After the FCC shut them down the duo turned to late-night prank calls, lighting up Long John Nebel & Candy Jones on WMCA, Larry King, phone operators, random strangers, and more.

0:00 – Intro & who Hank Hayes and Jim Nasium are1:15 – The first pirate transmission experiment (“Penny Lane” by The Beatles)3:00 – Growing into a full AM station heard across the eastern U.S.8:30 – 50+ years of pirate radio (December 1975 beginnings)12:00 – The FCC takes notice & introduction of Judah Mansbach16:00 – Classic Judah Mansbach answering-machine threat18:00 – Why they did pirate radio (fun + filling the gap in commercial radio)20:00 – Hank’s short stint in legal radio and why it failed27:00 – The salumeria “sympathy?” story after the CBS appearance32:40 – Watching the full CBS No Holds Barred segment (Hank as Hal Hall, Jim as Larry McCrae, Judah Mansbach & Alexander Zimny)1:31:00 – Radio New York International (RNI) ship footage begins – boarding The Wave and the Sarah1:34:00 – The ship tower, FM antennas (103.1), and transmission line1:35:45 – Below decks: the studio, WPIX mixing board, and row of transmitters1:45:00 – Pete’s Sake calls in (GeoCities, Judah email, RNI memories)1:56:00 – News coverage: all charges against RNI dropped after the raid1:59:00 – Aftermath – Al Weiner gets legal license (WBCQ Monticello, Maine)2:03:00 – Closing, subscribe calls & classic RNI-style sign-off

Brooklyn Pirate Radio Giants Hank Hayes, Jim Nazium, and Pete Sayek reunite for an epic Episode 17 of The Pirate Radio Guy Podcast! Dive into their wild stories from Brooklyn pirate WHOT, WFAT, WCPR to professional gigs at the ABC Radio Networks!They share hilarious tales of satellite rollouts with StarGuide receivers, Chris Tobin's legendary $50/hour hustle that launched Hank's freelance career, near-misses programming real stations including WGCH's Dennis Jackson bowing to hank on his knees, broken promises at weddings, DIY mixing with tape decks and a Gemini board, and the chaotic day the FCC busted their plans.From pirate radio freedom to corporate radio constraints, "yellow notepad" pre-approved bits .vs spontaneous comedy, and endless equipment fails—this nostalgic conversation is packed with laughs, radio history, and Brooklyn grit. Perfect for fans of classic radio, pirate broadcasting, 70s/80s DJ culture, and behind-the-scenes engineering stories.Insight: Hank & friends' detailed proposal to turn WVNJ (future Z100) into a top 40 hit station with Empire State transmitter—elements of which were later adopted—dismissed as too risky by the brain surgeon owner.New York City in the early 80s had no true contemporary hit radio station. Hank Hayes and crew spotted the gap and delivered a sharp proposal for WVNJ (which became Z100): launch Top 40, move the transmitter to the Empire State Building (license in NJ be damned), and dominate within months.The owner—a top brain surgeon—called it "spitting in the wind" and stuck with his "radio guy." Months later, Z100 launched with Top 40 and the Zoo format, borrowing elements from the pirates' energetic WHOT Brooklyn style. Episode 17 is full of these "we were right" radio war stories, the tension between bold innovation and risk aversion, and how pirate creativity influenced mainstream broadcasting.Timestamps (approximate):00:00 Intro & ABC Radio Days07:00 ABC StarGuide Satellite Project & Chris Tobin Stories22:00 Pirate Radio Roots & Kingsborough College29:00 Real Radio Reality Check at 1400 WSTC37:00 Dennis Jackson, WNYQ & Kneeling Moment50:00 Z100 Proposal & "Spitting in the Wind"1:05:00 FCC Busts & Missed Opportunities1:12:00 Early Equipment: Tape Deck Mixing to Gemini Board1:30:00 Stromboli Cam & Future PlansSubscribe for more pirate radio history, rare airchecks, and unfiltered radio stories!

Real-life pirates Hank Hayes and Jim Nazium react to the classic 1949 gangster film White Heat starring James Cagney! Watch as these veteran radio pirates break down the Hollywood version of the FCC and FBI going guns blazing, direction-finding a hidden transmitter signal, and hunting down Cody Jarrett in one of the most intense tracking scenes of all time.From real-world signal hunting and pirate radio tactics to how the feds actually operated in the late 1940s vs. the dramatic Hollywood portrayal — this reaction is packed with laughs, insights, and pirate commentary you won’t find anywhere else.If you love classic movies, radio history, pirate radio stories, or just want to see real operators react to vintage FCC & FBI takedowns, this one’s for you!Drop a comment: What did you think of the signal tracing scene? Have you ever dealt with the FCC? 👇Timestamps:0:00 - Intro & Setup1:45 - First FCC/FBI Scene Reaction

🚨 Episode 15: St. Elmo's Fire – Hank Hayes (the Pirate Radio Guy) and Jim Nazium are live with epic 1970s Brooklyn pirate radio stories you won’t hear anywhere else. From diaper-crawling origins of their lifelong friendship to actual St. Elmo’s fire sparks shooting from the antenna right next to the bed during thunderstorms, this episode is packed with nostalgia, danger, and underground radio history.Key highlights:• Lightning warnings, hair-standing-up static electricity, and disconnecting the antenna behind the radiator to avoid disaster• Blown power supplies, smoke-filled computers, and the death of Radio Shack repairs in our disposable society• How tuning below 88.1 MHz led to discovering the first pirate station and inspiring a whole wave of 1620 AM pirates (including WPNJ)• Surprise live call-in from Joe at the Controls of WPNJ – real pirate radio history in the making!• FCC raids, Judah Mansbach voicemail threats, and how pirates coordinated during blizzards and hurricanesWe’re live every Sunday 6 PM on YouTube & vaugh.live. We’re inches from 1,000 subscribers — smash that SUBSCRIBE button, hit LIKE, and call in live: 816-974-7283 (816-9PIRATE). Share your pirate radio memories or request a QSL card!Perfect for fans of pirate radio, radio history, underground broadcasting, Brooklyn radio, and classic tech stories.Keywords: pirate radio, pirate radio podcast, St. Elmo’s fire, Brooklyn pirate radio, 1620 AM pirate, pirate radio stories, FCC pirate radio, Judah Mansbach, Hank and Jim, underground radio, pirate radio history#PirateRadio #StElmosFire #PirateRadioPodcast #BrooklynPirateRadio #RadioHistory #UndergroundRadio #FCC #PirateRadioStories #HankAndJim #1620AM #VintageRadioSparks flying from the antenna IN THE BEDROOM during thunderstorms? That’s real St. Elmo’s fire on a pirate radio setup! Jim Nazium describes hair standing up and giant arcs before lightning even hit. “I threw the coax behind the radiator and prayed.” ⚡#PirateRadio #StElmosFire #PirateRadioPodcast #RadioHistoryFrom crawling in diapers to knocking on Jim Nazium’s door — the magnetic pull that started a lifelong pirate radio partnership. Hank & Jim have been friends since the 1960s and still broadcast together every Sunday. True origin story goals. ❤️#PirateRadio #HankAndJim #BrooklynPirateRadio #PirateRadioStoriesSurprise live call from Joe at the Controls (WPNJ)! Three old pirate radio brothers reconnect on air after decades. Joe reveals he heard Larry Wong first, then built his own station and even rebroadcasted WFAT. Real underground radio network history unfolding live. 📻#PirateRadio #WPNJ #PirateRadioPodcast #BrooklynRadioPower supply explodes with smoke and a loud POP — classic pirate radio equipment failure story. Jim fixes it himself because Radio Shack was still around. Now? “Everything is disposable.” The end of repair culture explained by actual pirates. 🔧#PirateRadio #TechHistory #DisposableSociety #RadioHistory #PirateRadioPodcastOne pirate station (WFAT on 1620) inspired an entire wave of Brooklyn pirates — WPNJ, WKG, PRN and more popped up right after. They even coordinated sign-off times during blizzards so everyone could be heard. The original underground radio community! 🔥#PirateRadio #1620AM #UndergroundRadio #PirateRadioHistory #BrooklynPirateRadio

🚨 Episode 14: "Piracy On The Airwaves!" – Hank Hayes & Jim Nazium (the original Brooklyn radio pirates) relive the golden era of unlicensed 1970s-80s pirate radio!

Hear how they dodged FCC raids in Coney Island, took over WQXR 1560 AM as "WQXQ – The New Q" with screaming DJs right after getting busted, and helped Randall Ripley (Randi Steele) hijack legendary WPLJ 95.5 FM as "WLPK – New York’s Album King / Kiss Ass Radio" in 1981 – complete with hilarious confused listener calls thinking the station was sold to Christians!Plus: FCC Agent Judah Mansbach’s obsessive manhunt, "The One That Got Away” PRN story, and pure radio rebellion. Raw airchecks, phone reactions, and non-stop laughs.Perfect for fans of pirate radio history, underground FM/AM, FCC cat-and-mouse games, and classic NYC radio lore.🔴 Watch now • Subscribe • Like • Comment your favorite pirate story!#PirateRadio #RadioPirates #HankAndJim #WPLJ #WQXR #FCC #BrooklynRadio #UndergroundRadio #PirateRadioGuyPodcast

Episode 13: "The FCC Stake Out Pirates"

In Episode 13 of The Pirate Radio Guy Podcast, Hank Hayes and Gymnasium (Jim Nazium) dive deep into their wild Brooklyn pirate radio days — from growing up in the Marlboro Housing Projects to illegally installing an air conditioner that sparked their broadcasting adventures on WCPR, WFAT, and beyond.

Hear never-before-shared details about FCC Field Agent Judah Mansbach’s stakeout outside their building, including the actual intercepted two-way radio audio of Judah complaining he can’t catch them — recorded while the pirates were coincidentally off the air for building window painting!

Plus: The legendary “9 Tape” parody by radio pros (including Randy West of The Price is Right), homemade jingles, the infamous “porno pirate” guest incident, how they evaded the FCC for months thanks to snowstorms and housing authority timing, and the shocking revelation that Judah Mansbach was also the agent who later raided their Radio New York International ship.

Raw, hilarious, and packed with authentic pirate radio history from the 1970s and 80s.

Timestamps:

00:00 Growing Up in the Projects & Illegal AC Install

02:00 Judah Mansbach FCC Messages

03:30 The Famous “9 Tape” Radio Parody

12:00 Homemade Jingles & WFAT Era

14:50 The “Porno Pirate” Guest Story

18:00 Judah’s Stakeout Audio – Full Breakdown

32:00 How They Evaded Capture (Painting, Snowstorms & Fate)

33:30 Judah Arrests Radio New York International Ship

38:00 Montage of Pirate Radio Airchecks

If you love pirate radio, FCC cat-and-mouse stories, classic NYC radio history, or underground broadcasting tales — this episode is essential listening.

Subscribe for more rare airchecks, pirate stories, and unfiltered radio nostalgia!

#PirateRadio #FCC #RadioHistory #WFAT #WCPR #BrooklynRadio #JudahMansbach #PirateRadioPodcast #HankHayes #Gymnasium #RadioPirates

1. The FCC Stakeout & Intercepted Judah Mansbach Audio

Insight: The pirates accidentally recorded an FCC agent complaining on his two-way radio that he couldn’t catch Hank and Jim — right outside their building.

LinkedIn Post (149 words):

What if you could hear the FCC agent assigned to bust your illegal operation… complaining that he can’t find you?

In Episode 13 of the Pirate Radio Guy Podcast, Hank Hayes and Gymnasium share the incredible story of intercepting FCC Field Agent Judah Mansbach’s two-way radio transmission while he was on stakeout outside their Brooklyn housing project. Judah gripes about not picking up their signal, mentions alerting the entire Northeast, and expresses frustration about not having a solid report to bring to his boss “Henry.”

The twist? The pirates were off the air that night because the New York City Housing Authority was painting the building windows — forcing them to take down their antenna. Pure luck or fate?

This raw audio from the 1970s captures the real cat-and-mouse game between underground broadcasters and regulators. A fascinating slice of radio history and regulatory enforcement.

Full story + the actual recording in Episode 13.

#RadioHistory #PirateRadio #FCC #BroadcastRegulation #MediaHistory #UndergroundRadio #Podcast