Exclusive: Two L.A. Pirate Radio Stations Making Waves

I came across a mention on the web about a pirate station heard in the east San Fernando Valley over 95.1 FM, and broadcasting on the weekend. A few Google searches later, I discovered Renegade Underground Radio, a pirate outfit that does indeed broadcast over 95.1.

Here's a rough description of the station, which was posted on another site:

OUR SITE IS FOCUSED ON THE LOS ANGELES UNDERGROUND CLUB SCENE. THE DJ'S/MUSIC/ARTIST/CLUBKIDS/DRUGS/GOVERNMENT POLITICS ON THE CLUB SCENE. WE HAVE BEEN A LOCAL CLUB/UNDERGROUND FM PIRATE ON 95.1 MHZ LOS ANGELES FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS WE WERE FORMALY KNOWN AS K.R.U.L RADIO UNDERGROUND LOS ANGELES TILL WE WERE POPPED BY THE FCC APRIL 22,1999. WE HAVE NOW RE FOCUSED & RE EMERGED AGAIN IN 2007, BETTER THAN EVER. WE NOW HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO BROADCAST FM & THE INTERNET TO OUR AUDIENCE.

Left, another logo for the station. On the right, a pic (via its website) of the station's antenna. This guy is brave.



So brave, he also posts pics of his transmitter.

In other pirate radio news, Pirate Cat Radio says it's back on the air in Los Angeles at 87.9FM. That's where the unlicensed station once resided, before the station's "Monkey Man" moved up to the Bay Area. Monkey Man is still running Pirate Cat Radio in San Francisco, but must have found a way (or a friend) to bring it back down here. I haven't tuned it in yet, so I can't verify where it can be heard.

Two years ago, I wrote of another Valley pirate radio outlet -- which broadcast in Hebrew over 99.1 FM -- when the FCC ordered it off the air. Here's what I mused:

I was just thinking about how we haven't heard a new pirate radio station in L.A. in a while. The Monkey Man (who formerly broadcasted "Pirate Cat Radio" out of Hollywood) reloacted to San Francisco (where he's also experimenting with pirate TV broadcasts, on channel 13), while legendary KBLT has been off the air for years.

I've found several pirates through the years -- and used to enjoy the Pirate Cat over 87.9 FM. I've heard dance music in Hollywood over 100.7 (I wonder if Renegade Underground Radio is from the same person), and Kill Radio was heard in Silver Lake over 104.7 FM for a time.