While DXing this morning, I heard an ad that, well, let's say it
shouldn't have been on radio. Unfortunately the station was distant and
fading, so I don't know who the culprit was - in any case I'm pretty
sure it was part of a syndicated program. (and thus may well air on
*your* station. I've heard similar ads on other stations (WFAW-940, for
one) during syndicated programs.)

They were advertising a radar detector that "makes your car invisible to
police radar". It is my understanding that these devices work by
heterodyning a local oscillator against the incoming radar signal. This
allows the speeder to cause the officer's radar to display whatever
speed the lawbreaker wants - or at least causes it to believe it's
receiving an invalid signal, and display nothing at all.

The FCC has ruled these devices to be ILLEGAL, and on appeal a federal
court upheld the Commission:
http://www.fcc.gov/ogc/documents/opi.../rockymtn.html .

It seems to me to be dangerous territory for a Commission licensee to be
accepting ads for devices that:

- Assist people in avoiding prosecution for intentionally breaking the
law and putting others' safety at risk.
- Do so by *intentionally interfering* with licensed services.
- Have already been ruled illegal.

I would hope station owners will think twice before advertising illegal
activity. If I ever hear one of these ads again in a situation where
I"m able to collect adequate documentary information, I *will* be filing
a formal complaint with the FCC.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com