Although I've lived in greater Nashvegas for a long time, I can't pull all of the history of area AMs off the top of my head as well as I can FMs. It has always struck me that Nashville is underserved by AMs in terms of stations with nighttime power, because after our two clear channels, there seems to be a huge drop off. Has it always been this way? Is it because we have two clear channels based here? Or am I just imagining things?
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Are we underserved in nighttime AM power?
- Thread starter jetfli
- Start date
NO, Back in the 1960’s and 70’s Nashville was much smaller. 1300, 980, 1430 and even 1240 covered most of what was then Nashville. If you want a really underserved market, look at Atlanta. Atlanta had 750 clear and everything else only covering the 285 ring (590, 680, 790, 920 and 1380). 640 came only after they broke up the nationwide night protection of the clear channel s in the 1980’s and it has the poorest signal of a 50KW station I have ever seen. Last year Atlanta even lost a 100 KW fm signal. 92.9 City of License Atlanta that was down graded to C1 64KW to make room for a marginal move-in that will not had a signal north of the 285 perimeter!
jetfli said:
Nashville's three pre-WWII AMs were WSM-650, WSIX-980, and WLAC-1510. WSIX moved from 1240 shortly before the war. (and was initially in Springfield)
Most of the other AMs in the market were part of a postwar growth spurt. Most of them were shoehorned in. (1240 was probably the only one that could have existed under pre-war rules) Directional arrays and daytime-only stations were relatively rare pre-war. There *was* a quota system for nighttime clear-channel stations pre-war, but it wasn't all that well-enforced. Chicago was way over quota but never lost any assignments.
Many started as daytimers. For example, 1160, 1430, and 1470. (indeed, if you've ever wondered why 1430 and 1470 are licensed to Madison and Berry Hill respectively... that's why... when they finally did get permission to operate at night, they weren't able to provide a city-grade signal across all of Nashville at night. So they relicensed to communities they could cover.)
Pretty much nobody lived in Mt. Juliet or Brentwood or Bellevue or Hendersonville. Nobody really cared if their station couldn't reach Bellevue after sunset. Let WSM serve the 500 people living west of OHB. Obviously that's no longer the case!
Prewar, most radio was network-based. Once you had NBC-Red, NBC-Blue, CBS, and Mutual covered, there wasn't much call for anything else. NBC Red and Blue were often combined on the same station. And out-of-market listening was a lot more common. There wasn't as much interference or noise, and a lot of listening happened at night when the long-distance propagation was in.
I think a lot of Southern markets suffered to some degree because of the relatively late blooming of population. By the time Nashville was big enough to support more than three large stations, the frequencies were already called for by markets elsewhere in the country. Atlanta is probably an extreme example of that. But even in more established Northern markets, there often aren't that many large AM operations. Consider, for example, Milwaukee and Detroit. Both were considerably larger markets than Nashville in the immediate post-war years. (today, Milwaukee is almost exactly the same size as Nashville) There are six AM stations licensed to each city. (Milwaukee has a 7th in a similar situation to 1430 here -- initially a daytimer, relicensed to a suburb when night permission was granted in the 1970s) Milwaukee has one 50kw clear-channel station and a 50kw regional. (the latter has only been possible for a few years) There were, again, three pre-war stations. 620 and 1130 (like 650 and 1510 here) remain dominant on the AM dial; the other AMs remain also-rans for the most part. They're a *bit* better off in Milwaukee because the market is more physically compact, a 5kw regional on 920 can cover the market pretty well.
The difference is more blatant on FM. Because Southern cities were considerably smaller, more FM channels were assigned to outlying towns -- and fewer to the large cities. Nashville has five commercial FM channels assigned; Atlanta has six. By contrast, Milwaukee has nine and Detroit 16. Here in the South, that resulted in a lot of suburban-licensed stations. Half of the commercial FM stations in the Milwaukee market are licensed to Milwaukee. Only a quarter (?!) of the commercial FMs in the Nashville market are licensed to Nashville. I suspect the figure is even smaller in Atlanta.
How's that for "diarrhea of the fingers"?
Any of you ever tried "DX-ing" at night on the AM dial lately? The static causes your scanner/tuner to stop at every 10 MHz because all the static makes the scanner/tuner "think" it has found a station. If you set your local/DX switch to local, it will scan the entire dial without stopping on anything!
I had always assumed that this was because these stations were licensed prior to the formation of metro government. Was that the case? Can an unincorporated community be the city of license for a station? I recall that Madison was an incorporated city before the formation of metro government, and that they surrendered their charter just prior to the formation of metro. And of course, Berry Hill, for what it's worth, is still incorporated as a "city."w9wi said:
If non-incorporated communities can be the cities of license for stations, then not only Madison, but also Bellevue, Hermitage, Antioch, Donelson, and even Cane Ridge could be cities of license for stations!
firepoint525 said:
Donelson is the city of license for 1160. Grace has filed to move 94.5 from Lobelville to Bellevue. The official city-of-license for Clarksville's Q108 is Fort Campbell. (there's also an AM station licensed to the base) The FCC requires that a city of license be a bonafide community. They'll consider incorporation as evidence of bonafide community status, but that's not the only evidence they'll accept. Indeed, the phrase "city of license" doesn't appear in the rules -- it's worded "principal community".
1430 and 1470 were indeed licensed before the formation of Metro. But of course, even before Metro was formed Nashville was by a long shot the most populous municipality in Middle Tennessee. There was little or no reason to license these stations to Madison and Berry Hill if they could have been licensed to Nashville. (and they were, in fact, licensed to Nashville when they were daytimers)
S
scottwmro
Guest
Doug,
Looked at WNAH. Van Irwin Jr. applied for it in shortly after WWII. He applied for 1350, with only 250 watts. Then Hoyt Carter, now manager of WNAH went on to tell me that someone from the FCC called him and said, "File another application and we'll give you 1000 watts on 1360”. He did that and WNAH went on the air Christmas Eve Morning, December 24, 1949, from the Hermitage Hotel.
I was at WNAH on Friday and cut some commercial spots for Hoyt. WNAH & WVOL are second homes to me. Mr. Irwin still comes in, 91 years old. He can't drive anymore. Jo Ann, his wife brings him there, just to get him out of the house.
Hoyt told me they had looked into Nighttime back in the 50's-60's. This was before the "flea power" deal of the late 80's that gave them 27.4 watts. Hoyt told me that WNAH would to have had to put up 6 towers (like WVOL) and they had to be north of town around Old Hickory Blvd., and they would only get 250 watts, with those 6 towers at night. Mr. Irwin thought that was crazy, so he kept WNAH as a daytime only station, until Hoyt was working with somebody with the FCC in the 80's to get the all night flea power. In reality, Hoyt runs 30 watts at night. All being done with a Gates BC-1T Transmitter, still in daily use. George Hale (now at Comcast) got that transmitter to go down that low with rheostats and made it work without affecting the bias on the modulator side.
I told Hoyt I rather have the 27 watts at night, than the 6 towers, and 250 watts on 1360 at night! We all know the story of WVOL. It was WSOK, a daytimer that Cal Young and Bill Barry built. The old 105.9 FM Bays (at the time WFMB) were on the WSOK tower, until it was sold in "58" to R.W. Rounsaville. Rounsaville move to its present day site, 6 towers and 1,000 watts at night, aimed at the 100 Oaks/Berry Hill area, and licensed to Berry Hill. I think the two tower, 5 KW daytime operation protects 1460, WEEN-AM in Lafayette, TN and the Hopkinsville station on 1480, two stations that are first adjacent to WVOL.
I think that old Collins 20-T Transmitter, that is still there, was the original WSOK Transmitter.
Looked at WNAH. Van Irwin Jr. applied for it in shortly after WWII. He applied for 1350, with only 250 watts. Then Hoyt Carter, now manager of WNAH went on to tell me that someone from the FCC called him and said, "File another application and we'll give you 1000 watts on 1360”. He did that and WNAH went on the air Christmas Eve Morning, December 24, 1949, from the Hermitage Hotel.
I was at WNAH on Friday and cut some commercial spots for Hoyt. WNAH & WVOL are second homes to me. Mr. Irwin still comes in, 91 years old. He can't drive anymore. Jo Ann, his wife brings him there, just to get him out of the house.
Hoyt told me they had looked into Nighttime back in the 50's-60's. This was before the "flea power" deal of the late 80's that gave them 27.4 watts. Hoyt told me that WNAH would to have had to put up 6 towers (like WVOL) and they had to be north of town around Old Hickory Blvd., and they would only get 250 watts, with those 6 towers at night. Mr. Irwin thought that was crazy, so he kept WNAH as a daytime only station, until Hoyt was working with somebody with the FCC in the 80's to get the all night flea power. In reality, Hoyt runs 30 watts at night. All being done with a Gates BC-1T Transmitter, still in daily use. George Hale (now at Comcast) got that transmitter to go down that low with rheostats and made it work without affecting the bias on the modulator side.
I told Hoyt I rather have the 27 watts at night, than the 6 towers, and 250 watts on 1360 at night! We all know the story of WVOL. It was WSOK, a daytimer that Cal Young and Bill Barry built. The old 105.9 FM Bays (at the time WFMB) were on the WSOK tower, until it was sold in "58" to R.W. Rounsaville. Rounsaville move to its present day site, 6 towers and 1,000 watts at night, aimed at the 100 Oaks/Berry Hill area, and licensed to Berry Hill. I think the two tower, 5 KW daytime operation protects 1460, WEEN-AM in Lafayette, TN and the Hopkinsville station on 1480, two stations that are first adjacent to WVOL.
I think that old Collins 20-T Transmitter, that is still there, was the original WSOK Transmitter.
scottwmro said:
Yep, one of the "postwar rush". I remember seeing that 1350 application somewhere. Struck me as a bit strange, as it seems to me that at war's end (if not slightly before) the minimum power for a regional station was 500 watts. (and if you couldn't run 500 watts at night without interfering, you had to be a daytimer)
Has the WNAH transmitter always been where it is now?
All night flea power was granted across the board to the great majority of daytimers in the 1980s. However, I'd imagine it took some work with the FCC Engineering staff to get that method of power reduction approved. I'm sure the BC-1T isn't type-accepted at 30 watts -- have heard of a number of stations that operated their transmitters at much higher (type-accepted) powers and burned off most of the power in a dummy load.
I suppose on 1360 at night he'd have been protecting Miami among other stations. That would have led to some signal problems in important parts of town.
I've seen some listings of 105.9 as WSOK-FM.
Considering the day time ratings of Nashville's AM stations it's pretty easy to assume "no" we're not underserved cause there ain't much going on in that department. But years ago, from local am's to WLS/WABC/WJR/CKLW and on and on, more people were inspired to get in radio because of what AM radio was, so we have great memories.
If you think Nashvile's bad, try Charlotte. A city of 750,000 and 2 million in the metro, and only one AM covers within the city limits at night--to be honest, not much better in the daytime. WBT, the storied 50kw powerhouse, doesn't even reach the western suburbs at night. You think FM makes up for the lack of AM? Think again. Charlotte only has 4 (yes four!) commerical FM's licensed to the city and 1 non-commercial FM! Of course, FMs from nearby suburbs have been sucked into the market, (ranked 25th, much larger than Nashville's) for a grand total of 10 fullmarket commercial FMs.
LONG!: Nashville AM technical history in a nutshell
560 WNSR, Brentwood:
Launched 6/15/1981 as WTBN, 500 watts daytime only.
Calls to WWCR 3/26/1985
Calls to WYOR 5/22/1987
Calls to WNSR 8/10/1998
Power to 4,500 watts 7/19/2004; go directional; add 75 watts non-directional at night
600 WLSN, Lebanon:
See 1600.
650 WSM, Nashville:
Launched sometime in 1925 with 5,000 watts on 880.
Frequency to 1060 with 1,000 watts in 1926.
Frequency to 650 in 1928.
Power to 50,000 watts between 1932 and 1934.
710 WFCM, Smyrna:
Launched 3/16/1981 as WSVT, 250 watts daytime only.
Calls to WKXB 3/14/1990.
Calls to WZRS 11/1/1992.
Calls to WFCM 9/8/1997.
760 WENO, Nashville:
Launched 10/9/1987 as WJRR, 1,000 watts daytime only, directional
Calls to WENO 3/25/1988.
Switch to non-directional operation 1/4/1999.
790 WQSV, Ashland City:
Launched 9/28/1981 as WAJN, 500 watts daytime only.
Calls to WQSV 11/1/1991
Daytime power to 2,000 watts 12/27/2006
810 WMGC, Murfreesboro:
Launched 11/1/1953, 250 watts daytime only on 860 as WMTS.
Frequency to 810 sometime between 1963 and 1967; power to 5,000 watts.
Calls to WAPB 5/1/1995
Adds 6 watts night power 6/4/1997
Calls to WMGC 3/24/1999
850 WPFD, Fairview:
Launched 5/17/1982, 500 watts daytime only.
Held calls WBLP for a month before going on the air.
880 WMDB, Nashville:
Launched 8/24/1983, 2,500 watts daytime only.
Calls to WNVL 9/1/2005
Calls to WNSG 9/21/2005
Calls to WMDB 3/12/2008
Received permit for 2 watts nighttime 10/23/2006.
900 WKDA, Lebanon:
Launched 10/1949 as WCOR, 250 watts daytime only, non-directional.
Power to 500 watts sometime between 1957 and 1960.
Power to 5,000 watts daytime, 136 watts night, 4/7/2004.
Calls to WKDA 1/30/2006.
950 WAKM, Franklin:
Launched 3/11/1953 as WAGG, 1,000 watts daytime only.
Calls to WJTJ 4/20/1981
Calls to WTJT 7/27/1981 (oops!)
Calls to WAKM 1/24/1983
Power to 5,000 watts daytime, 80 watts night 2/26/2002
980 WYFN, Nashville:
Launched 1/7/1927 as WSIX, Springfield, on 1410 with 150 watts
Frequency to 1200 in 1928.
Frequency to 1210 with 100 watts in 1929.
Frequency to 1240 with 250 watts in early 1941. (see WLAC 1470=>1510)
Frequency to 980 with 5,000 watts, directional at night, between 1941 and 1944.
Calls to WYFN sometime after 1991.
1010 WHIN, Gallatin:
Launched 8/2/1948 with 1,000 watts daytime only.
Power to 5,000 watts 8/20/1982.
1100 WSGI, Springfield:
Launched 6/17/1988, 1,000 watts daytime only.
Seems to have held a permit to operate on some other frequency from 12/27/1982 but
haven't been able to determine that frequency.
1130 WYXE, Gallatin:
Launched 11/1/1966 as WAMG, 250 watts daytime only.
Power to 2,500 watts sometime between 1975 and 1979.
Calls to WYXE and power to 2,300 watts 9/8/1994.
1160 WCRT, Nashville:
Launched 12/1968 as WAMB, 250 watts daytime only on 1190.
Moved to 1170 with 5,000 watts sometime between 1975 and 1979.
Moved to 1160 with 50,000 watts daytime, 1,000 watts directional at night, 9/18/1985
Calls to WCRT 1/11/2006
1200 WAMB, Nashville:
Launched 12/21/2001 as WQDQ, 10,000 watts daytime only.
Calls to WKDA 3/26/2002
Calls to WAMB 1/30/2006
Power to 50,000 watts daytime 10/25/2006
Original permit was for 5,000/500 DA-2 from Lebanon.
1240 WNVL, Nashville:
Launched 1947, 250 watts, as WKDA
Daytime power to 1,000 watts sometime between 1963 and 1967
Nighttime power to 1,000 watts sometime after 1979
Calls to WNSG, then to WNVL
1250 WBAW, Nashville:
Launched 1926 on 1270 with 100 watts
To 1210 in 1927.
To 1250 with 500 watts in 1928
Gone by 1929.
1300 WNQM, Nashville:
Launched 7/1/1948 with 5,000 watts, directional at night, as WMAK.
Calls to WLUY 6/22/1982
Calls to WNQM 2/2/1984
Daytime power to 10,000 watts 3/14/1994
Daytime power to 50,000 watts 12/22/1997
1330 WDAD, Nashville:
Launched in 1926 with 150 watts.
Power to 1,000 watts in 1927.
Gone by 1929.
1360 WNAH, Nashville:
Launched 12/24/1949 with 1,000 watts daytime only.
1380 WHEW, Franklin:
Launched 2/1/1969 with 1,000 watts daytime only, directional, as WIZO.
Switch to non-directional operation sometime between 1971 and 1975.
Power to 5,000 watts sometime between 1975 and 1979.
Add 5,000 watts nighttime, directional, 12/13/1982.
Permit to reduce night power to 250 watts (from daytime site, but directional) 11/5/1990.
(never built)
Calls to WHEW 10/1/1996.
Drop night operation and reduce daytime power to 2,800 watts 1/22/2003.
1430 WPLN, Madison:
Launched 9/16/1957 as WENO, 5,000 watts daytime only.
Added 1,000 watts directional at night sometime between 1963 and 1967.
Calls to WJRB 10/17/1977
Calls to WWRB 1/22/1988
Calls to WRLT 10/4/1988
Calls to WHNK 3/2/1990
Calls to WCKD 8/21/1995
Calls to WMAK 9/1/1996
Calls to WKDA 12/12/2000
Calls to WQDQ 3/26/2002
Calls to WPLN 4/9/2002
Daytime power to 15,000 watts 5/13/2002
(held permit for 10,000 watts daytime in 1999-2002 but not built)
1450 WGNS, Murfreesboro:
Launched 1/1/1947 with 250 watts day & night, non-directional.
Daytime power to 1,000 watts soemtime between 1960 and 1963.
Nighttime power to 1,000 watts sometime after 1979.
1470 WTNT, Nashville:
Launched 1929, 1,000 watts, sharing time with WLAC.
Power to 5,000 watts in 1930.
Gone by 1931, consolidated with WLAC
1470 WVOL, Berry Hill:
Launched 12/1951 as WSOK, 1,000 watts daytime only, licensed to Nashville.
Added 1,000 watts directional at night sometime between 1960 and 1963; changed city to
Berry Hill.
1490 WCOR, Lebanon:
Launched 11/17/2005 as WCKD, 1,000 watts fulltime.
Calls to WCOR 2/6/2006.
1510 WLAC, Nashville:
Launched 11/24/1926 on 1330 with 1,000 watts, sharing time with WTNT.
Move to 1470 with 5,000 watts in 1931.
Move to 1510 in 1941. (massive national frequency change, also affected WSIX.)
Power to 50,000 watts, directional nighttime only, shortly thereafter.
(was probably already directional at night from sometime in the 1930s)
1560 WMRO, Gallatin:
Launched 2/14/1962 as WLVN, Nashville, 10,000 watts daytime only, directional.
Calls to WWGM 4/23/1963
Calls to WMRO 11/9/1993
Move to Gallatin with 1,500 watts 2/24/1994
Power to 1,000 watts 6/7/2000 (and add 3 watts night power)
1590 WDBL, Springfield:
Launched 7/24/1950 on 1430 with 1,000 watts daytime only.
Moved to 1590 sometime between 1956 and 1960.
Power to 710 watts 7/2/1992.
Calls to WJQY 11/4/2002.
Calls to WDBL 4/29/2004.
1600 WLSN, Lebanon:
A permit existed for this station in 1979. 500 watts, daytime only. Frequency difficult to read
and may have been 600 instead of 1600.
560 WNSR, Brentwood:
Launched 6/15/1981 as WTBN, 500 watts daytime only.
Calls to WWCR 3/26/1985
Calls to WYOR 5/22/1987
Calls to WNSR 8/10/1998
Power to 4,500 watts 7/19/2004; go directional; add 75 watts non-directional at night
600 WLSN, Lebanon:
See 1600.
650 WSM, Nashville:
Launched sometime in 1925 with 5,000 watts on 880.
Frequency to 1060 with 1,000 watts in 1926.
Frequency to 650 in 1928.
Power to 50,000 watts between 1932 and 1934.
710 WFCM, Smyrna:
Launched 3/16/1981 as WSVT, 250 watts daytime only.
Calls to WKXB 3/14/1990.
Calls to WZRS 11/1/1992.
Calls to WFCM 9/8/1997.
760 WENO, Nashville:
Launched 10/9/1987 as WJRR, 1,000 watts daytime only, directional
Calls to WENO 3/25/1988.
Switch to non-directional operation 1/4/1999.
790 WQSV, Ashland City:
Launched 9/28/1981 as WAJN, 500 watts daytime only.
Calls to WQSV 11/1/1991
Daytime power to 2,000 watts 12/27/2006
810 WMGC, Murfreesboro:
Launched 11/1/1953, 250 watts daytime only on 860 as WMTS.
Frequency to 810 sometime between 1963 and 1967; power to 5,000 watts.
Calls to WAPB 5/1/1995
Adds 6 watts night power 6/4/1997
Calls to WMGC 3/24/1999
850 WPFD, Fairview:
Launched 5/17/1982, 500 watts daytime only.
Held calls WBLP for a month before going on the air.
880 WMDB, Nashville:
Launched 8/24/1983, 2,500 watts daytime only.
Calls to WNVL 9/1/2005
Calls to WNSG 9/21/2005
Calls to WMDB 3/12/2008
Received permit for 2 watts nighttime 10/23/2006.
900 WKDA, Lebanon:
Launched 10/1949 as WCOR, 250 watts daytime only, non-directional.
Power to 500 watts sometime between 1957 and 1960.
Power to 5,000 watts daytime, 136 watts night, 4/7/2004.
Calls to WKDA 1/30/2006.
950 WAKM, Franklin:
Launched 3/11/1953 as WAGG, 1,000 watts daytime only.
Calls to WJTJ 4/20/1981
Calls to WTJT 7/27/1981 (oops!)
Calls to WAKM 1/24/1983
Power to 5,000 watts daytime, 80 watts night 2/26/2002
980 WYFN, Nashville:
Launched 1/7/1927 as WSIX, Springfield, on 1410 with 150 watts
Frequency to 1200 in 1928.
Frequency to 1210 with 100 watts in 1929.
Frequency to 1240 with 250 watts in early 1941. (see WLAC 1470=>1510)
Frequency to 980 with 5,000 watts, directional at night, between 1941 and 1944.
Calls to WYFN sometime after 1991.
1010 WHIN, Gallatin:
Launched 8/2/1948 with 1,000 watts daytime only.
Power to 5,000 watts 8/20/1982.
1100 WSGI, Springfield:
Launched 6/17/1988, 1,000 watts daytime only.
Seems to have held a permit to operate on some other frequency from 12/27/1982 but
haven't been able to determine that frequency.
1130 WYXE, Gallatin:
Launched 11/1/1966 as WAMG, 250 watts daytime only.
Power to 2,500 watts sometime between 1975 and 1979.
Calls to WYXE and power to 2,300 watts 9/8/1994.
1160 WCRT, Nashville:
Launched 12/1968 as WAMB, 250 watts daytime only on 1190.
Moved to 1170 with 5,000 watts sometime between 1975 and 1979.
Moved to 1160 with 50,000 watts daytime, 1,000 watts directional at night, 9/18/1985
Calls to WCRT 1/11/2006
1200 WAMB, Nashville:
Launched 12/21/2001 as WQDQ, 10,000 watts daytime only.
Calls to WKDA 3/26/2002
Calls to WAMB 1/30/2006
Power to 50,000 watts daytime 10/25/2006
Original permit was for 5,000/500 DA-2 from Lebanon.
1240 WNVL, Nashville:
Launched 1947, 250 watts, as WKDA
Daytime power to 1,000 watts sometime between 1963 and 1967
Nighttime power to 1,000 watts sometime after 1979
Calls to WNSG, then to WNVL
1250 WBAW, Nashville:
Launched 1926 on 1270 with 100 watts
To 1210 in 1927.
To 1250 with 500 watts in 1928
Gone by 1929.
1300 WNQM, Nashville:
Launched 7/1/1948 with 5,000 watts, directional at night, as WMAK.
Calls to WLUY 6/22/1982
Calls to WNQM 2/2/1984
Daytime power to 10,000 watts 3/14/1994
Daytime power to 50,000 watts 12/22/1997
1330 WDAD, Nashville:
Launched in 1926 with 150 watts.
Power to 1,000 watts in 1927.
Gone by 1929.
1360 WNAH, Nashville:
Launched 12/24/1949 with 1,000 watts daytime only.
1380 WHEW, Franklin:
Launched 2/1/1969 with 1,000 watts daytime only, directional, as WIZO.
Switch to non-directional operation sometime between 1971 and 1975.
Power to 5,000 watts sometime between 1975 and 1979.
Add 5,000 watts nighttime, directional, 12/13/1982.
Permit to reduce night power to 250 watts (from daytime site, but directional) 11/5/1990.
(never built)
Calls to WHEW 10/1/1996.
Drop night operation and reduce daytime power to 2,800 watts 1/22/2003.
1430 WPLN, Madison:
Launched 9/16/1957 as WENO, 5,000 watts daytime only.
Added 1,000 watts directional at night sometime between 1963 and 1967.
Calls to WJRB 10/17/1977
Calls to WWRB 1/22/1988
Calls to WRLT 10/4/1988
Calls to WHNK 3/2/1990
Calls to WCKD 8/21/1995
Calls to WMAK 9/1/1996
Calls to WKDA 12/12/2000
Calls to WQDQ 3/26/2002
Calls to WPLN 4/9/2002
Daytime power to 15,000 watts 5/13/2002
(held permit for 10,000 watts daytime in 1999-2002 but not built)
1450 WGNS, Murfreesboro:
Launched 1/1/1947 with 250 watts day & night, non-directional.
Daytime power to 1,000 watts soemtime between 1960 and 1963.
Nighttime power to 1,000 watts sometime after 1979.
1470 WTNT, Nashville:
Launched 1929, 1,000 watts, sharing time with WLAC.
Power to 5,000 watts in 1930.
Gone by 1931, consolidated with WLAC
1470 WVOL, Berry Hill:
Launched 12/1951 as WSOK, 1,000 watts daytime only, licensed to Nashville.
Added 1,000 watts directional at night sometime between 1960 and 1963; changed city to
Berry Hill.
1490 WCOR, Lebanon:
Launched 11/17/2005 as WCKD, 1,000 watts fulltime.
Calls to WCOR 2/6/2006.
1510 WLAC, Nashville:
Launched 11/24/1926 on 1330 with 1,000 watts, sharing time with WTNT.
Move to 1470 with 5,000 watts in 1931.
Move to 1510 in 1941. (massive national frequency change, also affected WSIX.)
Power to 50,000 watts, directional nighttime only, shortly thereafter.
(was probably already directional at night from sometime in the 1930s)
1560 WMRO, Gallatin:
Launched 2/14/1962 as WLVN, Nashville, 10,000 watts daytime only, directional.
Calls to WWGM 4/23/1963
Calls to WMRO 11/9/1993
Move to Gallatin with 1,500 watts 2/24/1994
Power to 1,000 watts 6/7/2000 (and add 3 watts night power)
1590 WDBL, Springfield:
Launched 7/24/1950 on 1430 with 1,000 watts daytime only.
Moved to 1590 sometime between 1956 and 1960.
Power to 710 watts 7/2/1992.
Calls to WJQY 11/4/2002.
Calls to WDBL 4/29/2004.
1600 WLSN, Lebanon:
A permit existed for this station in 1979. 500 watts, daytime only. Frequency difficult to read
and may have been 600 instead of 1600.
jetfli said:
Quite welcome.
Sources for that material:
- 1966 Broadcasting Yearbook in my possession
- Other Yearbooks on http://www.davidgleason.com/
- White's Radio Log and other similar publications on the same website
- FCC CDBS for information post-1979
- Personal knowledge (only post-1990)
I only listed stations licensed to Davidson or bordering counties. (hence, nothing from Dickson, Montgomery, or Maury) DO NOT ASK FOR FM! (WAY too many changes over the years.....)
A few notes...
There was a massive national frequency shift in the spring of 1941. When WSIX moved from 1210 to 1240, nearly every other station on 1210 made the same move. When WLAC moved from 1470 to 1510, so did all the other U.S. stations on 1470. (but as a clear channel, KGA Spokane was the only other U.S. station on 1470....)
I missed a station. Briefly around 1924, there was a WABV on 1140. All record of this station vanished. (not unusual. Early radio licenses were only valid for a few months (?!) and often were not renewed.) The listed owner of WABV was John H. DeWitt -- the same Jack DeWitt who was chief engineer, and later president, of WSM. In 1924 DeWitt was only 18 years old. An article in the Tennessean claims the station was run by the First Baptist Church and used the calls WCBQ. (I wonder if there might have been *two* stations and WCBQ vanished before appearing in any of the listings I had access to?) http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070511/SPECIAL0903/705110559
The large number of stations launched in the 1980s is unusual. In most markets there was no room for new AM stations after the 1950s. Relaxation of the clear-channel protection rules may have made one or two new stations possible. Six new stations is quite unusual.
I believe WPFD in Fairview may have gone dark. I haven't been able to hear anything from them for a while, and I live here in Pegram, so I should be able to hear them, if they were still on the air. Not that anyone would miss them or anything! :
N
NashRadio
Guest
I apologize to all the posters on radio-info Nashville board for the following torture.
w9wi: I have some slightly different information. Disclaimers: (1) I did not document the source(s); (2) I have changed several items to reflect the latest info I read; (3) we may have discussed this earlier.
Here are the discrepancies:
1. 650-WSM: 1060 (??/??/24 or 25-??/??/27); 880 (??/??/27-??/??/28); 890 (??/??/28-11/8/29); then to 650 11/9/29.
2. WQZQ AM between 800 and 833 ["(8:03a-2:42p & 9:57a-4:12p)"
whatever that means], from 2/02 to 2/08. Do you have any info on that?
3. 900 to WKDA 1/7/06.
4. 980: I had 1/1/27 (maybe just a misread); '30 for the move to 1210; <move to Nashville between '38, and '40; move to 1240 between '40 and '42;WSIX in '42.
5. 1160 to WCRT 1/20.
6. 1200 to WAMB 1/12.
7. WBAW to 1210 (from 1270) 10/13/(27).
8. 1330 WDAD launched in '24 or '25; shared frequency with WLAC 11/24/26 - 8/27/27 (gone).
WLAC sharing with WTNT [again, according to my records] was on 1470 2/19/30 - 12/15/30.
9. 1470 WSOK: 1941, presumably with WLAC moving 3/28/41.
10. 1490 WCOR (from WCKD): 1/7/(06).
11. 1510 WLAC: 1330: 11/24/26 - 11/10/28 (11/24/26 - 8/27/27 w/ WDAD); 1490 11/11/28 - 2/18/30; 1470 2/19/30 - 3/28/41; 1510 3/29/41.
12. 1560 WMRO (say Hi to Scott): WLVN 4/1/63 (tho' I think your dates are probably more accurate, due to the date of change to WWGM). I do have that WWGM went dark some time in '92(?). [I actually knew a couple people who worked there in the CCM days. Only Nashville radio personalitites I ever knew, except Adrian Marshall was on WMAK (news) in the early '70s. Bury me now.]
I did not have:
a. 600/1600 WLSB;
b. the former calls for 760, 790;
c. WMTS on 860;
d. the 20 days! 880 was WNVL;I DO show: Transferred to Davidson 5/23?/06, back to M. Babb 3/12/08 (not sure how those fit in) Btw, has any other frequency in town resurrected their own old call letters?;
e. 1430 I had not listed WENO, WJRB, tho' I was aware of those. I even remember WHNK. But it was both WWRB And WRLT AM? I NEVER knew those call letters were on the AM band. [For those os us old fogies (I'm 55), it is interesting that a frequency held both the WMAK and WKDA call letters, especially neither 1240 or 1300.] It was WQDQ for 13 days?
f. 1470 WTNT: 2/19/30 - 12/15/30
g/ 1590 WDBL: 1430
zzzzzzzzz. (and a LOT of dates).
I wonder if we'll ever know some of the exact dates, and as time goes on, more and more will be lost. That is regrettable.
w9wi: I have some slightly different information. Disclaimers: (1) I did not document the source(s); (2) I have changed several items to reflect the latest info I read; (3) we may have discussed this earlier.
Here are the discrepancies:
1. 650-WSM: 1060 (??/??/24 or 25-??/??/27); 880 (??/??/27-??/??/28); 890 (??/??/28-11/8/29); then to 650 11/9/29.
2. WQZQ AM between 800 and 833 ["(8:03a-2:42p & 9:57a-4:12p)"
whatever that means], from 2/02 to 2/08. Do you have any info on that?
3. 900 to WKDA 1/7/06.
4. 980: I had 1/1/27 (maybe just a misread); '30 for the move to 1210; <move to Nashville between '38, and '40; move to 1240 between '40 and '42;WSIX in '42.
5. 1160 to WCRT 1/20.
6. 1200 to WAMB 1/12.
7. WBAW to 1210 (from 1270) 10/13/(27).
8. 1330 WDAD launched in '24 or '25; shared frequency with WLAC 11/24/26 - 8/27/27 (gone).
WLAC sharing with WTNT [again, according to my records] was on 1470 2/19/30 - 12/15/30.
9. 1470 WSOK: 1941, presumably with WLAC moving 3/28/41.
10. 1490 WCOR (from WCKD): 1/7/(06).
11. 1510 WLAC: 1330: 11/24/26 - 11/10/28 (11/24/26 - 8/27/27 w/ WDAD); 1490 11/11/28 - 2/18/30; 1470 2/19/30 - 3/28/41; 1510 3/29/41.
12. 1560 WMRO (say Hi to Scott): WLVN 4/1/63 (tho' I think your dates are probably more accurate, due to the date of change to WWGM). I do have that WWGM went dark some time in '92(?). [I actually knew a couple people who worked there in the CCM days. Only Nashville radio personalitites I ever knew, except Adrian Marshall was on WMAK (news) in the early '70s. Bury me now.]
I did not have:
a. 600/1600 WLSB;
b. the former calls for 760, 790;
c. WMTS on 860;
d. the 20 days! 880 was WNVL;I DO show: Transferred to Davidson 5/23?/06, back to M. Babb 3/12/08 (not sure how those fit in) Btw, has any other frequency in town resurrected their own old call letters?;
e. 1430 I had not listed WENO, WJRB, tho' I was aware of those. I even remember WHNK. But it was both WWRB And WRLT AM? I NEVER knew those call letters were on the AM band. [For those os us old fogies (I'm 55), it is interesting that a frequency held both the WMAK and WKDA call letters, especially neither 1240 or 1300.] It was WQDQ for 13 days?
f. 1470 WTNT: 2/19/30 - 12/15/30
g/ 1590 WDBL: 1430
zzzzzzzzz. (and a LOT of dates).
I wonder if we'll ever know some of the exact dates, and as time goes on, more and more will be lost. That is regrettable.
A few clarifications if I may…
WSM switched to the Concord road site 50,000 watt “set” on October 5, 1932 a little after five PM. That is in Jack DeWitt’s hand writing in the log on that day.
WLAC turned on the 1130 OHB site March 12, 1942 at about 42 kW due to a nationwide power roll-back to conserve energy for the war effort. The installation was not fully finished until after the war.
WMAK was fulltime directional until 1953 when they were allowed non-directional day operation, another quirky FCC rule/policy.
Regarding the licensing of stations to specific cities within the Metro (or any other similar situation); at that period of time, if a day-time only station wanted to add night-time facilities the FCC rules/policies required them to specifically serve another community because the original city of license was not allowed anymore stations and this was the case up until the late 1980’s or early 1990’s and that is why you see stations licensed to Berry Hill, Madison and Donaldson.
w/
WSM switched to the Concord road site 50,000 watt “set” on October 5, 1932 a little after five PM. That is in Jack DeWitt’s hand writing in the log on that day.
WLAC turned on the 1130 OHB site March 12, 1942 at about 42 kW due to a nationwide power roll-back to conserve energy for the war effort. The installation was not fully finished until after the war.
WMAK was fulltime directional until 1953 when they were allowed non-directional day operation, another quirky FCC rule/policy.
Regarding the licensing of stations to specific cities within the Metro (or any other similar situation); at that period of time, if a day-time only station wanted to add night-time facilities the FCC rules/policies required them to specifically serve another community because the original city of license was not allowed anymore stations and this was the case up until the late 1980’s or early 1990’s and that is why you see stations licensed to Berry Hill, Madison and Donaldson.
w/
1010 WHIN, Gallatin:
Launched 8/2/1948 with 1,000 watts daytime only.
Power to 5,000 watts 8/20/1982. this is for watt..or any other engineer in his league..of which i am certainly not..when i worked there from '71 through '76 they were 1000 watts as stated..however we got out much farther and with a much clearer signal than they ever have at 5000...(just daytime as nightime was not available then)..my question is why ?
Launched 8/2/1948 with 1,000 watts daytime only.
Power to 5,000 watts 8/20/1982. this is for watt..or any other engineer in his league..of which i am certainly not..when i worked there from '71 through '76 they were 1000 watts as stated..however we got out much farther and with a much clearer signal than they ever have at 5000...(just daytime as nightime was not available then)..my question is why ?
I see..i understand the radio sensitivity..no car maker wants to put a good am reciever in a car, or a home radio..but i would think 5000 watts would overcome even man made clutter at least half the distance as a 1000 watter..(no pun..lol)...i can't even get WLS at night like i could back in the "god" (good old days)...not that theres anything to hear there..just trying to understand what it all means..thanks..
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