"Unlicensed broadcaster" (or something) on 540 AM in Belmont area

[Eli Polonsky]

On 4/18/04 11:10 AM, "Dan Strassberg" <dan.strassberg@att.net> wrote:

> I first noticed this signal on my car radio last Wednesday or Thursday. Of
> the places I've driven while listening to it, it seems to be strongest
> (albeit not really stong) between Belmont Center and Waverley Square.
> Coverage is pretty wide, though; although weaker, the signal did not fade
> out in East Arlington or Arlington Heights. I even heard it near Kendall Sq
> Cambridge last night, although I wouldn't say that it was listenable there.
> 
> I'm not sure what name you would use to characterize the music. The first
> day it was almost 100% instrumental. None of the selections was recognizable
> to me but all of them seemed to have an alto- or soprano sax carrying the
> melodic lead. I would describe the tempo of all of the selections as
> languid. 

I believe that what you're hearing is actually coming from Dorchester.

It's a small radio station (supposed to be a "Part 15") set up by some
girls from a local high school (with some sort of faculty or community
adult advisement). The format is supposed to be (essentially) "clean"
urban contemporary (IE: no "gangsta" rap), which includes the mellow
"smooth jazz" type of music often heard on it, which appears to be on
a pre-recorded media running 24/7 when there is no live programming.

There were a couple of stories in the local newspapers about this when
the station launched a couple of months ago, however it was mentioned
as only supposed to be covering a small portion of Dorchester/Roxbury.

Perhaps that may be the only area where it's loud and clear, I haven't
checked in the area, but it's "fringe" signal seems to roll all over
greater Boston. I hear it (weakly) here in Somerville and I've heard
all over Cambridge, Allston/Brighton, Brookline, Watertown, north into
Medford, and west over approximately the eastern half of Newton.

Eli Polonsky