Let me begin by saying this: operating an underground radio station is illegal. I don’t recommend that anyone follow my example, because in the end the price you pay will outweigh the rewards. The Federal government made an example of me. I was charged with thirteen counts of operating in different locations. Their evidence included taped broadcasts of me on the air. I was turned in by a former partner because my station was more successful than his. You have to watch out for the FCC, but you also have to watch out for competitors - including major radio stations.
I made money by charging far less than corporate radio stations for advertising. The on-air personalities on my station had to get sponsors to pay for their three-hour time slots. When my offices were raided by the FCC, they also confiscated over $50,000 worth of equipment that had nothing to do with broadcasting. In the offices of an illegal business, everything is subject to seizure. The government claimed that I made over $350,000 over a two-year period, and for that, everything I owned was taken away. I was sentenced to four months home confinement with an electronic ankle bracelet, 18 months of probation, and numerous fines.
Operating an underground station did have its perks, though. My partner and I were asked to host many major concerts and some of the most popular nightspots in Orlando. We had a large listening audience, and this didn’t sit well with the major stations. In addition to our hip-hop station, we branched out and started up another underground station playing dance music. Pirate radio was also a way of giving back to the local community. Local artists competed for a top ten countdown, and there were plenty of events where they had opportunities to show their talents.
I’ve never had formal communications training, but if I have all the components needed to operate a station, I can have it up and running in one day. Starting a low-range underground station is very easy if you’ve got the money. You’ll need at least $2,500 to get started. The first step is to check your radio dial for open frequencies. If you want to compete with the major radio station in your area, you’ll have to upgrade your equipment, and that’s when it becomes expensive. To have a high-powered station, you need at least 1,000 watts and a tall building or tower. With today’s technology, you don’t even need an antenna. You can digitally run a radio station by bouncing your signals off other towers, making it harder for the FCC to track your signal.
