Boston-Area Pirate Operators Face Possible Monetary Penalties Under PIRATE Act

[ChrisSmolinski]

"WASHINGTON, April 25, 2024—The Federal Communications Commission today proposed fines against seven pirate radio operators under the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act (PIRATE Act) for operating six pirate radio stations. These pirate radio stations, investigated during the Enforcement Bureau’s sweep in the Boston area under the PIRATE Act, now face proposed fines totaling $857,775."

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-402087A1.pdf

[R. Comeau]

Before I retired, on my drive from north of Boston to Quincy (just south/southeast of Boston), I used to pick up a few FM pirates while sitting in traffic. I remember 87.7 and there was a Hatian pirate in there somewhere, so not suprised by this article.

[Polar Bear]

Any Idiot with a Beofung walkie talkie could now be called a Pirate Radio Operator, that doesn't mean that they actually accomplished something, it just means that they were operating where they should not have been.

In the old days - you would spend a hundred thousand dollars to buy a boat and equip it with generators and transmitters and an antenna and play music and transmit on the HF where the real pirates belongs.

[John Poet]

"WASHINGTON, April 25, 2024—The Federal Communications Commission today proposed fines against seven pirate radio operators under the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act (PIRATE Act) for operating six pirate radio stations. These pirate radio stations, investigated during the Enforcement Bureau’s sweep in the Boston area under the PIRATE Act, now face proposed fines totaling $857,775."

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-402087A1.pdf

Asking ain't getting...
especially when they ask for unrealistically crazy amounts of money....

Think about it:   these fines go 10 times or 100 times beyond what violent criminals
might be fined...

A side note: the format of the board seems to have changed,
what happened to the "REPLY" button???

Took me a while to figure out to use the "quote" button to respond to posts here

Maybe this board is so busy that you don't mind cutting down on replies for the sake of web space?  I have no idea...
but the traffic here has gone way beyond the old FRN.  My congratulations to you!

[ChrisSmolinski]

A side note: the format of the board seems to have changed,
what happened to the "REPLY" button???

[ChrisLobdel]

The FCC isn't tasked with collecting the money. Those that do, the commerce dept? know is uncollectible so they don't try too hard I've heard.

[John Poet]

It's the Justice Department which is tasked with collection, and they have to sue to do it.
They have too many other things to do, especially these days...