I think I've found a pirate station in my area. I live in a small rural community called Battleground, Alabama. I live about 59 miles north of Birimingham. There is a small city 15 miles north of me called Hartselle. There is a radio station on 102.7 that I can hear in and around Hartselle. The signal at best has occasional fading in and out. they do not broadcast in stereo, and NEVER give out any info.
I think I've found a pirate station in my area. I live in a small rural community called Battleground, Alabama. I live about 59 miles north of Birimingham. There is a small city 15 miles north of me called Hartselle. There is a radio station on 102.7 that I can hear in and around Hartselle. The signal at best has occasional fading in and out. they do not broadcast in stereo, and NEVER give out any info. They have no call letters, and broadcast Talk Radio involving things like Herb Growing and sometimes play 60's and 70's era music. Are they a pirate station, and if so, how would I get in touch with one? I'm not going to report them to the FCC or anything because like most pirates, they just want to live the american dream of a broadcaster: to have a station of their own. I wish they could at least do it legally because the AM/FM talk stations in nearby Decatur will probally try to report to the FCC about this small station.
Could it be WCKS in Fruithurst? I think that's a little farther north. Anyway, if that is a pirate, some careful listening will usually eventually reveal clues as to their QTH. Of course, you could trek out with a yagi and a map and triangulate the rascals!
1620AM Copperhead Radio,
Lucama NC
I've heard of WCKS, but they're out of East Alabama, And are licsensed. In fact, I listen to their am station "Classic Country Alabama 810". The station I'm Talking about is located Along I-65 in Hartselle, Alabama.It may seem kind of odd being into all of this,but I'd just like to find out info about this station.
TRAVIS ALLRED,Real Country 1600
www.geocities.com/wbgrradio/index.html
I heard a station once on shortwave. The call sign was "WORK". They apparently were playing music and talk in honor of the working class citizen.
They gave a mail drop address and I wrote in with a report. I got back a photograph print of an abandoned factory with some message on that back that I have long forgotten.
It was an interesting experience and I'd do it again if given the opportunity.
On another strange note, I was tuning around the shortwave band once and heard what I thought was a weak pirate station. I kept tuning in to see if I could hear something else, but they just kept playing "The Hour of Slack"... perfect fodder for a pirate station.
The next day I realized that I was hearing some kind of harmonic signal from my own Part 15 AM station down in the shortwave band! It turns out I was playing a netstream that was carrying "The Hour of Slack."
Regards,
Scott
It doesn't sound like they are using much power if you can only hear them sporadically around the town. They might be operating under what they believe to be Part 15 regulations. Some FMs are now using mono instead of stereo for better range especially if they have a more talk oriented format. I thought it was funny that you said you didn't want to report them to the FCC yet posted their frequency and town and state on the internet. Lots of legal Part 15 stations don't post or broadcast details about their operations just because of incorrect perceptions by the public as to what is legal and not.
The station might be "part 15", but they can be heard for about 15 miles with medocre signal, but by the time you go up Battleground mountain, which is actually a large hill, their signal is practacilly non-existiant. The reason I posted info about them is because someone on part 15's website might know something about them.
TRAVIS ALLRED,Real Country 1600
www.geocities.com/wbgrradio/index.html
My mistake. I didn't understand that they could be heard for a range of 15 miles or so. You're right, that puts them out of being a part 15 station. Congratulations. Whenever I travel I always search the dial for a part 15 or pirate station just for the fun of it. So far I've just found one. They had a great looking SSTRAN type antenna attached to a billboard in a major shopping center. They had a great signal and good coverage.
My mistake. I didn't understand that they could be heard for a range of 15 miles or so. You're right, that puts them out of being a part 15 station. Congratulations. Whenever I travel I always search the dial for a part 15 or pirate station just for the fun of it. So far I've just found one. They had a great looking SSTRAN type antenna attached to a billboard in a major shopping center. They had a great signal and good coverage.
it's probably not pirate or part 15. it's more than likely a TIS.
Thanks to the manager at SCWIS for telling me that the FCC checks out this website reguarly. I edited some info about the station so just in case the FCC soes log on they wont know the dial pos or anyrhing like that. the Tech puppy wrote it may be a TIS, but they play music and have a talk show called Republician Talk Radio and Pain relief radio.
TRAVIS ALLRED,Real Country 1600
www.geocities.com/wbgrradio/index.html