-Where is the station located (use broad terms, such as Pacific North West, etc.)?
West coast, USA
-How long has the station been operating?
It was a concept in 1987-88. The first program aired in the fall of 1990.
-How many shows have you produced?
16, on cassette tape, with six live broadcasts.
-How many shows have you aired (do you repeat many of your shows)?
Each show has been broadcast several times, plus the live ones. Additionally, Some of my programs have been relayed several times on the east coast by the North American Pirate Relay Service.
-On average, how many times do you take the air per year?
8-12, especially Halloween and New Years.
-Why do you operate a pirate radio station?
I have something to tell the world, but I lack the $2 million or so to buy a licensed outlet, and am not satisfied calling in some show to be cut off by some host if I stray too far from the acceptable party line. I started broadcasting during the Gulf conflict because I was outraged by the constant repetition of the reasons for going to battle, and no serious questioning of the policy was present. Also, in the USA there was no serious reporting of the consequenses of the display of all those pyrotechnics. Only recently has there been some hint that thousands of innocent children are dying from exposure to raw sewage because of the results of the middle east policy. These concerns prompted a lot of people to get an independant media started. Specificly, the microbroadcasting movement with a few watts of power and local coverage, has grown for the same reason--to address issues that commercial based broadcasters seem to be not in a position to touch. There are actually huge bands of frequencies that are unused while broadcasters are crowded onto a few small slivers of frequencies. The official party line is that we must have fewer stations to serve a greater number of people. It is a lie! I can prove it. For years it was common to have mobile phones work on a few frequencies that covered a large area with high power. Mobile phones were rare then because the system could support a relative few users. Cellular phones use very low power and a given frequency can be re-used a few miles away without interference. With that system like that, many more users can use the system more efficiently. In a large city, a frequency such as 103.9 FM could be used a dozen times or more, with each station having independant local coverage, low cost and not beholden to any advertizers. They could co-exist with powerful stations covering a large area, which definitely serve a usefull purpose. The question is, can we break the special interest monopoly so that this can be done legally, or will it be a grassroots thing people will do anyway. In either case, it will happen. It should be noted, many people have taken to the air because they want to share their bluegrass collection, complain about police brutality, or just have fun playing the deejay. Quality of programming can vary.
-Have you ever had any run-ins with the FCC?
Never! (knock on wood) I respect those that have and stood them down such as Stephen Dunnifer of Free Radio Berkeley.
-What do you reasonably expect the average size of your audience is?
I don't know. I do know that the specific hobby of listening to unlicensed stations has enough people to support columns in at least two monitoring magazines, several newletters, and a few books. It is usually accepted at a radio station, such as a call in show, that every caller or respondant represents 1000 silent listeners. I have mail from 25 states and six Canadian provinces, but I doubt I have 30,000 listeners. I suspect that the ratio of people who write is a lot higher, because part of the hobby is getting a QSL card from a station. My guess would be from 100 to 500 people have heard Anarchy One. I should mention that I am on shortwave, and that is why a large area is covered.
-Who do you think your typical audience is?
The most common denominator is a male, serious radio hobbyist, some are ham radio operators, and I know at least three of whom have gone on the air themselves, but I'm not telling. In a sense, I have a lot in common with this audience, but have taken that one additional step by transmitting.
-Where are the most faraway listeners you've received reception reports from?
From a west coast broadcast, the furthest response was from Massachusetts.
-Where is the typical bulk of your audience located?
Due to shortwave signal propagation, the west coast from California to British Columbia get a signal, Alberta and some midwest states get some signal. The NAPRS relay covers most of the eastern US and Canada. Despite the large area, the total numbers of persons with a quality shorwave set who is listening is few.
-In ball-park figures, what sort of dollar investment have you made in the station?
Less that $200. This includes a mixer board and transmitters.. Several items used in production are consumer type goods that I would have anyway. Plus I have picked up stuff cheaply and repaired them.
-Given the advantages of cost, reach, sound quality, and hype of the Internet, plus the legal penalties for pirates, wouldn't it be easier for you to broadcast via the World Wide Web? What are your feelings about this?
I am not currently set up for more than text browsing the Web. Just as not every potential listener has a decent shortwave set and antenna, many others are not connected online. The web could be a decent legal *additional* outlet for Anarchy One, and other unlicensed stations.
-Additional comments . . .
Times, they are a changin'. . . :^)
