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What is 98.1 in Knoxville?

RMarino

RMarino

I've been meaning to ask this for a few months now. But does anyone know what the signal at 98.1 FM is? It seems to be strongest near the downtown area and airs nothing but music. Is this a pirate? It's been on since I moved here in early September.
 
Am I really the only one who has noticed this signal? Considering how strong it is (for a supposed unlicensed station) I'm surprised no one else is curious.
 
I spent the Christmas holidays in Knoxville with my family and heard the station at 98.1 several times and heard only Christmas music. The signal was strongest in Downtown Knoxville but lost it once I got to my brother's house over in Norwood/Inskip area. I heard it today as I was leaving Knoxville and they were still playing Christmas music. Never heard the stations call letters or any air personalities, only Christmas music.
 
There are only two authorized stations on 98.1 in Tennessee. There are no translators or LPFMs on 98.1 in the state.

I doubt it's WXMX in Millington (Memphis)! That leaves either WKXJ Signal Mountain (Chattanooga), or a pirate, or something out of state. (WBRF Galax VA?)

My guess is it's a pirate.
 
I drove through downtown two nights ago and picked this up all the way from the strip up to the highway ramp off Henley St. They were playing Michael Jackson and then Christine Aquilera. By the time I got on I-40 it was lost. Maybe this is someone near campus playing music off their PC. Definitely low power.
 
Low power, yes. But I pick them up all the way down to Seymour (with static of course)

If this is a pirate, I'm surprised they haven't been caught yet. It's been on at least since September.
 
For quite some time there has also been a pirate operating in the Papermill area on 90.7 FM. The person running it seems to like a lot of Blues and will carry what I assume is an online stream of a radio station in Hawaii. I haven't been in Knoxville since Christmas. I don't even know if the station is still on the air. Has anybody ever heard it? I tried to find the broadcast antenna. I'm not sure, but I think the person operating it might be doing it out of West Town Manor Apartments on Coleman Road.
 
It's now been a year since I've first heard the 98.1 pirate and it's still on. Has anyone else spent time listening this one? The signal seems to peak near the intersection of Chapman Highway & Young High Pk in South Knoxville, but carries well into downtown, down I-40, and can even be heard in Alcoa. I'd love to know what kind of power/antenna they are using.

The music is still all '80s, no announcements. I suspect that it's probably re-broadcasting "Music Choice" '80s channel or something like that.
 
I'm pretty sure that 98.1 is a Pirate.

The station has been around for at least 10 years now, and it has always had nothing but continuous music on it. I do know that whoever it is, they need better audio processing. Their audio sounds like crap.

Does anyone remember a station at 104.1-FM that played mainly 80's music. The station was low powered and could be heard between Kay's Ice Cream in the Colonial Village area on Chapman Highway all the way up until you drive into Seymour. You could also hear the LPFM on 104.1 where John Sevier Highway and Chapman Highway meet all the way up John Sevier Highway until you get to the Industrial Park in East Knox County.

I do know that there is WCLE which is on the same frequency down in "Cleveland, Tennessee", however this was a totally different station on 104.1, and I could tell it was local. It was a station here in South Knox County I'm certain.

However, I have not heard that station on in at least 10 months now. I first started hearing the LPFM on 104.1 back in late 2005, and have not heard it back on the air since last November or December.
 
MusicDoctorRadio said:
I'm pretty sure that 98.1 is a Pirate.

The station has been around for at least 10 years now, and it has always had nothing but continuous music on it. I do know that whoever it is, they need better audio processing. Their audio sounds like crap.
Click to expand...

Really? Maybe it's my stereo settings, but 98.1's audio sounds great to me! I'm actualy impressed with it.
 
RMarino said:
MusicDoctorRadio said:
I'm pretty sure that 98.1 is a Pirate.

The station has been around for at least 10 years now, and it has always had nothing but continuous music on it. I do know that whoever it is, they need better audio processing. Their audio sounds like crap.
Click to expand...

Really? Maybe it's my stereo settings, but 98.1's audio sounds great to me! I'm actualy impressed with it.
Click to expand...

I will admit that it's been at least a year since I tuned the station in, and they might have improved the sound quality. The last time I heard 98.1 they had way too much treble and not enough bass in their audio.

That LPFM station that use to be at 104.1 was really cool also. It was ran similar to the way 98.1 was except this guy had better audio, and a wider variety of music from the 70's, 80's, and early 90's. I heard a lot of obscured stuff that had not been played in 20 years or more, along with some extra album tracks. However, I don't think he used as much power as the guy at 98.1 did.
 
Found!
Just south of the river...where all the pirates come from it seems. Pretty good terrain advantage is a big part of it making it a ways around the area. Probably a cheap stereo generator kit into an amplifier I'd say, with the antenna up over the roof.
This one is coming from 229 Taliwa Drive, 37920. An apartment complex and its easy to see the antenna's up over the building.
You can see the apartment from Google maps.
 
TheLongArm said:
Found!
Just south of the river...where all the pirates come from it seems. Pretty good terrain advantage is a big part of it making it a ways around the area. Probably a cheap stereo generator kit into an amplifier I'd say, with the antenna up over the roof.
This one is coming from 229 Taliwa Drive, 37920. An apartment complex and its easy to see the antenna's up over the building.
You can see the apartment from Google maps.
Click to expand...

You ought to drop by, say hello to the guy and ask him if he takes requests.
 
So the signal was gone yesterday. Finally!!

Why do people do this? Running low quality, continuous music...for what? Don't people realize the trouble they can get into? Why be so dumb, why??

While mobile, was able to listen to "The Duke" now, out of Chattanooga!
 
TheLongArm said:
So the signal was gone yesterday. Finally!!

Why do people do this? Running low quality, continuous music...for what? Don't people realize the trouble they can get into? Why be so dumb, why??
Click to expand...

What I don't understand is why people spend so much time worrying over such a trivial matter in the first place.

We've got bigger and more serious issues in this country to worry about besides some pirate station. I for one am more concerned about the real problems in this country such as National Security, the economy, and gas prices. Not some guy broadcasting at 98.1. Pirate Radio stations are the least of my worries.
 
ratman2005 said:
TheLongArm said:
While mobile, was able to listen to "The Duke" now, out of Chattanooga!
Click to expand...

What do you mean??
Click to expand...

Without the local carrier there, you can now hear the out of town signal. People tend to think that the FCC circles are the limit to signal reach. That's simply not the case. Some times they're less and sometimes they're more. Signals don't start and stop where politicians that make the rules think they should.
 
I thought 98.1 in Chattanooga was "The Legend" while "Duke" was at 107.9? I'm getting "Hot 98.1" from Greenville, SC.

Anyway, I can't believe that this pirate has been operation for years and then as soon as his location is mentioned on this message board, he power's down the transmitter. Unless you think maybe the FCC knocked on his door?
 
RMarino said:
Anyway, I can't believe that this pirate has been operation for years and then as soon as his location is mentioned on this message board, he power's down the transmitter. Unless you think maybe the FCC knocked on his door?
Click to expand...

Or he may monitor this board, and saw the post, or someone else who saw this post told him that his location had been revealed.
 
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