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SoxFan04
Guest
In addition to the 96.5 pirates in Brockton and Dorchester wasn't there a rock pirate in Easton a few years ago ?
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webcastboy
Guest
540AM in Dorchester (aka "Radio LOG" or R-LOG) is not legal; it's a TIS antenna and an old carrier-current transmitter (about 20 watts, I think) but the assembly sits on top of a giant metal elevator shaft so the grounding is quite good. Plus they're on top of a nice hill there. Granted, line of sight isn't as crucial for AM as it is for FM...but when you're talking power levels that low, it sure doesn't hurt. Not to mention that propagation on the low end of the AM dial is inherently better than the high end.
I remember a few years ago they were all hent bent for leather to get that station on the air...even spent some decent green getting a studio set up and had da Mayah stop by for a chat on the air. Then suddenly support and funding evaporated; the guy they paid to run it was let go. Student interest largely disappeared. I don't know if they're really even doing anything but running on automation anymore; haven't listened in quite a while.
I drive past the old Allston-Brighton Free Radio studio on Cambridge St in Union Square not-infrequently...the old sign is still there out front; and I think I see an old TIS-style antenna on the roof. Guess nobody ever moved into that space in the basement after ABFR went under.
I remember a few years ago they were all hent bent for leather to get that station on the air...even spent some decent green getting a studio set up and had da Mayah stop by for a chat on the air. Then suddenly support and funding evaporated; the guy they paid to run it was let go. Student interest largely disappeared. I don't know if they're really even doing anything but running on automation anymore; haven't listened in quite a while.
I drive past the old Allston-Brighton Free Radio studio on Cambridge St in Union Square not-infrequently...the old sign is still there out front; and I think I see an old TIS-style antenna on the roof. Guess nobody ever moved into that space in the basement after ABFR went under.
What? 540 Dorchester is not legal, but is done in full view, has been written about in the mainstream press and not shut down?
Hmmmm. Also: 20 watts on 540 will get you pretty solid for a few miles, I presume.
However, if there is such a crying need for urban radio in a Boston HDBA like 540's coverage area, why did the staff "lose interest" and the station is now (I guess) just running a throwaway loop?
Hmmmm. Also: 20 watts on 540 will get you pretty solid for a few miles, I presume.
However, if there is such a crying need for urban radio in a Boston HDBA like 540's coverage area, why did the staff "lose interest" and the station is now (I guess) just running a throwaway loop?
>>not shut down?
No complaints to FCC...btw isn't there a TIS for Mass Pike at 530? Would that interfere with it?
No complaints to FCC...btw isn't there a TIS for Mass Pike at 530? Would that interfere with it?
raccoonradio said:
Those low power TIS transmitters along the Pike are only meant to serve listeners traveling on or immediately near the Pike. The Dorchester area where 540 transmits from is a few miles south of the Pike, and it's not really strong enough to interfere on the adjacent channel from there.
Have you ever listened to the TIS for the Pike? For years, it seems to be simply rebroadcasting NOAA weather radio from Blue Hill (162.475) most of the time, breaking for only recorded station indentifications. I've never heard it broadcast any actual road or traffic information, as I have on highways in some other areas/states.
What could it say, anyway? "Drive with caution in the Ted Williams today. It's just been reported that tile #647 may be slightly loose. Keep in the right lane in that location until further notice".
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PaulBWalkerJr
Guest
I've heard some TIS' that sound very good and have worthwhile programming
WPII600, at 1570 in Glastonbury Connecticut is one of them. They have decent audio and the "programming" which consists of town information about trash service, civil information and other very important town topics are aireedd off the computer hard drive, recorded from a microphone and decent processor.. not a telephone.
It also gets out quite well for 10 Watts on 1570.
WPII600, at 1570 in Glastonbury Connecticut is one of them. They have decent audio and the "programming" which consists of town information about trash service, civil information and other very important town topics are aireedd off the computer hard drive, recorded from a microphone and decent processor.. not a telephone.
It also gets out quite well for 10 Watts on 1570.
On the NY Thruway don't they have TIS stations that have tourist info,
public service announcements, word about construction, etc....
Sometimes can pick up that 530 up here in Beverly.
public service announcements, word about construction, etc....
Sometimes can pick up that 530 up here in Beverly.
I noticed that the town of Natick has a good TIS. Up to date road conditions and highway construction info for Route 9 and elsewhere in the town. I don't remember the frequency, it's in the X-band.
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djsparky
Guest
rapking said:
106.1 IS NOT a pirate station and currently has a 100 watt license which it is trying to up to a 300-600 watt license during daytime hours and will probably get it, they have a website (www.touchfm.org) I have personally met with the owner of the station and he is a sincere and honest guy, the station broadcasts from Dorcester and is very involved in the community there. My buddy Ramu does their 3-6pm friday slot. I hope they do well, it's nice to have a station that has actual dj's not just button pushers with a fake personality
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PaulBWalkerJr
Guest
THIS IS A PIRATE.
A 100 Watt Licensed would designate it an LPFM or Class A FM.
An LPFM would not be allowed 300 to 600 Watts.
If it was a Class A, there would've had to be an auction for it.. and there wasn.t
During the daytime hours??? HA
Whoever told you that this was a LICENSED station is smoking a little too much of something..
A 100 Watt Licensed would designate it an LPFM or Class A FM.
An LPFM would not be allowed 300 to 600 Watts.
If it was a Class A, there would've had to be an auction for it.. and there wasn.t
During the daytime hours??? HA
Whoever told you that this was a LICENSED station is smoking a little too much of something..
That's right up there with the pirate up in Lawrence (IIRC), doing religious or foreign, who put his station
up at a power of 99 watts. You see, he'd heard that the FCC doesn't license stations under 100 watts
anymore (?!? what about TIS-es and LPFMs) so he guessed it was OK. It was not.
Advice for the folks at Touch FM: Get a good lawyer. (And don't bother with Finneran whose license
is suspended..)
>>a 100 watt license
On what page of the FCC site can this info be found?...as it was, I understood big cities like Boston weren't
going to get LPFMs anyway. Something like WVEW from Brattleboro VT, sure, but not Boston.
up at a power of 99 watts. You see, he'd heard that the FCC doesn't license stations under 100 watts
anymore (?!? what about TIS-es and LPFMs) so he guessed it was OK. It was not.
Advice for the folks at Touch FM: Get a good lawyer. (And don't bother with Finneran whose license
is suspended..)
>>a 100 watt license
On what page of the FCC site can this info be found?...as it was, I understood big cities like Boston weren't
going to get LPFMs anyway. Something like WVEW from Brattleboro VT, sure, but not Boston.
here is a list of LPFMs in MA via FCC site
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?state=MA&serv=FL&vac=&list=2
14 cities are mentioned: Tisbury (M Vineyard), Dudley, E. Harwich, Great Barrington,
N. Adams, Feeding Hills, Northampton, Pittsfield, Springfield, Holyoke, Montague,
Greenfield
At least on that page there is no 106.1 or allocation for Boston listed.
Also the following page lists UNLICENSED stations in the Boston area. WTCH-FM 106.1
is on there.
http://members.aol.com/baconti/bostonLP.htm
The "Radio Derry (NH)" one they mention MAY be broadcasting within flea-power limits (I know I
picked them up briefly near I-93 or was it Rt 102. But if a station is broadcasting 100 watts
without permission that is way over the limit.
Take note of:
1640 WRNM R.Nouveauté, Boston - Reported shutdown and fined by FCC, Jan '06
89.3 R.Planet Compas, Randolph and Brockton - French news/talk, "Compas FM." Fined by FCC, Feb '06.
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?state=MA&serv=FL&vac=&list=2
14 cities are mentioned: Tisbury (M Vineyard), Dudley, E. Harwich, Great Barrington,
N. Adams, Feeding Hills, Northampton, Pittsfield, Springfield, Holyoke, Montague,
Greenfield
At least on that page there is no 106.1 or allocation for Boston listed.
Also the following page lists UNLICENSED stations in the Boston area. WTCH-FM 106.1
is on there.
http://members.aol.com/baconti/bostonLP.htm
The "Radio Derry (NH)" one they mention MAY be broadcasting within flea-power limits (I know I
picked them up briefly near I-93 or was it Rt 102. But if a station is broadcasting 100 watts
without permission that is way over the limit.
Take note of:
1640 WRNM R.Nouveauté, Boston - Reported shutdown and fined by FCC, Jan '06
89.3 R.Planet Compas, Randolph and Brockton - French news/talk, "Compas FM." Fined by FCC, Feb '06.
hmm! some of the non-licensed stations actually have professional looking websites.
http://www.choice1029.com/
And get a load of this:
>>Choice FM was commissioned WCFM in 2004. Originally, the call sign letters stood for Caribe FM. When the radio changed its name to Choice FM in June of 2005, the acronym was changed to stand for The people choice.
WCFM broadcasts at 2000 radiated watts from its studios in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Our broadcast radius extends into the Boston metro area for approximately 100 miles from the studio, and contains almost 100,000 potential listeners. Although the exact number of listeners can never be determined.
Not bad for someone breaking the law, eh? 100 mile radius--now that is impressive.
http://www.choice1029.com/
And get a load of this:
>>Choice FM was commissioned WCFM in 2004. Originally, the call sign letters stood for Caribe FM. When the radio changed its name to Choice FM in June of 2005, the acronym was changed to stand for The people choice.
WCFM broadcasts at 2000 radiated watts from its studios in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Our broadcast radius extends into the Boston metro area for approximately 100 miles from the studio, and contains almost 100,000 potential listeners. Although the exact number of listeners can never be determined.
Not bad for someone breaking the law, eh? 100 mile radius--now that is impressive.
Yes, the FCC licenses _FM_ stations at a higher power during the day. Yeah, right!
"Sincere and honest"--and breaking the law. Using the public airwaves without being
duly licensed. I think I'll become a doctor and perform operations--who needs a
license. License, schmlicense.
"Sincere and honest"--and breaking the law. Using the public airwaves without being
duly licensed. I think I'll become a doctor and perform operations--who needs a
license. License, schmlicense.
And if WTCH-FM is duly licensed, how come there have been no articles about in the local papers...? Herald,
Globe...I get the feeling the only mention it may get in the papers is if they get shut down by the FCC.
Again, I feel sorry for these folks who really want to get on the air, but if I really want to drive a certain
car, should I drive somebody else's without their permission? Touch FM is using a frequency without
permission. Though I guess if no listeners or other stations complain they'll be sure to continue...
Globe...I get the feeling the only mention it may get in the papers is if they get shut down by the FCC.
Again, I feel sorry for these folks who really want to get on the air, but if I really want to drive a certain
car, should I drive somebody else's without their permission? Touch FM is using a frequency without
permission. Though I guess if no listeners or other stations complain they'll be sure to continue...
>>106.1 IS NOT a pirate station and currently has a 100 watt license which it is trying to up to a 300-600 watt license during daytime hours and will probably get it, they have a website (www.touchfm.org) I have personally met with the owner of the station and he is a sincere and honest guy, the station broadcasts from Dorcester and is very involved in the community there. My buddy Ramu does their 3-6pm friday slot. I hope they do well, it's nice to have a station that has actual dj's not just button pushers with a fake personality<<
My friend, I hate to break the news to you but this "so-called" WTCH-LP (106.1) is a PIRATE broadcaster and is not a licensed station in Boston and the frequency of 106.1 MHz is NOT allocated for use in Boston according to the recently updated FCC database. The 106.1 frequency is currently occupied by WCOD in Hyannis, MA and is protected accordingly. 106.3 WHOB is only about 40 miles North of Boston in Nashua, NH and is protected as well. Plus the fact that 106.1 is only 400 kHz from 105.7/WROR. It takes at least 800 kHz of spectrum space in a major market like Boston to allow for any licensed commercial station to co-exist with the other adjacent stations.
>>106.1 IS NOT a pirate station and currently has a 100 watt license which it is trying to up to a 300-600 watt license during daytime hours and will probably get it<<
In your dreams. I can smell the "cookies".
My friend, I hate to break the news to you but this "so-called" WTCH-LP (106.1) is a PIRATE broadcaster and is not a licensed station in Boston and the frequency of 106.1 MHz is NOT allocated for use in Boston according to the recently updated FCC database. The 106.1 frequency is currently occupied by WCOD in Hyannis, MA and is protected accordingly. 106.3 WHOB is only about 40 miles North of Boston in Nashua, NH and is protected as well. Plus the fact that 106.1 is only 400 kHz from 105.7/WROR. It takes at least 800 kHz of spectrum space in a major market like Boston to allow for any licensed commercial station to co-exist with the other adjacent stations.
>>106.1 IS NOT a pirate station and currently has a 100 watt license which it is trying to up to a 300-600 watt license during daytime hours and will probably get it<<
In your dreams. I can smell the "cookies".
106.1 was the freq Radio Free Allston settled on, before the FCC busted it partially due to complaints
from WROR and WCOD, IIRC. Illegal then, illegal now, to occupy that frequency.
>>106.3 WHOB is only about 40 miles North of Boston in Nashua, NH and is protected as well.
Yes and where I work in N. Reading WHOB comes in halfway decently (and in a building that doesn't
necessarily have good radio reception). So yes, they're close by too...
from WROR and WCOD, IIRC. Illegal then, illegal now, to occupy that frequency.
>>106.3 WHOB is only about 40 miles North of Boston in Nashua, NH and is protected as well.
Yes and where I work in N. Reading WHOB comes in halfway decently (and in a building that doesn't
necessarily have good radio reception). So yes, they're close by too...
djsparky said:
It's a pirate. There is no record of his "license", and the frequency is unavailable in the area per FCC regulations.
It's not a legitimate LPFM, as they falsely claim. There are no LPFM frequencies available anywhere near the Boston area per FCC regulations.
I listened to the station this past weekend. It has advertising, which is not legally permitted on an LPFM.
He will not be getting 300-600 watts legally. The whole operation is illegal, as will be any power increases.
djsparky said:
A website does not make the station legitimate. Anyone can put up a website, and many other illegal pirates have them. The owner may otherwise be a well-meaning, community oriented guy, but he can not be honest that this is a legal station, because it's not possible per FCC regulations. It's a pirate.
djsparky said:
They're running the risk of getting fined and shut down. On Saturday morning, while in the car in Newton (around Chestnut Hill and by B.C.), I listened to Skippy White on 106.1, who has bounced around the dial on probably at least a dozen legitimate college or brokered stations in the Boston area over the past 40 years, doing a soul oldies show with the name copped from the former Saturday morning oldies show on WILD "The Time Tunnel". I enjoyed it. Skippy certainly knows his classic R&B. It's still a pirate, though.
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