WBMG-LP license deleted

Moody's WBMG-LP has had its license deleted by the FCC.  The station had broadcast on RF channel 38 with 30.9 kW, relaying The Dream Network.  It is unknown if the station is actually off the air or not.

If the calls sound familiar, it's because they once belonged to Birmingham's CBS 42, now known as WIAT.

WDVZ-CD Moundville to get big coverage boost

WDVZ-CA, an This TV affiliate that's part of the WVUA that's licensed to Moundville, has received a CP modification to boost its digital construction permit and relocate the transmitter site.

The original permit for 300 watts from the old WDBB-TV tower on Jug Factory Road in Tuscaloosa county, which would have covered most of Tuscaloosa County.  The new permit, for 3,000 watts, will be from the Tuscaloosa Tall Tower (currently used by WDBB-DT and some ham radio repeaters) and will cover a larger amount of west Alabama.

It's possible this move is due to Tuscaloosa's WUOA-DT failing to properly cover Tuscaloosa.  Broadcasting on analog channel 23 from the tall tower site, it covered a lot of territory, but after the digital switchover, it took on WBRC's old channel 6 allocation and transmit site atop Red Mountain.  So, despite being licensed to Tuscaloosa and mostly covering Tuscaloosa during newscasts, the off the air signal is almost impossible to receive in T-town itself.   The station is still watchable in Tuscaloosa thanks to WVUA-CA, but it's analog only.  WDVZ-CD's moving to the Tuscaloosa Tall Tower should alleviate some of the coverage issues WUOA-DT has, but being on VHF-lo like WUOA certainly won't help things.  VHF-lo is a bad place for digital TV.

WDVZ-CA is an analog allocation, also on RF channel 3, but has been off the air for some time.

Upgrade looming for Columbus, Georgia area translator

W299AX currently operates at 10 watts from a tower site in Ladonia, west of Phenix City, Alabama, on 107.7 MHz, relaying "Freedom Radio" WJEP from Cusseta, Georgia.  A recent construction permit was issued that made almost no changes to the licensed facility, but it has been superseded by a new permit, authorizing 250 watts from the existing tower site.  In addition, the translator will drop WJEP for WKCN, "Kissin' 99.3" country.  Since Kissin' is a local station, this almost certainly means the translator will be picking up another signal to relay, possibly an HD subchannel or local AM station.

It appears that Columbus has no commercial stations running HD, so it's likely any new format to debut here will come from a local AM station if WKCN isn't being upgraded to run IBOC digital.

Columbus currently has one AM on a translator, WRGC at 1420 kHz, which has a rock format as "106.9 Really Rocks".  It's put on by PMB Broadcasting, who also owns Kissin' 99.3.

Three Tennessee Valley translator deletions

Three Tennessee Valley area translators were deleted by the FCC the other day.

First, in Athens, W261CL was axed.  Running 178 watts on 100.1 MHz, it was relaying WHRP-FM's Adult Mix urban contemporary format.  The frequency has long been active in the area, at one time carrying Alabama Public Radio, and before that, Nashville's rocking 103KDF before it went countrified.

The other two are in Florence and belong to Urban Radio, who used W222AV to rebroadcast Shoals-music-lovin' AM'er WLAY.  The station had been on 92.3 MHz and ran a healthy 225 watts.  Gone with it is W266AU, running 125 watts on 101.1 MHz and relaying St. Joesph, Tennessee-licensed WMXV, which plays to the Florence market.

Most surprising to me is seeing the WLAY translator deleted.  The overwhelmingly popular trend in Alabama radio has been for AMs to get FM translators, so to see one not only shut down but have the license turned in is very usual.

Yet another LPFM license is turned in… this time in Auburn.

WACM-LP in Auburn is the latest to turn in its license to the FCC.  The station had previously run a Chinese language Christian ministry service from "Footprint FM" based in Rolla, Missouri.  It has been silent for months before turning in the license.

A few deleted facilities to mention

Three deleted facilities came across the FCC daily digest today.  First, on the television side, TBN has requested the deletion of W57BV, a former low power allocation in the Florence area.  This was one of many LPTV outlets the nation that TBN requested to be deleted.  It also claimed W24CK in Selma, which was never listed on this site for some reason.  I don't think it was ever built out at all.

Next, on FM, we have W255BN with a deletion request from the owner.  The station ran about 80 watts in the Florence area (Zip City being the actual city of license) and was last known to be relaying the eclectic non-commercial WOWL from Burnsville, Mississippi.  It's unknown if the station is still broadcasting or not.

Finally, a deleted LPFM.  WKOC-LP has been deleted per the owner's request.  It previously served the Ider area of far northeast Alabama (near Henagar) relaying the 3 Angels Broadcasting network.

WAFF completes move to channel 48

In case you woke up this morning to no picture on WAFF, you will need to rescan your digital tuner, because WAFF has given little fanfare to moving their RF channel from 49 to 48.  The station has apparently dropped any plans to significantly increase power, leaving them with a relatively small coverage area compared to most full power UHF digital stations. The new facility is 48 kW at 1,890 feet, a slight increase from their days on RF channel 49.

WDJR Enterprise reported to be changing formats after Christmas

Radio Insight is reporting that WDJR in Enterprise is to change formats after a stint of all Christmas music beginning on 5 December 2011.  Gulf South Communications recently acquired cross town rival WTVY from Magic Broadcasting and is planning to move most of the WDJR staff to 95.5, which will remain country.

In the mean time, WDJR is being heard on WTVY until Christmas music debuts on Monday.  No word on what the new format will be.