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101.9 FM WINF-LP Delaware back to Easy Listening?

knowbetter said:
OhioMediaWatch said:
I'm always suspicious of claims that licensed radio stations are operating illegally. It puts them at great risk for fines they probably can't afford, especially in the case of LPFMs.

I submit that no one has PROOF that WINF-LP is operating beyond their licensed facilities, though the licensees of stations like 102.1 (two, in that case) should look into it if it appears obvious that there are no atmospheric reasons for the signal carrying that far.
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agreed
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At least I've heard a qualified engineer has taken measurements on WINF-LP in the past and concluded that they were operating at much higher power then licensed.
If they are a qualified engineer, they are well aware of the changes in atmospheric conditions when they take measurements and this is taken into
account. A few people that comment on here about hearing the station a lot further out of it's coverage area probably has nothing to do with atmospheric conditions.
 
gabigley1 said:
At least I've heard a qualified engineer has taken measurements on WINF-LP in the past and concluded that they were operating at much higher power then licensed.
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Who is your "qualified engineer"? Has he/she taken those measurements to anyone? The FCC? Licensees that could be affected?

"I heard a qualified engineer" second hand means nothing.

What means something is proving the interference to the FCC, and the licensee of affected stations (such as first-adjacent 102.1's two licensees, or 101.7's licensee, or anyone else affected by the transmissions) making a complaint about it.

Or, hell, call the FCC yourself. Is Columbus covered under the Detroit office or the Pittsburgh office?
 
Surely, if this were as big a problem as portrayed here, WNKO's engineer is already on the case... since 101.9 pushing past downtown Columbus would certainly affect that station.
 
Here you go, Mr. Bigley. Here's the FCC's Detroit field office address. Write away.

24897 Hathaway St., Farmington Hills, MI 48335-1552
 
OhioMediaWatch said:
gabigley1 said:
At least I've heard a qualified engineer has taken measurements on WINF-LP in the past and concluded that they were operating at much higher power then licensed.
Click to expand...

Who is your "qualified engineer"? Has he/she taken those measurements to anyone? The FCC? Licensees that could be affected?

"I heard a qualified engineer" second hand means nothing.

What means something is proving the interference to the FCC, and the licensee of affected stations (such as first-adjacent 102.1's two licensees, or 101.7's licensee, or anyone else affected by the transmissions) making a complaint about it.

Or, @#!*% , call the FCC yourself. Is Columbus covered under the Detroit office or the Pittsburgh office?
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Maybe this statenment was a little confusing... So a new one: At least I've heard a qualified engineer has taken field strength measurements on WINF-LP in the past and concluded that they were operating at much higher power then licensed based on FCC licensed signal contours for the station.

These are similar to the field strength measurements the FCC took on an illegal pirate station on 1620 AM in Oregon last year:

http://www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-297435A1.html
 
I'm going to try to have more patience with you, gabigley.

But I do still want to know - who is the "qualified engineer", what were the measurements (not compared to an AM pirate station in another state, but compared to what WINF's measurements should be), and have they contacted either the FCC or any of the involved stations affected by this?

Off the top of my head, that would include both LPFM licensees on 102.1, and WNKO/101.7 Newark, both first adjacent, and both of which could presumably have problems due to this signal being out of compliance.

If WINF-LP is operating outside of its licensed paramaters on purpose, they should get in trouble for it.
 
OhioMediaWatch said:
Off the top of my head, that would include both LPFM licensees on 102.1, and WNKO/101.7 Newark, both first adjacent, and both of which could presumably have problems due to this signal being out of compliance.

If WINF-LP is operating outside of its licensed paramaters on purpose, they should get in trouble for it.
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From a WCRX point of view...

yes, we have heard it. no, there have not been specific measurements taken, we have heard the translator splash, although since we are not on the translator, have never seen the installation, and have little confidence in the person who made the installation, we won't comment on it's reliability. The fact that 101.9 is on the translator is questionable, but I have no idea how the translator receives it signal.

I have not noticed as big of a problem with the WCRX broadcast, as we do try to feed louder audio to the transmitter, but since the audio processor is owned, and is thus "controlled" by WCRS, we frequently find the output levels modified by the WCRS "technical team".

Do we have the capability of accurately measuring the signal, yes.

Would we complain to the commission?, yes, if it was necessary, but we would first talk with the WINF Engineering folks. One would think that would make any other action unnecessary.

Until we have our own technical concerns worked out, which are under discussion, I would not expect WCRX to express more than simply monitoring of the "situation"!
 
markbohach said:
mikenci said:
Someone Mentioned Mark Bohach. He has the same type FM facilities on a translator south of Lancaster and Blows in north of Cannal Winchester and into downtown Columbus on any given day. Check those map distances. Good Engineering investment pays big dividends if you got the cash.
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Since it's been brought up, I will add that the WLOH translator (W283BO) operates at 250 Watts
from the top of our 200 ft AM tower on Lancaster's east side. We use an ERI 2 bay half-wave antenna (a full power antenna exactly like the ones class A and B1 stations use) which allows us operate with a transmitter power of 440 Watts. The half wave spacing limits downward radiation
to optimize the reach. Our goal was "the 33 corridor" and we generally do well to Canal Winchester.

Good audio processing and a new solid state transmitter also help. We bought a new digital Optimod and upgraded our STL to a full T1 line.

All this for a little translator!
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This is similar to the system that was recommended a few years ago to Simply Living, when we discussed putting up a new antenna...which at the time would have been paid for by the WNKO folks. The 102.1 antenna is about 210 feet in the air, located near the intersection of I270 and Morse Road. Antenna plots put the stations usable signal over most of Columbus, and a pretty good signal to the south...the Commission seems to consider the station Groveport-Columbus, although they have never clarified that as a licensing requirement. On paper, the 102.1 signal should be really quite good.

The current antenna is a vertical whip, mounted too close to the tower, with an (my opinion) severe re-radiation pattern. In LPFM, there is not a requirement to file for a new antenna, it's a simple matter to replace one, so as you can see, the bickering has created issues here too.

Actually, WCRX,WCRS come in quite well toward Delaware, which may well explain the reason Delaware comes here...

As I said, I expect progress in the near future...
 
knowbetter said:
Do we have the capability of accurately measuring the signal, yes.

Would we complain to the commission?, yes, if it was necessary, but we would first talk with the WINF Engineering folks. One would think that would make any other action unnecessary.
Click to expand...

Thank you for some factual background, knowbetter. I hope that this situation is resolved for all the parties involved.
 
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