What's on 99.9 nowadays?

[kenglish]

Haven't heard the internet-fed pirate "station" on there lately.....the RF levels have dropped dramatically, and now I hear something that sounds like a local station, but weak and with lots of picket-fencing.

This morning, I heard music, with the "Chick-in-a-Box" RoboVoice that back-announces music on so many stations. Then, they went to a talk show about Breast Cancer Awareness....and mentioned "Salt lake City" a couple of times.

Tried tuning around a bit, to see if it was a translator, or a spur, of some other local station, but didn't get far after noticing that KUER was on air, but silent. Listened to them for the next few minutes, until I got to work.

[CAwasinNJ]

The only 2 stations on 99.9 within 100 miles of SLC both have construction permits. KLZX up in the Logan area will move from 95.9 to 99.9 any year now to make room for KMGR to move to Humpy. There's also a new allocation (no call sign yet) at Fountain Green that doesn't put a city grade signal past Provo, so that's possible but I wouldn't consider it likely. If I were betting a dollar I'd guess a pirate.

[kenglish]

What I heard yesterday on 99.9 was the same thing as on 99.5, but extremely weak and fluttery.

I almost wonder if it's some sort of beat between 99.1 and 99.5, showing up as an image on 99.9....maybe the multi-path on each of the two stations independently causes addition and subtraction, so that causes the flutter.
I'll have to check on something besides the car radio.

[CAwasinNJ]

I'm no expert on engineering, but I thought images showed up in multiples of the main frequency. Example: KNRS(AM) shows up near the transmitter by the north interchange on 1710 (570 x 3 = 1710). I'm not sure about FM though.

[dxstuboy]

It certainly isn't MiloFM - You are right CA. I think it works on FM as well, just not as pronounced. I encountered many pirates during my 5 year period in SLC (my station wasn't really a pirate as it only went 1/4 of a mile, if that).

[kenglish]

Yeah, I should have used the term "beat", or "heterodyne". Two frequencies can beat and produce sum and difference frequencies. I got to thinking, though....they are both pretty strong locals, so why the multipath flutter, even when the car isn't in motion?

[CAwasinNJ]

I can confirm the observation, and it's even worse than what you said originally. The 99.5 transmitter seems like it's way WAY outside its assigned envelope. The analog signal is extending from 99.1 up to 99.9. It's destroying the 99.1 translator, though fortunately for them they own it too. I think this has got to be outside of what's allowed in FCC rules. I just hope there isn't some spur getting into the public safety bands. That would get really bad really quick.

[kenglish]

I heard it at home (Midvale), with a Denon tuner and a good yagi, pointed west.
In wide-band mode, it's all over. In narrow-band, it's still audible on 99.9.
KJMY is on Mount Vision, I think, along with KBYU-FM, KUER, KODJ, and KBEE.