Free Radio Handbook. Article #1:           Free Radio Movement?Written by John T Arthur               First published in the A*C*ECompiled by DVS throughick-Through-Your-Window PublicationsAssembledandAmendedby Alex Iwanowski alo
ng with my Shack Inhabitants.When most people think of unlicensed broadcasting, the first word that pop  into mind is 'pirates,' and˙theommon phrase heard is 'Kids playing radio.' Maybe pirates are kids playing radio, but there is a lot mor
etoit than that. Some operators have something relevant to say about current events; some simply wish to providenative music or entertainment programs - almost all are doing something which is either unavailable orohibited in normal, legal, rad
io broadcasting.ators are technical wizards...some are program content and production orientated. Those that manageboth are usually the best run, most popular and longest lived stations (e.g. KQSB and Radio Clandestine).Somelistener
s and hobby organizations have drawn a distinction between foreign and the domesticvariety - thus displaying their own judgemental ignorance. The fact that an unlicensed transmitter is in Ireland the fact that it is unlicensed; and if a si
gnal is on the air, it's something that all clubsshould publicize...it's the information you and I are paying for every year.cording to the Federal Communications Act of 1934, (a dreadfully obsolete document) 'the airwaves belongtothe people...
'Yet RX4M, KVHF, Jolly Roger Radio, Free Radio North America, WRAM, Radio Liberation, Radio Soundwave andothers have been raided and fined for using airwaves that supposedly, belong to them.Andwho IS allowed on the air?Big money
-controlled media, pushing carefully-designed non-offensive programming, gauranteed to be totallyinnocuous (and generally useless) to you and me; consisting of news from carefully controlled networkovernment) sources; music selected from the Billboard
 (or R&R) Top 100 commercial rock or MoR list; so-called'informational drop-ins' mass produced by a few active research and production centers. The result is the bland,meaningless bunch of interconnected, but unrelated words and sounds we have come to k
now and love(?) ascial Radio - calculated to seperate you from your hard-earned cash without you thinking about it.By definition, Free Radio is free - it isn't trying to sell you anything, so it doesn't have to be blandandinnocuous. Free Ra
dio doesn't depend on advertisers for financial support, thus need not be concerned aboutoffending that source of money. Free Radio can address problems, propose serious solutions, and poke fun at thegovernment,society,and Bartrac at the same time.
 - So what is the Free Radio Movement?The Free Radio Movement is an attempt to change the outdated Communications Act to reflect the originaloncept that the Airwaves belong to The People...not to the large corporations, or to the government. To
complish this change, we must be willing to cooperate for mutual benefit, and possibly, be willing to take afew chances on a personal basis. The Preamble to the U.S. Declaration of Independence clearly states, 'When inthe course of human events...' etc
, meaning that  any time enough people disagree with the government's actionsandpolicies, we can cause change. We did it during the Vietnam War (Oops!...Police Action) and we can do itagain. If we cannot do it legally and peacefully, we have the consit
iutional right to do it illegaly andviolently.e way to fight Big Brother is to know your legal rights, and exercise them.The Federal Communications Commission is a regulatory body, ONLY. Uncle Charlie's (FCC) Agents do not havethe right to
 seize equipment or levy fines (only a court may do that), nor can they enter your home without awarrent or your permission. You have the RIGHT to demand to see a properly executed search warrent beforemitting entry - don't let them bluff you. If you
 are apprehended for operating an unlicensed radio station,you have the right to counsel present whenever you are questioned - and you do not HAVE to answer ANY questions.Remember that you are innocent until PROVEN guilty. Make them earn their civil ser
vice check for a change.If that doesn't work, you can win>delays in court, and appeal guilty verdicts, which will delay collectionoffines - and there's always the possibility of a court challenge of the constitutionality of theCommunications Act
 itself with the assistance of the ACLU and a sharp lawyer or two.he constitutional challenge should be based on Freedom of the Press. The authors of the document didn'tsee the creation of Electronic Media, but it was clearly their desire that th
e means of communication be opentoanyone who would invest the effort to use them.The FCC has been very lenient in the past about prosecuting pirates. On a first offense, a Warning isissued, and the subject is dropped. On subsequent offenses, it i
s probably that equipment will be confiscated,andfines brought up. As yet, to my knowledge, noone qwent to the pen for playing a Beatles sone on 41 meters.Pleaseexcuse the minor typo's in this file, but I was nipping at the Fiuggi.Coming Attraction
: Free Radio and the ˙   Left. Article #2.Any questions should be addressed toR.F. Wavelength.Thank you, DQ'ers.You can stop reading now.