Boston Area Low Power / Unlicensed AM/FM Radio Stations

by Bruce Conti - NRC, BADX

 

Here are the results of continued monitoring and follow-up Internet searches for low power and unlicensed (pirate) AM/FM broadcasts on the air in the greater Boston area.  Note the dominance of radio stations serving the Haitian community.  Many of these stations are running full-scale professional commercial operations and maintain an equally impressive presence on the web.  (Updated November 10, 2008)

 

  530       R.Planet Compas, Randolph - French Caribbean; off the air. <www.planetcompas.com>

 

  540       GRLZ, Dorchester - R&B/urban contemporary; after-school program for girls' leadership training.  Reported off the air; Internet still active Mar 29. <www.grlz540.com>

 

  720       Dorchester - Haitian/Caribbean; religion.

 

  870       Boston - Classical and jazz music days, French Caribbean zouk nights.  Back on the air, Feb 2007.

 

1570       WKNM R.Comercial, Lowell - 599 Central St.  Off the air.

 

1580       WRCB R.Concorde, Mattapan - French Caribbean. <www.radioconcorde.com>

 

1580       Brockton - Haitian/Caribbean.

 

1610       Lowell - Lowell National Historical Park info. <www.nps.gov/lowe>

 

1610       WQEA969 Hyannis - Woods Hole, Marthas Vineyard, and Nantucket Steamship Authority.

 

1610       WPZS690 Great Bay Radio, Durham - Environmental information; University of New Hampshire.

 

1610       WPKW775 Maine Turnpike Authority's Highway Advisory Radio System - Construction info. <www.maineturnpike.com>

 

1620       R.Energy, Boston - French Caribbean. <www.radioenergyboston.com>

 

1620       R.Soleil International, Brockton - French Caribbean -- MOVED TO 1710 kHz.

 

1620       WPRI268 Leominster - Relays 162.525 MHz WNG575 Pack Monadnock, NOAA Weather.

 

1630       Zumix Radio, East Boston - 202 Maverick St.; free-format music. <www.zumix.org/>

 

1630       Cambridge - Religion.

 

1630       Variety AM, Marlborough - <www.varietyam1630.com>

 

1630       WQAM781 Natick - Emergency info.

 

1640       WRNM R.Nouveauté, Boston - Reported shutdown and fined by FCC, Jan '06.  Still on at low power? <www.radionouveaute.com>

 

1640       R.Creole Inter, Brockton - Relays 1690 WRCI Lynn.

 

1640       WQGG781 Massachusetts Turnpike Authority - Construction info.

 

1640       WQFH340 Fish and Wildlife Outdoors Radio, York - Maine outdoor sports info. <www.mefishwildlife.com>

 

1650       WQBE789 / WQBQ732 East Boston - Logan Airport airline terminal assignments.

 

1670       WRVD R.Voix Divine, Mattapan - French; formerly WRDI. <www.radiovoixdivine.com>

 

1670       R.Communautaire de Brockton, Brockton - French Caribbean.

 

1680       WRUI R.Union International, Boston - Continuous French Caribbean zouk. <www.radiounioninter.com>

 

1690       WRCI R.Creole Inter, Lynn - French news/talk, AM Stereo. <www.radiocreoleinter.com>

 

1690       Adventist Radio, Brockton - French, religion.

 

1700       R.Bčl Ayiti, Boston - French Caribbean. <www.belayiti.com>

 

1700       R.Luz / R.Palabra de Vida, Lawrence - Spanish contemporary Christian music and preaching.

 

1700       R.Derry, Derry NH - Local information. <www.radioderry.com>

 

1710       R.Top Inter, Hyde Park-Dorchester - 24 hr. French Caribbean, relayed on 98.9 FM.

 

1710       R.Soleil International, Brockton - French Caribbean, ex-1620. <www.radiosoleilinternational.com>

 

 88.5       R.Free Cambridge, Cambridge

 

 88.5       Happy FM, Dedham - Middle Eastern. <www.happyfm.fm>

 

 88.5       Off-Coast Radio - Rock music.

 

 88.7       Randolph - French.  Off the air, 2006.

 

 89.1       Fall River - Haitian.

 

 89.3       R.Planet Compas, Randolph, Mattapan, Brockton - French news/talk, "Compas FM."  Fined by FCC, Feb '06. <www.planetcompas.com>

 

 89.3       WDOA Worcester - Indie music.  Shut-down 1997, continues broadcasting via Internet. <www.wdoa.com>

 

 90.1       Brockton - Gospel music.

 

 91.3       Bel Mizik FM, Dorchester - Haitian/Caribbean. <http://belmizikfm.com>

 

 91.3       R.Superstars, Everett - French news/talk.  Off the air.

 

 93.5       R.Mercure Int'l, Boston - Musique compas, jazz, and gospel.  Off the air, 2006. <www.radiomercureinter.com>

 

 96.5       SoCaribe Radio, Dorchester - Caribbean; reggae, soca, gospel. <www.myspace.com/socaribe>

 

 96.5       Brockton Heat, Brockton - French Creole and Portuguese, "Serving the Cape Verdean and Haitian community." <http://brocktonheat.com>

 

 98.9       R.Top Inter, Hyde Park-Mattapan - French Caribbean, parallel 1710.  On the air weekends and overnight weekdays. <www.radiotopinter.com>

 

 98.9       R.Top Inter, Brockton - Relays 1710 / 98.9 Boston.  Off the air, 2007, after FCC notification of unlicensed operation.

 

 99.7       WNEX Next Level Radio, Dorchester - Gospel. <http://nextlevelradio.net/>

 

 99.9       La Voz de Fe, Lawrence - Religion in Spanish. <www.lavozdefe.com/principal.htm>

 

100.1      Dorchester - Caribbean.  Off the air, 2006, after FCC notification of unlicensed operation.

 

100.3      Boston - French Caribbean, French pop, African highlife.  Often open carrier during the day.  Off the air?

 

101.3      Big City Radio, Boston - Urban/Tropical. <www.myspace.com/djdrunyce>

 

101.3      Brockton - Haitian/Caribbean.

 

102.1      WRCI R.Continentale/Power FM, Boston - R&B/Haitian/Hispanic.  Has been off the air for extended periods; irregular schedule. <www.radiocontinentale.com>

 

102.1      WRCX R.Continentale/Power FM, Brockton - R&B/Haitian/Hispanic.  Off the air? <www.metrocompas.com>

 

102.9      WCFM Choice FM, Dorchester-Boston - "Number one in Boston for Caribbean music."  2 kW.  Fined by FCC, Feb 2007. <www.choice1029.com>

 

103.1      Cool FM, Brockton - Haitian/Caribbean.  Off the air, antenna downed by storm.

 

105.3      Chelsea-Boston - Brazilian smooth jazz music.  The website of the Brazil embassy in Washington DC lists 105.3 Boston.

 

105.3      Vibe, Dorchester - Caribbean. <www.105vibe.com/>

 

106.1      WTCH-LP Touch FM, Boston - "The fabric of the Black community," urban contemporary/R&B/soul. <www.touchfm.org> Off the air after FCC fine 2008.

 

107.1      R.Superstars, Dorchester - 102.1 relay.  Off the air.

 

107.1      Parallel 1620; R.Energy relay, or simply the same satellite/Internet network feed?

 

107.5      Dorchester/Mattapan - French Caribbean.

 

Map of transmitter sites by Jeff Lehmann: <http://local.live.com/?v=2&cid=96D532551CECE67F!101>

 

A list of Haitian radio stations in the Boston area can be found online at the Haitian Americans United web site <http://www.hauinc.org/html/community/Media/Radio/RadioStations.asp>.  A more comprehensive site with links to Haitian radio in Boston is at <http://www.anselme.homestead.com/radioboston.html>.

 

Thanks to Mark Connelly WA1ION, Chris Lobdell, and Paul McDonough of BADX, and to Saul Chernos, Scott Fybush, Joseph Gallant, Rick Levy, Aaron Read, and especially Jeff Lehmann N1ZZN for the input.

 

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