Shareware Overload Trio 2/Shareware Overload Trio Volume 2 (Chestnut CD-ROM).ISO/dir24/rtawmj.zip/RTAWMJ2

Text File | 1994-07-03 | 41KB | 878 lines

RECLAIMING THE AIRWAVES  PART 2
Published by Free Radio Berkeley and the Free Communications Coalition

TO CONTACT US:
email: [e-mail]
voicemail: [phone]
snailmail: Free Radio Berkeley, 1442 A Walnut St. #406, Berkeley, CA 94709
ftpsite: crl.com - directory: ftp/users/ro/frbspd



May/June 1994, page numbers approximate, use word search

    Press release of planned activities . . . . . . . . . . . .2

    Micropower Broadcasting The Free
    Speech Movement Of The 90's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

    Take Back The Airwaves - The Spring & Summer Offensive . . 5

    San Francisco Liberation Radio To Take Free Speech Stand. .7

    Jolly Roger Theatre Skewers The Policitical Elite . . . . .8

    Fcc Pulls Plug On Bootleg Radio Station In Broadview . . . 8

    Radio Kaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

    5...4...3...2...1...Anarchy! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

    Fcc Issues $17,500 Forfeiture To Pirate Broadcaster . . . 10

    Andrew Yoder Responds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

    Micro Power Broadcasting, Technology For The People . . . 12

    Kits & Accessories From Free Radio Berkeley . . . . . . . 13

PART 2  Kits & Accessories From Free Radio Berkeley . . . . . .14

5 Watt Transmitter Modification
Improves Stability & Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Protect Your Equipment From Reversed Voltage Leads . . . .19

What To Do When The Fcc Knocks On Your Door . . . . . . . 19

Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys, Mojo Nixon, Chill Eb & More. 21

Another Argument For Micorpower Broadcasting . . . . . . .22

Ralph Nader On Corporatism And Plutocracy . . . . . . . . 24

Ship Of Dreams, Fcc Destruction Of Boat Station
Bound For Belize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26



(page 14)

20 -24 watt RF amplifier - $95

     $95 might sound a bit steep, but for those who do not wish to do an
extensive amount of soldering and tuning, this is kit is for you.  It uses
a broad band high gain, RF power module which will put out a 20-24 watt
signal for only a 100 to 200 miliwatt input.  Kit requires less than 20
solder connections to complete, including a 5 element filter.  Since the
module is broad band from 88 to 108 MHz no tuning is required, plug and play
as they say.  Requires 12-14 volts at 3 to 4 amps.


25-30 watt RF Amplifier - $60
     Will produce full power with an input drive of 3-5 watts.  This unit
works very well with the 5 watt transmitter kit.  In fact, next to the 5
watt kit, it is our most popular item.  Fits a 4 x 6 inch enclosure
(available punched and drilled).  Easy point to point surface mount
assembly.  Includes heat sink. Requires 12-14 volts DC at 4-5 amps for
operation.

1/2 to 1 watt Amplifier - $25

     1/2 to 1 watt output for an input power of 10 mw.  Great for boosting
lower power VFOs and low power Ramsey FM-10 type kits.  Very compact
size, 3 1/2 X 1 1/2 inches.  An optional transistor can be substituted to
take the power up to  1 1/2 watts, add $5 for this option.


Output Filter Kit - $8.00

     A seven element low pass filter, composed of 4 coils and 3 capacitors,
to flatten those harmonics.  Specify cutoff frequency desired, 94 MHz,
 100 MHz, 104 MHz, 108 MHz.  The cutoff should be about 2 to 4 MHz above
the frequency the transmitter is set for.  Please use a filter on any
transmitter you to use to avoid possible interference with other services.

15 Watt Dummy Load Kit - $10.00

    Essential for tuning up and testing transmitters and amplifiers.
Will handle 15 watts without any strain, higher powers for a briefer
period of time (i.e. shut down when it gets rather hot).  Presents a
uniform 50 ohm impedance to the transmitter.

 25 Watt Dummy Load Kit - $20

    As above, use this with the 30 watt kit for testing and loading
purposes. Uses a single, film non-inductive resistor

50 Watt Dummy Load Kit - $35

    Same design as the 25 watt unit, use this if you plan on running
the 30 watt unit for an extended period of time with a dummy load.

100 Watt Dummy Load Kit - $50

    Same design as the 25 & 50 watt units.  Uses 2 film resistors.

1/2 - 1 watt Stereo Broadcast Transmitter - $50

     A vast improvement over the Ramsey FM-10.  It uses the BA1404 IC as a
stereo modulator only to modulate a FET vfo, buffer and amp chain.  Better
audio input filtering and bypassing.  IC voltage regulation for the 2.5
volt supply for the BA1404.  A very rugged output stage and collector
voltage bypassing make this unit stand out from all other transmitter
designs using the BA1404 chip.  Requires 12 volts DC


Stereo Generator Only - $30

    Actually 1/2 of the above the stereo transmitter, will allow one
to broadcast in stereo using the 5 watt transmitter with a very minor
modification.

HIGH POWER AMPS - USE WITH CAUTION

75 Watt Amplifier - $165

    Requires 28 volts DC (two car batteries in series or 28 volt DC
power supply).  Point to point surface mount construction.  Easy
assembly, includes heat sink.  Amplifier measures 6 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches.
Only 5 watts input power needed to drive to full power.

125 Watt Amplifier - $200

    Requires 28 volts DC (two car batteries in series or 28 volt DC
power supply).  Point to point surface mount construction.  Easy
assembly, includes heat sink.  Amplifier measures 6 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches.
Use a power FET RF transistor that requires only 3-5 watts of input power
for 125 watts output.


ANTENNA KITS

These are partial kits, just go to your local plumbing supply or hardware
store for the copper pipe and/or wire needed for completion.  Full
construction diagrams and instructions included.

J-Pole - $20

    Metal box drilled with SO239 connector, tuning cap and tubing
clamps.  This one is know as the "electricians special" since it uses
mostly electric hardware in its construction.  Works very well for urban
areas.  No soldering of copper pipe required for assembly.  Can be
adjusted for operation over the entire FM band.

Slim Jim - $15

    SO239 connector and clamps.  Works very well for urban areas where
a powerful horizontal pattern is needed.  If used at too great of height,
an area surrounding the antenna will be skipped over due to its low angle
of radiation.  Even at a height of only about 12 feet mounted on a traffic
sign pole this antenna was able send a 5 watt signal 2-3 miles.  Requires
soldering of copper pipe.  Can be placed inside a 6" piece of black
plastic pipe for concealment.  Provides a gain of 2-3.

Dipole - $20

    Plastic box, SO239 and clamps.  Easy and quick design.  Can be
concealed by placing inside a 4" piece of black plastic pipe.

5/8 Ground Plane - $30

    All necessary parts except copper element and ground radials.
This is a great design and works extremely well.  It is very portable and
will boost the power by a factor of 2 to 4.


POWER SUPPLIES

    Unless you are planning on operating from a 12 volt lead acid
battery or from the lighter socket in a vehicle you will need an AC
operated DC power supply.  Wall adapter units can not used.  We have the
following units available.

2.5 Amp 13.8 V DC power supply  - $29

    Use this to power either the 1/2 watt transmitter or 5 watt
transmitter or the 1/2 watt stereo unit in combination with the 6 watt
amplifier.

4.5 Amp 13.8 V DC power - $39

    Use this to power the stereo transmitter in combination with the
15 watt amplifier.

12 Amp 13.8 V DC power supply - $65

    Use this to power the 5 watt transmitter in combination with the
30 watt amplifier


METERS

Power & SWR Meters

    These are essential to the proper tuning and setting up of both
transmitters and antennas.  An antenna has to be fine tuned so that it
accepts the full power of the transmitter and reflects the lowest amount
possible back, that ratio of forward power to reflected power is know as
the standing wave ratio (SWR).  The various stages of both transmitters
and amplifiers have adjustable capacitors which are used to tune the unit
to the frequency of operation.  A power meter allows you to see the effect
of these adjustments on the power level and to set everything at an
optimum level.

Economy Power/SWR meter - $35

    A compact in-line unit that works up to a frequency range of 150 MHz.

High Quality Daiwa Meter - $100

    A dual cross needle meter that shows both forward and reflected
power on the same meter face.  Makes tuning up very easy, no need to
switch back and forth between these two functions.  Compact design with 12
volt connection for lighting the meter face.

FREQUENCY COUNTER

    To accurately maintain your operating frequency a digital
frequency counter is highly recommended.  A digital tuner with signal
strength indication can be used as a substitute.  We have a frequency
counter available for $80.00

COAXIAL CABLES

    A coaxial cable is a special type of wiring that has an inner
conductor surrounded by an insulating plastic sheath which is covered by a
braid of copper wire that is then covered by a plastic jacket.  The 75 ohm
video cable used in home TV applications is one type of coaxial cable.
For most RF purposes, 50 ohm cable is used.  Quite a number of 50 ohm
coaxial cables are available ranging from the rather small to cables over
1" in diameter.  Regardless of the type, all such cables exhibit a loss
that increases with frequency of operation and the length of the cable.
For most purposes we will concern ourselves with RG8 and RG8x (mini
version of RG8).  In very short runs RG58 can be used, but we prefer RG8x
due to its lower loss and ability to stand a bit more abuse.  RG8 has the
lowest loss of the group.  Under no circumstances should the cables be
twisted, kinked or crushed, this will cause major problems.  We supply
both RG8X and RG8 in the following lengths.  Each end is terminated with a
PL259 plug.

RG8X:  25 feet - $15, 50 feet - $25, 75 feet- $35, 100 feet - $40

RG8: 50 feet - $32, 75 feet - $42, 100 feet - $52


ENCLOSURES

4 x 6 aluminum chassis punched and drilled for 5 watt xmtr, 15 watt
amplifier or 30 watt amplifier - $18

7 x 7 aluminum chassis punched and drilled for 1/2 watt stereo xmtr or 5 & 30
combo. - $25

VARIOUS & SUNDRY ITEMS

Tweak stick - $2.50

    Essential to tuning transmitters and amplifiers.  Non-conductive
body with tiny metal blade at end.  In tuning these transmitters and
amplifiers a metal screwdriver will cause false tuning to happen due to
the interactive effects of the metal with the circuit.  A plastic TV
tuning tool kit can be found at Radio Shack as well.


NEW ITEMS TO BE INTRODUCED BY JUNE-JULY

Phase Lock Loop Controller for 1/2 watt stereo transmitter and 5 watt
transmitter

Phase Lock 1 watt exciter/transmitter

Stereo Audio Processor & Mixer

    A combined stereo generator, limiter and audio mixer

2-4 Watt AM & SW Transmitter kit with companion 25-50 watt amplifier kit

2-3 watt UHF TV transmitter kit with 15 & 50 watt amplifier kits


If you have any other particular requirements please let us know.  Custom
design and fabrication services are available including PC layout and
production.  Full CAD services as well.


Proceeds from the sales of these kits go to the furtherance of micro power
broadcasting, bringing a voice of empowerment to every community.

Please add $3.00 for handling and shipping for each kit.  $5.00 for the 2.5 & 4.5 amp
power supply and $10.00 for the 12 amp power supply.  Add $2.00 for 2nd
day mail service for each kit.

Payment to be made out to Free Radio Berkeley

Free Radio Berkeley
1442 A Walnut St., #406
Berkeley, CA 94709

Voice mail:  [phone]

Net mail: [e-mail]


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


5 WATT TRANSMITTER MODIFICATION IMPROVES STABILITY & PERFORMANCE

    Our designs are not static, we are always trying to improve
performance and stability.  In that vein, we have made some improvements
to the 5 watt transmitter design.  It is a rather simple modification.  A
ferrite bead is slipped over the base end lead of the 1K resistor (R11)
from Q2 (2n4427) to ground and similarly a ferrite bead is slipped over
the base end lead of the 56 ohm resistor (R13) from Q3 (2SC1971) to
ground.  A third ferrite bead is slipped over the 12 volt end of the 100
ohm resistor (R12) connected between 12 volts and the zener diode.
Finally, C12's trace lead to the coil L5 is cut and is jumpered to the RF
out pad.  Send us $1.00 along with a SASE and we will mail you the ferrite
beads and complete instructions on how to make these modifications.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


PROTECT YOUR EQUIPMENT FROM REVERSED VOLTAGE LEADS

    Reversing the voltage leads is all too easy to do, most of us have
done it at least once with the result being several fried transistors.
With RF power transistors costing $5-$150 it can be a rather expensive
mistake.  One simple way to protect your units from this possibility is to
put in voltage polarity reversal protection circuit, see diagram below.
It works on the principle that a diode only lets current flow in one
direction.  With correct voltage polarities the diode does not conduct the
positive voltage to ground.  However, if the ground lead is hooked to the
posivitve voltage jack of the unit and and the positive lead is hooked to
negative jack of the unit, the diode immeadiately conducts the voltage to
ground creating a short which blows the fuse thereby protecting the
transmitter from harm.  We are offering this protection set up as a kit
for $4.00 ( + $2.00 P & H), it includes 2 fuses, a fuse holder and a diode
along with full instructions.  These parts are also available at most
elecronics stores.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 WHAT TO DO WHEN THE FCC KNOCKS ON YOUR DOOR

Produced by the Committee on Democratic Communications -- A National
Committee of the National Lawyers Guild

Address:  Committee on Democratic Communications, One Sansome St.,
Ste. 900, San Francisco, CA, 94104, [phone].



NOTE:  The following discussion assumes that you are not a licensed
broadcaster.

Q)  If FCC agents knock on my door and say they want to talk with
me, do I have to answer their questions?

A:  No.  You have a right to say that you want a lawyer present when
and if you speak with them, and that if they will give you their names,
you will be back in touch with them.  Unless you have been licensed
to broadcast, the FCC has no right to "inspect" your home.

Q)  If they say they have a right to enter my house without a warrant
to see if I have broadcasting equipment, do I have to let them in?

A:  No.  Under Section 303(n)  of Title 47 U.S.C., the FCC has a right
to inspect any transmitting devices that must be licensed under the
Act.  Nonetheless, they must have permission to enter your home, or
some other basis for entering beyond their mere supervisorial powers.  With
proper notice, they do have a right to inspect your communications
devices.  If they have given you notice of a pending investigation,
contact a lawyer immediately.

Q)  If they have evidence that I am "illegally" broadcasting from
my home, can they enter anyway, even without a warrant or without
my permission?

A:  They will have to go to court to obtain a warrant to enter your
home.  But, if they have probable cause to believe you are currently
engaging in illegal activities of any sort, they, with the assistance
of the local police, can enter your home without a warrant to prevent
those activities from continuing.   Basically, they need either a
warrant, or probable cause to believe a crime is going on at the time
they are entering your home.

Q)  If I do not cooperate with their investigation, and they threaten
to arrest me, or have me arrested,  should I cooperate with them?

A:  If they have a legal basis for arresting you, it is very likely
that they will prosecute you regardless of what you say. Therefore,
what you say will only assist them in making a stronger case against
you.  Do not speak to them without a lawyer there.

Q)  If they have an arrest or a search warrant, should I let them
in my house?

A:  Yes.  Give them your name and address, and tell them that you
want to have your lawyer contacted immediately before you answer any
more questions.  If you are arrested, you have a right to make several
telephone calls within 3 hours of booking.

Q)  Other than an FCC fine for engaging in illegal transmissions,
what other risks do I take in engaging in micro-radio broadcasts.

A:  Section 501 of the Act provides that violations of the Act can
result in the imposition of a $10,000 fine or by imprisonment for
a term not exceeding one year, or both.  A second conviction results
in a potentially longer sentence.  If you are prosecuted under this
section of the Act, and you are indigent (unable to hire an attorney),
the court will have to appoint one for you.

Q)  Are there any other penalties that can be imposed upon me for
"illegal broadcasts."

A:  Under Section 510 of the Act, the FCC can attempt to have your
communicating equipment seized and forfeited for violation of the
requirements set forth in the Act.  Once again, if they attempt to
do this, you will be given notice of action against you, and have
an opportunity to appear in court to fight the FCC's proposed action.
Realize, though, that they will try to keep your equipment and any
other property they can justify retaining until the proceedings are
completed.  You have a right to seek return of your property from
the court at any time.

Q)  If the FCC agents ask me if I knew I was engaged in illegal activities,
should I deny any knowledge of FCC laws or any illegal activities?

A:  No.  You will have plenty of time to answer their accusations
after you have spoken with an attorney.  It is a separate crime to
lie to law enforcement officials about material facts.  Remain silent.

Q)  If I am considering broadcasting over micro-radio, is there anything
I can do ahead of time to minimize the liklihood of prosecution?

A:  Yes.  Speak with an attorney before you are approached by law
enforcement to discuss the different aspects of FCC law.  Arrange
ahead of time for someone to represent you when and if the situation
arises, so that you will already have prepared a strategy of defense.

Q)  What can I do if the FCC agents try to harass me by going to my
landlord, or some other source to apply pressure on me?

A:  So long as there is no proof that you have violated the law, you
cannot be prosecuted or evicted.  If there is evidence of misconduct,
you might have to defend yourself in court.  Depending upon what the
FCC said or did, you might be able to raise a defense involving selective
prosecution or other equivalent argument.  If the conduct of the agents
is clearly harassment, rather than a proper investigation, you can
file a complaint with the F.C.C. or possibly a civil action against
them.

Q)  If I want to legally pursue FCC licensing for a new FM station,
what should I do?

A:  It isn't the purpose of this Q and A sheet to advocate or discourage
non-licensed broadcast operations.  A person cited by the FCC for
illegal broadcasting will find it virtually impossible to later obtain
permission to get a license.  If you want to pursue the licensing
procedure, see the procedures set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations,
Title 47, Part 73.  The application form (Form # 301 A) is extremely
complicated, and requires a filing fee of $2,030.00.  If you want
to contact the FCC directly, call them at their Consumer Assistance
and Small Business Division, Room 254, 1919 N St. NW, Washington,
D.C. 20554, tel [phone].  Don't bother to try this without
significant financial backing.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


JELLO BIAFRA, DEAD KENNEDYS, MOJO NIXON, CHILL EB & MORE

    As both a bit of fundraiser and an attempt to put more dissident
voices on the air, we are selling CD's of these and other performers.
Thanks to the PMRC and other "decent christian citizens" many of you might
not be able to obtain these recordings at your local record store.  If you
are familiar with Mordam Records, we have their entire line available,
they feature hard core, grunge etc. on such labels as Allied Recordings,
Alternative Tentacles, Flipside, Lookout, Seeland, Vinyl Communications
and more.  A complete listing will be available soon, please send a SASE
for this.


Dead Kennedys -     In God We Trust
            Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
            Plastic Surgery Diasters
            Frankenchrist
            Bedtime for Democracy
            Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death

Jello Biafra -        No More Cocoons  - double CD
            High Priest of Harmful Matter - double CD
            I Blow Minds for a Living - double CD

Virus 100 -        A Cover Release of Dead Kennedys songs with Didjits
            L7, Disposable Heros and more, 16 in all

Jellof Biafra & -     Prairie Home Invasion
Mojo Nixon

Chill EB -        Born Suspicious


Cost for the CD's is $11, doubles are $13 - add $2 per CD for shipping and
handling


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



ANOTHER ARGUMENT FOR MICORPOWER BROADCASTING

We received this email communication from a person on the net:

TO FRB:

    Having nearly completed a million-dollar AM project as technical chief,
where many people have put their talents, effort, and money on the line, I
cannot begin to tell you how insignificant and worthless this "micro-power"
stuff seems. Commitment and dedication is something I routinely see in our
local family-owned professional broadcasting organizations--not in a bunch
of kids that want to play radio on a whim.
    When one of your gang puts seven figures on the line to build a
four-tower AM, with the full knowledge that it could all be money down the
drain, then you might get my attention. Putting a 10-watt splattermaster
on the air is something I did when I was eight years old. Not impressed.

 Stephen Dunifer wrote in response ( denoted by >):

>        Thank you for the wonderful note, in fact, it was so perfect we
>are going publish in our next newsletter under the headline of "Another
>Argument for Micro Power Broadcasting".  Your letter clearly points out
>the prohibitive cost of the current broadcasting situation.  Why indeed
>should someone risk millions of dollars and hours upon hours of blood,
>sweat and tears on something that might be down the drain the next
>day when a low power micro operation can be put on the air for less than
>$1000.

I can give you a few reasons. First, the coverage will be such that more
than just a few people will be able to hear it. Ten watts of FM from a few
feet in the air has a distressingly limited range. Second, this new plant
will probably outlive me by decades. People who are in the real business go
into these things for the long haul, not the year or maybe two-year
attention span of all the "community radio" projects that I have ever seen.
(KKUP is an exception--and for some very interesting reasons.) Third, radio
is a mass-market, mass-audience medium. It takes a lot of effort and money
to produce something that large numbers of people will listen to. Your
teapots suffer a double whammy: they are technically limited and the
programming is probably a severe tune-out. If activism was something people
craved hearing, KPFA would need larger wheelbarrows to carry subscriptions
to the bank.

Maybe you can put a micro on the air for $1000, but I'll bet some of my
stations' costs per listener are lower.

>        I agree that many operations have been using equipment of rather
>dubious quality.  We are trying to bring a level of quality to this area
>which has not existed before.  As a 42 year old engineer who obtained his
>first class commercial ticket at 17 years of age, has spent over 20 years
>as an analog and digital circuit designer and computer systems
>integrator, I am designing circuits that are inexpensive to build and do
>not do the all nasty things associated usually with "garage operations".
    Very impressive. And just how many of these dozens or even
hundreds of micro operators will have those credentials? How many of them
will have the slightest clue concerning modulation levels, spurs,
harmonics, frequency stability, or any of the other things that can
influence the cacophony of signals in the air?

> Again, I would like to thank you for your wonderful note and let
>you know we are hard at work trying to restore democracy and free speech
>to the United Corporate States of America.  Please send us your address
>and you will receive the next copy of our newsletter with your letter in it.

    By all means, send it. I, too, had the answers to all the world's
problems before I was 21. I, too, had the transcendental truth that the
world needed to hear. But the older I got, the less I seemed to know and
my omniscience appears less and less viable. I am older than you, and as a
result am, of course, totally senile. By the time I was even your age, I
had relinquished my grasp on the sum total of enlightened knowledge and
wisdom.
    Besides in my day, we activist types got licenses for our stations
such as KRAB, KBOO, KTAO and the like. Why do I get the feeling that if
the FCC legalized micro that the whole "movement" would die out overnight?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



    Micropower broadcasters now have the chance to have their programs
heard by an international audience via the airwaves of Radio for Peace
International, a shortwave station in Costa Rica whose signal is received
in more than sixty countries worldwide.
    In March RFPI began airing a weekly half hour program entitled "Micro-
power Radio in the U.S."
    "We originally conceived of it as a sort of 'best-of' program, taking
material from different micropower stations from around the country," said
Richard Edmondson, of San Francisco Liberation Radio, the show's producer.
"The only requirement we had was that the station had to be unlicensed by
the FCC."
     So far the program has featured broadcast excerpts from Free Radio
Berkeley, Anarchy Radio, Radio Free Detroit, and San Francisco Liberation
Radio.
    "We are constantly in search of new material and would encourage
micropower broadcasters from around the U.S. to send us tapes of their
best shows," Edmondson said.
    He added that RFPI's range was illustrated recently by correspondence
received by a listener in Japan.
    "We got a letter from a guy in Japan who not only wrote to say he had
heard our program, but actually sent us a tape showing us what it sounded
like on an actual short wave set in Japan--very scratchy but you could
definately tell it was us."
    Within the last week several more reponses have been received from
listners in the United States.  Tune your shortwave receiver to 15.03 (24hrs.),
7.375 (0000-1200), 7.385 USB (0000-1400), 21.465 USB (1200-0400).  Saturdays
at 2300 hours UTC is the slot for the Micropower show and the Food Not
Bombs Radio Network.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RALPH NADER ON CORPORATISM AND PLUTOCRACY

Excerpts from a speech given at Harvard University


    . . . "plutocratic power" . . .  is really the singular index of
    what has been going on, decade after decade, in this country.
       . . . those people who have civic power accorded them--freedom to
    vote, freedom to speech--if they do not *use* the authority that they
    are empowered to use in a constant, daily, diverse manner, power tends
    to concentrate itself and before you know it, you have a plutocracy
    that uses the symbols of government, and the symbols of democracy, to
    regale itself and to achieve legitimacy.
       Now, the avaricious triumph and spreading tragedy of corporatism
    *should* be the singular, most important issue in the presidential
    campaign

When we're talking about plutocracy, what are we talking about?
    Here's an example of plutocracy:  corporate socialism.  That is,
    corporations who get in trouble if they're important enough or big
    enough, do not go bankrupt, they go to Washington.  They are then
    subject to a process known as corporate welfare--entitlements--where
    their bankruptcy, mismanagement, speculation or corporate crime
    generates losses which are socialized on the backs of the taxpayer.
       This corporate socialism and corporate welfare is booming.  In
    fact most of what Washington does is conduct a bazaar of "Accounts
    Receivables" for corporate requestors.  There are dozens and dozens
    of corporate welfare projects that we can conveniently call "aid to
    dependent corporations."  Now look what this does.
       First of all it reduces corporations incentive to work,
    productively.  Because they know they're going to be bailed out.
    They know that there are a certain number of banks in this country
    which are too big to fail and the federal reserve had them on the
    list:  Citicorp, Bank of America, Chase Manhattan, Morgan Guarantee,
    Chemical, etc.  In other words, they were too critical to avoiding a
    domino affect and they would be bailed out. . . .
       I mentioned plutocratic power versus democratic power . . .
    plutocratic power exercises its will on us everyday. . . .

The plutocracy takes control of what we own.  This must be a hot
    topic and the Kennedy school.  Look at what we own:  we own, as a
    commonwealth, the public airwaves, the public lands, three trillion
    dollars of public and private pension money, a trillion dollars of
    savings, a half a trillion dollars at least of mutual insurance
    monies--all these we technically, legally own.  Some as a
    commonwealth, some as *pooled* assets.  Can you imagine how our
    political economy would be different, how our standards of living
    would be different, if we *controlled* what we legally owned?  And
    that is *never* discussed in any political campaign that I have been
    aware of in the last several decades.  Can you imagine anything more
    fundamental to discuss than the incidence of popular and commonwealth
    ownership of assets?
       Here's how it goes:  we grow up corporate.  By growing up
    corporate, we never even *think* of what we own.  We never even
    *think* of what is the commonwealth.  We are told to "go for it"
    individually and make a pile of money.  And because we're growing up
    corporate, our minds are anesthetized so they can be controlled by
    the corporate ethos.  Such a thesis is so easily proven that it's not
    worth spending much time on other than to give one example:  who is
    raising our children today?  Ask parents who's raising the children.
    Children are raised by those environments in which they spend most of
    their time.
       Children today spend less time with adults, including their
    parents, than any children in *history*.  They are spending, pre-
    teen, thirty-five hours a week on the average, watching TV, video
    games, and in between, walkman audios.  So for thirty-five hours a
    week they are Pavlovian specimens.  They are not engaging in human
    conversation.  They are not interacting with their their siblings and
    their parents, except modest squabbles during ad time perhaps.  They
    are watching programs that convey basically three themes
    relentlessly.  Look at Saturday and Sunday morning TV if you doubt
    that.


Now when you grow up corporate like that do you develop a critical
    mind?  Do you develop a civic spirit?  Do you understand what
    community is?  Do you ever thirst for *feedback*?  For talking *back*
    to the TV set, in front of you.  Never occurs to people to even ask
    for an electronic Letters-to-the-Editor time on TV.
       And what is TV?  It's ninety percent entertainment--including
    ads--, ten percent redundant news, zero percent mobilization.  But it
    is our property.  We own the public airwaves.  That's federal law,
    approved by the Supreme Court of the United States.  We are the
    owners, we are the landlords.  The Federal Communications Commission
    is our real estate agent.  It licenses portions of the spectrum to
    corporate broadcasting TV and radio stations--they are the tenants.
    They pay nothing for the rent of a TV station.
Some of the greatest fortunes in American history have been made
    by television and other electronic communication company executives-
    -tens of millions of dollars--using public property free of charge.
    The tenant pays the landlord nothing, decides who says what on radio
    and TV, and laughs all the way to the bank, and because we grow up
    corporate, we don't even *think* of challenging it because we never
    *heard* of it.  We never reflected on it.  Our courses never *talked*
    about it.  We never majored in it.  And therefore, we're
    anesthetized.  It's a controlling process.
       The challenge in our country, in getting democracy upgraded to
    override plutocracy, is not the challenge that is contained in
    Orwell's "1984," it's the challenge that is contained in Huxley's
    "Brave New World."


To give you an illustration.  Two hundred years ago we got free
    speech--first amendment--ratified.  That meant that a big merchant in
    Boston and a worker in Boston could get up on a soapbox on the Boston
    Commons and tell it the way it is.  Who could hear?  As many people
    as wanted to congregate, and as powerful as the speaker's voice could
    be.  Two hundred years later, a worker can get up on the soapbox in
    the Boston Commons and say his or her pitch.  But the big merchant
    can buy television time and reach millions of people.  There is a
    decibel level quality to the exercise of our first amendment rights
    due to new technology.
       What is the tool?  The tool is to recognize that we own the public
    airwaves.  We're entitled to have our own network, let's call it the
    audience network.  It could be chartered for legal purposes as a
    non-profit federal corporation (chartered by Congress the way the Red
    Cross and the Salvation Army is).  It would be a private-sector
    corporation, chartered by Congress, open to any viewers and
    listeners, and the asset which would be returned to it would be one-
    hour of prime time TV and drive-time radio.  Therefore we will become
    part of a communications commonwealth that will let us develop our
    electronic literacy, and let us put on television what we want to put
    on through a deliberative process that reflects great diversity among
    its membership, which is voluntary, from entertainment to politics to
    science to mobilization of the community.  Doesn't cost the taxpayer
    a cent, voluntary to the viewers and listeners, and it's our property
    being returned.
       Now if we had that, and if we had a cable viewer's group--because
    cable is a monopoly and there's a reciprocity that should be accorded
    monopolies, and one of them should be the presentation of the cable
    viewer's address and telephone number and description at least ten
    times a day on all cable channels so the cable viewers can
    voluntarily band together and organize and have their own staff and
    begin feeding back the kind of programming they want.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------


                           SHIP OF DREAMS

    It was a ship full of dreams.  Dreams of broadcasting on
    international shortwave.  Dreams of sending hopeful messages from
    many people transmitted over the air.

    The Voyager Broadcast project was the hope and dream of many.
    Financed by a man of God, Brother Stair of the Overcomer
    Ministry, the station was to be an outlet for religious
    programming and the right of free speech.

    The Voyager ship was a converted fishing trawler 140 feet long by
    30 feet wide.  She was planned to be fitted out with four
    shortwave transmitters, and was in the process of repair and
    restoration in Charleston harbor South Carolina.

    The ship was to set sail in early February for southern waters
    where she was to broadcast from a safe anchorage in Belize
    territory.  (The Country of Belize is located on the Yucatan
    peninsula in central america about 600 miles south of the United
    States.)  It was not to be so.  On January 19, 1994 at 8:30 AM
    EST, The Federal Communications Commission aided by U.S. Federal
    marshals and the U.S. Coast Guard, sized the M.V. FURY and almost
    immediately began to debowel her of all her radio equipment.

    One day later it was all gone.  Transmitters, tubes, parts, test
    equipment, personal stereos, transformers, cable, insulators,
    tape recorders, CD's, antennas, towers, cassette machines, all
    the stuff that make up a radio station--gone!  No arrests, no
    hearings, nothing!  The reason?  The FCC claims to have
    identified transmissions from 12:10 AM EST to 3:21 AM EST on
    January 14, 1994 which they claim were pinpointed to the location
    of the ship.  I was on board the vessel at the time an I observed
    no such transmissions between those times and none were
    technically possible with the existing equipment.

    I built the radio station on board the FURY for the Overcomer
    Ministry.  As the engineer, I advised the owners of the ship to
    secure all legal registry and ships radio licenses.  This was
    done; I insured everything was to be done by the book.  The FURY
    was issued a ship registration and radio station license that
    would make it entirely legal to broadcast once the vessel arrived
    in Belize territory.

    At Charleston harbor no broadcasts came out of the FURY while I
    was on duty.  In fact only two of her four transmitters were
    partially restored. Of these two only one could be applied
    primary filiment power.  None of the transmitters were ready to
    broadcast--period!  Furthermore there was no available source of
    transmitter power.

    Both transmitter generators were down for final installation and
    repairs. The main generator was inoperative due to a fuel leak
    and the backup generator had a burned out regulator.

    So the question remains, why was an entirely legal radio station
    destroyed without a hearing and due process?  What is going on
    here?  Does the FCC possess such fear that they will disregard
    all assemblage of personal rights, international law, and due
    process?

    As a radio engineer it pains me to see such wanton destruction of
    personal property for no reason.  The Overcomer Ministry had
    invested large sums of money and time to make this floating radio
    ship of GOD and freedom a reality.  All to be destroyed because
    someone in Washington D.C. apparently doesn't like Brother Stair
    or me.

    Dear reader, I think now is the time to take a "hard look" at the
    Federal Communications Commission and their policies of total
    disregard of law and due process; especially the so called
    seizure laws in which they legally "steal" personal property.

    Is this a nation of laws or government brytes?  I thought a fair
    hearing and trial is guaranteed all.

    The ship owners plan to seek restitution from the government.
    Many questions remain.

    A radio station, a printing press of the air, has been smashed.
    Please protest this illegal action by the FCC to your
    Congressperson.  Only Congress can stop the madness.

                                                Allan H. Weiner
                                                     (sig)
                                                Radio Engineer
                                                507 Violet Avenue
                                                Hyde Park, NY 12538