Dead air is everywhere/Grand Strand

[Patrick 29582]

Someone in Myrtle Beach and SE North Carolina forget to pay the bills? 93.5 El Patron in Ocean Isle NC, Mix 97.7, Bob 104.9 and Rock 107.1 all at full strength signal but silent carriers this morning..

 

[BarryATL]

If they are all part of the same group, then maybe a studio problem. If they are on the same tower, maybe a fiber problem.

 

[secondchoice]

Are stations "required" to have silence detections any more? IIRC Wasn't there a FCC rule about carrier's without programming?

 

[BarryATL]

Are stations "required" to have silence detections any more? IIRC Wasn't there a FCC rule about carrier's without programming?

I seem to remember the same thing. However, in 2005 during Katrina and Rita (five weeks later), I was in those areas within hours after the hurricanes as I had a business location affected by both. There were many stations with a dead carrier on FM. Odd, but the AMs did go off the air when the studio link died.

 

[lanceventa]

Are stations "required" to have silence detections any more? IIRC Wasn't there a FCC rule about carrier's without programming?

All of those stations are iHeart's cluster in Myrtle Beach. What is a company supposed to do if they have an issue at their source for a couple hours. A station has ten days to file a Silent STA if they cannot operate. This is a short-term issue that will be resolved.

I seem to remember the same thing. However, in 2005 during Katrina and Rita (five weeks later), I was in those areas within hours after the hurricanes as I had a business location affected by both. There were many stations with a dead carrier on FM. Odd, but the AMs did go off the air when the studio link died.

It all depends how the programming is being distributed. As iHeart is currently implementing its automation at the transmitter site that will prevent issues like this from happening. Last week I was driving through Allentown PA soon after a thunderstorm caused their studio location to lose power/connectivity. One of their stations immediately switched over to one of their national programming feeds to remain on the air as it already had been switched over.

 

[secondchoice]

All of those stations are iHeart's cluster in Myrtle Beach. What is a company supposed to do if they have an issue at their source for a couple hours. A station has ten days to file a Silent STA if they cannot operate. This is a short-term issue that will be resolved.

Do they have a "local" engineer? Or do they "share" one a couple of hours away? One would think they would use microwave STLs because once it is installed it is basically "free". I don't think there are any mountains that would limit use of them. Also no cables for contractors to cut.

 

[Patrick 29582]

All of those stations are iHeart's cluster in Myrtle Beach. What is a company supposed to do if they have an issue at their source for a couple hours. A station has ten days to file a Silent STA if they cannot operate. This is a short-term issue that will be resolved.


It all depends how the programming is being distributed. As iHeart is currently implementing its automation at the transmitter site that will prevent issues like this from happening. Last week I was driving through Allentown PA soon after a thunderstorm caused their studio location to lose power/connectivity. One of their stations immediately switched over to one of their national programming feeds to remain on the air as it already had been switched over.

Everyone is normal as of Saturday evening. Of course they are!

 

[Phil Harmonic]

...it's just a new way to save on expenses...