Bartholomew County radio lacking in weather department.

[Earth]

Hello:

I'm new to this board and just wanted to say how disappointed I am with the weather reports from local radio last evening in Bartholomew County. I had to turn to Indy TV to find out what was going on. After searching the radio dial and hitting all that Columbus had to offer, I went to TV to find out a tornado had just touched down just a few miles from my home in the northern part of the county. I thought local radio was supposed to serve and alert me when things like this happen. But all I found was a standard weather report from the radio. Seems like money or lack of has taken local radio to the bottom of the barrel. I know I can not count on them for important news, weather and what ever else I might need. No wonder everyone on this board has bad comments on radio. what has happend?

 

[mjcarter1981]

If you want good weather coverage in a storm, pray the storm hits between 6 am and 7 pm. Pretty much everything else is either automation, voicetrack, or satellite. There's no guarantee on the daytime hours either, though, so it's basically a crap shoot.

 

[radioindy]

Where was whum?

 

[Flying-Dutchman]

WHUM made three live announcements about this tornado before it got to Edinburgh. I even told the
people the direction it was going. I am a licensed ham and our spotters chase these things. But,
I also get weather infomation from the Indy TV channels with their color radar and the National Weather Service.
Listeners in Columbus called and thanked me for the warning.

Unfortunately, there is another licensed LPFM on WHUM's frequency that knocks us out at Edinburgh. The above
poster could not hear us. We hope to change this.

I have never failed to get a tornado warning on the air even if I had to get out of bed to do it. That's a broadcasters
responsibility.

 

[IKE_IKE_Baby]

WHUM made three live announcements about this tornado before it got to Edinburgh. I even told the
people the direction it was going. I am a licensed ham and our spotters chase these things. But,
I also get weather infomation from the Indy TV channels with their color radar and the National Weather Service.
Listeners in Columbus called and thanked me for the warning.

Unfortunately, there is another licensed LPFM on WHUM's frequency that knocks us out at Edinburgh. The above
poster could not hear us. We hope to change this.

Go Bruce go!
Always serving the community for the best, often with the least!

 

[Flying-Dutchman]

Thanks!

 

[radioindy]

Just wanted to give you the platform to let them know you're there. Was just asking - I would have been surprised if you weren't on.

 

[mjcarter1981]

I have never failed to get a tornado warning on the air even if I had to get out of bed to do it. That's a broadcasters
responsibility.

That's how it's SUPPOSED to be. Way to go Bruce.

 

[jimbo700]

I just couldn't let this conversation go any longer without telling another side of the story.
I was on the air last night on WRZQ (QMIX) and also covering the weather for WYGB (KORN Country).
I was in the studio until midnight and did live breaks every 10 minutes until the last warning for Bartholomew County expired at 10:15 PM.
It was reported by the NWS that trained spotters had confirmed a tornado near Princess Lakes at around 9PM (an estimate). I had that on the air immediately. I also had WISH-TV's LWS on in the studio and saw the projected path through Camp Atterbury and I had that on the air before the NSW even issued the warning for northern Bartholomew County. I announced the seriousness of the situation many times and told people along the Bartholomew/Johnson County line, as well as Southwest Shelby County to "take shelter immediately". I followed that storm and gave live updates between every 2 records, which is about every 6 to 8 minutes. I did this from 8:40 PM until 10:15 PM when the last warning expired, then did a few breaks an hour until nearly midnight. We received several calls of praise today for our storm coverage yesterday (not just last night, but all day yesterday).
Although this is painful to admit, I was listening to WKKG off-and-on on our EAS machine and they also had frequent breaks, which I assume aired on their other stations.
If "Earth" failed to get accurate, live storm coverage in Bartholomew County, he/she wasn't listening to QMIX or KORN Country.
I wonder why "Earth" went to so much trouble to sign up for a new Radio-Info account to complain about Bartholomew Country's storm coverage when I was busting my butt until midnight last night providing accurate, timely live information.

 

[EStreeter]

Having worked for Bruce I can confirm that he does roll out of bed for everything from transmitter repair, to remote kit set up, to weather alerts. There are few left like Bruce. Good work Sir!

 

[hipporadio]

Well... I can’t speak for the stellar state of C’bus radio - but I was visiting at the parents’ home in Connersville on Tuesday night when storms were rolling thru and lighting the sky ALL night long... I’m sure you know about the damage inflicted on the folks at Moscow in neighboring Rush County. I happened to awake at 3:45AM [Wednesday] to “conduct business" – 'hit the power button on the C Crane tuned to 1580AM – and heard Ted Kramer on WIFE giving weather reports IN REAL TIME while that station was on a whopping FIVE WATTS. Brett Briscoe [the news guy] was in the abode also, and had been since the prior evening... Seems some still care to go to work “off-hours” and serve their communities! GOOD FOR THEM!

 

[ChiefEngineer]

5 watts fades at the cville city limits unfortunately. How can you hear this in Moscow? More importantly it's AM. Hate to be an AM detractor but that's life.

I think the new radio info account speaks much.

WCSI and Sam (The Paul Harvey of Columbus) Simmermaker "were" always there and at that time it was great but this changed a long time ago. I learned under Sam as much as this contributed to hair loss for the man. He was the hardest working man in radio.

While the CSI news department still exists this isn't like it used to be. Disconnected is the word. WWWY never impacted the community but Q Mix has. Years ago this would not have had any impact on CSI because it "was" a battleship. Now, it's a bass boat.

With many more sources for entertainment came the decision to put less plating on the news hull. Saved money and no one will notice, right? Having someone less than a radio legend read the news is just as well, right? Comparison between the old days and the WWWY competition and today and Q Mix says a lot.

This opened the market up and allowed Q Mix to bring in news staff at least on the same level.

Sam's news department would always trump everyone but this isn't Sam's news department.

Congrats to Jim and to Bruce and to the White River folks who were on the air. Despite the changes through the years it is good to se that they weren't just relaying events through the EAS.

Saw they were looking for another newsperson at White River. Could it be they now have a news presence on Radio-Info?

 

[radioindy]

5 watts fades at the cville city limits unfortunately. How can you hear this in Moscow? More importantly it's AM. Hate to be an AM detractor but that's life.

Does the FCC allow these am'ers to turn up their full power in emergency situations? Maybe they cranked it up in the name of serving their col?

How many corporate stations went on with severe weather info? Did WKLU come on with info for it's listeners in it's COL when the tornado touched down in Hendricks county last week? I know they couldn't see it out their window in castleton, but shouldn't there be some requirements in place for severe weather in your col?

 

[AndTheLambGoesBAA]

I wonder why "Earth" went to so much trouble to sign up for a new Radio-Info account to---

Seems to me, it's all about Bruce.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

I just couldn't let this conversation go any longer without telling another side of the story.
I was on the air last night on WRZQ (QMIX) and also covering the weather for WYGB (KORN Country).
I was in the studio until midnight and did live breaks every 10 minutes until the last warning for Bartholomew County expired at 10:15 PM.
It was reported by the NWS that trained spotters had confirmed a tornado near Princess Lakes at around 9PM (an estimate). I had that on the air immediately. I also had WISH-TV's LWS on in the studio and saw the projected path through Camp Atterbury and I had that on the air before the NSW even issued the warning for northern Bartholomew County. I announced the seriousness of the situation many times and told people along the Bartholomew/Johnson County line, as well as Southwest Shelby County to "take shelter immediately". I followed that storm and gave live updates between every 2 records, which is about every 6 to 8 minutes. I did this from 8:40 PM until 10:15 PM when the last warning expired, then did a few breaks an hour until nearly midnight. We received several calls of praise today for our storm coverage yesterday (not just last night, but all day yesterday).
Although this is painful to admit, I was listening to WKKG off-and-on on our EAS machine and they also had frequent breaks, which I assume aired on their other stations.
If "Earth" failed to get accurate, live storm coverage in Bartholomew County, he/she wasn't listening to QMIX or KORN Country.
I wonder why "Earth" went to so much trouble to sign up for a new Radio-Info account to complain about Bartholomew Country's storm coverage when I was busting my butt until midnight last night providing accurate, timely live information.

I live near the Edinburgh damage and Jimbo called for updates during the weather event, his first call while he was enroute to the studio (a 1 mile trip). This isn't his first time dropping what he's doing to get SVR info on the air. Any suggestion that these stations didn't step up to the plate before, during & for some time after the storm event is a total distortion of the truth.

 

[AndTheLambGoesBAA]

Any suggestion that these stations didn't step up to the plate before, during & for some time after the storm event is a total distortion of the truth.

WOuldn't be the 1st time.

 

[Flying-Dutchman]

I have no doubt that the Columbus stations did a good job covering this tornado. Columbus has
lots of local FMs. They are all family owned and have old fashioned values about community
service. Columbus has many community events. And these events are all covered by at least one
FM station.

The best a radio announcer can do is repeat the info he gets from other sources. While a song
is playing, he or she is gathering information from the TV, NWS, spotters, and law enforcement.
If you can watch a TV then you may be getting the info at the same time we are and before
we have a chance to repeat it. I will say though, radio is your best source if you are stuck in
the car or basement on battery power.

Other medium sized cities in this country should envy the radio Columbus has. Springfield Ohio
would be lucky if they had one tenth the service we have in Columbus.

Thanks should go to all the broadcasters who tried their best to keep the people safe!

 

[hipporadio]

5 watts fades at the cville city limits unfortunately. How can you hear this in Moscow? More importantly it's AM. Hate to be an AM detractor but that's life.

Does the FCC allow these am'ers to turn up their full power in emergency situations? Maybe they cranked it up in the name of serving their col?

I can tell you as a prior operator - advised by D.C. legal counsel - THE ANSWER IS YES, and I was a bit suprised to see WIFE at "CB radio power" during this event. I suspect, since they cycle thru FIVE power levels [PSA/PSSA] that the rig is AUTOMATED, and possibly not available to casual intervention... Bob On The Job can provide the details. I have raiseed power on my AMs at EVERY opportunity at night when a legitimate circumstance called for that action - and I was NEVER cited of fined by "Charlie". And Chief... WIFE, while not serving Mocsow in neighboring Rush County, DOES serve the next county east [Fayette] in the path of the strorm. I know you are well-aquainted with that geography since you now have TWO repetitive translators from the same tower on-air in Connersville :

WIFE could-have and SHOULD-HAVE raised power!

 

[Earth]

Re: Bartholomew County Radio lacking in weather department.

Wo here boys! First off in reply to Jimbos note. The fact being is the storm was over my area and when I went to radio for the lastest storm report early in this thing I heard Thunderstorm warning. When I later went back after I heard from a friend on the phone that sirens are going off I went to radio and heard music. You state you were there every 10 minutes or two songs 6-8 minutes worth or so. GREAT JOB!! But lets see a tornado doesn't choose to wait for 2 songs to play and then it hits. It could wipe someone out in less than 30 seconds. So When I need the info in an emergency I expect the music to stop! I could not afford to wait until you decide to annouce, take cover. I turned to TV to get what I needed now and not wait until one song, two songs or a commercial played.

I think you did what you were told to do and keep as much music going as possible, but as another stated in this thread, turn the power up and annouce the storm details. There were lives at stake here! You might have done your job, but buddy when my family is in danger I can't wait for 6- 8 minutes for music to stop. At the very least you could have cut in between each song. AT THE VERY LEAST!!

As far as Bruce goes I can't get his station out where I live.

When there is a (possible) chance a tornado is on the ground the music has to stop until the danger has passed in the area you are supposed to be covering! I wouldn't think that to be a distortion now would you BobOnTheJob? I take it Edinburgh is in your coverage zone. So take care of it! I would imagine that most people turn to radio when bad weather hits, but most of the time in Columbus and Bartholomew County you guys go home at 5pm and let the machine take it over. Radio is bascily a jukebox these days. News, weather and sports are distractions unless you tuned to AM radio and in storms after the sun goes down that's worthless. That's my 2 cents worth for you people who think you earn a pat on the back for doing your job!
It was weak at best. You cover more ground then you think and people rely on you for up to date info in a timely manner.

EARTH!

 

[BobOnTheJob]

5 watts fades at the cville city limits unfortunately. How can you hear this in Moscow? More importantly it's AM. Hate to be an AM detractor but that's life.

Does the FCC allow these am'ers to turn up their full power in emergency situations? Maybe they cranked it up in the name of serving their col?

I can tell you as a prior operator - advised by D.C. legal counsel - THE ANSWER IS YES, and I was a bit suprised to see WIFE at "CB radio power" during this event. I suspect, since they cycle thru FIVE power levels [PSA/PSSA] that the rig is AUTOMATED, and possibly not available to casual intervention... Bob On The Job can provide the details. I have raiseed power on my AMs at EVERY opportunity at night when a legitimate circumstance called for that action - and I was NEVER cited of fined by "Charlie". And Chief... WIFE, while not serving Mocsow in neighboring Rush County, DOES serve the next county east [Fayette] in the path of the strorm. I know you are well-aquainted with that geography since you now have TWO repetitive translators from the same tower on-air in Connersville :

WIFE could-have and SHOULD-HAVE raised power!

Correct on all counts. The rig is automated, however it can be over-ridden with a simple phone call & that over-ride will stick until the next scheduled power change. They should have raised power at this point...I am unaware whether they did or not. But I will make sure this is brought to management's attention, as well as passing along the kudos for some public service work far above the call of duty.