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What's on 1670 Khz?

W

W2JUV_AL

I'm hearing a weak signal on 1670 Khz playing mostly music. Hearing it all day long and signal level remains constant so it must be ground wave. No top-of-the-hour ID. Heard a guy talking yesterday AM about some songs he wrote and activities around Cazenovia. Can't find any record of a licensed broadcaster on this frequency. Do we have a pirate?
 
Might be someone using a Hamilton Rangemaster or Chez Radio Part 15 AM transmitter. Not likely a pirate unless the signal is quite strong beyond a two mile radius. The signal from a tenth of a watt from one of those FCC Type Accepted transmitters will carry much farther than a kit or home brew transmitter.
 
Some years ago there was an article in one of the radio hobby books (Popular Communications, IIRC) about someone who had a very well-built 5,000 watt transmitter operating a little above 1600 kHz at an undisclosed location somewhere in Central NY--the article implied, but didn't come right out and say, that it was in the general Utica-Rome area, maybe even on the reservation near Turning Stone where the FCC might not be welcome to snoop around. Maybe this is it, fired up once again after a long hibernation.

Back in 1990 that part of the band hadn't yet been fully opened up to AM broadcasting, though it was on its way and radios were being built including it. There was lots of pirate activity up there. Could be, pirate radio is making a comeback between 1610 and 1700, since each channel on the band still has very few legitimate stations to fight. .

Or this could actually be a legal station. Doubtful, though, since the FCC database doesn't show a CP, license or even an application for anything between 1610 and 1700 kHz within 100 mjiles of Syracuse in any direction. If it isn't a more distant legal signal (either Pennsylvania, Ontario or Quebec) it's a pirate.
 
Mystery solved. A Part 15 transmitter is being operated by Church On The Rock, 119 E. Railroad St, Oneida NY. Drove by the building and believe I saw the antenna on the roof. Looks like a CB whip with a large loading coil at the base. Signal travels a mile or two to the north and east. Much further than the 200ft specified by FCC.
 
W2JUV_AL said:
Mystery solved. A Part 15 transmitter is being operated by Church On The Rock, 119 E. Railroad St, Oneida NY. Drove by the building and believe I saw the antenna on the roof. Looks like a CB whip with a large loading coil at the base. Signal travels a mile or two to the north and east. Much further than the 200ft specified by FCC.
Click to expand...

That 200 foot range is antiquated. Home brew transmitters may still broadcast that far but the new transmitters with the FCC seal of approval have much greater range and thousands have passed FCC inspection. Not sure that a Loading Coil is regulation though.

Research the Hamilton Rangemaster, Chez Radio Procaster and Talking House iAM transmitters to get an idea of what these things can do. They are FCC Type Accepted.
 
The "large loading coil" is likely the actual transmitter. Power and audio are the cabling that comes from the interface located inside..and mr walker is correct these units legally can cover a couple miles at a vacant frequency. And by the way..really good quality audio.
 
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