Yet another new Boston pirate frequency

[Eli Polonsky]

Heard a new pirate on 103.7 FM for the first time this past weekend, playing Caribbean, Reggaeton, Calypso, etc... probably transmitting from somewhere in the Boston inner city. Not as strong as pirate "blowtorch" 101.3, but I could hear it as far west as Chestnut Hill (Newton/Brookline line).

I don't know if anyone listens to the fringes of WEEI-FM 103.7 (Westerly, RI) in metro-Boston, but they can't be heard in this area when this pirate is on.

103.7 now joins the list of (at least occasionally) active FM pirate frequencies in the Boston area, which includes 88.5, 89.3, 91.3, 96.5, 97.5, 98.9, 99.7, 100.3, 101.3, 102.1, 102.9, 105.3, 106.1, 107.1, 107.5, and possibly others.

 

[MR. JAROME_CALVIN]

another one???



Yes @Eli, I picked up WEEI FM 103.7 in Fields Corner (Dorchester area) as well as Ashmont Train Station area of Dorchester, and also as far as Salem, Massachusetts. It started fading out as I got near Beverly area

 

[mgpt6]

103.7 FM pirate in Mono , weak on the expressway until exit 11.

 

[necrat123]

It's been on the air for a little while now actually. It is coming from the Mattapan/Dorchester area, east of Blue Hill Ave.

 

[beantownradio25]

By 89.3, do you mean "WTBU", the legal part 15 college station on 89.3? Or another pirate?

UPDATE: found a web presense on this 103.7 pirate: http://twitter.com/wave1037

 

[Jacko]

Also, just north of Boston you may be able to pull WPKQ 103.7, the country simulcast of 97.5 WOKQ that transmits from atop Mt. Washington. Just a thought, are the pirate broadcasters in Boston somehow connected with each other? There seem to be so many that are broadcasting from generally the same areas of Boston playing either R&B or island music. How easy is it to get broadcasting equipment to put out a signal that reaches about a 5 mile radius? So far I haven't heard of a pirate springing up playing underground indie rock or some other type of rock/pop genre. I know there's one north of Boston that's playing surf music and oldies, but I'm only talking about the ones coming from the Dorchester/Mattapan area.

Jacko

 

[Uncle Kaimbridge]

Just a thought, are the pirate broadcasters in Boston somehow connected with each other?

The Dorchester Area Pirate Broadcasters Association——"DAPBA"? P=)

 

[chrisradioanimal]

I Just Thought I'd Mention This Today (9-27-09) At 10:46 AM EST I Heard Big City 101.3 Play Shania Twain LOL. Last Time I Checked Thats Not Hip Hop. Don't Get Me Wrong I Like Country. I Just Could Never Picture Big City Playing It.

 

[raccoonradio]

Drove through Boston on I-93 on way to and from the Cape and heard various pirates including 99.7..which is right next to WGBH's newest acquisition, WCRB. Are some people who want to hear classical unable to do so because an illegal station is right next to the frequency or the legal station? Not right

 

[beantownradio25]

On Sunday Mornings, they have some sort of radio show that mixes different genres and plays slow jamz. Inspirational music type of show, the host preaches in between songs, I was listening as well, they were going from Whitney Houston to Gospel tracks, definately different. That is what you heard.

Big City is one of my favorite Boston stations, it's kinda sad my favorite station is not FCC approved or legitimate in any form. I just wished they mixed more Hip Hop into their playlist, they do, but more would be nice.

Regarding WCRB, there have been many fly by night pirates on 99.7 for some reason, I don't know why they just don't choose 99.9 instead. At times when there isn't a pirate currently on 99.7, WCRB's reception in Boston is still bad. They're too far from town to put in a good punch in the core Greater Boston.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

By 89.3, do you mean "WTBU", the legal part 15 college station on 89.3? Or another pirate?

No. WTBU can only be heard within a few feet of certain B.U. buildings. On 89.3 there is at least one Caribbean or Haitian pirate that is on sporadically, perhaps from Mattapan or Dorchester. There is also occasionally someone on 89.3 in the west suburbs, usually evenings or weekends, playing pop oldies and adult standards from the '50s/'60s. It can be heard in and around Newton when it's on. He calls it simply "College Radio", but he never mentions what "college", or any other identification. The guy sounds like he may have been in college about 40 or 50 years ago.

So far I haven't heard of a pirate springing up playing underground indie rock or some other type of rock/pop genre. I know there's one north of Boston that's playing surf music and oldies, but I'm only talking about the ones coming from the Dorchester/Mattapan area.

Besides the oldies one I mentioned above in the west suburbs, there's "Off-Coast Radio", sporadically on 88.5 from Winter Hill in Somerville, playing mostly underground rock from the late '60s, early progressive album stuff, accompanied by inane patter. This is the transmitter of the former "Radio Free Cambridge" that was busted at their old Inman Square art gallery location, but their equipment was not confiscated, and someone took it home to Somerville.

 

[mgpt6]

Radio free cambridge was on 106.1FM now home of Touch FM.

 

[raccoonradio]

They operated for a time on AM after that, 1580 and 1670 I think, as flea powered Allston Brighton Free Radio (supposedly within legal limits though some will attest they went way over).

I could see if the FCC allowed licensing of additional low power AMs or FMs (no room on FM? expand band under 87.5--though older radios wouldn't accept the freqs though new ones could be made) and someone could organize all these various pirates--yes, if the FCC were to say that's OK--and have them do "shows" on the few legal low power stations that result. Again as long as legit stations couldn't be interfered with and also so that those with mini FM transmitters for satellite radios or mp3 players still could have a few spots to work with (a friend in Calif. is thinking of getting sat. radio and he already does play mp3 player with mini FM transmitter and he said at one place where he recently lived, of the four freqs on the device--88.1 thru 88.7--only one was available for use! though some of these devices can cover the whole dial.)

The fcc under current regulations would find a tough time getting freqs (on FM at least) available in places like Boston but who knows. Of course these pirates could try going to a legit station and get their programming aired, either for pay or for free if time is available (maybe just for a few hours per week) but they prefer going the pirate route. (Though I will say WMWM has some foreign language programming, some of it religious, and these folks are on a legal station rather than. say, starting a pirate in Salem/Lynn/Peabody/Bev, etc.)

 

[nd2023]

You can now add 87.7 to the list.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Radio free cambridge was on 106.1FM now home of Touch FM.

No, 106.1 was "Radio Free Allston" before they went to AM as "Allston-Brighton Free Radio", not "Radio Free Cambridge".

"Radio Free Cambridge" was on 88.5. It was not run by the same people as "Radio Free Allston", it was a completely separate station. The same transmitter on the same frequency is now the occasional "Off-Coast Radio" in Somerville.