100.5' AUX CP

[secondchoice]

I noticed that 100.5 has a CP for an AUX transmitter 5.9 KW @ 341.2 meters (1119 feet) (298ft higher than WSBB’s CP) which will have a similar 60 DB to WSBB and the current 100.5 pattern.
If Cumulus is so committed to talk IMHO they should consider putting talk on 100.5 and Rock 100’s programing on 106.7. When WSB gets 95.5 to an in town tower they should improve their ratings / and population in the 60 DB coverage even more. Could 100.5 with a 43 meter (141 feet) height advantage counter Cox’s power advantage in mono? The FCC 60 DB maps are close.

WSBB’s CP FCC 60 DB map: https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/map...ORAVILLE&state=GA&fileno=BPH-20060501AOE&.map

WNNX’s AUX CP FCC 60 DB map: https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/map...GE PARK&state=GA&fileno=BXPH-20150825AAZ&.map

100.5’s current 60 DB FCC map: is not that different than 95.5’s CP:
https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/map...EGE PARK&state=GA&fileno=BLH-20150310AIY&.map

I have often wondered why Cumulus has never been able to get a directional antenna with a big enough null to protect WSSL and get at least 50 KW from the Westin tower. If that is impossible, they have two COL Atlanta stations (99.7 or 101.5) that cover College Park so if 100.5’s col could be moved. Then 100.5 could go on any tower that increases the number of people in the 60 DB signal.

Could 100.5 be upgraded to C1 or better if the COL was west of 285? All of this would not be necessary if CC / I Heart could work a deal like 106.5 Chattanooga and 106.7 Gainesville did. I bet somewhere Cumulus could do a favor to CC in return.

 

[jabba17]

Supposedly Susquehanna and whoever owned WSSL at the time had a deal where WSSL would move further northeast (and still cover the SC upstate and maybe pick up Charlotte and/or Asheville). But when Clear Channel picked up WSSL, that was the end of that.

 

[RadioDoogie]

I would think it would benefit WSSL to move further northeast. More population and more listeners that direction. Right now it covers the tri cities and barely touches some of the Southern Charlotte suburbs and some of the Northern Augusta suburbs but most of the signal gets lost to the west in the Smokies. Waste of a full 100kw signal.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Supposedly Susquehanna and whoever owned WSSL at the time had a deal where WSSL would move further northeast (and still cover the SC upstate and maybe pick up Charlotte and/or Asheville). But when Clear Channel picked up WSSL, that was the end of that.

I doubt WNNX can increase power to 50KW. When 100.5 signed on in Atlanta, the power was 3,000 watts. Then Susquehanna worked out a deal with Clear Channel for WSSL to downgrade from (I think) a C0 to a C1 but with no change in signal. That enabled WNNX to increase to 12.5KW with a slight null in Gwinnett.

It's funny how things are relative. In the Baltimore/Washington area, where I'm from, there are no class C stations. WNNX's current signal would be considered a big one though it's small in comparison to other Atlanta stations.

 

[jabba17]

I doubt WNNX can increase power to 50KW. When 100.5 signed on in Atlanta, the power was 3,000 watts. Then Susquehanna worked out a deal with Clear Channel for WSSL to downgrade from (I think) a C0 to a C1 but with no change in signal. That enabled WNNX to increase to 12.5KW with a slight null in Gwinnett.

It's funny how things are relative. In the Baltimore/Washington area, where I'm from, there are no class C stations. WNNX's current signal would be considered a big one though it's small in comparison to other Atlanta stations.

WSSL has moved around a bit since (or at least changed their CoL).

 

[acheron1982]

100.5 has a very impressive signal considering the power. I've always been impressed with it. 105.7 signal seems weaker by comparison but has more juice. Never made sense to me.

Cumulus can do a modern rock alt/active hybrid and at 106.7, it would cover a lot of territory that currently has no modern rock option since 105.7 doesn't get out far.

Cumulus alt stations are already a bit "harder" and more adventurous than iheart.

 

[wavo]

100.5 has a very impressive signal considering the power. I've always been impressed with it. 105.7 signal seems weaker by comparison but has more juice. Never made sense to me.

Cumulus can do a modern rock alt/active hybrid and at 106.7, it would cover a lot of territory that currently has no modern rock option since 105.7 doesn't get out far.

Cumulus alt stations are already a bit "harder" and more adventurous than iheart.

A stations output power is very misleading. 100,000 watts is not twice the coverage of 50,000 watts. In terms of power it is a negligible 3 db difference...hardly noticeable outside of far-fringe areas. 25,000 watts is 6db below 100Kw...that DOES become noticeable but is not a dramatic difference. Your coverage is not reduced by 75%.
Antenna height is also a factor. 100.5 is right at 935 feet above average terrain which is around average for the Atlanta area - most Atlanta licensed stations are right at 1000 feet - some of the rimshots have antenna heights of 1700 feet.
100.5 is directional with protection to the northeast. But all FM antennae are directional to some extent. Panel type antennae come the closest to truly omnidirectional which means they radiate equally in all directions +/- 1 db. A typical side/pole mounted antenna will increase radiated signal in some areas and reduced signal in others. Engineers who design FM antennae configurations often use this pattern distortion to advantage by directing the "bounce" towards desired coverage areas. Typically, power can be doubled, or more when this type of installation is used. A rimshot would probably want to sidemount to take advantage of the tower bounce and throw more power towards the area of interest. A station whose transmitter is downtown may want equal coverage in all directions and choose a panel type antenna.
The point is there are many factors affecting a stations coverage area besides power. 100.5 puts a 60 dbu signal into most of the Atlanta metro and the signal is NOT the reason for its poor performance. Remember...the Fish is #2 this trend and does not put a 60 dbu signal over the entire metro area. (I'm guessing WNNX 100.5 has a much higher pop count in its 60 db circle than the Fish.)
Interesting that Cumulus is finally building out the 100.5 and 99.7 CPs at Chester Ave. I'm thinking they are the only Atlanta stations with no backup site.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

"Interesting that Cumulus is finally building out the 100.5 and 99.7 CPs at Chester Ave. I'm thinking they are the only Atlanta stations with no backup site."

Are they being forced to build out those CP's by the TV repack?

 

[HGR1290]

Roddy---Yes Most likely. The Briarcliff site is going to be impacted by repack in 2019.....it will be a L o n g project.

 

[RadioDoogie]

Technically speaking, why are radio station transmitters being affected by the TV repack? I do understand that as these TV stations move lower in frequency due to the repack, they have to be on larger towers. Also I am reading that some of the stations after the repack will share channels with the wireless companies. How does that work?

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Technically speaking, why are radio station transmitters being affected by the TV repack? I do understand that as these TV stations move lower in frequency due to the repack, they have to be on larger towers. Also I am reading that some of the stations after the repack will share channels with the wireless companies. How does that work?

The repack is going to force changes to the TV antennas, i.e. construction on the towers. The construction is going to interfere with FM antennas on the TV towers.

 

[secondchoice]

Technically speaking, why are radio station transmitters being affected by the TV repack? I do understand that as these TV stations move lower in frequency due to the repack, they have to be on larger towers. Also I am reading that some of the stations after the repack will share channels with the wireless companies. How does that work?

The repack most likely will require new antennas for the TV stations have “narrow” band or directional antenna(s). For the safety of the workers almost everything close to the work area on the tower should turned off. IIRC most FM’s are slightly lower than the TV antennas. Even if the FM could be ran at a reduced power that poses no danger to the workers, when hoisting stuff up and down accidental contact with lower antennas or gas pressured transmission lines is possible. So instead of just repairing the antenna system there is a good chance you get to replace the final stage in the transmitter too.

 

[AMRocks]

I would think it would benefit WSSL to move further northeast. More population and more listeners that direction. Right now it covers the tri cities and barely touches some of the Southern Charlotte suburbs and some of the Northern Augusta suburbs but most of the signal gets lost to the west in the Smokies. Waste of a full 100kw signal.

WSSL only cares about the Upstate in SC. That's where their advertisers are. Getting a little bit of Charlotte will not help them at all, financially or with ratings.

 

[wavo]

Technically speaking, why are radio station transmitters being affected by the TV repack? I do understand that as these TV stations move lower in frequency due to the repack, they have to be on larger towers. Also I am reading that some of the stations after the repack will share channels with the wireless companies. How does that work?

It has nothing to do with frequency. The TV antennae will have to come down and new ones will have to go up. As others have pointed out, the tower crews can't safely work in high RF fields so that is why it is a problem for the collocated FM stations.
The channels being vacated by television are being auctioned off to the wireless providers. They will not "share" these frequencies.

 

[davideduardo]

It has nothing to do with frequency. The TV antennae will have to come down and new ones will have to go up. As others have pointed out, the tower crews can't safely work in high RF fields so that is why it is a problem for the collocated FM stations.
The channels being vacated by television are being auctioned off to the wireless providers. They will not "share" these frequencies.

This is a logistics issue. To stay on the air, the tv station will relocate the existing antenna to a point lower on the tower, then install the new antenna where the old one was. To get space on the tower to have two antennae mounted simultaneously, an FM antenna that was just below the old antenna has to temporarily relocate, often to a temporary site or to a place much lower on the tower.

TV antennas occupy a big piece of vertical tower space. A UHF pylon that can handle 60 kw input will weigh around a ton and be 30 feet high. most require top mounting or a candelabra. A temporary antenna that is side mounted will need special brackets to hold it away from the tower.

In other words, lots of rigging work, and while that goes on, everything on the tower will be off or on reduced power.

If lower, they will have to go off or reduce power when tv work is going on. The tv stations generally have priority on the tower. It's about the vertical real estate. .

 

[davideduardo]

Here is some more information on the costs and effects of the repack to be felt by FM stations on TV towers:

(From AllAccess)

"Reps. BILL FLORES (R-TX) and GENE GREEN (D-TX) have lent their voices to the push to include funding for reimbursing radio stations for the estimated $50 million in costs incurred during the TV incentive auction repack...

The letter cites the possibility of "an unintended yet significant impact on the hundreds of radio stations that have transmitters co-located on TV towers" which must either move, shut down, or reduce power for weeks or months while work on the TV antennae is done. "

https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/...flores-green-call-on-house-appropriations-com (free registration required)

This pretty much sums up the huge impact that some FM stations will feel due to the repack; "weeks or months" shows how extensive the interruption might be.