AM 1710 in Russian - who is it?

[Goldilocks94941]

I found an unusual station the other evening driving home around dark and dialing around to see if I could catch any stray Morse code drifiting into the edges of the AM band on this week's "Night of Nights" ship to shore commemoration. Turns out there's someone broadcasting on
AM 1710 that I heard in suburban North Seattle.

It was in Russian, sounded like low-key evangelical religious programming, and their signal faded in and out quickly (as signals the high end of the AM dial will do), but seemed stronger when I drove on north-south streets. The next morning, the radio was still left on AM1710, and it was still there, but came in stronger with fewer fade outs on my route to work. Also still was conservative Protestant programming in Russian. Rather old school mix of music and short messages, delivered in a relaxed tone. Makes me think it's not based in the USA, since no one was shouting or hard-selling anything.

I'm guessing that it's a new fulltime religous station operated by some sort of missionary outfit aimed at Russian immigrants, rather than a time brokered "pay to play" type. But I didn't think anyone licensed anything above 1690 or 1700 on AM, and that Canada still wasn't using the "expanded" AM band. But I'm guessing from the signal strength that it could be 10kw days, less at night, perhaps directionalized, and may be coming from metro Vancouver BC.

Anyone have details on this one - who it is, when it started, and how they got a spot on AM 1710?

 

[iamarussianpirate]

arrrrrr comrade. it's a russian pirate, savvy?

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
ENFORCEMENT BUREAU
WESTERN REGION

Portland Resident Agent Office
P.O. Box 61469
Vancouver, WA 98666-1469

August 31, 2010

Anatoliy M. Goncharov
Portland, OR 97230

NOTICE OF UNLICENSED OPERATION

Case Number: EB-10-PO-0089
Document Number: W201032920008

The Portland Resident Agent Office received information that an unlicensed broadcast radio station on 1710 kHz was allegedly operating in Portland, Oregon. On August 26, 2010, an agent from this office confirmed by direction finding techniques that radio signals on frequency 1710 kHz were emanating from your residence in Portland, Oregon. The Commission’s records show that no license was issued for operation of a broadcast station at this location on 1710 kHz in Portland, Oregon.

Radio stations must be licensed by the FCC pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 301. The only exception to this licensing requirement is for certain transmitters using or operating at a power level that complies with the standards established in Part 15 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 15.1 et seq. Your operation on frequency 1710 kHz was measured at 1,200 microvolts per meter (µV/m) at approximately 320 meters. This exceeds the allowable unlicensed limit of 100 µV/m at 30 meters established in Section 15.223(a) for operation on 1710 kHz, 47 C.F.R. § 15.223(a), as well as the general unlicensed limit of 30 µV/m at 30 meters established in Section 15.209(a) for operation on 1710 kHz. 47 C.F.R. § 15.209(a).

You are hereby warned that operation of radio transmitting equipment without a valid radio station authorization constitutes a violation of the Federal laws cited above and could subject the operator of this illegal operation to severe penalties, including, but not limited to, substantial monetary forfeitures, in rem arrest action against the offending radio equipment, and criminal sanctions including imprisonment. (See 47 U.S.C. §§ 401, 501, 503 and 510.)

UNLICENSED OPERATION OF THIS RADIO STATION MUST BE DISCONTINUED IMMEDIATELY.

You have ten (10) days from the date of this notice to respond with any evidence that you have authority to operate granted by the FCC. Your response should be sent to the address in the letterhead and reference the listed case and document number. Under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a(e)(3), we are informing you that the Commission’s staff will use all relevant material information before it to determine what, if any, enforcement action is required to ensure your compliance with FCC Rules. This will include any information that you disclose in your reply.

You may contact this office if you have any questions.

Binh Nguyen
Resident Agent
Portland Resident Agent Office
Western Region
Enforcement Bureau

 

[iamarussianpirate]

by the way, where's Joe McCarthy when you need him? damn commies

 

[scott salvatori]

by the way, where's Joe McCarthy when you need him? damn commies

rolling in his grave?

not at the thought of a russian pirate station.

but, the pirate, stationed in the white house!

 

[Bongwater]

I found this

http://www.frn.net/vines/Forum4/HTML/018953.html

(Read 4th thread. Looks like they've been around a while.....)