W268BH in Montgomery leads our translator updates. No changes to this one other than antenna model, as far as I can tell. But it got a construction permit for the exact same facilities from the same site, so in it goes in purple.
W298BC, also in the Gump, and another antenna model change. This is getting boring. Stroh owns both of these, by the way. The first one up there is relaying WVRV Pine Level, but this one's still being listed as a relay of pubcaster WVAS. I expect that to change soon, if it hasn't already.
Still hanging 'round the capitol, we find W220DS, Snowdoun, has a change in height and power (up and down, respectively) and a change of city to Montgomery. It's already in the city, so it doesn't actually go anywhere with this move. Last I heard this was relaying the WAY-FM religious format.
On to Sand Mountain now, where we find W296BZ on 107.1 MHz. This station is another in a long line of translators relaying AM stations, this time WAVU. The translator's licensed to Blue Mountain, but is halfway up the WAVU tower in Albertville. The AM station currently has a gospel music format.
W261AT in Dothan doesn't have any technical data to update, but I thought I'd pass along that it has passed hands from Wiregrass Media to WOOF INC. The translator, when it returns to the air from east of Dothan, is expected to pick up sports WOOF-AM. This translator, at 100.1 MHz, was previously known as the FM home of another AM station, oldies-oriented WEEL.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
WTOT AM/FM combo in Marianna, FL to go religious
Longtime standards station WTOT out of Marianna will be switching to a religious format come the first of February, reports the Jackson County Floridian. It appears they will be one of the many victims of the impending shutdown of Citadel's “Timeless” satellite format.
(If you're wondering why I'm even reporting this, WTOT is a fairly distant rimshot into the Dothan market.)
(If you're wondering why I'm even reporting this, WTOT is a fairly distant rimshot into the Dothan market.)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Alabama 810 gains FM coverage with translator
Jacksonville's WCKA, known as Alabama 810, has been on the FM dial for a little while at 94.3 MHz. According to FCC records, they've just completed an upgrade to the translator, and it's now kicking out a full 250 watts. Judging by the coverage map, it's putting a good signal all the way up into Gadsden and down into most of Anniston as well.
Translators can't generally exceed the daytime coverage of the parent AM station, but that'll be no problem for WCKA, which enjoys a massive signal covering most of east Alabama during the day. I listened from time to time to their classic country format while commuting to work in the Birmingham area and found the signal (and the music) to be pretty good.
Translators can't generally exceed the daytime coverage of the parent AM station, but that'll be no problem for WCKA, which enjoys a massive signal covering most of east Alabama during the day. I listened from time to time to their classic country format while commuting to work in the Birmingham area and found the signal (and the music) to be pretty good.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
WAGG to pick up FM signal in Birmingham. Who's next?
All Access is reporting that translator W270BW, licensed to Haleyville but forever on the move, is as I postulated going to relay AM gospel powerhouse WAGG. Radio Assist Ministry is said to be donating the translator to Allan Stroh for no money. Stroh owns a few commercial radio properties in Huntsville and Montgomery, but nothing in Birmingham. The name of his company for this transaction, Iron City Radio, makes me wonder if he has plans to enter the state's largest radio market. Also, why didn't Cox buy the translator outright? Although FM stations aren't allowed to own the translators they rebroadcast on if they are commercial properties, the same does not apply if the originating station is on AM.
It seems Stroh was on the ball when it comes to moving translators to serve as AM relays, and was able to capitalize on that.
There are at least five other translator move-ins possible that I am aware of:
W277BW (103.3) is the most likely next candidate. Currently licensed and active on 103.1 in the Pelham area, this station has a permit to move to higher power on Red Mountain. What it will pick up, however, is anyone's guess. It's currently relaying the wonderful Alabama Public Radio schedule from WUAL out of Tuscaloosa. That could easily stay, but the temptation to sell to an AM looking to expand could be very, very tempting. The only bug in the ointment could be Montgomery's WMXS. Being co-channel to them might restrict the translator to lower power. The move to 103.3 was necessary, though, because staying on 103.1 would put them as a third-adjacent to WDXB, which is not allowed under current rules. In a strange twist of rulemaking, a translator can't be on a station's third adjacent, but it can be on a station's second adjacent. So being on 103.1 is bad, but being on 103.3 (on WQEN's second ajacent) is okay. That's the government for ya.
W286AQ/W286BK (105.1). The first is licensed to Northport but the facilities are near the Mercedes Benz plant in Vance. The second is licensed to Alabaster but has facilites in Pelham. With cooperation, either one could easily move onto Red Mountain. Neither is on the air as far as I know.
W271AM (102.1) is licensed to Tuscaloosa and is currently on the air, relaying WJRD 1150 AM's True Oldies format and doing a great job of blanketing the market. BUT — it has a CP to move to the Tuscaloosa Tall Tower, with 250 watts from nearly 1800 feet. It'll be a massive coverage area, size-wise, but cover nearly no one. WJRD is already lined up to pick up a second Tuscaloosa FM from a translator on W292DU (106.3), from the same Jug Factory Road location as W271AM's currently licensed facility. Now, here's where this gets interesting. The construction permit for W271AM appears to extend the translator's service area well beyond WJLD's permitted service contours. In other words, it couldn't be used for WJRD anymore if it were to get put on the air. My guess is this is an intermediate step before moving on to Red Mountain. Anyway: a dial position between The Bull and The Q? Sign me up!
W241AI (96.1) is licensed to Gorgas, which doesn't exist. It's already on the air from the east side of Birmingham, relaying Glen Iris' WGIB, with 10 watts. This one seems to have huge potential for upgrade, but I am not sure Glen Iris would be willing to part with it. You see, WGIB was once broadcast from atop Red Mountain, but relocated to Double Oak Mountain off 280, probably due to the DTV switchover a while back. This translator might allow them to regain some coverage in Birmingham proper (where the actual church is) that has been lost to shadowing from the mountains. On the other hand, the church could gain a huge donation by selling the thing. Getting a dial position between 95-7 Jamz and Magic 96? Sign me up!
W275AR (102.9) is the far-est of the far flung possibilities. Owned by WAY-FM, this station was not ever on the air that I can recall, but has been licensed for years. It's hemmed in by WKXX Attalla and WNPT Marion, though, so blasting a full 250 watts from a tall stick on Red Mountain may be iffy. But something could be done. A move off the mountain and into a valley to be a true local relay could work for one of the Spanish-language rimshots, or even one of Crawford's properties, as if they need more dial presence. ;)
I'm a firm believer that the AM-to-translator gig is far from over for the Birmingham area. It'll be fun to watch and see what happens.
It seems Stroh was on the ball when it comes to moving translators to serve as AM relays, and was able to capitalize on that.
There are at least five other translator move-ins possible that I am aware of:
W277BW (103.3) is the most likely next candidate. Currently licensed and active on 103.1 in the Pelham area, this station has a permit to move to higher power on Red Mountain. What it will pick up, however, is anyone's guess. It's currently relaying the wonderful Alabama Public Radio schedule from WUAL out of Tuscaloosa. That could easily stay, but the temptation to sell to an AM looking to expand could be very, very tempting. The only bug in the ointment could be Montgomery's WMXS. Being co-channel to them might restrict the translator to lower power. The move to 103.3 was necessary, though, because staying on 103.1 would put them as a third-adjacent to WDXB, which is not allowed under current rules. In a strange twist of rulemaking, a translator can't be on a station's third adjacent, but it can be on a station's second adjacent. So being on 103.1 is bad, but being on 103.3 (on WQEN's second ajacent) is okay. That's the government for ya.
W286AQ/W286BK (105.1). The first is licensed to Northport but the facilities are near the Mercedes Benz plant in Vance. The second is licensed to Alabaster but has facilites in Pelham. With cooperation, either one could easily move onto Red Mountain. Neither is on the air as far as I know.
W271AM (102.1) is licensed to Tuscaloosa and is currently on the air, relaying WJRD 1150 AM's True Oldies format and doing a great job of blanketing the market. BUT — it has a CP to move to the Tuscaloosa Tall Tower, with 250 watts from nearly 1800 feet. It'll be a massive coverage area, size-wise, but cover nearly no one. WJRD is already lined up to pick up a second Tuscaloosa FM from a translator on W292DU (106.3), from the same Jug Factory Road location as W271AM's currently licensed facility. Now, here's where this gets interesting. The construction permit for W271AM appears to extend the translator's service area well beyond WJLD's permitted service contours. In other words, it couldn't be used for WJRD anymore if it were to get put on the air. My guess is this is an intermediate step before moving on to Red Mountain. Anyway: a dial position between The Bull and The Q? Sign me up!
W241AI (96.1) is licensed to Gorgas, which doesn't exist. It's already on the air from the east side of Birmingham, relaying Glen Iris' WGIB, with 10 watts. This one seems to have huge potential for upgrade, but I am not sure Glen Iris would be willing to part with it. You see, WGIB was once broadcast from atop Red Mountain, but relocated to Double Oak Mountain off 280, probably due to the DTV switchover a while back. This translator might allow them to regain some coverage in Birmingham proper (where the actual church is) that has been lost to shadowing from the mountains. On the other hand, the church could gain a huge donation by selling the thing. Getting a dial position between 95-7 Jamz and Magic 96? Sign me up!
W275AR (102.9) is the far-est of the far flung possibilities. Owned by WAY-FM, this station was not ever on the air that I can recall, but has been licensed for years. It's hemmed in by WKXX Attalla and WNPT Marion, though, so blasting a full 250 watts from a tall stick on Red Mountain may be iffy. But something could be done. A move off the mountain and into a valley to be a true local relay could work for one of the Spanish-language rimshots, or even one of Crawford's properties, as if they need more dial presence. ;)
I'm a firm believer that the AM-to-translator gig is far from over for the Birmingham area. It'll be fun to watch and see what happens.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Mike O'Meara (and friends) are back broadcasting — with a free podcast!
If you read the old blog, you'll recall one of my first posts was a lament over former Don & Mike co-host Mike O'Meara getting canned from his long long longtime gig at DC talker WJFK-FM, which flipped to sports a few months back.
He and his cohorts are now out from under CBS' contract restrictions and have come back together to give us BM eaters an all new one hour show in podcast form. How 21st Century!
Mike, newsman Buzz Burbank and all around good guy Robb Spewak have teamed up with Oscar Santana from the also-expired Big O & Dukes afternoon show for the new gig, recorded each day in Mike's own living room. Nineteen hour-long netcasts are in the can and the show is already hitting its stride.
If you remember the show (and if you listened to talk radio in Mobile any time in the 90's, you probably do), you'll like what the new show has to offer. Lots of sound bits, spot-on impressions, pop culture talk and general ballsing-about.
You can stream or download the show by going to http://www.mikeomearashow.com/. It's also available via RSS feed and iTunes subscription, so get yourself a big ol' piece of chocolate pie a mile wide, climb into the nearest crawlspace and get ready America, cuz here comes funny.
The show is also being broadcast on Iowa City's KCJJ, and I'd be remiss if I also didn't mention that Robbay also has a weekend music show on the station, and it too is available for download. Every show is a reminder of how great radio used to be, so I recommend it as well.
He and his cohorts are now out from under CBS' contract restrictions and have come back together to give us BM eaters an all new one hour show in podcast form. How 21st Century!
Mike, newsman Buzz Burbank and all around good guy Robb Spewak have teamed up with Oscar Santana from the also-expired Big O & Dukes afternoon show for the new gig, recorded each day in Mike's own living room. Nineteen hour-long netcasts are in the can and the show is already hitting its stride.
If you remember the show (and if you listened to talk radio in Mobile any time in the 90's, you probably do), you'll like what the new show has to offer. Lots of sound bits, spot-on impressions, pop culture talk and general ballsing-about.
You can stream or download the show by going to http://www.mikeomearashow.com/. It's also available via RSS feed and iTunes subscription, so get yourself a big ol' piece of chocolate pie a mile wide, climb into the nearest crawlspace and get ready America, cuz here comes funny.
The show is also being broadcast on Iowa City's KCJJ, and I'd be remiss if I also didn't mention that Robbay also has a weekend music show on the station, and it too is available for download. Every show is a reminder of how great radio used to be, so I recommend it as well.
The first updates of the new year…
And a hearty thanks to regular contributor Travis for updating me on some things going on around Auburn. He notes that the translator on 106.5 MHz (licensed to the nonexistent Ridge Grove, but near the Auburn/Opelika line) is carrying AM talker WANI now. Also nearby is a Tallassee-licensed translator on 101.1 carying WACQ-AM fulltime, even when the AM signs off at night. Sweet deal. It had formerly hosted a hodgepodge of programming, carriny WACQ days and FM'er WRLD at night.
He also noted that the Chinese Christian LPFM station in Auburn appears to be off the air. I can't imagine there's a big market for a Chinese language Christian teaching station in Auburn anyway, but what do I know?
That's all for now. Hope you all have had a safe and happy New Year!
He also noted that the Chinese Christian LPFM station in Auburn appears to be off the air. I can't imagine there's a big market for a Chinese language Christian teaching station in Auburn anyway, but what do I know?
That's all for now. Hope you all have had a safe and happy New Year!
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