Report No. CI 97-12         COMPLIANCE AND INFO ACTION      October 24, 1997

           FCC CLOSES DOWN UNLICENSED RADIO OPERATORS
   THAT WERE THREATENING AIR SAFETY AT TWO FLORIDA AIRPORTS 
                                
     The Federal Communications Commission has located and shut-down two unlicensed
radio broadcasting operations that were interfering with safe air traffic control communications
at Miami International Airport and West Palm Beach International Airport. Both cases were
referred to FCC investigators for help by the Federal Aviation Administration in Miami.

     *  FCC investigators identified an unlicensed FM station near Miami International
Airport illegally broadcasting on 105.5 MHz in the FM broadcast band and frequencies in the 
118.1 to 125.85 MHz band that FAA officials told the FCC were causing harmful interference
to Air Traffic Control frequencies and adversely affecting tower to pilot communications in a
four-mile area southeast of the airport.  

     *  FCC investigators also discovered and closed down an illegal broadcaster who was
completely disrupting control tower communications at West Palm Beach International Airport
control tower. Operating less than six blocks from the airport control tower, the station was
illegally broadcasting on 106.5 MHz in the FM band, and frequencies between 120.7 MHz to
121.9 MHz in the commercial aircraft frequency band and causing interference on aviation
emergency frequency 121.5 MHz.

     Richard D. Lee, Acting Chief of the FCC Compliance and Information Bureau (CIB), 
said,  "There is an increased problem for public and aircraft safety because of unlicensed FM
operations. Hopefully we can eliminate this problem before a catastrophic accident resulting in
loss of lives occurs due to interference on the airwaves." 

     Lee explained, "In some cases, we have achieved much success with on-site inspections
during which we warn unlicensed FM broadcasters about their illegal operations and urge them
to cease operations immediately." He said that based on information from the FCC field
investigators, the FCC has successfully identified and shut down numerous other unlicensed
broadcast operations via warning letters, on-site inspections or court actions since September
1997. "We will move as swiftly as possible to prevent the proliferation of unlicensed broadcast
operations and the danger to public safety and interference with other communications products
that these unlicensed operations create," he said

                             - FCC -
News Media Contact:  David Fiske, (202) 418-0513.
Compliance and Information Bureau Contact:  Magalie Salas, (202) 418-1150.