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Bellingham Bluegrass Pirate @ 98.7 MHz (Revived Thread)

Since April of 2023 they have been run by the new owners. In their own words: We are eclectic, folk, country, instrumental, popular, and more. Original Pacific Northwest Artists that are rarely heard elsewhere in the Village by the Sea. We bring you a variety of music, local and national programming and are a non-profit LPFM. (Emphasis on non-profit)
 
Has anyone complaining about this ever made a formal compliant to the FCC? If you assume someone else has remember the first 3 letters of the word assume. I once had a humbling experience just assuming. Of course the FCC rarely takes action unless it's something they can do just with paperwork or there is a lot of media attention. See the postings on the Alabama part of this site.
 
It was for several years. Which I guess would be the reason for The AM Whale to keep the candle lit. But I haven't heard the translator in quite some time. Not many folks from S Asia in Bellingham, and unlike KVRI's translator it gets nowhere near Surrey. Everything but the 9kW flamethrower in Oak Harbor (serving Victoria) seems kind of pointless with that endevor.
 
I am surprised the FCC hasn't gone after these guys yet. They seem to be really cracking down on pirates, though particularly in New York and Miami.
 
I am surprised the FCC hasn't gone after these guys yet. They seem to be really cracking down on pirates, though particularly in New York and Miami.
Don't be surprised, I seriously doubt anyone has reported it to the FCC if this has been going on for a long time. They don't ride around with directional equipment looking for pirates unless there is a complaint.
 
It was for several years. Which I guess would be the reason for The AM Whale to keep the candle lit. But I haven't heard the translator in quite some time. Not many folks from S Asia in Bellingham, and unlike KVRI's translator it gets nowhere near Surrey. Everything but the 9kW flamethrower in Oak Harbor (serving Victoria) seems kind of pointless with that endevor.
What is the 9kW flamathrower in Oak Harbor that you mention? The only commercial FM licensed to Oak Harbor is the one we sold to Bustos - KZNW 103.3. ERP is 1.4 kW.
 
"9kW flamethrower in Oak Harbor"... Well, that's AM 1110 KRPA. That's the Punjabi-language station targeting lower mainland BC and Vancouver Island. The nighttime power is 2.5 kw. It's directional away from Seattle thanks to Washington State's 1090 AM. CKWX on 1130 limits daytime power northward.
 
I should have been more clear, Bill. Yes, the Flamer In Question is KRPA. They simulcast on KWLE 1340 Anacortes (the old KAGT) and the associated translator in Bellingham. And to add to what RF said, they are also directional away form co-channel 1110 in Bend and (I suppose) the clear channel in Omaha. Plus let's face it, even if they were omni at night, they wouldn;t likely get another listener. They are aimed squarely and southern Vanbcouver Island for a reason LOL.

They sound quite good in the daytime in Victoria and the Gulf Islands, and pretty good at night as well. In Vancouver they are "OK" days and non-existent at night.
 
I should have been more clear, Bill. Yes, the Flamer In Question is KRPA. They simulcast on KWLE 1340 Anacortes (the old KAGT) and the associated translator in Bellingham. And to add to what RF said, they are also directional away form co-channel 1110 in Bend and (I suppose) the clear channel in Omaha. Plus let's face it, even if they were omni at night, they wouldn;t likely get another listener. They are aimed squarely and southern Vanbcouver Island for a reason LOL.

They sound quite good in the daytime in Victoria and the Gulf Islands, and pretty good at night as well. In Vancouver they are "OK" days and non-existent at night.

If it wasnt for KAGV Big Lake-Houston, AK.... KRPA would be audible here at night 1300 or so miles away. Every now and then i can hear them faintly under KAGV, but not too often
 
The 98.7 Bluegrass Pirate did give out an email address. I scratched it down on a Post It and threw it in my glove box. Now I'll damned if I can find it now. I don't want to have to spend another hour or so in Deliverance to get it again. So if anyone's listening up here and has a serious taste for Bluegrass music.....
 
I am hearing something on 91.1 while driving east of Sedro-Woolley. The signal is strong enough to override at times KROH. Classic rock. No IDs. I thought it might be a Canadian station but no luck.

Any ideas?
 
Nothing in BC is over 50 watts on that frequency, and the four stations up there are quite a ways north in every case. WA there is nothing that would match what you are talking about. Likely a pirate OR the ghosts at Northern State are being tricky again.
 
I am hearing something on 91.1 while driving east of Sedro-Woolley. The signal is strong enough to override at times KROH. Classic rock. No IDs. I thought it might be a Canadian station but no luck.

Any ideas?
While the music you heard probably doesn't check out, I did recently read that the FCC granted another translator in Bellingham on 91.1 FM to religious outlet CSN - the same one on 89.1 surrounding Seattle, and in hundreds of other places around the country. Maybe it was an engineering test for that?
 
The Bellingham 91.1 for CSN is actually a move from 88.3, and it happened in 2023. They were getting crushed by CBC 88.1 and their HD sideband. The recent action you mentioned raised their power level from 8 watts to a staggering 11, directed west towards their COL. They relay Effect Radio, hard Christian rock and rap. It would not likely be mistaken for classic rock, and they identify themsleves in some fashion between every song. I have not heard it anywhere in Skagit County, though it has some height so it is possible that it might be heard in select locations down that way. But I doubt it- again, it's 11 watts and is directional away from the OP.

Arghhh, matey. That would be my guess.
 
Between every song on a noncommercial network.

I don't know when this trend started, but it's one of the major reasons I spend more time with non-commercial and smaller stations these days. At least let a song segue into another song occasionally. I'm literate enough to know what I'm listening to, find out, or remember after two songs.

I feel for people subjected to such stations for an entire shift at a workplace.
 
Between every song on a noncommercial network.

I don't know when this trend started, but it's one of the major reasons I spend more time with non-commercial and smaller stations these days. At least let a song segue into another song occasionally. I'm literate enough to know what I'm listening to, find out, or remember after two songs.

I feel for people subjected to such stations for an entire shift at a workplace.

I worked for a station in small town central Nebraska where I had to do a station liner, ID, quick stab, live... between every song. Even though we had a computer

When we have local djs on 7 to 9am and 12-5 here at KSKO, we go 2 maybe 3 songs without an id... but during automated music hours evenings/overnights/weekends we can go 3 to 4 songs without a liner or id. When i do special programming (music for the 4th of july parade or NYE fireworks) i will sometimes go the whole hour with nothing but music at all
 


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