From: kludge@panix.com   
      
   Garrett Wollman  wrote:   
   >No indication yet as to whether this aggressive approach is actually   
   >having an effect.  The law requires the FCC's Enforcement Bureau to   
   >make an annual list of the pirate-broadcasting hotspots and report to   
   >Congress on its enforcement efforts there.   
      
   Pirate broadcasting isn't really a serious issue in this country.  There are   
   a few places where it's a problem such as the Haitian community in Brooklyn   
   where legitimate broadcasters have been interfered with, but really the FCC   
   goes up against broadcast pirates because it's an easy win and they get a   
   lot of publicity for a minimal effort.   
      
   At the same time we have folks like the 7200 gang on the 40M amateur radio   
   band who seem to be totally immune to FCC enforcement because the FCC does   
   not seem to think it's worth their time.  We have Christian networks using   
   noncommercial FM licenses and broadcasting commercials and program   
   sponsorships.  We have absolute and total lack of Part 15 enforcement on   
   consumer products; walk into a Wal-Mart with a spectrum analyzer and take a   
   peek at the electronics section, plenty of spurious emissions from all over.   
      
   But the FCC doesn't care, they're more interested in going after broadcast   
   pirates because it gets them into the news.   
   --scott   
      
   --   
   "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)