Avast and desist, FCC warns Anchorage Baptist pirate radio

0
263

Who knew that Christians could be such outlaws?

In July, agents from the San Francisco and Los Angeles Offices of the Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau swooped in on Anchorage Baptist Temple using sophisticated investigatory techniques, such as perhaps a car radio.

They confirmed that radio signals on 99.9 FM “were emanating from your church located at 6401 E. Northern Lights Blvd. in Anchorage, Alaska.

“The Commission’s records show that no license was issued for operation of a broadcast station at this location on 99.9 MHz in Anchorage, Alaska.”

Evidently the signal went just too far. Such as, as far as the street.

“The field strength of the signal on frequency 99.9 MHz exceeded the maximum permitted level of 250 microvolts per meter (μV/m) at 3 meters for non-licensed devices. Thus, this station was operating in violation of Section 301 of the Act.4”

The FCC issued a warning on Aug. 28: “You are hereby warned that operation of radio transmitting equipment without a valid radio station authorization constitutes a violation of the Federal laws cited above and could subject the operator to severe penalties, including, but not limited to, substantial monetary fines, in rem arrest action against the offending radio equipment, and criminal sanctions including imprisonment.

The FCC went with all caps: “UNLICENSED OPERATION OF THIS RADIO STATION MUST NOT RESUME.”

The trip made by federal agents coincided with the silver salmon run in Southcentral Alaska. No word on whether the agents caught any fish along with the Christian pirates.