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.