First it was WPPG in Repton vs. the 101.1 translator for WBSR in Pensacola. Then WFXO Stewartville vs. the 98.3 translator for WAYE in Birmingham. Today it's WFFX Georgiana vs. the 107.7 translator for WCNF in Dothan. I happened to come across their informal objection, complete with a good half dozen or so signed listener complaints. They're claiming that WCNF's translator is causing listener interference to people in Enterprise and Level Plains. A glance at the predicted coverage maps shows both those areas in the 40 dBu coverage of WFXX, but should in theory be outside of the translator's fringe areas.
What makes this one extra interesting is there is some confusion as to whether the translator, W299BX, is even operating legally. Several years ago it was licensed for 250 watts from atop the TV 4 building in downtown Dothan. Alabama Media (associates with one of the Holladays, but I forget which one at the moment) filed to move it to their tower off Ross Clark Circle. They moved it, then realized there was some sort of legal issue, and got an STA to keep operating there. That was last year. It's assumed the STA has expired, meanwhile the granted CP was rescinded and never replaced. So no one seems to know where it's actually operating from anymore. The Ross Clark site behind the Toyota dealer is only 88 watts, but probably a bit higher and closer to Enterprise, so I guess in theory it could be causing legitimate interference. WFXX gets out really well. I often here it hear in Baldwin County on good DX days.
In other translator complaint news, iHeart has filed an app to drop their kooky 250 watt super directional plan for 94.9 in Birmingham. It would have been a a tight beam pointed west from somewhere over near Old Leeds Road at I-20. Instead it appears they want 88 watts from the Magic 96 tower on Ishkooda Mtn, over on the west side of town, with a less aggressive directional antenna. 94.9's moves date back to a complaint they filed by against another translator operator, the people behind the little 1430 AM in Pell City. WFHK's translator on 94.9 got off to a rocky start several years ago when they started broadcasting from atop Bald Rock with 250 watts and no authorization to do so. Oops.
I'm not much for prognosticating, but I have a feeling these translator complaints are just the tip of the iceberg. They're only going to get worse as more AMs seek more translators.
What makes this one extra interesting is there is some confusion as to whether the translator, W299BX, is even operating legally. Several years ago it was licensed for 250 watts from atop the TV 4 building in downtown Dothan. Alabama Media (associates with one of the Holladays, but I forget which one at the moment) filed to move it to their tower off Ross Clark Circle. They moved it, then realized there was some sort of legal issue, and got an STA to keep operating there. That was last year. It's assumed the STA has expired, meanwhile the granted CP was rescinded and never replaced. So no one seems to know where it's actually operating from anymore. The Ross Clark site behind the Toyota dealer is only 88 watts, but probably a bit higher and closer to Enterprise, so I guess in theory it could be causing legitimate interference. WFXX gets out really well. I often here it hear in Baldwin County on good DX days.
In other translator complaint news, iHeart has filed an app to drop their kooky 250 watt super directional plan for 94.9 in Birmingham. It would have been a a tight beam pointed west from somewhere over near Old Leeds Road at I-20. Instead it appears they want 88 watts from the Magic 96 tower on Ishkooda Mtn, over on the west side of town, with a less aggressive directional antenna. 94.9's moves date back to a complaint they filed by against another translator operator, the people behind the little 1430 AM in Pell City. WFHK's translator on 94.9 got off to a rocky start several years ago when they started broadcasting from atop Bald Rock with 250 watts and no authorization to do so. Oops.
I'm not much for prognosticating, but I have a feeling these translator complaints are just the tip of the iceberg. They're only going to get worse as more AMs seek more translators.