You have been reading and hearing about micro power broadcasting over the last year or so, now is the time to go out and do it ! In this issue we are providing the inspiration. People around the world are taking back the airwaves, from Taiwan, where it took 7000 police to shut down 14 stations with most going back on the air after the raids, to Haiti, where a broadcasting operation was temporarily shut down with automatic weapons fire resulting in the death of 12 people, a few were able to escape with the transmitter. Here, in the Americas, transmitters are taking to the air in Chiapas and Mexico City. San Francisco now has two stations, San Francisco Liberation Radio and Radio LIbre, on the air every night of the week. Mabana Kantako (Black Liberation Radio), who is an inspiration to many, has been on the air 24 hours a day for over three years in Springfield, Illinois. Reports continue to come in of new operations going on the air. We are riding the wave of a movement that will not be stopped.
Rapid spreading of knowledge and inspiration is a critical aspect of this movement. Further, it must be acted upon for it to have any impact. Such is the main purpose of this publication. Empowerment is our watchword.
On the other side of this cover page you will be reading quite an amazing and diverse selection of articles. In addition, our line of kits is continuing to expand. A phase lock loop (PLL) controlled 1/2 watt transmitter kit has been added. It will drive the 6-8 watt, 10-15 watt and 20-24 watt amplifiers directly. With this type of digital control the frequency will not drift. Now, with this new kit along with proper output filtering, all the technical objections of the FCC regarding drift and harmonic interference can be met. By sometime in November AM and UHF TV transmitters will be introduced.
Recognizing a good many people do not have the necessary technical skills to assemble the kits and put a station together, those of you who do have these skills are needed to act as technical mentors. An entire grass roots infrastructure must be organized, collectives consisting of people with diverse interests and skills. Knowledge and skill not shared with others is an anathema to creating any sort of grass roots community. Many inspired people really yearn to put a station on the air but lack the ability to do so. It is our responsibility to help them realize their dream. By teaching and working with others your own base of knowledge and experience will grow as well. Particular attention must be paid to youth in the inner cities.
When people develop their own collective community voice it is an extremely empowering act, one that threatens the status quo in a rather serious way since disenfranchisement and disempowerment are two majors ways of keeping people down in the dirt. Lack of communication creates extremely negative situations where worst case assumptions are made and suspicion, mistrust, anger, and violence are a natural outgrowth of an alienated populace. Micropower broadcasting has the power to break down these barriers and restore a sense of true community.
Create, nurture and build community, share your skills and dreams and put your voice on the air. Get an internet account so news, information and ideas can be rapidly spread amongst all of us. Sometime soon our radio programs will be digitally recorded, compressed and put on the net for distribution. Organize public forums and discussions on the democratization of all media. If you want to distribute this newspaper and other materials in your area please let us know the quantity to send to you,