today i noticed that my signal degraded really badly today and i was interfearing with something my first thought was to CUT THE CARRIER!!!!!! so i did and slammed it out the wall once it cutted off there was a station on 88.7 they didnt say anything and played music at 1130-1155 PM CDST and stopped playing music left the carrier on unmodulated, there was no station call letter identification so sherman texas has a pirate station with power well beyond the part 15 standards for unlicensed broadcasting, i call this pirate, the metal Pirate and i know its him becuase he’s played some music that hard metal and really bad cussin’ to it well beyond the 7 words sometimes. and hes broadcasted in the past too, his signal was reached from knollwood to western southmayd, to southern howe to dorchester too so i have moved KDSX to 99.7 MC and when i realised it was a pirate i was not A HAPPY CAMPER!! so moving up the dial was not a bad choice for me! i hope this pirate gets 2-10 years the bonham texas state slammer that’ll teach em
rock95seven says
It happens from time to time
Some how the channel we hold near and dear to our hearts turns out to be either hijacked by a rude operator with no sense of morals or taken over by some that is unaware of our stations existence. Usually it is the second example. With our low power levels on FM, another operator may not hear your signal and assume the channel is clear.
Even if that operator used the fcc database or radio-locator and either one or both websites show your favorite channel was vacant, they may just go ahead and broadcast.
But given the information you provided in your post ie: vulgar language and outrageous coverage this is without a doubt a pirate. He/she may also have that c.b. bully attitude as well, let me explain. Every other town has a group of friends who all like to stay in touch using their c.b. radio’s. They usually pick a channel because it is fairly quiet or for nostalgic reasons. They spend hours talking to each other in their group and most are pretty courteous if you want to use the channel or ask for directions ect.
Then there is the outcast, or c.b. rambo’s, they choose to be a jerk on the c.b. and will play music or key down over top of someone just to get attention or screw up a conversation for everyone else.
Sometimes fights ensue and in rare cases they meet at the crossroads and fist fight until the police are called to break it up. They just aren’t happy unless someone else is unhappy.
It just might be the case in your situation, they have a huge ego and a powerful transmitter. You just so happen to be doing things by the book as best you can, while radio rambo locks your favorite channel down, you decided to make the best of it and move to another channel rather than stir a big stink over it. Your obviously more mature than this pirate and that is great. Everyone of us from part 15 to full power AM/FM share the frequencies in one way or another and we all know vacant frequencies are scarce these days, we have to work together to make it all come together. Even a 50,000 watt blowtorch from Cincinnati has to share 700 khz with a 1,000 watt mom and pop station some where in America.
You did good, keep on doing what your doing and keep on rocking!
RFB says
The Right Move
One thing that everyone can come to recognize is that a pirate radio station operator/owner giving consideration to radio law is like expecting gangsters to give consideration to gun laws.
You have already taken the appropriate and correct steps.
RFB
ABMedia1 says
things happen for a reason
things happen for a reason, when i knew it was him, i wasnt mad about moving up the dial, i was mad because alot of people in sherman have car fm transmitter they use that frequency to listen to their ipod or mp3 on the car radio, and everybody i know uses that frequency for just about anything, and some car transmitters are limited on frequency and another reason why i was mad is because sinced he used 88.7 before my old transmitter died becuase of him, so i guess the short reason why i was mad becuase he has cause trouble in the past, besides the drama, i too felt like it was the right thing to move KDSX up the dial
mighty1650 says
Argh Maties
I have had to deal with a pirate in the past.
This one was on my FM frequency rebroadcasting a well known pirate from Fargo, ND Every Saturday.
Being where I’m at I have nowhere else to go, so as you can imagine I was pissed.
I found that pirate station he was rebroadcasting and shot them an email.
To my surprise he was a very nice guy and had no clue he was being rebroadcast down here, and seemed to not like what was happening.
Well this went on for another week or two then one week he never went on the air, and I haven’t heard him since.
Also up in Sherman, 99.7 is kind of an el sucko channel to be on, with 99.5 in the way. Hop that sucker up to 99.9, That Frequency is open for hundreds of miles.
ABMedia1 says
99.5 KPLX-FM
99.5 KPLX is hard to get in on different sides of sherman one minute its good and the next minute i can get it, i can no longer get it in between denison and colbert so 99.7 is an okay frequency for me, K257EV is a rebroadcast of KERA at 99.3 Mc
RFB says
Changing Channels
I recently had to re-frequency my FM from 92.3 to 92.1 because a dark FM in Douglas returned to the air, “Bucking 92..yeeehaawww!” is what they call themselves (Choke n Puke) and their signal comes in to Casper pretty good, so to avoid any headaches I went down to 92.1.
For the AM side, 1680 is very clear at night and the day. 1670 is ok during the day, but gets clogged by WTDY in Madison Wi. So I have moved the AM to 1680.
RFB
ArtisanRadio says
88.7 is a pretty popular
88.7 is a pretty popular frequency for car transmitters and the default for home stereo re-broadcasters. Lots of them aren’t certified and transmit with way too much power (plenty of cheap Chinese stuff on e-bay). When I was broadcasting on Bowen Island, I had to move from 88.7 to 99.7 due to someone tromping over my signal on 88.7. And they too left on an unmodulated carrier when not playing music. While I had to struggle to get over 1/2 km (this is Canada, after all, with much less stringent field strength rules than the U.S.), this guy was easily doing several miles. I figured him either as a really dumb pirate (he could easily be tracked by leaving his signal there) or a really ignorant (and probably dumb) home user (for satellite or the like), since the power was left on (and that wouldn’t happen in a car).
Unfortunately, not much you can do about it, other than reporting it and moving frequencies yourself. I never reported my guy, but figured someone did (I had to advertise my frequency move, and was pretty vocal about why), since a few weeks later he disappeared never to return – but by that time, my listener base had moved to the new frequency, which was working out just fine. So I left it there (until I stopped FM broadcasting completely).
MICRO1700 says
I’ve Had To Move Many Times
You were very smart to move.
I’ve been Part 15 broadcasting since
the late 1960s, and pirates come and
go. Most of them don’t last forever.
You may find that 88.7 becomes available
in your area again.
My Part 15 station has been mainly on AM.
My main AM frequency has been 1690
the last few years. But the 1610 to 1700
band is getting more crowded and noisier.
I have a list of channels that I can go to
that are below 1610.
I think there is usually a way to find some
channel and stay on the air.
That’s my take on it anyway.
Best Wishes,
Bruce, Dog Radio Studio 2
ABMedia1 says
99.7 Doing Well
99.7 is doing quite well for me today was sunny clear day and my signal reached to state highway 56-Houston street in sherman and north all the speed queen wonder wash in sherman which is a mile away so i plan to stay on 99.7 until i have to move again
ABMedia1 says
The Pirate
oh btw the pirate is aleast running about 10-15 watts of power (i estimated) since the signal has reached to southern howe and dorchester too.
ABMedia1 says
i moved kdsx again
this time i have moved kdsx again from 99.7 to 92.3 which is a clear frequency in this area.