1290 West Hartford with a 94.1 FM translator?

[KML0224]

I see that 1290-AM of West Hartford is airing religious programming. What I don't understand is that a station on 94.1 FM was airing them as well. I was picking it up by the Berlin/Newington town line.

Separately, were the call letters changed for 1290 AM?

 

[Gregg.]

The long-time owner of WCCC-AM-FM, often talked about by Howard Stern who once did mornings there, sold both stations in 2015 to the Educational Media Foundation, which runs the K-Love and Air 1 Contemporary Christian formats (K-Love like a Hot AC, Air 1 like a Top 40). All of EMFs stations are on FM, so EMF in turn, sold 1290 WCCC to The University of Northwestern-St. Paul, which is a Christian university that runs a more traditional preaching network.

The new owner changed the call letters to WNWW (the NW stands for Northwestern). I didn't know the owner acquired an FM translator, but on www.Radio-Locator.com, we see 94.1 W265CO is now simulcasting 1290, from its location in Hartford. It was 19 watts but has a construction permit to go to 32 watts. Most translators run at the maximum of 250 watts but I suppose that wasn't possible. 1290 is a weak station, 490 watts by day, 19 watts at night. I would imagine you better be in or near Hartford to hear either the AM or the FM reliably.

http://radio-locator.com/info/WNWW-AM

http://radio-locator.com/info/W265CO-FX

 

[CTListener]

The long-time owner of WCCC-AM-FM, often talked about by Howard Stern who once did mornings there, sold both stations in 2015 to the Educational Media Foundation, which runs the K-Love and Air 1 Contemporary Christian formats (K-Love like a Hot AC, Air 1 like a Top 40). All of EMFs stations are on FM, so EMF in turn, sold 1290 WCCC to The University of Northwestern-St. Paul, which is a Christian university that runs a more traditional preaching network.

The new owner changed the call letters to WNWW (the NW stands for Northwestern). I didn't know the owner acquired an FM translator, but on www.Radio-Locator.com, we see 94.1 W265CO is now simulcasting 1290, from its location in Hartford. It was 19 watts but has a construction permit to go to 32 watts. Most translators run at the maximum of 250 watts but I suppose that wasn't possible. 1290 is a weak station, 490 watts by day, 19 watts at night. I would imagine you better be in or near Hartford to hear either the AM or the FM reliably.

http://radio-locator.com/info/WNWW-AM

http://radio-locator.com/info/W265CO-FX

Oh boy, a war for the ears and checkbooks of the current audience of WCTF! Think 1170 will be looking to squeeze a translator onto the FM band now?

 

[TPO]

The 94.1 translator for WNWW (formally WCCC AM) gets out extremely well given the great transmitter location and high antenna elevation on the AM tower on Talcott Mtn in West Hartford. I've can hear it pretty well on the car radio in Springfield and in Wallingford!

WCTF in Vernon has plans for a translator on 92.1.
Here is a list of CT Am stations with operational or proposed FM translators:
WCTF 1170 AM Vernon, 92.1 MHz
WNWW 1290 AM, W. Hartford, 94.1 MHz*
WSDK, 1550 AM, Bloomfield, 95.3 MHz
WILI, 1400 AM, Willimantic, 95.3 MHz
WNTY, 990 AM, Southington, 96.1 MHz*
WKND, 1480 AM, Windsor, 97.5 MHz*
WPOP, 1410 AM, Newington, 100.9 MHz
WLAT, 910 KHz, New Britain, 101.7 MHz.
WNEZ, 1230 KHZ, Manchester, 105.3 MHz*
WRYM, 840 KHz. Newington, 107.3 Mhz
*indicates on the air

 

[Sparkplug]

In my office on East River Drive (facing I-84) 94.7 is a bit scratchy. The AM station is actually easier on the ears than the FM station.

 

[CTListener]

Heard 94.1 loud and clear in New Britain, but it was gone by the time I got to Meriden heading south on the Berlin Turnpike. Surprised anyone is hearing it in Springfield or Wallingford.

 

[MarcB]

I went out with one of my friends last night. I drove his SUV. Radio = Stock Radio in a GMC Terrain. 94.1//WNWW1290 was crystal clear in the Plainville/Southington area. Also 101.7//WLAT910 was on the air and Crystal Clear.

 

[WPPCProductions]

It would be great to hear 1220 WQUN on a FM translator.I really enjoy their music format which almost fills the void of the loss of the Big D.

 

[CTListener]

It would be great to hear 1220 WQUN on a FM translator.I really enjoy their music format which almost fills the void of the loss of the Big D.

I was thinking just that the other day. I wonder why Quinnipiac Univ. hasn't applied for an FM for WQUN. Could it be because the school already has an FM: student-staffed WQAQ 98.1 with its whopping 18-watt signal? Does that prevent the school for applying for a translator for its professionally staffed AM station?

 

[Kent]

I was thinking just that the other day. I wonder why Quinnipiac Univ. hasn't applied for an FM for WQUN. Could it be because the school already has an FM: student-staffed WQAQ 98.1 with its whopping 18-watt signal? Does that prevent the school for applying for a translator for its professionally staffed AM station?

It shouldn't. I suspect Quinnipiac just didn't want to pay for a translator. Given how densely populated Connecticut is, translators go for a premium price. There also will be a window opening soon where AM's can just apply for a translator. Quinnipiac may have been waiting for that window to get a more or less free translator, though there's obviously the risk that no more frequencies could be available by now.