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A new pirate on 103.3

C

caveman-97

Guest
If you are in the Southeast part of Tucson you might want to check out the latest pirate on 103.3. It transmits from a second floor balcony of an apartment building in the 9100 block of E. Golf Links Road. The transmitting antenna is mounted on a step ladder. You can pick up the station as far away as Broadway and Kolb but the music is enough to put most people to sleep. I'd call it elevator music but there is some religous stuff at night. No talk at all.

103.3 is a favorite channel for pirates. Radio Limbo was there for a couple years and so was Radio Caroline.
 
Ack... religious wackos and "beautiful" music fans in the lovely late Limbo's spot??

More proof there is no god... :p
 
This bootlegger has been on the air for well over a month.

He's now playing more religious music than before. One might wonder if there is no legal way to disseminate God's message.

If the FCC ever does show up, they will probably cite him for not having E.A.S. equipment and having no public inspection file. That's all the FCC cares about nowadays. Concerns about interference went away when the Commission approved IBOC.
 
Now with higher power or a better location. Can be heard switching between sources, could they be getting programming from sat?
 
The improved signal strength resulted from the operator's decision to mount a mast on the roof of the apartment complex. Move the antenna closer to heaven and the blessings will improve. That said, the mast has been removed from the roof and the station is off the air for the time being. Very likely the diabolical landlord became a Wise Man when he spotted the mast atop his roof. The upshot is that if you want to listen to religious music on radio, you have to listen to 88.1 or the translators on 100.5 and 100.9.
 
When I was going to college in the 80's at the UofA, 103.3 was the place to tune for alternative/underground. What a shame.

Does the FCC actively seek out pirates in this day and age?

I hear it's diffucult to get busted because they don't really care, anymore.
 
Our pious pirate seems to have moved about ten miles off to the west. You can hear his station in downtown Tucson now but there is essentially no signal east of about Tucson Blvd.

The FCC's nearest field office is in San Diego where there are many outlaw stations that never get caught.

Of course, now that it is legal to transmit digital noise on adjacent channels, the Commision can hardly complain about interference.
 
So...I'm now hearing my favorite new age Christian sometimes rock/rap station all around town again. Whats up?
BTW Caveman I was in Cavetown and was impressed by your nice clean audio!
 
Best guess is that the pious pirate is now transmitting from near the top of one of Downtown Tucson's office buildings. The antenna may be close to the location that KRQQ used about 25 years ago. The improved signal reaches about a five mile radius from downtown. Not sure where Cavetown is located. I have nothing to do with the pirate and have no idea who he is.
 
The FCC's answer: They are about to put the channel on the next CP auction. Also I have read that the SF bureau has been prowling between TUC and PHX They just nabbed 2 yesterday in Texas, And are intending to get more - Believe it or not "More" as being Illegals, & Legal/Illegal Power Aliens.

I'm certain the Star & Trib is waiting to gun them down in print.

It is also rumored that 60 minutes isn't too far behind them on a story about pirate radio.
 
And here is more...
I just found a website for these people that actually names names, and their belief that having a license for a radio station is not constitutional.

the Owner of 103.3 is... David Forbes: Founder, Radio Limbo, 103.3 FM, Tucson, AZ.

Electronics engineer. Creates music station to counter two pseudo-alternative stations.

the link... http://www.jumpcutfilms.com/makingwaves/profilesclips.html#

It won't be long before this battle makes the papers.

There are also 2 more unlicensed stations listed there... for Tucson.
 
I'd be amazed if Forbes is the owner of the present station on 103.3. You could't find two stations that are less alike than Limbo and the current operation. Limbo was an avant garde rock station with live personalities who often used nasty four letter words. Much of the techno-rock had lyrics that no licensed station would play.

The current programming is a mixture of elevator music and religious stuff with absolutely no announcements.

The present 103.3 has a very strong signal in Downtown Tucson with a range of maybe five miles.
 
Caveman, actually the 54dbu is at about 6 miles. I can hear it all the way to TIA before it drops out.

The 3 local unlicensed properties have been found on a film web site saying that they do not believe the federal laws requiring an FCC license is constitutional.

So here Tucson sits with a VERY BORING - real life version of Christian Slater's "Pump Up The Volume".

I can't wait for that CP Auction.
 
As of Wednesday afternoon, there was nothing on the air on 103.3 audible from Downtown Tucson.

I think you'll discover that Ted Tucker has his sights on that part of the FM spectrum. Expect him to bring in a new station from the east and it will settle on or about 103.3.
 
Caveman,

All 3 signals have vaporized. I wonder if they got nabbed, Now that "Uncle Charlie" knows about them from over 11 complaints that I'm personally aware of between operators and engineers,

I would bet one of 2 things.. the heat is getting to them, or they are laying low. The stupid thing is that there is a backer of the 3 unlicensed stations that has a net worth of about 20 mil.

The question.. Why would anyone with that kind of dough be dumb enough to claim the license requirement is unconstitutional when he could put a huge divot in the market with a commercial license.

I'm certain this guy isn't done yet.

Hell maybe "Charlie" will make an example of them with film at 6 & 10pm.
 
Havent heard my beloved Jammin 103 on recently. Please tell me the station operator met with some unfortunate mishap like getting his jugular pinched by a pinch roller. Or his membrane deguassed....... Oh great F.C.C.!
 
Bob,

It is apparent the station had met some sort of demise as today I heard 103.1 out of Globe on a barely audible signal from downtown to TIA.

It's refreshing to know that somebody gives a rat's tail about the market.
 
I'm guessing that the FCC had nothing to do with the pirate's demise. Better bet is that the property owner got wise and ordered the transmitting equipment removed. A property owner can also get into trouble for allowing illegal activity in his building.

The 103.1 station is KCDX which is Ted Tucker's station licensed to Florence. Much has been written about this station's music and the fact that it airs no commercials. Tucker has made untold millions by moving stations from small communities into metro areas. A major purpose of KCDX is to prevent anyone from using 103.1 or adjacent channels in the Tucson area--until Tucker is ready to use that part of the dial. When that happens, I predict that KCDX will move closer to Phoenix and it will sell for about $20 million. The new station in the Tucson area will be worth nearly as much. One of Tucker's companies also owns KRDX on 98.5 which is on the air most afternoons with music similar to KCDX. KRDX will change frequencies and be sold for a bundle.

Meanwhile on 103.3 you can hear noise from solar radiation.
 
Sure the pirate is gone.. on 103.5... I found XHRZ Nogales, Sonora a.k.a Estereo Ritmo came in pretty good today with their blazing 3KW of power. 3,000 watts and 90 miles... Must be a good day for the Sonoran gerbils.
 
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