who haven't received cease and desist
orders dont have to worry. If the FCC was looking for more pirates,
they probably would've already received an official letter.
This station received their Cease and Desist order 2 years ago,
but
didn't change a thing.
This broadcaster is Steve's brother.(the brother of the guy who was
sending the strange letters)
The FCC and Marshals took all of the equpment inside the station,
but
left the antenna tower outside.
The release says "The FCC determined that the unlicensed radio station
was
operating at power levels as high as 168 times in excess of permitted
power levels for non-licensed broadcasting"
This comes out to about 3 watts.
This was not a major bust, and it could have been prevented or delayed
by
changing the frequency and or ID of the station. > This is not the
end of
the world, just a pirate who didn't do anything when he got his cease
and
desist order.
February 24, 1999
>
> The Journal Sentinel had a very small article about the bust
of the
3 watt station, 88.5 FM, WJWT in this morning's paper.
It went as folows:
The feds have closed a pirate radio station operating at 88.5
on the FM
dial, seizing equipment after issuing warnings to the illegal broadcaster
who was operating as much as 168 times in excess of permitted power
levels
for unlicensed radio.
I wanted more information. So, I went to the FCC website and found the
Press Release.
It read as followed:
Report No. CI 99-7 COMPLIANCE AND INFORMATION
ACTION
February 16, 1999
FCC CLOSES AN UNLICENSED RADIO STATION IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
The FCC, in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals
Service and the United States Attorney's Office, seized radio transmission
equipment used in the operation of an unlicensed FM radio station in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, on February 1, 1999.
The illegal radio station was operating on FM frequency 88.5 MHZ. The FCC determined that the unlicensed radio station was operating at power levels as high as 168 times in excess of permitted power levels for non-licensed broadcasting. The seizure of the equipment followed FCC warnings to the operator about the penalties for unauthorized operations, and attempts by FCC agents to have the station voluntarily discontinue transmissions. > >
The FCC urges operators of all unlicensed stations to voluntarily cease
their illegal broadcasting operations. Unlicensed or
unauthorized operation of a radio ntransmitter or station (AM, FM,
International Short Wave and TV) is a violation of Section 301 of theCommunications
Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 301. Under theCommunications
Act, violators may be subject to penalties up to $11,000 and the equipment
used is subject to seizure and forfeiture by court order. Unlicensed
operators also could be subject to criminal fines of up to $100,000 and/or
imprisonment for up to one year, or both, for a
first-time offense.
-FCC-
> News media contact: David H. Fiske at (202) 418-0500
> Compliance and Information Bureau contact: Pamera Hairston at (202)
418-1160;
> TTY (888) 835-5322