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Yet another new pirate - Haitian on 90.1 interfering w/WZBC

E

Eli Polonsky

Yesterday (Sunday), I heard a new pirate on 90.1 with a strong mono signal and overmodulated, distorted Hatian/Creole programming making a mess of WZBC 90.3 from Boston College with adjacent channel interference. I was driving through East Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Cambridge and parts of Boston. WZBC's 1000 watt signal is normally fairly good in those areas. Though WZBC was strong in enough to overcome the interference closer to them in Allston/Brighton, I could still hear the pirate beside them on 90.1 in that area.

It doesn't appear to be on the air now. Maybe it's a weekend pirate. I called my friend "Cousin Kate" who hosts "Sunday Morning Country" on WZBC yesterday, and suggested she notify their management of the situation. I especially don't like when pirates come onto adjacent frequencies causing interference to local non-commercial college/community stations.
 
When will this stop?

Wait, don't answer the question, it never will. My aunt who lives in Waltham, told me about the pirate.
 
It's obvious the F.C.C. has closed up shop. I can't believe I'm saying this: time to call an organization that knows how to force itself upon anyone & everyone. Time to call...the R.I.A.A.!
 
RIAA cannot be involved, as stations don't pay fees to them.... Who ya gonna call? ASCAP and BMI ! (and just for fun, whatever licensing org there is in Haiti).
 
They pay RIAA if they webcast their AM/FM feed...which a lot of stations do.

BTW, folks, remember that the FCC is seriously tied up with the DTV transition at the moment. I've heard that EVERYTHING else is taking a back seat to that. Once February 2009 hits...or, perhaps more realistically, once summer/fall 2009 hits...you'll see the FCC start picking up on various other things. Whether or not pirate enforcement is on that list is a big question mark, but one can hope.
 
By doing nothing The FCC is doing a good job . Boston Need more Pirate stations . Its time to turn on the New Hot 97 ! Touch-FM The best music station in Boston .
 
rapking said:
By doing nothing The FCC is doing a good job . Boston Need more Pirate stations .
Click to expand...

We don't "need" pirate stations interfering on first-adjacent frequencies to non-commercial college/community stations, cutting out their signal in a large portion of their coverage area. I hope this 90.1 pirate is gone.
 
>>Boston Need more Pirate stations

Agreed (and it would be "needs" in that tense--though I don't agree, there). Especially when you're
right next to a legit station. Driving through Boston on my way to and from my Dad's house on the Cape
last weekend, I noticed the usual offenders. Some might think, hey, there's something different on this
pirate--and I don't need a satellite or HD radio to hear it! But I'd much rather these folks go to a legit
station and offer their unique programming there.

WMWM has some ethnic programming, for example. Why set up a very low powered pirate when you
can come to us and do a show on our 130 watt powerhouse? (But: we streamcast too!)

As much as I wouldn't want to condone any pirate station, it would be poetic justice if some other
lawbreakers set up shop next to THEM and jam their signal! (Hey, complain to the FCC...what, you're
not a legit station? Then you have no right to complain about a pirate invading your space when
you're a pirate yourself! )
 
raccoonradio said:
>>Boston Need more Pirate stations

Agreed (and it would be "needs" in that tense--though I don't agree, there). Especially when you're
right next to a legit station. Driving through Boston on my way to and from my Dad's house on the Cape
last weekend, I noticed the usual offenders. Some might think, hey, there's something different on this
pirate--and I don't need a satellite or HD radio to hear it! But I'd much rather these folks go to a legit
station and offer their unique programming there.

WMWM has some ethnic programming, for example. Why set up a very low powered pirate when you
can come to us and do a show on our 130 watt powerhouse? (But: we streamcast too!)

As much as I wouldn't want to condone any pirate station, it would be poetic justice if some other
lawbreakers set up shop next to THEM and jam their signal! (Hey, complain to the FCC...what, you're
not a legit station? Then you have no right to complain about a pirate invading your space when
you're a pirate yourself! )
Click to expand...

There's a mismatch between the demographics of Boston and programming on the radio dial. The pirates will be in business as long as radio stations continue to ignore reality.
 
There probably are some audiences that these pirates serve but the beancounters at the radio groups
don't think there are enough to give them that format (including some you might expect like R&B). As for the ethnic pirates, there are more than enough legit stations (especially on AM) that could feature such
programming, and do. Either there's simply no room on these stations for those type of shows, or people
would rather go the illegimate route. Oops, I didn't know you needed a license, they may say when caught--
of course being "caught" has been rare lately but who knows, could pick up again.
 
I didn't hear this 90.1 pirate while driving through the same areas this past weekend. I hope that the Sunday before last was a one-time event, and hopefully it's gone.

I still heard other pirates in the Boston area on the following FM frequencies yesterday: 88.5, 89.3, 91.3, 98.9, 100.3, 101.3, 102.1, 102.9, 105.3, 106.1, 107.1, 107.5.

89.3, 98.9, 100.3, 107.1 and 107.5 were weak, and could not be heard beyond the Boston inner city neighborhoods.
 
I've mentioned before my co-worker from Methuen who suddenly found he couldn't hear "Lost and Found"
on WMBR anymore due to a Lawrence or Methuen based pirate nearby. He contacted the FCC and they
were shut down. Being so close to a legit station is unforgiveable. The freqs Eli mentions, which I also
picked up while driving through town, are mostly not on or just adjacent to freqs of legit stations (though
I guess if you want to hear WCOD out of the Cape and you're in Boston, you're out of luck!) but also
some freqs are used by people with satellite radios or Ipods (88.5 especially) and that interferes
with them. It still isn't right though.

Pirates sell ads under the table and I'd suspect don't pay taxes. They don't pay FCC fees and most likely no music licensing fees. They
may be "serving the community" but they're still illegal. And in some cases, like one down in Brockton IIRC,
they can pose bigger problems--one down there was shut down for interfering with airport frequencies!
 
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