I’ve noticed WJMZ has been analog only for the past few days, or (unlikely) my car can’t get their HD signal anymore. This normally wouldn’t be a big deal, but Awesome 99.5, X98.5, and Hot 98.1 @ 94.1 are all fed via WJMZ-HD2-4. Those three translators are still broadcasting their respective programming. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal but it happens with HD signals on occasion and very few if any translators shut off if the HD is down. How long can something like this go on until some friendly communication from the FCC is received?
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WJMZ-HD off the air
- Thread starter 101tm
- Start date
I really hope WJMZ can increase HD signal for the Spartanburg area. HD from their current site cuts out in most parts of Spartanburg, and analog is weak at times, especially going towards Gaffney.
Also, 94.1 doesn't help for 98.1 much except for the western part of Spartanburg, and 98.5 and 99.5 are weak but listenable in most the the city.
Wasn't there a CP to move 107.3 to the WMYA-TV tower not too long ago? (Same location as 101.1 also licensed to Anderson) That site would really help with Spartanburg coverage
Also, 94.1 doesn't help for 98.1 much except for the western part of Spartanburg, and 98.5 and 99.5 are weak but listenable in most the the city.
Wasn't there a CP to move 107.3 to the WMYA-TV tower not too long ago? (Same location as 101.1 also licensed to Anderson) That site would really help with Spartanburg coverage
I know Cox had CP’s for both 98.1 and 107.3. It seems like WHZT was going to be moved but they ended up just changing the COL from Seneca to Williamston. Not sure why. There isn’t much that can be done to increase 98.1 in Spartanburg due to WPEG being next door on 97.9 unless they could move the frequency.
The 107.3 CP was to relocate to the WROQ tower off of SC-418 south of Simpsonville, yes. Cox let it expire and never renewed or built it out. I guess the reasoning may be it isn’t worth moving it considering how well they do and the format they have a lock in where they currently are. I can normally get the HD in Laurens county but it can drop out. I can get Awesome 99.5 with static, but X98.5 is a no go because of a (horribly programmed) talk station in Greenwood running 250w in mono on 98.5.
The 94.1 translator is on the wrong side but it can’t be any further east due to 107.3’s contour. Hot 98.1’s signal isn’t even that bad in the area 94.1 covers. The workaround there would be for Summit to lease an HD channel from one of the other 100kw signals to move the translator further east, but since it’d likely be Audacy or iHeart, I doubt that’ll happen. Summit unfortunately has pretty poor signals with 107.3 and especially 98.1 both being on the western end of the market but they’ve done a good job building out their cluster with the two translators. I wish they’d buy 94.5, that signal is such a waste with talk that can’t even compete with the C3 106.3. One can dream!
The 107.3 CP was to relocate to the WROQ tower off of SC-418 south of Simpsonville, yes. Cox let it expire and never renewed or built it out. I guess the reasoning may be it isn’t worth moving it considering how well they do and the format they have a lock in where they currently are. I can normally get the HD in Laurens county but it can drop out. I can get Awesome 99.5 with static, but X98.5 is a no go because of a (horribly programmed) talk station in Greenwood running 250w in mono on 98.5.
The 94.1 translator is on the wrong side but it can’t be any further east due to 107.3’s contour. Hot 98.1’s signal isn’t even that bad in the area 94.1 covers. The workaround there would be for Summit to lease an HD channel from one of the other 100kw signals to move the translator further east, but since it’d likely be Audacy or iHeart, I doubt that’ll happen. Summit unfortunately has pretty poor signals with 107.3 and especially 98.1 both being on the western end of the market but they’ve done a good job building out their cluster with the two translators. I wish they’d buy 94.5, that signal is such a waste with talk that can’t even compete with the C3 106.3. One can dream!
They were going to move 98.1 to the WJMZ tower (near Williamston) closer to Greenville but directional to protect 97.9 in Charlotte. That seems reasonable. Currently 98.1 barely reaches Gaffney and east Spartanburg except under the right conditions and with a good radio.
They can move a translator further east but it would have to be directional, being close to the transmitter is better, even if its lower power and not a rim shot signal like 94.1 Spartanburg technically is.
See how Hot 93.1 Augusta GA and the translator station are doing (WCHZ), even though the translator for that station (95.5) is way outside the protected contour.
They can move a translator further east but it would have to be directional, being close to the transmitter is better, even if its lower power and not a rim shot signal like 94.1 Spartanburg technically is.
See how Hot 93.1 Augusta GA and the translator station are doing (WCHZ), even though the translator for that station (95.5) is way outside the protected contour.
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Unless something has changed, Hot 95.5 in Augusta is fed by WHHD-HD2 so it’s well within the protected contour.
Summit may be okay with where the 94.1 translator is. It does cover Greer, Lyman/Duncan, Boiling Springs and western Spartanburg well. That’s a pretty decent population concentration. The 98.1 signal comes in OK in in those areas, but does tend to weaken when you go east on US-29 past Greer. A lot of it may be 98.1’s very bad sounding audio chain which doesn’t help things even in the middle of their 60dbu sound wise. It’s sounded bad for years. I haven’t listened to it all the way to Spartanburg to test, but maybe they’re comfortable with eastern Spartanburg county in general having a wider coverage area from the translator than having it cover all of Spartanburg city but be weaker in the above mentioned areas where 98.1 starts to have issues.
94.1 lives on the 103.3 tower. Perhaps the 910 or 950 tower sites would be better for a directional location, I believe the 97.1 translator is on the WORD tower, and the 105.7 translator for WOLI is on the 910 tower. The 105.7 signal looks to do a good job on paper (I’ve never actually listened to that signal) of covering Spartanburg and the smaller communities in the western part of town, maybe WHZT would benefit from that type of pattern.
Summit may be okay with where the 94.1 translator is. It does cover Greer, Lyman/Duncan, Boiling Springs and western Spartanburg well. That’s a pretty decent population concentration. The 98.1 signal comes in OK in in those areas, but does tend to weaken when you go east on US-29 past Greer. A lot of it may be 98.1’s very bad sounding audio chain which doesn’t help things even in the middle of their 60dbu sound wise. It’s sounded bad for years. I haven’t listened to it all the way to Spartanburg to test, but maybe they’re comfortable with eastern Spartanburg county in general having a wider coverage area from the translator than having it cover all of Spartanburg city but be weaker in the above mentioned areas where 98.1 starts to have issues.
94.1 lives on the 103.3 tower. Perhaps the 910 or 950 tower sites would be better for a directional location, I believe the 97.1 translator is on the WORD tower, and the 105.7 translator for WOLI is on the 910 tower. The 105.7 signal looks to do a good job on paper (I’ve never actually listened to that signal) of covering Spartanburg and the smaller communities in the western part of town, maybe WHZT would benefit from that type of pattern.
I agree, the tower for 950/97.1 is a good location closer to Spartanburg that would help for those areas where 98.1 is weak, 104.5 (The Block) recently put their equipment there as well.
94.1 can move there and be directional to the east and still be within 107.3's protected contour
104.5's signal (licensed to Inman) is directional to the SW to protect the 104.5 LP in Simpsonville.
105.7 is nearby to that area as well, a bit weaker but still good enough in most of the city.
What I found WCHZ is listed as the primary station for W238AU though it simulcasts on WHHD-HD2 and 95.5 Augusta shares the same tower as 98.3 as well...Kinda nice how they set that up.
94.1 can move there and be directional to the east and still be within 107.3's protected contour
104.5's signal (licensed to Inman) is directional to the SW to protect the 104.5 LP in Simpsonville.
105.7 is nearby to that area as well, a bit weaker but still good enough in most of the city.
What I found WCHZ is listed as the primary station for W238AU though it simulcasts on WHHD-HD2 and 95.5 Augusta shares the same tower as 98.3 as well...Kinda nice how they set that up.
Just email them or Call, Not that hard
I doubt they can put anything else on the current WJMZ tower. We inquired to get 95.9 there originally but the tower wouldn’t meet specs for approval. Jamz can hang on there til it falls but I wouldn’t look for anything new to be hung on that tower.
Pretty certain that Audacy (WORD tower) would not lease space to the blocks (104.5) main competitor to co-locate (94-1 Summit). But, tower money isn’t necessarily the same as the broadcast outfit.
Pretty certain that Audacy (WORD tower) would not lease space to the blocks (104.5) main competitor to co-locate (94-1 Summit). But, tower money isn’t necessarily the same as the broadcast outfit.
I think I'm remembering correctly. I rode through Spartanburg in the 70s or early 80s and saw the WORD letters on the towers for 910 AM. Actually, it couldn't have been the 70s because I wouldn't have known what WORD was, but by the 80s I did.
I had an aunt who lived in Greenville briefly so I know I went through Spartanburg then.
WJMZ I believe is only like a mile or 2 from 95.9's current site. Looked kinda empty but tall last time I saw it driving toward Liberty. Imagine if the site was higher up, even though its directional, with less power it would still have better line of site from a similar location.
I've heard static at times in 95.9 in parts of Anderson and Clemson....and almost can't hear 95.9 at all especially going east from Easley.
Earth's CP for 95.5 would fix this issue even if its a few miles in the other direction, closer to Greenville, which should be way better overall. My concern for 95.5 would be WSBB interference near the GA state line.
There's a few sites in the area that would help 94.1 but as Craig said, 94.1/98.1 is a direct competition to the Block so moving to the same tower probably wouldnt work, if Audacy owns the tower, theres a few sites near it that also can provide a better signal due to the transmitter being closer to the city. 105.7 and 910 WOLI's site comes to mind
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Yeah, and 910/105.7 isn’t too far from WORD 910. I’m not sure who owns it, but I doubt there’d be much issue with that site’s ownership and Jamz. I forgot Audacy still owned the 950 tower site.
I wonder if WJMZ could be moved to the C3 WSHP 103.9 tower, or the tower that will be used for 95.5? Also, there are a number of towers in west Greenville but I know some of them have moved or are planning to. Both 95.5 and 103.9 are in western Pickens county. Couldn’t 107.3 be downgraded to a C1 in order to move closer if needed? If the signal were moved to, say the 95.5 or 103.9 tower, they would still hit Anderson, cover Spartanburg area better, and not sacrifice anything in the core of the market in Greenville county.
Oh, regarding 95.9. That signal doesn’t carry at all. Keep in mind they’re directional to the east, don’t have a ton of height and are running at max power for a 6kw class A. The only class A in the market is 103.3 which goes much further but it’s non-directional and has height. The former class A’s, 103.9 and 104.9 (in its previous incarnation at 96.7) have grown up a bit considering they’re C3’s now (106.3 was the only C3 forever, then the old 104.9 WCCP moved to 105.5 and upgraded to C3 also). 😁
I wonder if WJMZ could be moved to the C3 WSHP 103.9 tower, or the tower that will be used for 95.5? Also, there are a number of towers in west Greenville but I know some of them have moved or are planning to. Both 95.5 and 103.9 are in western Pickens county. Couldn’t 107.3 be downgraded to a C1 in order to move closer if needed? If the signal were moved to, say the 95.5 or 103.9 tower, they would still hit Anderson, cover Spartanburg area better, and not sacrifice anything in the core of the market in Greenville county.
Oh, regarding 95.9. That signal doesn’t carry at all. Keep in mind they’re directional to the east, don’t have a ton of height and are running at max power for a 6kw class A. The only class A in the market is 103.3 which goes much further but it’s non-directional and has height. The former class A’s, 103.9 and 104.9 (in its previous incarnation at 96.7) have grown up a bit considering they’re C3’s now (106.3 was the only C3 forever, then the old 104.9 WCCP moved to 105.5 and upgraded to C3 also). 😁
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WOLI-AM is what was WORD-AM. The current WORD-AM is the former WSPA-AM 950. The WORD tower with calls was torn down to make way for a shopping center and apartments. FYI the bowtie antenna up top 950 tower is the original 98.9 FM antennae before the hog back move.
I knew about the frequency swap but didn't know about the towers.
Checked tonight, WJMZ-HD is still off the air. I miss being able to hear WJMZ-HD2 since that Greenwood translator for WCRS AM absolutely blasts I can’t get 98.5 at all.
I forget about 910 still being on the air. The signal always had its issues in Greenville but these days there’s so much noise, at least with my car I can’t really make it out. Looks like it’s a Spanish format primarily feeding the 105.7 translator now. That station has been through tons of formats for around 20 years, it’s mostly been LMA’d. It’s funny how they ended up keeping the WOLI calls which were used for Oldies 103 on 103.9 like 25 years ago and have been gone from 103.9 for a while.
I forget about 910 still being on the air. The signal always had its issues in Greenville but these days there’s so much noise, at least with my car I can’t really make it out. Looks like it’s a Spanish format primarily feeding the 105.7 translator now. That station has been through tons of formats for around 20 years, it’s mostly been LMA’d. It’s funny how they ended up keeping the WOLI calls which were used for Oldies 103 on 103.9 like 25 years ago and have been gone from 103.9 for a while.
Why not move 103.3 and 94.1 to the 910/105.7 site, it would better serve Spartanburg and 98.1 and Future 95.5 WLTE could Focus on Greenville/Anderson.
103.3 would be better I think moving closer to Spartanburg for a better signal in the Eastern Upstate/Gaffney/Union as well. Especially when 95.9 moves to 95.5. Whatcha think, CraigD?
Or maybe Upgrade 103.3 to a C3 (if possible)
With a directional antenna towards the South and SW (towards WZSN & WHQA).
An Earth FM translator for Greenwood SC might be a good idea as well, Since WZSN blocks their signal there, and 95.9 from Anderson can't reach that far.
103.3 would be better I think moving closer to Spartanburg for a better signal in the Eastern Upstate/Gaffney/Union as well. Especially when 95.9 moves to 95.5. Whatcha think, CraigD?
Or maybe Upgrade 103.3 to a C3 (if possible)
With a directional antenna towards the South and SW (towards WZSN & WHQA).
An Earth FM translator for Greenwood SC might be a good idea as well, Since WZSN blocks their signal there, and 95.9 from Anderson can't reach that far.
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103.3 has always been an unfortunate signal due to the proximity to WHQA and WZSN. I’m surprised they were able to get it on the air that close to those. Where it’s currently located, it does serve Spartanburg, Greer, the east side of Greenville and Mauldin/Simpsonville/Fountain Inn well.
It looks like the future 95.5 and current 103.3 will both cover Five Forks, Simpsonville, and Fountain Inn around the end of the 60dbu contour for each signal. Both should hit those areas well enough, but those are important parts of the market that Salem might benefit from the redundancy of both 103.3 and 95.5 in. The coverage should largely be similar to what 103.3 and 103.9 covered as a simulcast which worked fairly well. I’m not able to see the old coverage pattern for 103.9 as a class A, but 95.5 should be pretty similar except it is going to be further to the south in order to hit Anderson better than the old 103.9 did, which means 95.5 won’t be as strong to the east as 103.9 was. I think that important eastern GVL county area needs both signals to be on the safe side and saturate the area they’re selling to from Anderson to Spartanburg, but that’s JMO.
It looks like the future 95.5 and current 103.3 will both cover Five Forks, Simpsonville, and Fountain Inn around the end of the 60dbu contour for each signal. Both should hit those areas well enough, but those are important parts of the market that Salem might benefit from the redundancy of both 103.3 and 95.5 in. The coverage should largely be similar to what 103.3 and 103.9 covered as a simulcast which worked fairly well. I’m not able to see the old coverage pattern for 103.9 as a class A, but 95.5 should be pretty similar except it is going to be further to the south in order to hit Anderson better than the old 103.9 did, which means 95.5 won’t be as strong to the east as 103.9 was. I think that important eastern GVL county area needs both signals to be on the safe side and saturate the area they’re selling to from Anderson to Spartanburg, but that’s JMO.
BTW, I see 950 WORD (former WSPA) has just gotten a CP to go non-directional 24 hours and knock the nighttime power down to 65 watts vs 5kw 24 hours directional. Daytime signal will stay the same but it looks like they’ll be able to use just the daytime tower (the one closest to the classic “WSPA-CBS” building) and not the other two. I wonder if there’s anything left in that classic building?
I was thinking perhaps another site that could use an upgrade would be WASC 1530, they have a nice station with a great format but its doesn't get out much, can barely hear it in Gaffney, but its does well in Downtown Spartanburg.
That would be a nice location for an FM translator or a move for 94.1 to cover 98.1, which at this point I dont think it really matters, 94.1 was never really a strong enough signal for Spartanburg from its current site, and the 98.3 translator for WSPG sports really causes alot of interference to Hot 98.1 and X98.5 in that area until you get away from downtown.
With Fox Sports redundancy on 98.3 and now the larger signal on 104.9 it would be nice to free up one of these channels which seem to be a waste other than for advertising.
That would be a nice location for an FM translator or a move for 94.1 to cover 98.1, which at this point I dont think it really matters, 94.1 was never really a strong enough signal for Spartanburg from its current site, and the 98.3 translator for WSPG sports really causes alot of interference to Hot 98.1 and X98.5 in that area until you get away from downtown.
With Fox Sports redundancy on 98.3 and now the larger signal on 104.9 it would be nice to free up one of these channels which seem to be a waste other than for advertising.
Wow listening in Woodruff today, a station got their TOH ID a bit wrong.
"101.7 WQUL Woodruff / Spartanburg"
"W269 Woodruff"
Should be W269DM
Also nice to note WQUL also used to be on 95.9 in Woodruff a few years ago before switching to 101.7
but currently in Woodruff 95.9 (for the past year or so) has been playing a simulcast of His Radio WLFJ 89.3, not sure where its coming from but its only heard around parts of Woodruff on 95.9....
WLFJ 89.3 Already has a good signal in Woodruff.
Very rarely thru static can Earth FM 95.9 be heard up this way, that signal barely makes it into and past Fountain Inn, 103.3 has a great signal in Woodruff as well.
"101.7 WQUL Woodruff / Spartanburg"
"W269 Woodruff"
Should be W269DM
Also nice to note WQUL also used to be on 95.9 in Woodruff a few years ago before switching to 101.7
but currently in Woodruff 95.9 (for the past year or so) has been playing a simulcast of His Radio WLFJ 89.3, not sure where its coming from but its only heard around parts of Woodruff on 95.9....
WLFJ 89.3 Already has a good signal in Woodruff.
Very rarely thru static can Earth FM 95.9 be heard up this way, that signal barely makes it into and past Fountain Inn, 103.3 has a great signal in Woodruff as well.
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That's a shame. I could hear both WSPA and WFBC in the N.C. mountains back in the day after dark.
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