WGCH 1490 Apparently No Longer Using FM Translator

[Barry]

The Greenwich talk station had been carried on a 10 watt translator on 105.5 FM, based in Stamford. I no longer hear its signal. The station's website now only shows the 1490 AM frequency. My guess is that the small station was not getting an adequate return for the expense of using the translator, which barely reached western Greenwich.
This now makes it possible to receive a weak signal from Country station The Wolf, on 105.5 FM in parts of southern Greenwich and Stamford.

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

A few decades ago, Classical WQXR in NYC on 96.3 had a small translator in Stamford.
The 105.5 WGCH stick (so says Radio-Locator) seems darned close to WSTC 1400's tower. But I was just wondering if WQXR-from-NYC's 103.1 relay from back when used the same tower as WGCH's translator, or WSHU's newer 103.1 occupancy.
WQXR's 103.1 could be heard, weak but steady, across Long Island Sound in Oyster Bay.

 

[Deleted User]

FCC database has a silent filing on 11/19/2022

REQUEST FOR SILENT STA
W288DL at Stamford, CT (Facility ID 24109)
The applicant has suspended operation pending arrangements with a new primary station.
Meanwhile, the applicant respectfully requests an STA to remain silent.
A new Primary Station will be identified and a Notice of Resumption of Operations
will be filed when operation is restored.

Licensing and Management System

Licensing and Management System

enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov

 

[Barry]

Are there any stations in the Stamford area that could benefit from leasing this translator?

 

[Deleted User]

any light bulb wattage AM or AM with a restrictive night pattern would benefit, but since they don't own it, the translator is owned by someone down here in Cape Coral Florida, the question, as always comes down to cost and benefit.

Tower rent, electricity, internet connection to feed it, etc etc etc are not cheap, and the guy that owns it wants to put as much of your money in his pocket as he can. Even if you could get on it for $500 a month can you get that and more regularly from advertisers in addition to what you are already getting?

In the case of WGCH, the translator didn't give them any more coverage than they had already, 1000 watts broadcasting to the fishes in Long Island Sound and the translator was not much better. Talk and local HS sports don't need FM quality audio, properly set up you are going to get decent sound on the AM.

WAXB is a long shot for doing a deal IMHO, but they are the closest and best fit

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

A bit O/T's here, MRB, but peculiar to that area ....
Back in the 70's there popped up a construction permit for a station in Port Chester NY, about thirty feet from Greenwich CT. The CP was for 1590, of all things. I even remember the propsed calls being WNJZ.
See, WWRL used to have such a daytime null in that direction (somewhat co-linear away from Waterbury and Boston) that WLNG 1600 Sag Harbour was a regular on the frequency in Pelham Manor and New Rochelle -- coming straight down Long Island Sound like a noisy, reverb'ed Oldies flotilla.
Now, WGCH is and has been omni since its licensing. 'WNJZ', though, had to've been fated to be a daytimer and a directional one at that, pre-heating more seafood in the Sound thn WGCH.
It might've been nice, though, to be in Oyster Bay and see 'WNJZ's three or four towers blinking away at night.

 

[Bill-in-CT]

A bit O/T's here, MRB, but peculiar to that area ....
Back in the 70's there popped up a construction permit for a station in Port Chester NY, about thirty feet from Greenwich CT. The CP was for 1590, of all things. I even remember the proposed calls being WNJZ....had to've been fated to be a daytimer and a directional one at that...

In searching Broadcasting magazine at worldradiohistory.com, a CP was granted in 1963 for the Port Chester station to be a 1K directional daytimer on 1590, according to the 9/16/63 edition of Broadcasting. Several extensions for completion were granted. However, the CP for WNJZ was canceled in 1966, according to Broadcasting on 9/26/66.

 

[Barry]

IIRC, before WGCH used the Stamford translator, it was leased by WQXR when it was on 96.3, and then WXNY. The likely purpose was to counter interference in southwest Fairfield County from WKHL (now WARW) 96.7 when it was broadcasting from the Stamford area. Now that 96.7 is down in Westchester County NY, there may be little/no need for this 10 watt translator on 105.5 FM.
It does seem unusual for an AM station to start using an FM translator, and then return to FM only. But apparently this Greenwich station didn't benefit much from a signal boost in Stamford.