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105.9 WTMT Asheville new translator on 98.1

P

pccrw

I noticed today that 105.9 WTMT can be heard on 98.1 (W251AO) in the Asheville area mostly downtown. This was a translator for sister station 96.5 WOXL in Black Mountain. What is the reason, why don't they just fix their signal in Asheville? It is still fighting with WHZT-FM 98.1 in Seneca, South Carolina. Any comments?
 
While many of you share the same opinion as I -- that there are waaaayyyyy too many translators -- it seems to me that mostly us "geeks" on this board know about and where these translators are located. I see no mention of this 98.1 translator on WTMT's website; His Radio (89.3 WLFJ Greenville) has countless translators and a good number of them are not their website nor are they mentioned on the air. I did see a reference on Magic 98.9's site in the "about" section regarding 97.7 in Asheville--but one had to be hunting for it. How are potential listeners supposed to know about these translators if the station doesn't market them or poorly markets them? The general public is not like those of us on this board, where we scan the entire dial on a routine basis looking for new signals.
 
That is the Saga way. I remember when WOXL was simulcasting on 970, they never told anyone. Oh..I mean there was like one little fast moving sweeper that made mention. Their programming ideas are a joke. You got to drill that in..live jock plugs, etc. Same with the little translators! OH....but what do we know.
 
The RDS reads W251AO translator for Big Wise AM ESPN Radio. Could this be a AM translator on FM someday? It did not know that translators supported RDS.
 
Approval was given for the translator to operate the FM (OXL at first) then WTMT-FM while awaiting final approval of rebroadcasting the AM. The FCC is now rolling out 'temporary' to permanent FM translator frequencies for AM's. Being in the mountains with bad ground conductivity for am's is a great place to start. There are a couple around the country but this is the first in this region. After pattern change on either of the am's (1310/970) the signal is basically left to cover Mrs. Hildebran's house and she's clearly to old to fill out any kinda diary, let alone remember the station. O.K. I made up the last part but the rest is true and the last isn't far off base. The RDS ID was intentional to let folks in on the intention. The engineer had it on just over an hour after approval was given. Obviously there wasn't a big 'ta-doo on either FM, other than legal id's, as it was never there to stay. Great way for some extra exposure for a start up station though.
 
pccrw said:
I noticed today that 105.9 WTMT can be heard on 98.1 (W251AO) in the Asheville area mostly downtown. This was a translator for sister station 96.5 WOXL in Black Mountain. What is the reason, why don't they just fix their signal in Asheville? It is still fighting with WHZT-FM 98.1 in Seneca, South Carolina. Any comments?
Click to expand...
If and when Gaffney 105.3 moves their transmitter closer to Charlotte, then WTMT should be able to move their transmitter closer to Asheville.
 
Why is WTMT such a big deal to wait on WAGI to move closer to Charlotte for them to move closer to Asheville? Look at WTPT and WFBC, they are so close in the same market (93.3 & 93.7). I do not understand.
 
pccrw said:
Why is WTMT such a big deal to wait on WAGI to move closer to Charlotte for them to move closer to Asheville? Look at WTPT and WFBC, they are so close in the same market (93.3 & 93.7). I do not understand.
Click to expand...

I believe it has something to do with short-spacing rules which weren't in effect when then WBBO (93.3) moved from W Main St in Forest City to a mountaintop near Tryon in the late 80s. Same deal with 95.1, 95.7 and 96.1 in Charlotte---today they would be too short-spaced to be Charlotte stations. Someone who's more FCC-rule-savvy regarding this can chime in, but I think I'm close to right.

Eric
 
And, in today's radio world, it also helps that 93-3/7 are sister stations and wouldn't push the issue. A move to Spivey Mtn for WTMT with 'AGI (or 'NOW) remaining at their current site would put the 60db contours too close. Even now with the TX up at the Tenn/NC border it still reaches into Spartanburg. However, the same people governing this licensed 98.1 translator when 98.1 outta Seneca had at least a grade 'b' signal in most of the area. They fight it out for the apple growing listeners of Hendersonville. Another hold up could be the b.s. the FCC is debating over increasing HD signal strength and analog. There's going to be a lot perfectly good transmitters getting tossed in the near future as everyone running 1% HD power to analog now have their transmitters maxed out digitally. This could be worse than AM stereo because they're continuing to screw things up instead of doing it right from the beginning. People that we have hit over the head enough times about HD to buy one of these jewels find themselves either not being able to pick up HD signals or cutting out so much it makes listening near impossible.
 
pccrw said:
Why is WTMT such a big deal to wait on WAGI to move closer to Charlotte for them to move closer to Asheville? Look at WTPT and WFBC, they are so close in the same market (93.3 & 93.7). I do not understand.
Click to expand...

93.3 and 93.7 could not be licensed as close as they are today. However, they were licensed by the FCC prior to 1964 when the FCC established the FM mileage separation rules. Gaffney could not move close to Charlotte under present rules since it is short spaced to 104.7 but both Gaffney and 104.7 in charlotte were licensed prior to 1964. One of the worst short spacings is Charlotte 104.7 and Columbia, SC also on 104.7. Both are 100KW stations about 100 miles apart.

These "pre-64 shortspaced" FM stations can ignore each other's shortspacing when making technical adjustments but all other FM stations must protect them based on current spacing rules.
 
pccrw said:
The RDS reads W251AO translator for Big Wise AM ESPN Radio. Could this be a AM translator on FM someday? It did not know that translators supported RDS.
Click to expand...
I was just in the mountains and I heard "Big Wise AM and FM", not only on the two AMs but also somewhere around 98 FM.
 
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