The Peculiar 1710 Controversy

There has always been controversy over part 15 stations using 1710, this is because it falls outside the x-band which ends at 1700 so your limited by field stregth since it falls outside alternate rule 15.219.

It's curious when you consider in 1971, when the x band still ended at 1600, the FCC made it mandatory for both national parks and highway department's change the frequencies on all their part 15 transmitters to either 530 or 1610 - This was to get them compleatly out of the AM Band because the NAB was raising hell. This was an attempted compromise to sooth the NAB and still enable the ability for those part 15 broadcast to be heard. About 75% of car radios at the time were still capable of recieving just above and below the band, (The FCC also made them shorten their antenna/groundlead(if used) to 10 feet to conform to 15.219).

The point is part 15.219 was not only operating just above the x-band (1610), but they were doing so under the insistence of the FCC.

So if you could broadcast 1610 then, why wouldn't you be permitted to broadcast 1710 now?  Expecially when you consider that despite the fact that the band belongs to aeronautical radio navigation the FCC began licensing 1710 to TIS stations several years ago

The first was WQFG689 is licensed on 1710 in Hudson County, New Jersey (it's actually 5 stations).  When covid hit they were granted a waiver to increase power to 100 watts (not sure if it's still 100 watts now). Apparently, most of the time it's just simulcasting NOAA Weather Radio
http://www.horzepa.com/2020/04/wqfg689-1710-khz.html?m=1

And most recently, only a couple of years ago a new TIS was licensed on 1710 to Bridger-Teton National Forest - which got a lot on fanfare because Harison Ford does the narrations.
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/bridger-teton-national-forest-keeps-it-cool-with-new-radio-station

With these AM TIS stations in operation It really begs the question: Is 1710 part of the expanded band or not?

Not sure how it works in Canada but it's worth noting there's a CHIM 1710 AM in Timmins, Ontario
https://www.chimfm.com /

When it comes to Part 15... The part 15 AM rules have always changed to correspond with expansion of the broadcast band every single time... Yet there's been no recent expansion, so what's got the FCC licensing 1710 to TIS AM stations?

There are part 15 stations that have been on 1710 for a while now... One which you probally recognize is Troubadoe 1710 AM. I believe is still a member here:
"Broadcasting from central Massachusetts, Troubadour 1710 AM carries on the legacy of WADN (Walden 1120) in Concord MA, America's only full time commercial folk radio station from 1989-1997. 
https://www.t1700.net /
He also has a live stream on Zeno: https://zeno.fm/radio/troubadour-1710-am /

Theres another in Allentown Pennsylvania that's pretty interesting:
https://1710amtualtarradial.com / 1710 AM Tu Altar Radial "1710 AM Tu Altar Radial was founded in Allentown as a religious order that supports socially disadvantaged families ...  ..expanded.. community services to include drug prevention, community outreach and shelter facilities for displaced families... ... someone they can turn to for support when the going gets tough. And that's what 1710 AM Tu Altar Radial is all about."
They a lso has a Zeno stream: https://zeno.fm/radio/1710-am-tu-altar-radial /

There's a few more out there.

On a side note, a couple months ago Chris Smolinski posted on facebook (He proubly posted it on Hfunderground too.)
"There's a pirate radio station on 1710 kHz right now!  I'm hearing 60s/70s music at 2243 UTC here in Westminster MD USA, mixing in with WQFG689, The Hudson County TIS Of Doom."

And this doesn't really play into the argument, but noticed this guy on ebay  selling: AM Active Antenna 520 Khz - 1710 Khz. Boost AM Broadcast Band Radio Reception.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/186197908084