Sounds FM Christchurch Silenced
Fine for 'interfering' with air traffic control frequency
A Christchurch man who ran a hobby radio station has been fined $4000 and had his
equipment confiscated after boosting its power interfered with an air traffic control frequency.
Jeffrey Knowles' commercial-free radio station, Sounds FM, which broadcast music
during the day and streamed BBC programmes at night to the Shirley, Papanui and
Parklands suburbs and earned him a community service award, has now been shut down.
Knowles, 48, who has a learning disability and lives with his elderly mother,
admitted in Christchurch District Court he interfered with an air traffic control
radio frequency by broadcasting with too much power on equipment that had a fault
with oscillation.
He admitted the charge under the Radio Communications Act of transmitting outside
the terms of his licence.
His broadcasts closed down an air traffic frequency for 24 hours in February, interfering
with transmissions between aircraft and the control tower.
Knowles is permitted to run a low-frequency, low power FM transmission as a hobby station
but the Crown argued he increased the power to reach more people, potentially up to 45,000.
However, Knowles' supporters say the figure was more like 1000 people.
The Radio Broadcasters' Association reported to the court that they were losing
advertising revenue because of Knowles' station taking potential listeners away
from commercial stations.
Crown prosecutor Kathy Basire said it would have cost Knowles about $140,000 to
buy the level of licence he would have needed.
"Low FM frequency is only designed to be for a small hobby station for a small area. It
is not designed to compete with commercial broadcasters," she said.
Defence counsel Clayton Williams said Knowles accepted the equipment was faulty and did
not oppose it being forfeited. He disputed the concerns about the amount of power used
and said the aerial he used was shorter than claimed.
"He accepts he was operating at excessive power to gain greater coverage so more elderly
people could have the opportunity to listen to his BBC broadcasts," Mr Williams said.
Knowles received a Community Service Award from the Shirley-Papanui Community Board
this year.
Judge Gary MacAskill said Knowles had been warned that the broadcasting gear was
faulty but had done nothing about it.
The penalty must recognise the seriousness of the interference with the air traffic
frequency, Judge MacAskill said.
He imposed a fine of $4000 as well as court costs of $130 and solicitor's fee of $250.
- NZPA
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