• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

WMVP New CP

Yeah, I think that's it. They can only send so much energy toward 1000 KNWN in Seattle or 1010 WINS in NYC or 990 CBW in Winnipeg. I suspect in this case, it is Winnipeg that causing the reduction in power, but it might be Seattle.
I'm not sure one way or the other if WMVP and CBW are obliged to protect each other. But CBW drops from 50kw to 46kw at night. Non-directional 24/7. WMVP IS obligated to protect Seatle, and I believe also XEOY in Mexico City. Also on 1000.
 
WMVP IS obligated to protect Seatle, and I believe also XEOY in Mexico City. Also on 1000.
For those who remember XEOY as a Top 40 station... here is the famous jingle:
 
Scott Fybush visited the WMVP site in 2008: A selection from a decade of visits to tower and studio sites in the Northeast and beyond

He summarized the site's history nicely and got some good shots inside and outside the building. The second building on the site, the one in the background in the pictures, was the original TX building way back in the 30s. The great art deco building with the WCFL sign was built in the late 1940s to accommodate the big RCA BTA-50F, shops, and office space. The RCA's cabinets can be seen in Scott's pictures. The curved geometric tower displaying the WCFL calls is actually part of the original air circulation for the RCA's hot tubes. You can see the big louvered vent near the top. Form and function combined.

There used to be a metal plaque mounted to the left of the front door displaying the Chicago Federation of Labor name. I assume it was removed when the CFL sold the station in the late 1970s. The four bolt holes that held it in place are still visible when you're near the site. I've wondered what became of that plaque, as it has historical significance.

The old second building on the site was repurposed as the studio in the mid-1980s when WCFL was Christian-religious under Statewide Broadcasting. They saved money not renting studio space downtown. It was used as storage space after that.

I was able to visit the site about 20 years ago when ESPN/Disney owned it. Disney also owned WLS at the time. The late WLS CE Warren Shulz was a friend of mine and had responsibility for the Disney-owned stations in Chicago. Warren showed me around the site, which still had the the gutted BTA-50F's lovely cabinets, the dusty remains of a machine shop, and a reception area inside the front entrance. An enormous squirrel-cage fan sat inside the base of the big vent stack, though it had been quiet ever since the old RCA was taken out of service.

It'll be a real shame if the building comes down after the TX moves to rural Joliet. I just hope what's memorable, like the big metal WCFL sign, are saved someplace where it can be appreciated for its history
 
The photo is from Google Maps. The WCPT site is not an easily accessible site as the legacy WMVP/WCFL site currently is. The photo provided was taken from Route 6 looks south east from the two lane highway. There are many tall bushes and trees along Route 6 making photo capture of the site difficult. There are houses on the south, east and west sides of the antenna site but none are really close enough to get good pictures of the site. Maybe some one's back yard would provide a better photo opportunity.

Comments that I thought I would be getting would center around actual tower height, no aviation tower painting of red, orange and white. Maybe they have strobes on top at night or are at 200 Ft or less and don't require painting and lights. The power lines along the highway are just a normal thing.
 
I took some picture of the WCPT night site back in 2021:
 

Attachments

  • 820-WCPT-N_1.jpg
    820-WCPT-N_1.jpg
    491.3 KB · Views: 34
  • 820-WCPT-N_2.jpg
    820-WCPT-N_2.jpg
    638.5 KB · Views: 33
I took some picture of the WCPT night site back in 2021:
Thanks! The back road entrance to this site identifies it as owned by the Chicago Tower Leasing Corporation. As a result, I'm assuming that NewsWeb does not own the site. Is my assumption correct?
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2023-10-17 at 4.28.26 PM.jpg
    Screenshot 2023-10-17 at 4.28.26 PM.jpg
    64.2 KB · Views: 22
A couple more replies regarding the application.


The Class A's that operate with less than 50kw day or night cited in Good karma's reply are here in alaska... and some of them are even on the same channels as 50kw clears in the lower 48
 
KAAY also has a very tight 50kw night pattern on 1090. Partly to protect WBAL.
As it turns out, they're on an STA and have a CP to drop to 80 watts ND, becoming a class D station.

It's very sad for those of us who grew up hearing the Top 40 sounds of KAAY at night, followed by Clyde Clifford's "Beaker Street" at 11 pm.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom