WFNI Files to "Resume Operations"?

[secondchoice]

The translator coverage is not dependent on the AM coverage.

A translator could have its 60 dBu coverage anywhere within a 25-mile radius of the AM site.

But - WIBC would have to find an existing translator to buy. The FCC windows for new translators came and went a few years ago.

Isn't there a rule that FM translator for AM 60 dBu contour is contained within the greater of the 2 mV/m contour of the AM station, or a 25-mile radius centered on the AM station’s transmitter site.

If you have really good AM signal, could you go past the 25 mile limit assuming there you don't interfere with an existing operation?

 

[fybush]

Isn't there a rule that FM translator for AM 60 dBu contour is contained within the greater of the 2 mV/m contour of the AM station, or a 25-mile radius centered on the AM station’s transmitter site.

If you have really good AM signal, could you go past the 25 mile limit assuming there you don't interfere with an existing operation?

There is and you could - but the ground conductivity in central Indiana doesn't do you any favors. You would be more likely to be able to use this rule in the upper Midwest (Iowa, Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas).

Where it's used, it usually allows for multiple translators within the enlarged footprint of the parent AM. WCJW Warsaw NY is a good example - it actually increased day power so it could push out its 2 to encompass more territory, which it now covers with six translators.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

25 miles from downtown Indy is quite significant for this market. That's a circle encompassing all the major suburbs and nearly reaching Shelbyville, Danville and Lebanon. I don't think there's much concern that 1kW Non-directional on 1070 would be too weak, if they have at least one translator.

The bigger problem would likely be securing a translator or two.

 

[KilowattKat]

Lance just posted an update that the city council rejected the zoning petitions to allow the towers to be built at the proposed location. The article also has an absolutely brutal quote by board member calling AM radio a "dinosaur". Ouch.

Petition To Construct New Towers For 1070 WFNI Indianapolis Vetoed By Zoning Board – RadioInsight

The Zionsville IN Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously voted 5-0 to reject both of the petitions filed by Blessed Beginnings Broadcasting that would have been required to construct the new six tower array for WFNI. The first petition was a Special Exception to allow the construction of the...

radioinsight.com

Wow! You know AM radio really is on its deathbed, when even you're city councilman knows about it's sad state. Probably more aware of the futility of bringing WFNI back than the owner himself.

 

[Ryan Williams]

25 miles from downtown Indy is quite significant for this market. That's a circle encompassing all the major suburbs and nearly reaching Shelbyville, Danville and Lebanon. I don't think there's much concern that 1kW Non-directional on 1070 would be too weak, if they have at least one translator.

The bigger problem would likely be securing a translator or two.

I agree that the bigger problem is securing a translator or two. There is nothing really good that is available.

Regardless, 1 kW non-directional on 1070 is something, but not really sufficient in my opinion. 950 is 1 kW non-directional from the nw part of town and it puts about 5 mV/m into Greenwood, less than 3 mV into Greenfield, less than 7 mV into Fishers, less than 5 mV into Noblesville/Northern Carmel, etc. It is pretty decent inside the Loop (465). The FCC uses 5 mV/m as the AM standard for "city-grade", but I think in 2022 you need a lot more than that to really get substantial listening. The radios are mostly terrible and the amount of noise coming from everything is just so high 5 mV often doesn't cut through especially in a developed urban area. If you are just using the AM for the 2 mV circle to feed translators, then I guess it could do that job.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Where it's used, it usually allows for multiple translators within the enlarged footprint of the parent AM. WCJW Warsaw NY is a good example - it actually increased day power so it could push out its 2 to encompass more territory, which it now covers with six translators.

Wow! That's the most translators for one station I have ever heard of. KQCV in OKC at one point had four.

Is WCJW the most you know of? How do they handle their on-air branding?

 

[secondchoice]

The city councilman could have read this tread. I know NIMBY and CAVE people (citizens against virtually everything) have a real issues against any tower especially one take require lighting at night. Locally a developer wants a cell tower to turn off it's lights. Its less than 2 airmiles from an airport runway. T-Mobile told him to take it up with FAA..

 

[secondchoice]

What would be 1070's maximum daytime power from one tower? I don't know the ground conductivity around there but I don't think there is anybody "on channel" for at least 200 miles would 5KW or 10KW work? If someone has the funds to attempt a directional antenna farm they should be able to buy a "good" FM translator.

IMHO the only use for over 90% of the AM stations is to feed an FM translator.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Is WCJW the most you know of? How do they handle their on-air branding?

I'm going to answer one of my own questions here. I turned on the stream after that post and it seems like they mostly avoid mentioning the laundry list of FM frequencies and instead brand as "CJ Country", except at the top of the hour.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

If you are just using the AM for the 2 mV circle to feed translators, then I guess it could do that job.

Yep, that would be my assumption.

With WFNI gone, there is nearly no listening to AM in Indianapolis. The latest book shows less than 1% of listening to AM stations. Obviously a few more AM stations exist that are not in the book, such as WXLW, but it's hard to imagine 5% of listening is to AM in Indianapolis in 2022.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Yep, that would be my assumption.

With WFNI gone, there is nearly no listening to AM in Indianapolis. The latest book shows less than 1% of listening to AM stations. Obviously a few more AM stations exist that are not in the book, such as WXLW, but it's hard to imagine 5% of listening is to AM in Indianapolis in 2022.

But where is this translator(s) going to come from? Building out a marginal AM facility as effectively an STL for nonexistent translators seems like a horrible idea and a big waste of money.

Urban/Radio One will now control many of the translators in the market and nearly all the ones that are decent.

92.7/93.5/95.1/102.9/105.1/107.5.

iHeart runs 97.5 by way of EMF.

The others are tied forever to other AMs through the "revitalization" window... 94.3, 96.7, 103.9, etc.

What's left? 102.9?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

But where is this translator(s) going to come from? Building out a marginal AM facility as effectively an STL for nonexistent translators seems like a horrible idea and a big waste of money.

The working theory until earlier this week was keeping at least one of the 107.5/93.5 translators. But with those being sold separately from the 1070 license, the future of WFNI seems more grim than ever.

I can't imagine spending a nickel on rebuilding WFNI without a plan to get an FM translator for it. And time is now very short.

 

[gr8oldies]

The working theory until earlier this week was keeping at least one of the 107.5/93.5 translators. But with those being sold separately from the 1070 license, the future of WFNI seems more grim than ever.

I can't imagine spending a nickel on rebuilding WFNI without a plan to get an FM translator for it. And time is now very short.

There's no real point in building WFNI out. Indianapolis isn't short of radio stations. WIBC's heritage lives on at 93.1

 

[Hoosierky]

Emmis has applied for an STA to resume operations.
Details here:

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=102861

 

[epmarkr]

I don't believe there is an FCC requirement for "how long" (an hour?) they actually need to broadcast on 1070AM to preserve the license, as long as they're "on air" by the anniversary of the August 2021 sign-off date.

 

[gr8oldies]

I don't believe there is an FCC requirement for "how long" (an hour?) they actually need to broadcast on 1070AM to preserve the license, as long as they're "on air" by the anniversary of the August 2021 sign-off date.

I saw a photo of an antenna on a downtown building which is supposedly WFNI's temporary antenna. Programming will likely be fed from Fort Wayne.

 

[media1170]

I saw a photo of an antenna on a downtown building which is supposedly WFNI's temporary antenna. Programming will likely be fed from Fort Wayne.

WFNI 1070 on today testing with ESPN Sorts Network Radio audio. IDed as WFNI Indianapolis at 5PM.etails?
Very weak. Perhaps but a few watts. Anyone else have any

 

[media1170]

WFNI 1070 on today testing with ESPN Sorts Network Radio audio. IDed as WFNI Indianapolis at 5PM.etails?
Very weak. Perhaps but a few watts. Anyone else have any

Audible on Edinburg SDR. Weak but easily audible. Carrier off at 5:14PM

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

Indianapolis once had pirate radio stations that had better signals than this.

 

[media1170]

Indianapolis once had pirate radio stations that had better signals than this.

XL's 13 watts does pretty good, is it's not 130 watts.