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Arrr...Pirate Radio in Phoenix/Wickenburg 96.3 KSWG - who knew???

Wow, that's something.

The tower's a quarter-mile away and higher, with its antenna pointed not toward Wickenburg but to Phoenix, and using a full-wavelength spaced antenna that would result in a larger ERP.

This could be a pretty serious proceeding here.
 
This past weekend I was listening to the 96.3 translator for KYBC, Cottonwood while driving
along 1-17 south to Phoenix. It disappeared completely around Bumble Bee and was quickly
swamped by KSWG, also at 96.3. In areas of Prescott, where Mingus Mtn is shielded/nulled,
KSWG sometimes swamps the other signal, despite the distance and mountains....
 
Raymie said:
Wow, that's something.

The tower's a quarter-mile away and higher, with its antenna pointed not toward Wickenburg but to Phoenix, and using a full-wavelength spaced antenna that would result in a larger ERP.

This could be a pretty serious proceeding here.
Click to expand...

And an antenna pointed toward Wickenburg on the other side that aint hooked up!

Mr Barna, you got some 'splainin' to do. And Mr Barker, how'd you enlist so many techies to gather the evidence?
 
Cannot help but wonder what kind of "penalty" might the F.C.C. impose.....
A slap on the wrist might encourage more of the same and empower
others to do the same......
 
Shiver me timbers, mateys! This is yer 'ol cap'n, Dr Akbar, and his swill drinkin' side-kick, Nurse Jeff. Cast ye eyes on these coverage maps of the Wickenburg pirate ship:

KSWG advertising map: http://www.963realcountry.com/advertising/

Radio Locator coverage map: http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=KSWG-FM

Arrrr...somethin' stinks here like a beached whale. Whoever thinks this scallywag covers as much of the desert seas is a goin' be keel hauled. Arrrrrr, indeedy!
 
DrAkbar said:
Shiver me timbers, mateys! This is yer 'ol cap'n, Dr Akbar, and his swill drinkin' side-kick, Nurse Jeff. Cast ye eyes on these coverage maps of the Wickenburg pirate ship:

KSWG advertising map: http://www.963realcountry.com/advertising/

Radio Locator coverage map: http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=KSWG-FM

Arrrr...somethin' stinks here like a beached whale. Whoever thinks this scallywag covers as much of the desert seas is a goin' be keel hauled. Arrrrrr, indeedy!
Click to expand...

Someone just drew a circle. That's probably still not representative of the actual coverage of the operating facility.
 
DrAkbar said:
Shiver me timbers, mateys! This is yer 'ol cap'n, Dr Akbar, and his swill drinkin' side-kick, Nurse Jeff. Cast ye eyes on these coverage maps of the Wickenburg pirate ship:

KSWG advertising map: http://www.963realcountry.com/advertising/

Radio Locator coverage map: http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=KSWG-FM

Arrrr...somethin' stinks here like a beached whale. Whoever thinks this scallywag covers as much of the desert seas is a goin' be keel hauled. Arrrrrr, indeedy!
Click to expand...

That KSWG-FM advertised coverage map definitely looks directional to me toward Phoenix and not similar at all to the radio-locator map where the signal should barely reach Phoenix and is considered "fringe." False advertising right there!

As far as their interference complaint goes with the 96.1 K241CS-FM translator, I work in Glendale and I am able to pick-up both stations just fine and I am in the direct line of coverage of K241CS. Now what I do notice on my drive home to Gilbert is that the Power 98.3 translator on 96.1 FM, K241BQ, does blast in south of the Salt River Bridge on the I-10 and east of there, the adjacent channel splatter from 96.1 FM does wreck havoc with KSWG-FM, but that is well outside the KSWG-FM coverage area. So from my own observations in Glendale (further away from the Wickenburg transmitter of KSWG-FM than the supposed Surprise complaints), KSWG-FM still comes in well.

My advice to the complaints of K241CS, get a better radio with a DSP chip for better selectivity on FM, or keep it to yourself because it looks like KSWG-FM is broadcasting illegally with a directional antenna not in the right location and pointed toward Phoenix. Not good. Arrr!
 
asugeorge1 said:
That KSWG-FM advertised coverage map definitely looks directional to me toward Phoenix and not similar at all to the radio-locator map where the signal should barely reach Phoenix and is considered "fringe." False advertising right there!

As far as their interference complaint goes with the 96.1 K241CS-FM translator, I work in Glendale and I am able to pick-up both stations just fine and I am in the direct line of coverage of K241CS. Now what I do notice on my drive home to Gilbert is that the Power 98.3 translator on 96.1 FM, K241BQ, does blast in south of the Salt River Bridge on the I-10 and east of there, the adjacent channel splatter from 96.1 FM does wreck havoc with KSWG-FM, but that is well outside the KSWG-FM coverage area. So from my own observations in Glendale (further away from the Wickenburg transmitter of KSWG-FM than the supposed Surprise complaints), KSWG-FM still comes in well.

My advice to the complaints of K241CS, get a better radio with a DSP chip for better selectivity on FM, or keep it to yourself because it looks like KSWG-FM is broadcasting illegally with a directional antenna not in the right location and pointed toward Phoenix. Not good. Arrr!
Click to expand...

A great analysis ... this Piracy would have continued silently if Barna had not falsely alleged interference ... but alas he finds out what happens to glass house builders that traffic in rock throwing.
 
Last edited:
Obvious question: If KSWG has been operating at the wrong location with the wrong antenna how long has this been going on? This station has been on the air for many years.
Even if they are operating with an unauthorized facility that doesn't necessarily invalidate the claim that the translator is causing objectionable interference.

This comment isn't just about KSWG but in an attempt to fix the AM band the FCC is destroying the FM band. In many cases these multitudes of translators result in far more interference than new service. Having more stations than the AM band can hold is a major reason for AM's decline. Now they are creating the same problem on FM.
 
CAVEMANager said:
Obvious question: If KSWG has been operating at the wrong location with the wrong antenna how long has this been going on? This station has been on the air for many years.
Even if they are operating with an unauthorized facility that doesn't necessarily invalidate the claim that the translator is causing objectionable interference..
Click to expand...

Under FCC Administrative Law, a station operating illegally with parameters at variance can not complain about interference because there is no licensed signal to interfere with.
 
CAVEMANager said:
This comment isn't just about KSWG but in an attempt to fix the AM band the FCC is destroying the FM band. In many cases these multitudes of translators result in far more interference than new service. Having more stations than the AM band can hold is a major reason for AM's decline. Now they are creating the same problem on FM.
Click to expand...

If you look back at the reforms that broadcasters have asked for, the answer they suggest is always more of something.

We can't make enough money doing what we're doing, so we need more FM stations. Then you get Docket 80-90 and a bunch of suburban move-ins.

We can't make enough money owning two to a market, so we relax the ownership limits.

We can't make enough money with an AM daytimer, so we authorize 50 watts at night.

We can't make enough money on a graveyard frequency because the city has outgrown the contour, so we let everyone go to 1kw non-D at night.

There's no shortage of bad decisions that were championed by our industry. Thankfully most car radios are really good at handling adjacent channel interference, so it's not like you're missing out on something you want to listen to when you cram 10 pounds of translators into 5 pounds of spectrum.

I don't begrudge people who put on translators to get some value out of their Ancient Modulation station. I just wish some of them were engineered better. When your translator is fed via a Barix box that sounds like it's relaying a 64k internet stream fed into an Orban turned up to 11, you're not serving your community very well. If you want your station to succeed, you need to build it right.
 
johndavis said:
I When your translator is fed via a Barix box that sounds like it's relaying a 64k internet stream fed into an Orban turned up to 11, you're not serving your community very well.
Click to expand...

...didn't know you spoke Old Gringo lingo. YIKES!!

Over the weekend, Nurse Jeff and I headed east on I-10 in our '76 Gremlin. We were able to listen to KSWG in many areas where their coverage isn't supposed to go. We'll let the FCC sort this spat out, but one thing's for sure - What in the Wide, Wide World of Sports is a goin' on here?!
 
Fenwick said:
Barna to the Pumps:
Click to expand...

This is interesting. Different tower coordinates and ERP than what is currently licensed. Protection for third adjacent (KMXP), but not a mention of that pesky translator owner who claims KSWG's coverage is more than what it should be toward Phoenix. Nurse Jeff's beady eyes picked up on the consulting engineer's stamp date as May 10, 2017. This one is fresh out of the oven! hmmmmm
 
DrAkbar said:
This is interesting. Different tower coordinates and ERP than what is currently licensed. Protection for third adjacent (KMXP), but not a mention of that pesky translator owner who claims KSWG's coverage is more than what it should be toward Phoenix. Nurse Jeff's beady eyes picked up on the consulting engineer's stamp date as May 10, 2017. This one is fresh out of the oven! hmmmmm
Click to expand...

They basically have filed a CP for the tower they're actually using and reduced power to keep KMXP protected. They will likely lose quite a bit of their coverage toward Phoenix.
 
Raymie said:
They basically have filed a CP for the tower they're actually using and reduced power to keep KMXP protected. They will likely lose quite a bit of their coverage toward Phoenix.
Click to expand...

"Backfield in Motion" Mel & Tim

Now let's see if Uncle Charlie calls a penalty on Team Barna. Referees are still examining video from Team Barker. This is definitely must see FCC!
 
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