Pirate Radio

I have a cold, so I'm blogging.

Source: http://wcbstv.com/watercooler/local_...138104944.html
and blog: http://thebillygoatcurse.com/76/

A pirate radio station was shut down in Long Island this morning after the WBAB Radio broadcast was hijacked during the “Roger and JP” show.

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“This was not some child’s prank, this was a federal offense,” said WBAB program director, John Olsen during a news conference. The station uses a microwave signal to send it’s programming to the station’s transmitter located six miles north in Dix Hills.

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The pirate apparently had his own microwave radio with a stronger signal aimed at the station's transmitter, thus overpowering and replacing the station's programming. The same thing happened to its sister station, WBLI-FM, two weeks ago.

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And the radio station believes he might be found on the internet, on a radio message board, boasting of his accomplishment.

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Interesting stuff, anyone else see a trend in attacks like this heading away from hackivism, reputation, yadda yadda... towards the $$$ and spyware? This is one of those times where it seems like money isn't involved. These cases are interesting...

How many suspects can there be?? Not everyone close to the radio station has a strong microwave radio.

It seems to be pretty simple to do, if you have a spare 43 foot tower laying around somewhere.

Actually I think it would be pretty easy to find the guy as long as he is transmitting, but it looks like the radio station wasn't quite prepared for that yet though. You never know though sounds like it could be a cover up by the radio station. If you read the end of the article they were in trouble with the public for playing an offensive song. I guess its a long shot and I'm not much into conspiracy theory but they could be covering up some poorly picked tunes.

Cool read anyway :)

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his own microwave radio with a stronger signal aimed at the station's transmitter, thus overpowering and replacing

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Well the investivgaters may have trouble finding the criminal if they think the "Over-powering" signal was fired at the Transmitter

And how big would his transmitter have to be??? Well not a 43ft tower.. that just hold the Antennas.. and would have little bearing on the power of the station.. It really depend what the Link frequency is.. It could be a Yagi style antenna, a dish - Converted satillite TV reciever.. how much power will he need? Many of the Links run flea fart power.. so if the pirate TX is close enough the radio relay reciever.. he wouldnt need much at all..
And in regard to link Frequency.. Some organisations call microwave frequencies above 800Mhz (Media refer to Cell Phones as radiating Microwave energy (thes operate between 850 and 950Mhz.. while your microwae Oven and WLan are at about 2400/2500Mhz.... that is a range of wavelengths of 35cm to 12cm.. so your transmitting antennas can be very easily concealed or blend in with the exsting array of rooftop aluminium..

Hell a local radio station here uses basic WLAn equipment, only difference is they have a 2W Amp on their TX.. and NO ENCRYPTION..... for a OB link to a AP on a high location.. then an unamplified Link from the AP back to the studio... How easy would it be to hack that lot... and not be noticed? hmm too easy.. but then someone may notice my paytv antenna pointing the wrongway.. but then would they for the half hour to do the job... hmmm

Thanks for the additional information Und3rtak3r. Remembering past experiences with various frequency bands, TX & RX power etc., seems they were attempting some Public Relations damage control (CYA!). They obviously didn't want to say that John Smith could go down to the local Radio Shack and get every thing he needs to disrupt their transmissions.

;)

Considring the beam would be very narrow he would be impossible to locate. The dude could have been anywhere in the link path at any elevation.