...recent FCC decisions about what to do with pending FM translator applications, or the separate order eliminating third-adjacent channel spacing restrictions between LPFM stations and full-power stations and otherwise modifying the interference protection standards that apply to these stations will make any difference concerning channel availability in Boston?
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So, no one thinks that...
- Thread starter Improv
- Start date
I seriously doubt it.
According to the LPFM Channel Finder on RECnet, I'm not seeing any open places in Boston...even with the "protected status" vis a vis translator apps...to put a new LPFM. The only exception is WBRS, which could conceivably convert their Class D license to an LPFM license but it would bring them no benefit; they're already fairly high up on that hill, HAAT-wise. I think for an LPFM they'd have to de-rate the ERP to about 20 or 22 watts, and they're at 25.
In theory there's some room for LPFM's on 94.9 and 102.1, but both frequencies would require waivers of second adjacent protection. In most cases, the FCC would be disinclined to grant them due to the significant interference CAUSED to the existing stations, and in virtually all cases one or both of the affected 2nd adjacents would be disinclined to agree in the first place. (agreement is not technically required, but usually the FCC will demand a letter of agreement from an aggrieved station before granting a waiver)
According to the LPFM Channel Finder on RECnet, I'm not seeing any open places in Boston...even with the "protected status" vis a vis translator apps...to put a new LPFM. The only exception is WBRS, which could conceivably convert their Class D license to an LPFM license but it would bring them no benefit; they're already fairly high up on that hill, HAAT-wise. I think for an LPFM they'd have to de-rate the ERP to about 20 or 22 watts, and they're at 25.
In theory there's some room for LPFM's on 94.9 and 102.1, but both frequencies would require waivers of second adjacent protection. In most cases, the FCC would be disinclined to grant them due to the significant interference CAUSED to the existing stations, and in virtually all cases one or both of the affected 2nd adjacents would be disinclined to agree in the first place. (agreement is not technically required, but usually the FCC will demand a letter of agreement from an aggrieved station before granting a waiver)
Re: LPFM possibilities
what about 106.1? Touch has a real 'community' angle - going beyond 1 or 2 PSA's stuck in the party commercials. have heard Tito Jackson (D7 Councilor) on there, numerous heads of YMCA / Hibernia Hall / Church-type organizations, talk going beyond Vybz-bleaching. of Prometheus "I would say that the people who care about TOUCH FM have a right to use the airwaves.
past the gas tank a station from the cape already starts taking over, i'd say it is a good litmus test to decide if new adjacency limits are sane
what about 106.1? Touch has a real 'community' angle - going beyond 1 or 2 PSA's stuck in the party commercials. have heard Tito Jackson (D7 Councilor) on there, numerous heads of YMCA / Hibernia Hall / Church-type organizations, talk going beyond Vybz-bleaching. of Prometheus "I would say that the people who care about TOUCH FM have a right to use the airwaves.
past the gas tank a station from the cape already starts taking over, i'd say it is a good litmus test to decide if new adjacency limits are sane
Re: LPFM possibilities
1) second adjacent full-power stations eliminate the possibility of anything ever being licensed on 106.1 in Boston.
2) That whole "pirates can't get licenses" thing. I don't care if they're healing the terminally ill, them's the rules. It's just the rules. There is no argument. There is no opinion. It's not. going. to. happen. ever.
carmen said:
1) second adjacent full-power stations eliminate the possibility of anything ever being licensed on 106.1 in Boston.
2) That whole "pirates can't get licenses" thing. I don't care if they're healing the terminally ill, them's the rules. It's just the rules. There is no argument. There is no opinion. It's not. going. to. happen. ever.
aaronread said:
WBRS' fringe signal, which could previously be heard on quality receivers in good reception spots all over metro Boston, is now being decimated by a Haitian pirate on 100.1 from somewhere in the Boston inner city. Anywhere east of about Newton Corner or maybe parts of Brighton, interference from the pirate renders WBRS unlistenable.
Yes pirates are supposedly ineligible to get licenses...but the website for Brattleboro VT's
Earth Works Radio ( http://www.wvew.org ), makes me wonder. I knew there had been a pirate
called Radio Free Brattleboro and I think the FCC told them to go off the air, and that they couldn't get a license etc. I also knew that an LPFM started in Brat. called Earth Works radio--which got knocked off the air by a fire but is to return on May 4.
Yet here's what their site says. They mentioned RFB started with 1 watt, then went up to 10:
http://www.wvew.org/about-us
>>The history of rfb, like the history of Community Radio, is too rich and complex to explain in a few sentences. rfb was licensed to broadcast by its community - but not by the Federal Communications Commission. Concerned for the future of Community Radio in Brattleboro, Vermont Earth Works filed for one of the new 100watt Low Power FM licenses during a five day window in June of 2001. On March 3, 2005. Vermont Earth Works was granted a permit to construct a 100 watt LPFM radio station to serve the Brattleboro community.
OK...um, "licensed to broadcast by its community"? Since when can communities do that? Anyway
it almost sounds like they're saying "once there was a pirate called rfb. Later a different group
of people got an LPFM license, namely us..." But the way it's worded it almost sounds like
it's the same community group.
Another Vermont LPFM is The Radiator at 105.9 in Burlington. Recent trip up there, I was on the outskirts of Burlington and heard a dead air signal on that freq. A bit later I noticed there was some kind of alternative rock show. A college station? No, a licensed LPFM.
http://theradiator.org/
From their facebook: "The Radiator is a noncommercial, low power community radio station located in Burlington, VT, supporting locally oriented programming. If you're in the area, tune in to 105.9 FM to listen."
Earth Works Radio ( http://www.wvew.org ), makes me wonder. I knew there had been a pirate
called Radio Free Brattleboro and I think the FCC told them to go off the air, and that they couldn't get a license etc. I also knew that an LPFM started in Brat. called Earth Works radio--which got knocked off the air by a fire but is to return on May 4.
Yet here's what their site says. They mentioned RFB started with 1 watt, then went up to 10:
http://www.wvew.org/about-us
>>The history of rfb, like the history of Community Radio, is too rich and complex to explain in a few sentences. rfb was licensed to broadcast by its community - but not by the Federal Communications Commission. Concerned for the future of Community Radio in Brattleboro, Vermont Earth Works filed for one of the new 100watt Low Power FM licenses during a five day window in June of 2001. On March 3, 2005. Vermont Earth Works was granted a permit to construct a 100 watt LPFM radio station to serve the Brattleboro community.
OK...um, "licensed to broadcast by its community"? Since when can communities do that? Anyway
it almost sounds like they're saying "once there was a pirate called rfb. Later a different group
of people got an LPFM license, namely us..." But the way it's worded it almost sounds like
it's the same community group.
Another Vermont LPFM is The Radiator at 105.9 in Burlington. Recent trip up there, I was on the outskirts of Burlington and heard a dead air signal on that freq. A bit later I noticed there was some kind of alternative rock show. A college station? No, a licensed LPFM.
http://theradiator.org/
From their facebook: "The Radiator is a noncommercial, low power community radio station located in Burlington, VT, supporting locally oriented programming. If you're in the area, tune in to 105.9 FM to listen."
The FM dial is just too crowded in the Boston area. Throw in the overlap from Worcester/Providence/Manchester, and it is even more
crowded. Not gonna happen, to any degree. Pirates are criminals, and should be treated as such. Put enforcement under State Police
jurisdiction (in cooperation with the FCC), and it will get cleaned up fast. Criminal behavior should preclude pirates from ever
getting any type of license. Case closed.
LPFM's - how is this substantially different than public access cable? Unless your friends or family are guests, who really ever watches this stuff?
Even if LPFM licenses are granted, I would expect that most of the recipients would not be satisfied with that arrangement, and would
push the envelope...
crowded. Not gonna happen, to any degree. Pirates are criminals, and should be treated as such. Put enforcement under State Police
jurisdiction (in cooperation with the FCC), and it will get cleaned up fast. Criminal behavior should preclude pirates from ever
getting any type of license. Case closed.
LPFM's - how is this substantially different than public access cable? Unless your friends or family are guests, who really ever watches this stuff?
Even if LPFM licenses are granted, I would expect that most of the recipients would not be satisfied with that arrangement, and would
push the envelope...
It's definitely too crowded and it's tough to even find an open frequency with which to broadcast (to your own car) your satellite radio or mp3 player. Maybe there are lessened restrictions about
first or second adjacencies but there are precious few slots, if any. Some translators have been
squeezed in like 101.5 Rockport (// WERS), 105.3 Fitchburg (// WPKZ), and 102.9 Lawrence
(// WNNW). UMass is going wherever it can, such as with the recent expansion into Marshfield
at 91.7.
LPFMs of course will be non-commercial do don't expect WRKO to re-broadcast on an LPFM
at 106.1...now, if the FCC were to grant an LPFM there, maybe a community group could use it
but they could only do so much...next to 106.3 Nashua and on same freq as 106.1 Cape Cod.
>>Criminal behavior should preclude pirates from ever
getting any type of license. Case closed.
Yes; the case I gave in Brat. VT probably does involve a group different from the folks
who had run Radio Free Brattleboro, though again their site's About Us page makes you
wonder if it's really the same people.
Agreed with the rest of your post.
Yes people can "serve the community" but guess what: there are legitimate stations out there
that could give "specialty shows". A WLYN, WRCA, WAZN, WNTN, etc. Or a college station
like WMWM which has Spanish language programs at times. Better than having them
start a pirate. So you'd have someone doing "Selecciones Romanticas" on a legit station
and not a "La Mega 91.5 Peabody" (pirate; just a fictional example) offering it.
There's always an outcry about how the public isn't being served because they can't get on
the air legally. There are "We want the airwaves" (as the Ramones once sang) groups determined
to do public affairs, specialty music, or whatever, but the dial is limited. (In the meantime,
try a webcast...)
"Hey, I want to do my own radio station--play my own music (and not pay music licensing
fees), run commercials and make money (which I don't report to the IRS), etc." Don't we all?
But such stations need to be legal and this is why we need the FCC to sweep away the
unlicensed signals that could do anything from step on legit stations to disrupt aircraft
radio (Datz Hits 99.7. Datz all folks!)
first or second adjacencies but there are precious few slots, if any. Some translators have been
squeezed in like 101.5 Rockport (// WERS), 105.3 Fitchburg (// WPKZ), and 102.9 Lawrence
(// WNNW). UMass is going wherever it can, such as with the recent expansion into Marshfield
at 91.7.
LPFMs of course will be non-commercial do don't expect WRKO to re-broadcast on an LPFM
at 106.1...now, if the FCC were to grant an LPFM there, maybe a community group could use it
but they could only do so much...next to 106.3 Nashua and on same freq as 106.1 Cape Cod.
>>Criminal behavior should preclude pirates from ever
getting any type of license. Case closed.
Yes; the case I gave in Brat. VT probably does involve a group different from the folks
who had run Radio Free Brattleboro, though again their site's About Us page makes you
wonder if it's really the same people.
Agreed with the rest of your post.
Yes people can "serve the community" but guess what: there are legitimate stations out there
that could give "specialty shows". A WLYN, WRCA, WAZN, WNTN, etc. Or a college station
like WMWM which has Spanish language programs at times. Better than having them
start a pirate. So you'd have someone doing "Selecciones Romanticas" on a legit station
and not a "La Mega 91.5 Peabody" (pirate; just a fictional example) offering it.
There's always an outcry about how the public isn't being served because they can't get on
the air legally. There are "We want the airwaves" (as the Ramones once sang) groups determined
to do public affairs, specialty music, or whatever, but the dial is limited. (In the meantime,
try a webcast...)
"Hey, I want to do my own radio station--play my own music (and not pay music licensing
fees), run commercials and make money (which I don't report to the IRS), etc." Don't we all?
But such stations need to be legal and this is why we need the FCC to sweep away the
unlicensed signals that could do anything from step on legit stations to disrupt aircraft
radio (Datz Hits 99.7. Datz all folks!)
Boston, like NYC or Chicago, has literally next to zero space for translators... you've also got Manchester, NH, Springfield and Providence in the way... so don't hold your breath for say, WBCN on a translator 
Yes...btw using Boston itself as a reference point (and using "include fringe signals") here are the stations you can, or might, get:
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/lo...b=Y&format=&dx=2&radius=&freq=&sort=freq&sid=
Quite a few. (I forgot the Saugus 103.7 // of WSMA in the translators)
>>Raccoon's points are also spot on.
Thanks for the praise! Yeah, I know people want to get on the air. But there's only so much
space. In addition to the AMs and FMs I mentioned that are already on and legit, I could picture
maybe, MAYBE a low-power AM station in the expanded band that would be available to serve
people. There you go, with your different types of music. Your ethnic stuff. Specialty shows
for gay and lesbian community. One hour for the Occupy Movement. One for the tea party.
It could indeed be like public access... (or again, go on the legit stations with your shows.)
But have one LEGAL station to serve, say, Boston proper...Pirates are bad news.
Yes, it can be fun driving around and you pick up something "interesting". But it should be LEGAL.
An LPFM, perhaps...not that there's much room around here for one, though.
Admittedly in places like Vermont there's more room for such a station. Here's another one,
WOOL-LPFM 100.1 in Bellows Falls
http://www.wool.fm/
Shows include:
Free Speech News
Country Christian
Linda's Polka Show
Democracy Now
Underground Hour
All on a LEGIT LPFM
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/lo...b=Y&format=&dx=2&radius=&freq=&sort=freq&sid=
Quite a few. (I forgot the Saugus 103.7 // of WSMA in the translators)
>>Raccoon's points are also spot on.
Thanks for the praise! Yeah, I know people want to get on the air. But there's only so much
space. In addition to the AMs and FMs I mentioned that are already on and legit, I could picture
maybe, MAYBE a low-power AM station in the expanded band that would be available to serve
people. There you go, with your different types of music. Your ethnic stuff. Specialty shows
for gay and lesbian community. One hour for the Occupy Movement. One for the tea party.
It could indeed be like public access... (or again, go on the legit stations with your shows.)
But have one LEGAL station to serve, say, Boston proper...Pirates are bad news.
Yes, it can be fun driving around and you pick up something "interesting". But it should be LEGAL.
An LPFM, perhaps...not that there's much room around here for one, though.
Admittedly in places like Vermont there's more room for such a station. Here's another one,
WOOL-LPFM 100.1 in Bellows Falls
http://www.wool.fm/
Shows include:
Free Speech News
Country Christian
Linda's Polka Show
Democracy Now
Underground Hour
All on a LEGIT LPFM
I'm curious, is it possible to DX NYC stations from Boston or is it just too crowded/far away? Once I've gotten WERQ Baltimore and WXRK NYC on 92.3 in the Albany area, when WFLY was off for transmitter maintenance...
You might be able to get WFAN 660, WOR 710, WABC 770, WCBS 880, WINS 1010, or WEPN 1050 by day or
night. (FMs? Probably not though once I got what was then WQXR 96.3 through summer
ducting conditions). Note: WCBS may be a tough get due to WAMG 890, but better luck at night.
WINS and WEPN also could be tough due to WBZ splatter. I have also picked up WWRL 1600
and WNYC 820 around sunset or slightly after.
Radio-locator says WFAN's stick is 172 miles away from Boston
night. (FMs? Probably not though once I got what was then WQXR 96.3 through summer
ducting conditions). Note: WCBS may be a tough get due to WAMG 890, but better luck at night.
WINS and WEPN also could be tough due to WBZ splatter. I have also picked up WWRL 1600
and WNYC 820 around sunset or slightly after.
Radio-locator says WFAN's stick is 172 miles away from Boston
raccoonradio said:
You're forgetting WBBR 1130 and WQEW 1560 (the last one, by day and critical hours only). Those two are Class A AMs, whereas WINS and WEPN are Class Bs. All eight are 50 kW-U, however. You also mentioned WNYC. Yes, you can catch it here around sunset but before New York sunset or after New York sunrise. WNYC is directional to the east and runs 10 kW by day. It's only 1 kW at night, though, and the combination of co-channel QRM and first-adjacent WCRN makes WNYC a pretty tough catch around here when it cuts back to 1 kW.
You're right,I forgot 1130 and 1560...and right about 830 splashing over 820.
Not as much as a problem before WCRN got a boost.
Not as much as a problem before WCRN got a boost.
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