Another one goes dark in the Keys

[Groove1670]

WPIK FM Summerland Key Florida:

"THE STATION IS NO LONGER ABLE TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONS BECAUSE TOO MANY ADVERTISERS ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO ADVERTISE DUE TO HAVING TO SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC".

Currently dark in the Lower and Middle Florida Keys:
WKWF AM
WKIZ AM (deleted)
WKEY FM
WPIK FM
WGMX FM

 

[davideduardo]

WPIK FM Summerland Key Florida:

"THE STATION IS NO LONGER ABLE TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONS BECAUSE TOO MANY ADVERTISERS ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO ADVERTISE DUE TO HAVING TO SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC".

Currently dark in the Lower and Middle Florida Keys:
WKWF AM
WKIZ AM (deleted)
WKEY FM
WPIK FM
WGMX FM

This is what happens when the government licenses too many stations. None make enough money to give good programming and service to the market, and they are highly vulnerable to economic turn-downs and events like the current virus or hurricanes.

That is why they change hands so often.

 

[radiodx10]

Whatever happened to WJIR 90.9? When I was down there last summer they were on air mono and really quiet. It seems they too signed off?

 

[Groove1670]

Whatever happened to WJIR 90.9? When I was down there last summer they were on air mono and really quiet. It seems they too signed off?

WJIR FM has been deleted. The station was at the church down the street from our house. I dropped in one afternoon back in the 90's and cured a buzz they had on the console. I also adjusted the audio levels, and turned off the stereo pilot ( most of theprogramming was spoke word). The board and audio processor were old. The caps were dry, and I could get any any highs.

The station was always neglected and technically tinkered with when a new church board came in. KLOVE, AFR, and two other local ministries have have stations in the market. They probably didn't see any use for it, and was a unecessary expense.

On a related note: I expect to see more LPFM's deleted in this licence cycle. Several have a a D in front of them in Alabama & Georgia.

 

[Groove1670]

This is what happens when the government licenses too many stations. None make enough money to give good programming and service to the market, and they are highly vulnerable to economic turn-downs and events like the current virus or hurricanes.

That is why they change hands so often.

Sadly that is the case. Without consolidation, many of the stations in the Keys (and other communities) would of been long gone.

I see more stations listed on broker letters I get each week via email.

 

[Gregg.]

I guess the Keys are so tourist-dependent that when there are no tourists, there are almost no ad dollars.

With all these local stations going silent, at least for the time being, I suppose a DXer would be able to pick up some stations from Cuba. I heard a number of Cuban AM stations both day and night when I was in the Keys some years ago, including Radio Reloj on both 570 and 950. I was also surprised to hear some American music on one Cuban station, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen as I remember, among the Cuban and other Spanish-speaking artists. No FM stations, though.

And maybe you'll hear some stations from the Fort Myers section of Florida as well. A couple of those came in when I was there.

 

[davideduardo]

I guess the Keys are so tourist-dependent that when there are no tourists, there are almost no ad dollars.

Since all the FMs started building back in the 70's, the Keys have been a horrible radio market. There is no industry, and the econmy is based on visitors, retirees and pensioners plus Jimmy Buffet wannabees. It's the land of "it's five o'clock somewhere".

With all these local stations going silent, at least for the time being, I suppose a DXer would be able to pick up some stations from Cuba. I heard a number of Cuban AM stations both day and night when I was in the Keys some years ago, including Radio Reloj on both 570 and 950.

While there are a couple of AM channels where there is no Cuban station, you can basically get a Cuban on every active channel. I once took a communications receiver and small loop there back in the 80's and was able to get a station or a jammer on over 80 of the AM channels. And that was in just a couple of hours of listening as there were better things to drink... er, do when there.

No FM stations, though.

It's a little far. It is over 100 to La Habana and about 120 miles to the nearest FM transmitter.

 

[davideduardo]

Sadly that is the case. Without consolidation, many of the stations in the Keys (and other communities) would of been long gone..

Even worse: the USVI. They pretty much can't give away stations there.

 

[Groove1670]

Since all the FMs started building back in the 70's, the Keys have been a horrible radio market. There is no industry, and the econmy is based on visitors, retirees and pensioners plus Jimmy Buffet wannabees. It's the land of "it's five o'clock somewhere".



The second FM signed on around 1980 it was sold in 82 and switched to top 40. It killed the B/EZ station in 6 months and would switch to soft AC. A long dormant CP signed on a year later. A Class A and so on.

We got WPIK Licensed as part of the 80-90 window. It started at as a 6K then 25k and finally 50k. We did well because we were involved with the community (I'm from Key West) and we went on the air with Country and at the start of Garth Brooks, Reba, Brooks and Dunn popularity.

We took line dancers to remotes and clients, this club had over 500 members. A minimum of 150 would show up at events. We did well. It was time to exit. At that time we had 6 FM signals. I think now that has doubled or more.

You can't run over a dozen stations with several owners with a population of 29k or so.

 

[DXingRadio]

WPIK FM Summerland Key Florida:

"THE STATION IS NO LONGER ABLE TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONS BECAUSE TOO MANY ADVERTISERS ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO ADVERTISE DUE TO HAVING TO SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC".

Currently dark in the Lower and Middle Florida Keys:
WKWF AM
WKIZ AM (deleted)
WKEY FM
WPIK FM
WGMX FM

WKEZ is still going? Last I remember it was a part of an oldies network with WGMX and WKEY.

 

[johntherogger]

WPIK FM Summerland Key Florida:

"THE STATION IS NO LONGER ABLE TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONS BECAUSE TOO MANY ADVERTISERS ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO ADVERTISE DUE TO HAVING TO SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC".

Currently dark in the Lower and Middle Florida Keys:
WKWF AM
WKIZ AM (deleted)
WKEY FM
WPIK FM
WGMX FM

Don't forget WFFG. They're still off too.

 

[DXingRadio]

WKEZ is still going? Last I remember it was a part of an oldies network with WGMX and WKEY.

Answering my own question, apparently it was also silent. It has also been sold per RadioInsight.

Magnum Broadcasting purchases Silent 96.9 WKEZ-FM Tavernier/Key West from the court ordered trustee of Choice Radio Keys Corporation for $100,000 via an auction held last month. Magnum, which owns Dance “Party 105.7” WGAY Sugarloaf Key/Key West, beat out bids from Florida Keys Media and Multicare Foundation.

Guess the upper keys/lower Miami get a second dance station.

 

[andygradel]

Has anyone noticed the updated legal ID for Pirate Radio (WKYZ/Key West)? Hearing another set of calls in addition to WKYZ, which wasn't there previously. Sounded like WFMT/Marathon, but that can't be right since that's a classical station in Chicago.

Did they pick up a new signal?

 

[bigdonho]

Has anyone noticed the updated legal ID for Pirate Radio (WKYZ/Key West)? Hearing another set of calls in addition to WKYZ, which wasn't there previously. Sounded like WFMT/Marathon, but that can't be right since that's a classical station in Chicago.

Did they pick up a new signal?

WFFG is rebroadcasting Pirate Radio out of Key West in order to preserve their license. I am told they are running the transmitter off a home generator since the power company has not restored electricity to their transmitter site since the hurricane.

 

[davideduardo]

WFFG is rebroadcasting Pirate Radio out of Key West in order to preserve their license. I am told they are running the transmitter off a home generator since the power company has not restored electricity to their transmitter site since the hurricane.

What's the difference between "home" generators and any other kind? It would seem that maybe some have limited continuous duty cycles, but the largest restriction is in fuel. The engines... if they can run for an hour can run for a day, like car engines.

The major difference I see is that some generators are portable and even have wheels. Store them inside, roll them out for an emergency. I have a "home" generator that is mounted on a concrete pad with embedded bolts. The brochure I got years ago shows them installed at homes, farms, condos (for elevator service) and small offices. There was no distinction between home and other usages.

Mine is 28 kva, which could also run a nice size AM or FM station. In my case, it is the four home central AC units in different parts of the house due to the 120° summer temperatures.

But I would not try to take it with me if I go on a camping trip up the mountains next to us!

 

[bigdonho]

What's the difference between "home" generators and any other kind? It would seem that maybe some have limited continuous duty cycles, but the largest restriction is in fuel. The engines... if they can run for an hour can run for a day, like car engines.

The major difference I see is that some generators are portable and even have wheels. Store them inside, roll them out for an emergency. I have a "home" generator that is mounted on a concrete pad with embedded bolts. The brochure I got years ago shows them installed at homes, farms, condos (for elevator service) and small offices. There was no distinction between home and other usages.

Mine is 28 kva, which could also run a nice size AM or FM station. In my case, it is the four home central AC units in different parts of the house due to the 120° summer temperatures.

But I would not try to take it with me if I go on a camping trip up the mountains next to us!

I think the big difference is a "home" generator is not as ruggedly built as a generator designed for continuous duty. Running a generator 18 hours a day, day after day, takes a toll on a lightly built, air cooled, gasoline engine.

Then there is the fact that WFFG's transmitter is on an island requiring fuel to be ferried out in 5 gallon jugs.

 

[DXingRadio]

Interesting from 2009-2011 it was WKYZ simulcasting WFFG before Pirate came on.