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How many towers does WBZ-AM have?

N

nowradioguy

For several years, I was under the impression that WBZ-AM has only TWO radiators at its Hull facility. They are phased such as to produce a cardioid pattern beamed inland and not towards the fishes in the Atlantic.

In an article in today's BGlobe quoting Peter Casey's farewell speech in the WBZ Newsroom, he mentioned THREE towers in Hull.

So, which is it: 2 or 3?
 
For the record...WBZ is one of only 2 Class 1A stations that is authorized to run omnidirectional -- IF THEY WANTED....of course, they don't want to shoot
the majority of their signal into the ocean...
The other station is WWL, New Orleans (870) --- directional for the same reason.....
(Cue Paul Harvey: ".....and now you know......the REST of the story....")
BTW.....I have a QSL card from WBZ (back when they were owned by Westinghouse)....the pic on the front shows their TWO towers....
 
Oldie919 said:
For the record...WBZ is one of only 2 Class 1A stations that is authorized to run omnidirectional -- IF THEY WANTED....of course, they don't want to shoot
the majority of their signal into the ocean...
The other station is WWL, New Orleans (870) --- directional for the same reason.....
(Cue Paul Harvey: ".....and now you know......the REST of the story....")
BTW.....I have a QSL card from WBZ (back when they were owned by Westinghouse)....the pic on the front shows their TWO towers....
Click to expand...

There should be 23 others. Why wouldn't there be?
 
Oldie919 said:
For the record...WBZ is one of only 2 Class 1A stations that is authorized to run omnidirectional -- IF THEY WANTED
Click to expand...

All of the 1A (former) clears could run 50 kw omnidirectional. Two chose not to.
 
nowradioguy said:
For several years, I was under the impression that WBZ-AM has only TWO radiators at its Hull facility. They are phased such as to produce a cardioid pattern beamed inland and not towards the fishes in the Atlantic.

In an article in today's BGlobe quoting Peter Casey's farewell speech in the WBZ Newsroom, he mentioned THREE towers in Hull.

So, which is it: 2 or 3?
Click to expand...

The FCC lists a two tower array. https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=25444

There may be a third tower the for microwave and such, or as an auxiliary tower to use during maintenance.
 
Not in Hull but there is a backup tower at their studios and I read something about how the change in ownership meant they wouldn't be able to use it anymore..? From bostonradio dot org:
"Additionally, WBZ has a 10-kW backup transmitter at the studio, feeding a wire dipole supported by the 300-foot self-supporting steel tower in the parking lot. "
 
Does Boston Radio dot org have PROOF that they can't use it anymore? Let's see it. Or is this just more nonsensical speculation based on what someone created in their own mind?
 
Bill from White Plains said:
Does Boston Radio dot org have PROOF that they can't use it anymore? Let's see it. Or is this just more nonsensical speculation based on what someone created in their own mind?
Click to expand...

The anti-iHeart/anti-big-corporate-radio crowd (which seems to consist mainly of non-industry people, at least in this group) seems to ascribe a degree of corporate pettiness to the major players in radio that I seriously doubt exists. If some natural or terrorist event were to render the Hull site inoperable today, I can't imagine WBZ being told by a bunch of suits or corporate lawyers that it can't use the emergency back-up transmitter. I call BS on this as well.
 
The bit about the backup transmitter came from the description of WBZ at bostonradio dot org and was written awhile ago. It was not they who said they might not be able to use it. I can't remember where I heard or read about that--Twitter? Fybush's Top of the Tower podcast?
 
So what is the problem?
Stations own/lease/rent tower space on othersʼ broadcast properties all the time—the Rt.128 Newton/Needham sticks come to mind.
Is/was there anything stopping iHeart from buying or leasing the auxiliary facilities at 1170 SFR?
Has anyone seen anything in these transactions excluding/prohibiting access and/or use of the backup facilities?
 
Actually Clear Channel (yes, I know now iHeartRadio) was quite instrumental in recovery back in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans with assistance getting spare parts for competitors’ transmitters to having competiters’ run their programming out of the CCU facilities doing whatever was needed to get information out. They were a model neighbor. I also agree, that transmitter site at Soldiers Field Road will be available as long as needed. Sure, Entercom will long term relocate it. I doubt it’s a major concern as is to either party.
On a different note, does or did WBZ maintain a secondary back-up site in Nahant?
 
I knew Hull was the full-time two stick site. I must have misheard the info in a conversation on WBZ’s back-up sites (or site in this case :). Thank you for the clarification, Raccoon!
 
I was always amazed at how the WBZ transmitter building in hull fit into the neighborhood pretty well. Looks like a residential house.
 
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