1550 twins

[DanStrassberg]

And CBE in Windsor has applied to the CRTC to shut down its AM, so they could try to apply for night service also.

Nope! CBE is shutting down but Canada NEVER surrenders the international notifications of the facilities of its deleted AMs. Which means that stations in other North American countries, including the US, must continue to protect the Canadian stations just as if they were still operating. That is true in spades for its deleted Class As, and CBE, despite being only 10 kW, is a Class A. It took many years before CBJ's allocation on 1580 was once again occupied (by CKDO), but my guess is that 1550 in southern Ontario will resurface in some form or other before too long--perhaps CHIN will move from 1540. 1550 ought to be a lot quieter at night in Toronto and vicinity than 1540 is. Most likely, CHIN could get a night power increase out of the 10-kHz move AND, for whatever it would be worth, would also get protection to at least part of its nighttime 50% skywave coverage.

 

[stormy01]

Sovereign City Radio, the company which silenced WZRK Lake Geneva, WI has just applied to the FCC for 1.3 kW on 1550 daytime omnidirectional from Northbrook, IL. This is a separate site, just SE of the Polnet site on Dundee Rd. & I-94 Tri-State Tollway, so will not be 'triplexed' with WKTA/WEEF. Any comments on potential interference to WJJG?

 

[audioguy]

Sovereign City Radio, the company which silenced WZRK Lake Geneva, WI has just applied to the FCC for 1.3 kW on 1550 daytime omnidirectional from Northbrook, IL. This is a separate site, just SE of the Polnet site on Dundee Rd. & I-94 Tri-State Tollway, so will not be 'triplexed' with WKTA/WEEF. Any comments on potential interference to WJJG?

Yes, I have a comment, thank you. Northbrook has become the dumping grounds for crappy foreign language stations. There is enough interference already from the Polnet stations. Thanks for letting us know that this is coming!

 

[Link]

They put the contour right up against WJJG. The G had the chance to upgrade in 2001 and didn't go for it.

 

[audioguy]

Wow, they sure did snug it up to the G! I downloaded the engineering report and they've got a map with a magnified view of the area where the two contours almost touch.

Too bad for Joe! Although I don't know that he has many listeners in Northbrook anyway. The station gets killed by co-channel from Cincinnati. It's really impressive to hear those carriers growl when they sign on in the morning (and for quite awhile after).

I'm still trying to place the location. It looks like it's along the tri-state, but I can't place those RR tracks.

 

[audioguy]

Sovereign City Radio, the company which silenced WZRK Lake Geneva, WI has just applied to the FCC for 1.3 kW on 1550 daytime omnidirectional from Northbrook, IL. This is a separate site, just SE of the Polnet site on Dundee Rd. & I-94 Tri-State Tollway, so will not be 'triplexed' with WKTA/WEEF. Any comments on potential interference to WJJG?

OK Stormy, I think I found it but my results differ from yours. I have it alongside Skokie Hwy, US 41, in Highland Park. The site is reached off of Old Skokie Rd. It's a little south of Deerfield Rd. Wow, that was a bit tough to find. If you want to know how I did, just ask and I will explain it.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.171389,+-87.816389%20(WZRK)&iwloc=A&hl=en

BTW, if Google maps is correct, then someone made an error in the engineering data they submitted, as you will see when you click that link!

The site is to the east of the green arrow. Coordinates are supposed to be in NAD27!

 

[avtosalon]

Not too far from that location is the former tower/studio for 103.1, which is still standing but some mobile telephone equipment was added. I guess it would be about 1 mile south.

What surprises me is that Nelson Multimedia could not find land for AM 1480 around Geneva-St. Charles-Batavia, when he bought that station after it's excellent towers in Geneva were torn down. I heard that they ended up on a water tower. AM 1480's signal is now much weaker than it was before WFXW was killed.

Now Nelson seems to have found land for this new project for AM 1550. What's going to be the new City of License for this?

 

[audioguy]

The App states that the COL is Northbrook.

Based on the photos in the app, here is where I think it actually is (not based on their submitted coordinates):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=42.171414,+-87.816455+(WZRK)&sll=42.173137,-87.812476&sspn=0.015521,0.038195&ie=UTF8&ll=42.173715,-87.816263&spn=0.00194,0.004774&t=h&z=18

The engineering report: https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs...h.cgi?exhibit_id=778029&formid=301&q_num=5110

FCC 301: https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101324189&formid=301&fac_num=61389

FCC 314:
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101322473&formid=314&fac_num=61389

Enjoy!

 

[avtosalon]

I suspect that neither Sovereign/Relevant/Starboard or Nelson Multimedia intend to keep this station. Likely it will be sold to another broadcaster, for the following reasons:

1) The existing Nelson stations (107.1 WSPY-FM Plano, 1480 WSPY Geneva, Channel 30 WSPY-LP Plano, 1180 WSQR Sycamore, 1550 WCSJ Morris, 103.1 WCSJ-FM Morris, 95.7 WJDK Seneca) are all based in the far west and southwest of Chicago. Nelson has nothing in the North shore. This is not the first time that Nelson has sold stations to another broadcaster with aspirations of reaching a Chicago audience: AM 930 sold to Radio AAHS (pronounced 'Oz'), FM 106.3 sold to Crawford (after moving COL from Oregon, IL to Genoa, IL), Channel 24 W24AJ Aurora sold to Polnet (who wants to move the tower to Schaumburg).

2) Sovereign/Relevant/Starboard already has 2 stations that they want to get rid of: 930 WAUR Sandwich and 1270 WWCA Gary. They own 950 WNTD Chicago which covers the metro OK during the daytime. Plus, I heard that they have money problems.

I speculate that this new 1550 station could end up owned by one of the Russian or Korean groups that are currently leasing from Polnet or Newsweb. New Life Radio (Russian on WKTA), Chicago-Korean Broadcasting (Korean on WKTA), Lunchtime Radio (Russian on WSBC & WCFJ), People's Wave (Russian on WSBC), and Vashe Radio (Russian on WSBC) all have offices/separate studios in Northbrook. Echo of the Planet (Russian on WSBC) has their office in Lincolnwood.

 

[audioguy]

I suspect that neither Sovereign/Relevant/Starboard or Nelson Multimedia intend to keep this station. Likely it will be sold to another broadcaster, for the following reasons:
<snip>

I speculate that this new 1550 station could end up owned by one of the Russian or Korean groups that are currently leasing from Polnet or Newsweb. New Life Radio (Russian on WKTA), Chicago-Korean Broadcasting (Korean on WKTA), Lunchtime Radio (Russian on WSBC & WCFJ), People's Wave (Russian on WSBC), and Vashe Radio (Russian on WSBC) all have offices/separate studios in Northbrook. Echo of the Planet (Russian on WSBC) has their office in Lincolnwood.

I agree with your speculations.

By the way, I looked again at the engineering app and the antenna is only 58 degrees. Could this be one of those Valcom fiberglass whips?

I still think there's something fishy about the location data in the application. The pictures in the exhibit that are represented as being taken from the tower site don't agree with the USGS photo that is also in the application, and neither of those agree with the coordinates that they supplied. Even if you do the correction from NAD27 to NAD83 (assuming Google uses NAD83), it's still off significantly. Comments?

 

[[email protected]]

Sometimes an applicant will use a "proposed" site location just to get the ball rolling and later revise their application / construction permit. I've even seen the construction permit sold, without the facility having been constructed or the land acquired.

To me...this just seems like a legal maneuver of some sort.

But I've been wrong before ;D

 

[audioguy]

According to my observations from Wheaton today, WCSJ 1550 is already off the air. Grundy County Broadcasters has an application in for a 250W daytimer on 670 kHz in Amado, AZ with those calls. So this is a double play-- they take the two 1550's down and combine them into one, moving the COL of one from Lake Geneva to Northbrook, and the COL of the other from Morris to Amado.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=61389

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=17039

This is basically quick money for the owners. I'll even speculate that they're pre-sold the station to either Polnet or one of their main clients, and that is why they selected Northbrook for the COL. The "studios" will be in one of those run-down suites over by the Tollway spur. The Highland Park transmitter site may just be temporary, using a fiberglass whip, until they move it over to the Polnet complex by the Tri-State. Or perhaps they will not even bother to build the temporary site and will opt to go to the Polnet site right away.

I have a problem with what is going on here. This is basically the same "stunt" that Kovas pulled. Several communities are losing their local radio service so somebody can make a bunch of fast cash. Yet under FCC rules, license holders are permitted to do this and to claim that it is a "minor change" to the COL. The application states that Northbrook will be getting its first local radio service, but this is a joke; Northbrook is already served by dozens and dozens of signals, including two that already "originate" there. None of these stations (the Polnet stations or the new WZRK) are intended to actually serve Northbrook. They are targeted toward the north side of Chicago where the ethnic communities they cater to are located.

The policies that allow these situations to occur are long overdue for reconsideration. On the other hand, perhaps technology will eclipse policy-making, as over the air broadcasting gradually becomes totally irrelevant. Many of the underlying issues that drive people to do these kinds of deals are caused by limitations of the ancient technology involved. AM radio has the ability to cover vast distances, which is not what you want if you are trying to provide local service in a densely populated country. The interference range of AM greatly exceeds the useful coverage range. Modern listeners are not satisfied by an aural service that is only available for a portion of the day or that is degraded at nighttime by interference. These factors undoubtedly are part of the reason that many small town stations are no longer financially viable. But the immediate consequence of all of this is that people who really need and deserve to have local radio service are being deprived of it.

 

[Link]

This is different than what Kovas did in Harvard and what Nelson is trying to do Geneva. Lake Geneva and Morris both have FM stations licensed to the same cities as the 1550 Twins.

In regards to a quick profit, I think that is exactly why they are doing this. However unless Polnet is planning to buy it, IMO they could be disappointed. An existing time broker has to buy the station to avoid competition. However if there is already too much broker time available in the market, CP is priced too high, and don't have a ready money pot they could pass.

The lack of older focused english speaking music programming in the Chicago area is really a crime. It is always more profitable to broker. Some day I hope it won't be profitable to broker. I think the day will come because of new media. However other posters believe the gravy train will never end for brokers.

 

[radioman148]

>>WCSJ 1550 is already off the air. Grundy County Broadcasters has an application in for a 250W daytimer on 670 kHz in Amado, AZ with those calls.>>

That is very odd that they would issue a "W" call in Arizona.

 

[Prais]

Link said,The lack of older focused english speaking music programming in the Chicago area is really a crime. It is always more profitable to broker. Some day I hope it won't be profitable to broker. I think the day will come because of new media.

However other posters believe the gravy train will never end for brokers.

Link, I'm one of those people. Reaching people "for whom their native language comes easier than English" and the programming is "a touch of their native culture" will always be BIG.

AM radio is the perfect delivery vehicle for that; plentiful receivers, relatively cheap, and easy to deliver. It's been working since the 1930's in Chicago. WCRW and WEDC were first.

The lack of older focused english speaking music programming IS sad, but a function of having to build a local sales team (expensive) because NO national advertisers care about that older demographic.

I understand that. So, I have a large cd collecton for me personally, and don't miss it not being on the radio. I also program the music on cctv stations that I operate in 3 nursing homes.

 

[audioguy]

>>WCSJ 1550 is already off the air. Grundy County Broadcasters has an application in for a 250W daytimer on 670 kHz in Amado, AZ with those calls.>>

That is very odd that they would issue a "W" call in Arizona.

You're absolutely right, I didn't immediately think about that! Maybe the call letters are changed later on after an application is granted. In any case, this particular application (BJMP20040130BBU) is relatively old (2004), so perhaps it's no longer in play.

 

[Link]

Prais station owners are not "Reaching people "for whom their native language comes easier than English" and the programming is "a touch of their native culture", they are simply picking up checks. They are essentially slum lords. The actual brokers should be lauded, but I hope they will find a cheaper way of serving their audience through new media.

 

[radioman148]

>>WCSJ 1550 is already off the air. Grundy County Broadcasters has an application in for a 250W daytimer on 670 kHz in Amado, AZ with those calls.>>

That is very odd that they would issue a "W" call in Arizona.

You're absolutely right, I didn't immediately think about that! Maybe the call letters are changed later on after an application is granted. In any case, this particular application (BJMP20040130BBU) is relatively old (2004), so perhaps it's no longer in play.

That would make sense.

 

[Prais]

Prais station owners are not "Reaching people "for whom their native language comes easier than English" and the programming is "a touch of their native culture", they are simply picking up checks.

Well we differ. Radio wasn't always full of the likes of the scoundrels at Clear Channel and Citadel. It was a different business in the 50's and 60's.

I was a personal friend of Ed Jacker and the Pucinski family, and Eggy Sonderling each for over 15 years. Do you have any first hand experiece with these people? I do.

WCRW, WEDC and WOPA WERE of course, picking up checks, and of course would rather compete with "the big guys" but each found a very rewarding niche. I can vouch for all 3 of the owners mentioned, that they were sincere in what I said.

That line you quote is in fact a quote from Ed Jacker. If you didn't know them - you don't really know if you are correct or not, do you?

 

[audioguy]

Once Internet radio really takes off (which will not happen until it's generally wireless), it won't matter. Want to listen in Polish? Then just tune in one of dozens of stations that are already streaming online: http://www.listenlive.eu/poland.html

I have traveled fairly extensively outside the U.S. What you hear when you're actually there is not "thrown together" the way most of these time-brokered productions are. To put it another way, when you run a time-brokered station, you have almost no control over the quality of what goes on the air in any regard. They pay and you put it on. Simple as that.

I would like to see some music programming for older Americans on a station that is receivable within the metro area. Even the "timeless favorites" format that Nelson is (was?) running on some of their outlying stations would be better than what we have now (nothing). If I were independently wealthy, I would just do it myself! Just to have the fun of putting something on the air that is "real", with live talent (even)!

But I'm not, and I don't own a station, so I don't suppose this will ever happen. Back to my computer...