Morgantown Pirate Located

[engineer]

Using the call letters WOGO, the "anything goes show" pirate station on 95.5 has been located. Most of the time, he streams http://977music.com, and is usually live anywhere between 5-9pm. He has professionally produced liners and jingles, and is even playing advertisements for local businesses.

I know WVRC and others have been looking for him, and I wasn't the only person contracted to find the guy. Here are a few pictures and spectrum traces. The traces were taken with a 20dB pad in-line, standing in front of the house. http://s736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/ ... %20pirate/

[lastone]

So....what happens next and who does it?

[engineer]

So....what happens next and who does it?

I'm not sure, but I think he will get a chance to shut down. That would come from local station managers. How about, "Hey buddy, keep the signal down to Mr. Microphone level!" Radio free Morgantown is still on from time to time, but they keep the signal very low in downtown area.

[Cameron]

Using the call letters WOGO, the "anything goes show" pirate station on 95.5 has been located. Most of the time, he streams http://977music.com, and is usually live anywhere between 5-9pm. He has professionally produced liners and jingles, and is even playing advertisements for local businesses.

I know WVRC and others have been looking for him, and I wasn't the only person contracted to find the guy. Here are a few pictures and spectrum traces. The traces were taken with a 20dB pad in-line, standing in front of the house. http://s736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/ ... %20pirate/

...looks a wee-bit little hotter than 30µVm at that distance. (Assuming that's about 80 feet-or-so from the radiator).

[The-Hammer]

Using the call letters WOGO, the "anything goes show" pirate station on 95.5 has been located.

How were the call letters used to locate this pirate?

[genlock]

I am assuming that the operator of the pirate station was a kid or younger non-emancipated person.
An excellent solution would be a lawsuit filed by the local station owners claiming loss of revenue
due to interference, confusion in the marketplace. Make it a big one.
Mommy and daddy will be displeased if liens are filed against the nice house and property because
of precious snowflake and his hobby.

Could someone enlarge the picture of the rotatable antenna on the roof of the house?
Specifically the rotator assembly. At first glance, It appears to be upside down.

[The Interpreter]

Don't forget, it could be a snowflakette...of the she persuasion.

[Hoosier Daddy]

You'd think real life, big-city broadcast engineers would have better things to do with their time,
like repair and maintain their own gaggle of transmitters, studios, antenna systems, control boards, etc.,
rather than play snipe hunter for some kid's 4-hour-a-day, micro-watt, bootleg FM transmitter that interferes with no one.
Aren't you guys always screaming about cutbacks?
How you only have one or two engineers on staff to maintain six, eight, ten, or twenty full power stations?
And how impossible it is to get everything done that needs to be done?
But you got time for this. Complete with a website and pictures. Go figure.

[engineer]

No kids. This is full grown adult that is running produced commercials for local businesses. The station is processed and in stereo. He has guests in the studio and takes phone calls.

I am assuming that the operator of the pirate station was a kid or younger non-emancipated person.
An excellent solution would be a lawsuit filed by the local station owners claiming loss of revenue
due to interference, confusion in the marketplace. Make it a big one.
Mommy and daddy will be displeased if liens are filed against the nice house and property because
of precious snowflake and his hobby.

Could someone enlarge the picture of the rotatable antenna on the roof of the house?
Specifically the rotator assembly. At first glance, It appears to be upside down.

[engineer]

No micro-watts in this particular case. This is no kid. His coverage would suggest something like 200-400 ERP with substantial elevation. You would be "surprised" if I "named" some of the people that have been looking for this "new station." He has been on and off for over a year or so. I would surmise that the new 24-hour service, increased power, running advertisements, and using professional "Morgantown's new music station" jingles set local radio managers in motion. While most people are out of a good job, I try to do what I am asked (contracted) to do so I can keep a job. Posting information about the pirate on this site was done for a reason. If you can't figure out why, then I fully understand your thought process.

You'd think real life, big-city broadcast engineers would have better things to do with their time,
like repair and maintain their own gaggle of transmitters, studios, antenna systems, control boards, etc.,
rather than play snipe hunter for some kid's 4-hour-a-day, micro-watt, bootleg FM transmitter that interferes with no one.
Aren't you guys always screaming about cutbacks?
How you only have one or two engineers on staff to maintain six, eight, ten, or twenty full power stations?
And how impossible it is to get everything done that needs to be done?
But you got time for this. Complete with a website and pictures. Go figure.

[fmksey]

So, is this guy selling spots - or just giving free ones to freinds? I guess it really doesn't matter. But if he is selling spots it would have been pretty easy to track him down by just a paper trail - I bought ads and here is who I made the check out to. The station(s) AEs should have been able to find this guy long ago -- if he is selling spots. A couple of high school kids here bought a Ramsey xmitter and added a power amp --- ERP is not legal and they only cover a few blocks. But what the hell --- they love radio and they don't know it - the way it use to be before CC and cluster radio. These kids do lots of high school announcements - PSAs - don't do drugs/drink and drive, etc. But I would be pissed if they were out selling spot.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Posting information about the pirate on this site was done for a reason. If you can't figure out why, then I fully understand your thought process.

Enlighten me so I'll understand.

[Scott Reppert]

YOU MEAN YOU'VE SHUT DOWN THE SECOND
MOST LISTENABLE STATION IN MORGANTOWN!!!

[Clinton Burley]

This story certainly takes me back. Long-time posters to the board will remember the infamous "South Point Pirate" who planted a large tower directly adjacent to US Route 52 in Ohio, only a few air miles from downtown Huntington. The guy had a van plastered with call letters and frequency and even had the kanhunas to do paid remotes at places like Lowes and local restaurants. It was a blast to watch him get by with this for so long while the "powerhouses" squirmed.

Myself and a couple of other guys visited the house/studio one day. Under the guise of selling home inspections, we got to meet the pirate and shake his hand. Imagine a portly, unshaven, unkempt man in a dirty t-shirt and jeans. Thats the guy. The crazy thing is that he spoke and acted like he had a masters plus thirty. He had the smarts, skills and cash to pull this off, but he just didn't seem right.

In the end the Great South Point Pirate Radio Party came to a crashing halt. The tower crashed too, days after the feds stopped by the guy's house one day to chat for a bit.

For several years thereafter the infamous "station van" could occasionally be seen around Huntington with very light glue stains that mimicked the call letters and frequency. I haven't seen it now for a few years. The house/studio still stands as a silent sentinel to this guy's achievements.

It was fun at the time and even more fun to recall today. A tip of my hat to the Morgantown Pirate, wherever you are.

[fearpeddler]

Posting information about the pirate on this site was done for a reason. If you can't figure out why, then I fully understand your thought process.

Enlighten me so I'll understand.

obviously because he's proud of his little "bounty hunt"....

[The Interpreter]

Little bounty hunt? Did he go around with a "quicker picker-upper?"

Terpy, who just HAD to!

[Scott Reppert]

He was cooking "The Tide Is High" from Blondie this morning at 9:40am on my way in to work.

Followed up with the 997music.com liner and into Belinda Carlisle's "Mad About You".

Shows you he doesn't know what he's doing. Two females in a row. C'mon now, be a PROFESSIONAL...

[oldtvman2]

Funny how a little pirate radio station can do what the big boys cannot do and that is get listners. goes to show that CC and group don't know what they are doing. That people want LOCAL radio with LOCAL people not repeater radio. Way to go Morgontown. show the big boys what the people want to hear.

[fearpeddler]

[genlock]

Has anyone thought of contacting the commission?