1050AM to become WZAA, launch at midnight tonight

[FightingIrish]

Air America Media will debut the new 1050 AM throughout the Washington, D.C. region on Wednesday, June 17 at 12 midnight under new call letters WZAA and also streaming online at http://www.airamericawashington.com. The station will feature Air America’s independent political voice in the nation’s capitol 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including Ron Reagan, Rachel Maddow, Ana Marie Cox, Montel Williams, Lionel, Arianna Huffington and Carlos Watson. The station will feature several prominent, Washington, D.C. personalities on programming throughout the day on Wednesday, including Helen Thomas, Chris Matthews, Senator Bernie Sanders and others.

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2009/06/wzaawashington-launches-tonight.html

 

[DToTheJ]

I believe the last time the WZAA call letters were in use was in New York, as a satellite of WCAA 105.9.

 

[ixnay]

Discovered the change today. Rats. I'll miss traffic and weather on the 8s. (I live too far from DC [and Warrenton]) to get any DC FMs decently). :'( Guess it's back to WCBS for t&w together on the 8s. : (FYI I live and commute in a rural area and listen to traffic reports on WCBS, KYW, WBBR, WDEL, WDOV, WBAL mainly for geographic entertainment [except when there's a bad accident - nothing entertaining about that :-[]).

ixnay

 

[nd2023]

Discovered the change today. Rats. I'll miss traffic and weather on the 8s. (I live too far from DC [and Warrenton]) to get any DC FMs decently). :'( Guess it's back to WCBS for t&w together on the 8s. : (FYI I live and commute in a rural area and listen to traffic reports on WCBS, KYW, WBBR, WDEL, WDOV, WBAL mainly for geographic entertainment [except when there's a bad accident - nothing entertaining about that :-[]).

ixnay

What's so entertaining about knowing how long the Lincoln is backed up if you're not driving through it?
I guess the only entertaining part of that is me sitting on Miami Beach listening to how long the Lincoln and Holland are backed up in afternoon rush hour on WCBS 880...yes I got WCBS in Miami in the daytime.

 

[GSP163]

I believe the last time the WZAA call letters were in use was in New York, as a satellite of WCAA 105.9.

That's correct.....When 92.7 WLIR signed off :-[ and Univision took over the frequency they simulcasted 105.9 WCAA on 92.7 and the call letters became WZAA....92.7 today is now Regional Mexican as "La Que Buena" WQBU.

 

[ixnay]

Discovered the change today. Rats. I'll miss traffic and weather on the 8s. (I live too far from DC [and Warrenton]) to get any DC FMs decently). :'( Guess it's back to WCBS for t&w together on the 8s. : (FYI I live and commute in a rural area and listen to traffic reports on WCBS, KYW, WBBR, WDEL, WDOV, WBAL mainly for geographic entertainment [except when there's a bad accident - nothing entertaining about that :-[]).

ixnay

What's so entertaining about knowing how long the Lincoln is backed up if you're not driving through it?

Mental mapping. I've enjoyed looking at maps for the heck of it (dunno why) since my age was in the single digits (I'm almost 48). Even did a term paper on the map collection at the Philadelphia Free Library while in college.

ixnay

 

[DToTheJ]

I guess the only entertaining part of that is me sitting on Miami Beach listening to how long the Lincoln and Holland are backed up in afternoon rush hour on WCBS 880...yes I got WCBS in Miami in the daytime.

In-car WiFi - it's the future!

 

[ajhenderson]

Which signal is better in the metro by day - 1050 or 1260? I have an idea, but aren't sure, and didn't tune into AM when I was there a few weeks back. Probablyt should have.

 

[JWPinVA]

Which signal is better in the metro by day - 1050 or 1260?

Without a doubt the 1050 signal sounds better in Northern Virginia and the District proper. I can't speak to how it sounds in Maryland as I don't make it around that side of the beltway that often. It just goes to show that a well engineered and maintained site, running only 3500 watts, can sound better than a neglected, poorly engineered site running 5000 watts. Clear Channel doesn't take care of their signals - Bonneville does.

 

[ajhenderson]

David Gleason has said that CC has some of the best maintained AM sites in the country, or maybe my non-engineering mind is mixing up two different tower site maintenance operations.

However, isn't WFED's pattern stronger to the north and NNE than it is into Virginia? The FEPO Radio-Locator map shows more coverage of SE Maryland than N. VA.

 

[JWPinVA]

Well, I obviously can't speak to the conditions at every CC site - so my first statement was too broad. My bad.

That said, I've actually driven to the 1260 site. A casual look from the gravel parking lot over the gate will reveal that parts of the ground system are exposed to the elements. The 1260 site is not well maintained. Additionally, I know that 1260, 570 and 980 were sold in the last year to Red Zebra, but I thought CC was still engineering the sites in the interim until the FCC approved the sale and it closed. Perhaps the neglect now sits with RZ...