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Seattle Downtown..... Unlicensed operator, 95.3FM

S

speer360

Someone in Downtown Seattle area is using 95.3 for regular broadcasts. Covers most of North downtown, parts of the the west edge and good chunks of SLU and west side of Cap Hill. Seems to be a higher point of broadcast like a high rise as it cuts out at about 13th Ave on going up denny on Cap Hill.

They had the Black Sabbath last show live, a Fatboy slim Album in full, a Japanese Beetles album. For sure a home broadcast.
 
According to FCC records, the KDXB three-watt ERP antenna was on top of the First Hill Plaza Tower. The building is 33 stories tall, built in 1982.
 
speer360 said:
That isn’t the case with this operator. Drove by and nothing visible.
Click to expand...

It is possible (not that I speak from experience) for an “unlicensed operator” to set up a transmitter and antenna indoors. You lose some signal…

If someone liberated the KDXB equipment for a night and set it up indoors, I doubt a 3w ERP setup would cause significant RF exposure issues.
 
speer360 said:
That isn’t the case with this operator. Drove by and nothing visible.
Click to expand...
Remember, you can make a non-directional FM antenna with just a vertical piece of wire bound to a chimney, with the ground radials below street visibility level. Totally invisible from afar.
 
I live in W. Seattle, south of Admiral St. I never heard the pirate on 95.3, I can't hear KRKO 95.3. But I can hear sometimes very clearly Z95.3 CKZZ.
 
gr229 said:
I live in W. Seattle, south of Admiral St. I never heard the pirate on 95.3, I can't hear KRKO 95.3. But I can hear sometimes very clearly Z95.3 CKZZ.
Click to expand...
I live in West Seattle, too, and have never heard it here or along the bridge or along I-5 to I-90. Was in the Seattle Center area last weekend and heard it clearly in that area, partway into Ballard too. Moldy old butt rock, what I call "Fargo music". No RDS, I'm guessing what the OP saw was historical RDS data that their car radio held on to from when they did have KDXB tuned in. I see that sometimes when I have KEXP on- the last song that I had on two days ago will show up on the display for a short while until it updates.
When I was listening there was a buzz behind the audio and frequent dropouts. The audio dropouts did not sound like a streaming buffer but rather an actual break in the analog audio being delivered to the transmitter.
No ID's.
 
There are 15 + watt rigs with vertical polarized antennas (for Churches) for under $200.00 for sale on the internet. I am surprised there aren't more pirates. Not super powerful but at 300 + feet you might be able line of site. There is a certain drive in theater that go 4 or 5 miles
 
valvashon said:
I live in West Seattle, too, and have never heard it here or along the bridge or along I-5 to I-90. Was in the Seattle Center area last weekend and heard it clearly in that area, partway into Ballard too. Moldy old butt rock, what I call "Fargo music". No RDS, I'm guessing what the OP saw was historical RDS data that their car radio held on to from when they did have KDXB tuned in. I see that sometimes when I have KEXP on- the last song that I had on two days ago will show up on the display for a short while until it updates.
When I was listening there was a buzz behind the audio and frequent dropouts. The audio dropouts did not sound like a streaming buffer but rather an actual break in the analog audio being delivered to the transmitter.
No ID's.
Click to expand...
Car had never been to Seattle during that era and it frequently pops up.
 

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