Allan Weiner
Encyclopedia
Allan H. Weiner is a long-time pirate radio
operator and activist. Weiner is currently the owner/operator of WBCQ, a licensed shortwave
station broadcasting from Monticello, Maine
, and also owns AM radio station WXME
and FM radio station WBCQ-FM
in Monticello.
at an early age, Weiner began building radio transmitters as a teenager. Weiner was operating an unlicensed station that he called WKOV, when he was contacted by a fellow teenaged radio pirate, Joseph Paul Ferraro. Ferraro's station shared time with Weiner's, with the two stations alternating back and forth on the channel. The stations were renamed "WFSR", for the Falling Star Radio Network. Later, two FM
stations were added to the network: Weiner's WXMN and Ferraro's WSEX. The network was renamed the American Radio Broadcasting System, and was the subject of an article in Rolling Stone
. After the network was raided by the FCC
twice in 1971 , Weiner and Ferraro penned a letter of protest to the FCC, stating in part:
, which operated from a ship, the M/V Sarah in international waters off the Long Island
coast. Again raided by the FCC, Weiner and Ferraro began purchasing airtime occasionally on licensed shortwave station WWCR
.
Another attempted shortwave station operated from a ship at sea, this time from aboard the M/V Fury and operated from off the South Carolina
coast, was raided before the ship had left the harbor when the FCC claimed to have monitored test transmissions coming from the ship. The South Carolina operations were to be funded partially by controversial fundamentalist preacher Brother Stair
, whose broadcasts would also be carried from the ship. The ties to Stair, whose views stood in sharp contrast to Weiner's, led to accusations that Weiner had "sold out
" his long held beliefs in pacifism
and agnosticism. Stair frequently clashed with Weiner and especially Weiner's engineer Scott Becker during the abortive project.
station, WHVW
in Hyde Park, New York
.
In 1998, after a decade of lobbying and another threatened off shore broadcasting effort, Weiner was granted a license for shortwave station WBCQ and AM station WREM
in Monticello, Maine
.
Programming on WBCQ is an eclectic mix of music, plus brokered religious and political programming. Some former radio pirates produce shows on WBCQ as well. WREM is now known as WXME, simulcasting WSKW
Skowhegan, Maine
, an oldies
formatted station previous formats on WXME include news/talk, simulcasting Caribou-based music Channel X Radio under the call letters WCXH and as WREM rebroadcast the talk programming of Presque Isle
's WEGP
.
Having received a license after years of battling the FCC has brought more criticism from pirate radio enthusiasts. Also criticized has been Weiner's sale of airtime on WBCQ to the incendiary government informant Hal Turner
and radio preacher Brother Stair
.
WBCQ's use of 7415 kHz is another sore spot with radio pirates , as that frequency was the most popular for shortwave pirates in the 1990s.
In January 1997 , Weiner published his autobiography
, Access to the Airwaves: My Fight For Free Radio which was published by Loompanics Unlimited.
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
operator and activist. Weiner is currently the owner/operator of WBCQ, a licensed shortwave
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
station broadcasting from Monticello, Maine
Monticello, Maine
Monticello is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States on the northern branch of the Meduxnekeag River. The population was 790 at the 2000 census...
, and also owns AM radio station WXME
WXME
WXME is a radio station located in Monticello, Maine, United States serving the Northern Maine market and broadcasts a News/Talk format simulcasting Presque Isle based WEGP. The station is owned and operated by Allan Weiner, who also owns the shortwave station WBCQ...
and FM radio station WBCQ-FM
WBCQ-FM
WBCQ-FM is a radio station licensed to Monticello, Maine, United States serving the Northern Maine market. It airs a classic country music format.WBCQ-FM is owned by Allan Weiner, who also owns the shortwave station WBCQ and AM station WXME...
in Monticello.
The Falling Star Radio Network
Becoming fascinated with radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
at an early age, Weiner began building radio transmitters as a teenager. Weiner was operating an unlicensed station that he called WKOV, when he was contacted by a fellow teenaged radio pirate, Joseph Paul Ferraro. Ferraro's station shared time with Weiner's, with the two stations alternating back and forth on the channel. The stations were renamed "WFSR", for the Falling Star Radio Network. Later, two FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
stations were added to the network: Weiner's WXMN and Ferraro's WSEX. The network was renamed the American Radio Broadcasting System, and was the subject of an article in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. After the network was raided by the FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
twice in 1971 , Weiner and Ferraro penned a letter of protest to the FCC, stating in part:
- ...we went about a year ago ... to apply for a license. Our attempt proved quite humorous to your employees, who sent us away with word of "Forget it." Further investigations showed us why our attempt was then so comical. Licenses were so expensive and hard to get that even small stations were being sold for millions. Broadcasting was reserved for power men.
- ...We are not disputing, however, your right to assign channels and set aside bands for the prevention of interference. We certainly, however, are disputing your right to reserve broadcasting for the well-to-do only.
Ships ahoy
Weiner and Ferraro continued throughout the 1970s and 80s with various unlicensed stations. Some projects were operated separately from one another, but others saw the duo collaborating as they did on Radio Newyork InternationalRadio Newyork International
Radio Newyork International was the name of a pirate radio station which broadcast from a ship anchored in international waters off Jones Beach, New York, USA in 1987 and 1988...
, which operated from a ship, the M/V Sarah in international waters off the Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
coast. Again raided by the FCC, Weiner and Ferraro began purchasing airtime occasionally on licensed shortwave station WWCR
WWCR
WWCR is a shortwave radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States. WWCR uses four 100 kW transmitters which broadcast on 14 different frequencies....
.
Another attempted shortwave station operated from a ship at sea, this time from aboard the M/V Fury and operated from off the South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
coast, was raided before the ship had left the harbor when the FCC claimed to have monitored test transmissions coming from the ship. The South Carolina operations were to be funded partially by controversial fundamentalist preacher Brother Stair
Brother Stair
Ralph Gordon Stair , also known as Brother R. G. Stair, or simply Brother Stair, is an American radio preacher based in Walterboro, South Carolina.-Early life:Stair was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania...
, whose broadcasts would also be carried from the ship. The ties to Stair, whose views stood in sharp contrast to Weiner's, led to accusations that Weiner had "sold out
Selling out
"Selling out" is the compromising of integrity, morality, or principles in exchange for money or "success" . It is commonly associated with attempts to tailor material to a mainstream audience...
" his long held beliefs in pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
and agnosticism. Stair frequently clashed with Weiner and especially Weiner's engineer Scott Becker during the abortive project.
License granted
After the M/V Fury fiasco, Ferraro purchased a small licensed AMAmplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
station, WHVW
WHVW
WHVW is a radio station licensed to Hyde Park, New York that is noted for its eclectic format based on old-fashioned blues, jazz, country and Americana music. In a time of corporate ownership of broadcast outlets, it is also one of only three Hudson Valley radio stations that are independently...
in Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park is a town located in the northwest part of Dutchess County, New York, United States, just north of the city of Poughkeepsie. The town is most famous for being the hometown of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt....
.
In 1998, after a decade of lobbying and another threatened off shore broadcasting effort, Weiner was granted a license for shortwave station WBCQ and AM station WREM
WXME
WXME is a radio station located in Monticello, Maine, United States serving the Northern Maine market and broadcasts a News/Talk format simulcasting Presque Isle based WEGP. The station is owned and operated by Allan Weiner, who also owns the shortwave station WBCQ...
in Monticello, Maine
Monticello, Maine
Monticello is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States on the northern branch of the Meduxnekeag River. The population was 790 at the 2000 census...
.
Programming on WBCQ is an eclectic mix of music, plus brokered religious and political programming. Some former radio pirates produce shows on WBCQ as well. WREM is now known as WXME, simulcasting WSKW
WSKW
WSKW is a U.S. AM radio station licensed to Skowhegan, Maine carrying an sports radio format from ESPN Radio. The station also carries local high school sports, along with co-owned WCTB.- History :...
Skowhegan, Maine
Skowhegan, Maine
Skowhegan is the county seat of Somerset County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 8,824. Every August, Skowhegan hosts the annual Skowhegan State Fair, the oldest continuous state fair in the United States...
, an oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
formatted station previous formats on WXME include news/talk, simulcasting Caribou-based music Channel X Radio under the call letters WCXH and as WREM rebroadcast the talk programming of Presque Isle
Presque Isle, Maine
Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in the sparsely populated Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,692 at the 2010 census...
's WEGP
WEGP
WEGP is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Presque Isle, Maine, USA, the station serves the Northern Maine, Western New Brunswick, and Downeast area. The station is currently owned by Northern Maine Broadcasting Inc...
.
Having received a license after years of battling the FCC has brought more criticism from pirate radio enthusiasts. Also criticized has been Weiner's sale of airtime on WBCQ to the incendiary government informant Hal Turner
Hal Turner
Harold Charles "Hal" Turner is an American white nationalist, Holocaust denier and blogger from North Bergen, New Jersey. In August 2010, he was convicted for making threats against three federal judges with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals...
and radio preacher Brother Stair
Brother Stair
Ralph Gordon Stair , also known as Brother R. G. Stair, or simply Brother Stair, is an American radio preacher based in Walterboro, South Carolina.-Early life:Stair was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania...
.
WBCQ's use of 7415 kHz is another sore spot with radio pirates , as that frequency was the most popular for shortwave pirates in the 1990s.
In January 1997 , Weiner published his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Access to the Airwaves: My Fight For Free Radio which was published by Loompanics Unlimited.
External links
- Article on Weiner's early broadcasting Includes the complete text of his 1971 letter to the FCC.