Lower Manhattan Translator Approved for 95.1 FM

[Barry]

RadioInsight reports that the FCC approved an application for a translator that will broadcast 10 watts from 4 Times Square on 95.1. W236CH is expected to rebroadcast the Christian station The Bridge with a directional signal aimed toward the southern end of Manhattan, and extreme northern Brooklyn.
It remains to be seen whether there will be any significant objections from WRKI "I95". The rock station's signal reaches southern Westchester well from Fairfield County CT, but I am not sure if they are audible in lower Manhattan. And its owner Cumulus may not care much about potential interference at this point, as the station is expected to be transferred soon to Townsquare Media. I believe WAYV, way down in the Atlantic City NJ area is the only other station on 95.1 in the region.
We have seen how difficult it has been to get permission to run a translator from within NYC, as the owner of W292DV has been submitting applications for different locations and configurations for years in an attempt to broadcast on 106.3.

W236CH signal map: https://maps.google.com/?q=http://t...95.1&contour=60&city=FORT_GREENE&state=NY.kml

WJUX, Monticello NY (The Bridge): http://www.bridgefm.org/

 

[mets18]

That would be a nice fill-in for 103.9 if they ever move into the Bronx.

 

[fybush]

That would be a nice fill-in for 103.9 if they ever move into the Bronx.

It would, indeed, if the rules for "fill-in" translators didn't make that impossible. A fill-in translator can't have any part of its own 60 dBu contour extending beyond the parent station's 60, and 103.9's 60 doesn't get down that far from the Bronx. Now, Cumulus could (and likely would) put the 103.9 programming on an HD subchannel of 94.7 or 95.5, at which point 95.1 could be a "fill-in" for either of those signals very legally, but that's getting way ahead of the game at this point.

 

[Barry]

I believe that WFUV may still have difficulty reaching lower Manhattan, even with the booster they installed. Perhaps they may also be a potential candidate for eventually leasing the translator.

 

[Macker]

i95 has an incredible signal. It starts to fade when you get to Manhattan, and I've heard it come in past Poughkeepsie and farther in the opposite direction.

 

[ansky212]

95.1 is a popular frequency for pirates, many of which probably have a larger coverage area than this translator. There is a powerful one on right now in the Newark area.

 

[GSP163]

95.1 was the first frequency I ever heard a pirate (it was sometime back in the late 90's). Ever since its always been home to multiple pirates and I have never really been able to listen to WRKI with a listenable signal in the car unless I'm in Rockland County or points NE.

 

[mikerock]

I hope it does not create interference up here in Rockland County. It would be sad to lose the station I have been listening to here since as far back as I can remember - late 70s. Although Q104.3 has a much stronger here I usually listen to WRKI even in parts of the county where the signal is a mess since it is a much better Classic Rock station. Their audio quality is also somewhat better to.

I remember when they used to have a sweeper boasting about their signal reaching all of CT, some mention of MA and "a small part of the Garden State Parkway". Which was about right, I used to listen from North Jersey and could keep them on from here going up to Boston.

The interference from pirates on weekends on either 94.9 or 95.3 can make listening a bit frustrating as mentioned in the thread I posted last week.