106.9 the new home for Pulse 101.7

[Jeff2]

Where was the original proposed 300 + meter tower location initially planned? Was it the current TL?

There is an old FCC application for a tower for 106.9/100.5/101.7 but I don't think there are any details attached. If I remember correctly, it was to be at a new site.

 

[jmtillery]

Where was the original proposed 300 + meter tower location initially planned? Was it the current TL?

There is an old FCC application for a tower for 106.9/100.5/101.7 but I don't think there are any details attached. If I remember correctly, it was to be at a new site.

All three of those stations are currently located on the same tower in Trenton which is the original 101.7 tower site. WHHZ moved to that tower site when Pamal upgraded it from a C3 to its current C2. That tower is currently 456 feet HAGL (Height Above Ground Level).

 

[Jeff2]

Here is the application from 2004 that was "dismissed". 106.9 was going to be at 953 feet. They refer to the tower being at a "new location" but I didn't see any maps. WHHZ was going to be at 800+ feet and WDVH at 500 feet.

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101000613&formid=301&fac_num=73409

 

[Kmagrill]

If there is room, could they move to the TV tower near Newberry or would they run into problems with 106.7?

No, the current tower site is already short spaced to WXXL. The Newberry site is much too far east

 

[jmtillery]

Here is the application from 2004 that was "dismissed". 106.9 was going to be at 953 feet. They refer to the tower being at a "new location" but I didn't see any maps. WHHZ was going to be at 800+ feet and WDVH at 500 feet.

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101000613&formid=301&fac_num=73409

I reviewed the application and noticed a major flaw right off the bat. The proposed tower location revealed 106.9 as a C1 will short-space three stations: First adjancent 107.1 C1 Thomasville, Georgia (Tallahassee); second adjancent 106.5 A Five Points (Lake City) and the biggie which is first adjancent WXXL 106.7 C1 Tavares (Orlando). Although the application specified using the FCC's 73.215 directional rules, and the exhibits showed no objectionable signal overlap among any of the stations, the fact that three stations would have been affected is most likely the reason behind the FCC's decision to dismiss the application.

On the other hand, had Pamal succeeded with its application, 106.9 and 100.5 would have had greatly enhanced signals over Gainesville which would have been a major coup for Pamal's 6 Johnson Road Licenses, Inc.

Thank you for sharing the link.

 

[jmtillery]

Here is the application from 2004 that was "dismissed". 106.9 was going to be at 953 feet. They refer to the tower being at a "new location" but I didn't see any maps. WHHZ was going to be at 800+ feet and WDVH at 500 feet.

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101000613&formid=301&fac_num=73409

I reviewed the application and noticed a major flaw right off the bat. The proposed tower location revealed 106.9 as a C1 will short-space three stations: First adjancent 107.1 C1 Thomasville, Georgia (Tallahassee); second adjancent 106.5 A Five Points (Lake City) and the biggie which is first adjancent WXXL 106.7 C1 Tavares (Orlando). Although the application specified using the FCC's 73.215 directional rules, and the exhibits showed no objectionable signal overlap among any of the stations, the fact that three stations would have been affected is most likely the reason behind the FCC's decision to dismiss the application.

On the other hand, had Pamal succeeded with its application, 106.9 and 100.5 would have had greatly enhanced signals over Gainesville which would have been a major coup for Pamal's 6 Johnson Road Licenses, Inc.

Thank you for sharing the link.

After further examination, the new tower site specified in the application appears to be the existing tower site. I. E., no new site is specified, but, rather a new taller tower is specified at the old and current site. The proposed new signal is impressive with a city grade signal over most of Gainesville and a 54dBu signal over all of Ocala.

 

[Kmagrill]

...the fact that three stations would have been affected is most likely the reason behind the FCC's decision to dismiss the application.

The FCC will approve an application that meets 73.215 rules regardless of the number of stations being protected. I suspect that the application failed due to local zoning and was withdrawn. I believe I know someone that participated in that process. The second hand word I got was that the nearby residents came out in huge numbers to oppose. People got up one after another and spoke about how the radio waves would cause the livestock to become radioactive and how the tower would reduce property values. Despite expert testimony that radio waves are not harmful (not to mention that a taller tower puts the RF further from the ground) and that the tower would be impossible to see from most locations, the local board rejected the variance.

After further examination, the new tower site specified in the application appears to be the existing tower site. I. E., no new site is specified, but, rather a new taller tower is specified at the old and current site. The proposed new signal is impressive with a city grade signal over most of Gainesville and a 54dBu signal over all of Ocala.

One point of clarification here: The WPLL 54dBu contour shown on the map is the interfering contour which is calculated using the F50:10 scale rather than the F50:50 scale that we use for typical coverage predictions. The difference is that the 10 scale predicts that the field strength will rise to the specified level at 10% of the possible locations vs 50% of the time for the 50 scale. Using the F50:50 scale, the 54dBu does not reach Ocala, however, this is probably still superior to the WTMG or WYKS Ocala signals in Ocala.

 

[MN Maniac]

Sounds like the best solution may be to downgrade WPLL and move it closer to Gainesville (?)

 

[jmtillery]

One point of clarification here: The WPLL 54dBu contour shown on the map is the interfering contour which is calculated using the F50:10 scale rather than the F50:50 scale that we use for typical coverage predictions. The difference is that the 10 scale predicts that the field strength will rise to the specified level at 10% of the possible locations vs 50% of the time for the 50 scale. Using the F50:50 scale, the 54dBu does not reach Ocala, however, this is probably still superior to the WTMG or WYKS Ocala signals in Ocala.

That certainly explains why the coverage map filed with the FCC as Exhibit "A" shows a 54dBu service contour over Ocala. Although the 54dBU contour is the interfering contour, it's better than no coverage although it's very limited in marketability. It’s too bad that 106.9’s tower site cannot be moved to someplace around Williston as a C1. If that were possible, there is no doubt WPLL would place a 70dBu signal over Ocala and Gainesville. The problem is that “little ‘ole" radio station in Orlando known as XL 106.7 that is preventing that from happening.

 

[Kmagrill]

Sounds like the best solution may be to downgrade WPLL and move it closer to Gainesville (?)

That's always been possible, but two or three things stand in the way. First, regardless of the class, one still has to avoid prohibited interfering contours from overlapping protected ones. WXXL is not the only station being protected. To a somewhat lesser degree, WEAG is also in the mix. There is no class of station that can put a service contour over Ocala and while it's theoretically possible to put a 70dBu over gainesville using a lower class, this would also be possible with a maximized C1. Then there's another problem with downgrading because a C2 close enough to put a fair signal into Gainesville won't put a city grade over Cross City. The FCC has some new rules about dumping smaller communities that make it very hard to do so, too. Then, you have to consider that a C1 is almost always worth more than a C2, so lowering the class may not be desirable relative to just continuing to push for the 299m tower.

 

[MN Maniac]

WEAG is only a Class A and 3 channels adjacent. That should give 106.9 plenty of wiggle room. But as you said, the Cross City COL is more of an obstacle now than it used to be. I was thinking in terms of the "old" rules: as long as 1240 stays there, they could change the COL.

Speaking of WEAG, I'm surprised they didn't move into Gainesville long ago. Once-upon-a-time (before Kingsland moved from 92.5 to 106.3), they could have probably been paid well to move since that would have allowed an upgrade for 106.5/Ponte Vedra Beach.

 

[jmtillery]

WEAG is only a Class A and 3 channels adjacent. That should give 106.9 plenty of wiggle room.

There is very little "wiggle" room. Third adjacent channels are given the same protection as a second adjacent channel so the required minimum separation between a second and third adjacent channel is the same distance. I. E., the minimum separation between a second adjacent C1 in relation to a class A is 45 miles. Therefore in real world terms WPLL 106.9 "C1" Cross City is required to space itself no closer than 45-miles to second adjacent WCJX 106.5 "A" Five points (Lake City). Likewise, WPLL is also required to space itself by at least the same minimum distance and no closer than 45-miles to third adjacent WEAG 106.3 "A" Starke. In other words the second and third adjacent spacing distance is identical.

 

[Kmagrill]

Yep. That sums it up.

Also, the city of license issue is a lot more complex than before. You can't easily move a rural signal into an urban market, even if the rural area or town already has other service. In short, if you are serving too many new people, you will likely be denied. That's an over-simplification, but reasonably close for discussion purposes.