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101.9 Hacked?
- Thread starter TimmyWA
- Start date
Can you imagine the uproar if they played "Kokomo" over and over?
R
Radio-X
Guest
The Seattle R-D board would never be the same if that were the case...
My question is why hasn't someone done something about it? And I'd be curious if it were a "hack" via physical entry or more likely via the Barix box with a default password?
Makes me want to try this on a number of internet stream fed stations around our country...nonstop Kokomo from coast-to-coast!
Anywho, gotta love uncontrolled operation of a station
Radio-X
After looking the FCC database, this may be someone camped on 101.9, not KQES. In fact, by the looks of things, KQES never went on the air:
Station Details
Call Sign: KQES-LP
Facility Id: 196999
Primary Station Call Sign:
Community of License: BELLEVUE, WA
Service: FL
Fac Type: LOW POWER FM STATION
Status: CP OFF AIR
Status Date: 03/28/2014
Frequency: 101.9
Channel: 270
KQES has been on the air with programming since last May (see the earlier thread). Part of the poor engineering work was to not change the password on presumably the Barix box, or file for a license to cover. The way they get out I'm also pretty sure they are running at more than rated power. On the "programming" side they've never (that I have heard) aired anything other than the NTD-TV network audio. An LPFM with zero local programming and operating as part of a network of stations acting as translators violates the letter if not the spirit of the LPFM rules. KQES is as useless to the local Chinese/Asian community as the FCC is to the broadcast community. At least with unlicensed broadcasters who have taken time to assemble broadcasting gear, come up with a format or programming, etc., there's benefit to the community.
Like the Darrington station, this equipment is ripe for the pinching and since there appears to be no local programming or monitoring, it would be weeks or months before anybody noticed. There's probably a valley out in the mountains somewhere that could make good use of it. Next post: Outrage at this suggestion from Grounded Grid!
-Val
Like the Darrington station, this equipment is ripe for the pinching and since there appears to be no local programming or monitoring, it would be weeks or months before anybody noticed. There's probably a valley out in the mountains somewhere that could make good use of it. Next post: Outrage at this suggestion from Grounded Grid!
-Val
It would be kind of unusual for a pirate to use a Barix because most FM pirates I've seen are directly connected to their transmitters and most likely would have already shut down the "F--- Donald Trump" hacker overriding their system themselves.
Regardless, be VERY cautious when approaching a pirate transmitter. I'm hearing some UK pirates are setting up booby traps around their transmitters....
Regardless, be VERY cautious when approaching a pirate transmitter. I'm hearing some UK pirates are setting up booby traps around their transmitters....
Voice of Vashon verified that it was KQES-LP when their signal appeared several months ago and still they run with no formal documentation. Are not LPFM stations supposed to have control of their transmitter? I wish they would shut down because KVSH-LP has already been accused of playing the Eff Trump song. Threw VoV into a tizzy for several hours before they figured out it could not be them because the listener was at the north Vashon Ferry dock where KVSH does not come in but KQES does.
For an LPFM that went through all the hoops to get a license and then have one on the same frequency do this sucks and shows zero responsibility of the licensee of KQES.
Maybe a Pro Trump FCC will make a visit.
For an LPFM that went through all the hoops to get a license and then have one on the same frequency do this sucks and shows zero responsibility of the licensee of KQES.
Maybe a Pro Trump FCC will make a visit.
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I happened to be sitting in a car listening when the audio went silent at about 12:10 today. Carrier was still on with a stereo pilot. My guess is that somebody found and shut down the "offending" server with the poorly edited loop of F Donald Trump and that KQES will soldier on for months in silence.
Val
Val
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Renewal?? Hell, they've got bigger problems than that. They never filed a license application before going on with programming or programming test. I doubt now the FCC will have much of a sense of understanding if indeed they've been on the air for several months without a license.
After visiting the site and snapping a few photos of the antenna and transmitter, I chatted with both the manager of the church it was broadcasting from and one of the CP trustees about 10am this morning. They got it shut down, but certainly poor form to construct and begin broadcasting without a license; far worse is that this was on the air spewing F Donald Trump for a week!
Being a new poster, I'm not sure if these photos will be allowed to be attached, but the setup was quite odd, although very close to what was described in the construction permit application
Interesting.. So did the church manager explain to you how the obscene content got on the air, let alone looping for a couple days with nobody noticing? Was the antenna up in the tree? That's funny, because their HAAT would literally be changing over the years as the tree grew.
101.9 Hack now off-air
No, the church manager had no idea the content had changed from Chinese and explained that the church didn't have anything to do with the transmitter other than providing a site. She did know of its existence. I replied that while it was permitted to be constructed; no license had been issued but not to transmit. She was going to make a few calls and make sure it got turned off and thanked me for letting her know.
The antenna is a 2-bay about 100 feet up in the tree. The tree is roughly 140 feet high, nice and straight. Quite a cool natural support structure!
Now, about the unlicensed station on the same frequency broadcasting from the Sammamish plateau for the last few years; at least that is not laced with political obscenities and running far less power!
No, the church manager had no idea the content had changed from Chinese and explained that the church didn't have anything to do with the transmitter other than providing a site. She did know of its existence. I replied that while it was permitted to be constructed; no license had been issued but not to transmit. She was going to make a few calls and make sure it got turned off and thanked me for letting her know.
The antenna is a 2-bay about 100 feet up in the tree. The tree is roughly 140 feet high, nice and straight. Quite a cool natural support structure!
Now, about the unlicensed station on the same frequency broadcasting from the Sammamish plateau for the last few years; at least that is not laced with political obscenities and running far less power!
You seem surprised that they put the broadcast antenna up in a tree- were you expecting everything to be zip tied, labeled and properly documented with the antenna hung on a polished stainless steel tower? This is hillbilly pirate shit, in line with every other aspect of this operation. And no pirate I have ever visited or been involved with ever hung their antenna on a tree.
Try to keep up Val.. 98052_radio, visited the KQES-LP site and took those photos. Apparently the station is co located with a local church, which isn't unusual for LPFM applications back in the day. Clearly the local church wasn't in the loop as to how, or what the station was broadcasting, assuming the Trump-Rap was coming from that station, which appears to be the case. There have been other background communications about this incident that I've been privy to, but won't discuss here.
As for your comment about the antenna installation, since this is an LPFM which is supposed to be licensed, installing the antenna in a tree is usually frowned upon for the same reason I mentioned; the tree grows and so does the HAAT beyond the original CP (or station license, assuming they filed for it). That, and the tree branches, needles, or leaves would cause a certain amount of signal reflections, ultimately harming the signal performance.
Great job sleuthing and documenting the setup!!!
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