Hello folks. New around here. I've listened and listened from 1600 - 1700 for years now. I've caught a few known pirates in that time, but very few. Anyhow I was scanning the expanded band during the gray-line DX this morning and caught a station on 1680. It was never strong and was mixing with another station more than not, or it would simply fade out. I had to use my 40" loop just to copy it at all.
It caught my attention at first with the strange music and sound effects. I finally heard a partial call of WCxx and a comment of "community radio, that's where it's at baby!" That cinched it for me. I also heard what sounded like old Star Trek sound effects, then a baby crying. Strange, but made the morning more interesting. Maybe that small amount of info will ring a bell with someone.
Brian
Fun gray catch, BDM
Where abouts are you DXing?
S/E MI just north of Detroit.
Brian
Not far from Detroit, a suberb of Grand Rapids Michigan is "Ada," with a licensed station at 1680kHz, WPRR, "Public Reality Radio," 10kW day 680W night, and they broadcast a lot of the same programming used by many part 15 stations, owned by seemingly very smart station operators.
Still, the words you heard do sound a lot like a real part 15 station.
If you go to their website you can check their schedule to see what program was running at the time you listened.
http://www.publicrealityradio.org
Carl thanks for the info. I'd say pirate or a well constructed part 15 station. Why I believe this even more is the station that was fighting for space happened to be coming in from the west(probably your GP commercial station). I had to turn the loops to the north more to null that station out some, which allowed me to catch the supposed pirate/15ner station better. Of course I cannot be sure, but in all my listening, it raised my radar quite high. Also add to the fact I caught the first two call letters of WCxx. But again I guess you could argue a C can sound like a P and vice-verse 🙂
Anyhow happy hunting my friend......
Brian
One more thing I forgot to add. The audio also was somewhat of a tip-off. It didn't have that full/compressed commercial station sound. That may mean absolutely nothing, but just adding up the clues as best I could. It just reminded me overall of all the pirate/15ner stations I've heard over the years.
Brian
Considering everything you have said, BDM, I am now siding totally with you in believing it was a part 15 or pirate station, and here is my own reason for thinking so in this case...
We have a station here at 1600kHz with 6kW, and although it comes in well in the immediate area during the day, it doesn't travel very far beyond town. Then, at sunset it actually skips real close to itself and the local signal gets blurry, until full dark, when it comes in badly.
I think what all this means is that the upper band stations do not cover their immediate outlying area all that well, even though their nighttime sky-wave might be received two states away.
I think it's those very ineffeciencies that made the lower AM frequencies more desirable to broadcasters over the years.
The AM high band is probably the best band in the world for low power stations, and we love it.
Carl nice web page you have. I've been reading through it. BTW when I said GP, I meant GR (Grand Rapids).
Brian