parnass@ihuxf.UUCP (12/12/83)
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FCC Shuts Down Another Pirate Radio Station
The following excerpt is from the Pirates Den column in the
December 1983 issue of Popular Communications magazine:
The letters WRAM comprise the self-proclaimed callsign
of a shortwave pirate broadcaster ... "RAM Radio" was
famous in SWL circles for their marathon transmissions,
and were widely heard on their frequency of 7430 KHz.
Perhaps WRAM was on once too often and heard by one SWL
too many. The station was closed recently by Enice C.
Coleman from the Federal Communications Commission's
office in Oxford Valley, PA. I had a chance to talk to
the operator, Ron, about the closer [sic]. He admits
that WRAM's twenty hour broadcasts may have had some-
thing to do with Mr. Coleman's ability to track down
the station.
"I just had it on too long," says Ron, referring to
his transmitter. "I just left it on - it was in my
room. I kept on switching tapes and had announce-
ments."
Another underlying cause was the television interfer-
ence (TVI) that Ron's neighbors were receiving from
WRAM. Evidentally [sic], complaints were received by
the FCC regarding this interference....
When Coleman knocked on Ron's door and identified him-
self as an agent from the FCC, Ron knew the game was
over and invited him inside. "I figured ... that if I
gave them any trouble, they'd be back in five minutes
with a warrant anyway" he says.
One of Ron's first thoughts when he saw the agents was
one of disappointment. "I was having a lot of fun with
my broadcasts and they ruined it!" he says with a
chuckle. His thoughts then became a bit more serious
as he realized there was a possibility that the vintage
radio equipment he owned might be confiscated. "I
thought they were gonna take my stuff!" he said.
WRAM was still on the air when Coleman arrived, and Ron
was told to inform his listeners that the station had
been closed down by the FCC.
Ron is not exactly sure what penalties will be levied
against him for broadcasting without a license, but Mr.
Coleman has hinted that a fine somewhere in the range
of $750.00 could be expected...
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Robert S. Parnass, AT&T Bell Laboratories, ihnp4!ihuxf!parnass (312)979-5760