Just a question:
Are there any abandoned, decommissioned (but still standing) AM transmitter sites in metro Atlanta?
Are there any abandoned, decommissioned (but still standing) AM transmitter sites in metro Atlanta?
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DECOMMISSIONED AM TRANSMITTER SITES?
- Thread starter stereolane
- Start date
It's FM, but what about the first move-in tower for 95.5? Is it still standing?
WGST used to be next to the Alexander Memorial Coliseum at Georgia Tech. Look to the far left of this picture: http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/misc/aerial13.htm
And, of course, there was the WTBS tower that used to be used for 99.7.
Did the old WPLO 590 tower get repurposed? Wasn't it in the Cheshire Bridge AM tower gulch? My daughter should know that one but that's before her time.
WGFS (Covington) used to have their tower and studio off the I-20 access road and you could see it from the interstate. The studio building was there the last time I looked but I think the tower is gone.
WGST used to be next to the Alexander Memorial Coliseum at Georgia Tech. Look to the far left of this picture: http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/misc/aerial13.htm
And, of course, there was the WTBS tower that used to be used for 99.7.
Did the old WPLO 590 tower get repurposed? Wasn't it in the Cheshire Bridge AM tower gulch? My daughter should know that one but that's before her time.
WGFS (Covington) used to have their tower and studio off the I-20 access road and you could see it from the interstate. The studio building was there the last time I looked but I think the tower is gone.
I should know this, but I'm not sure if 1550 is on the air. If not, that's a new site--a few years old--that's sitting there.
Stereolane: I hope you are not going to “harvest” the ground radials.
All kidding aside, the Dayton transmitter theft of an on the air transmitter is scary.
According to the FCC website these are the dark AM stations and the dates in GA:
WBBK BLAKELY 12/21/2009
WDXQ COCHRAN 1/26/2010
WXJO DOUGLASVILLE 3/12/2010
WDGR LAWRENCEVILLE 8/23/2010
WVNG TOCCOA 4/17/2010
Their might be others but I am assuming the operators are filing the proper paperwork. With NIMBY issues I doubt that any tower in GA would be abandoned. There is always a cell phone company that will rent space on a tower.
While we are on the subject of AM towers: the City of Canton has their name on a cell tower on the west side of exit 19 off of I 575. If you look closely at the bottem of the tower you will see what appears to be some kind of AM set up (wires running half way up the side of tower with insulators) The Canton AM station has a three tower array a couple of kilometers north by a river near the flood plain. Is this a really nice emergency HAM radio set up or an emergency site for the Canton AM?
All kidding aside, the Dayton transmitter theft of an on the air transmitter is scary.
According to the FCC website these are the dark AM stations and the dates in GA:
WBBK BLAKELY 12/21/2009
WDXQ COCHRAN 1/26/2010
WXJO DOUGLASVILLE 3/12/2010
WDGR LAWRENCEVILLE 8/23/2010
WVNG TOCCOA 4/17/2010
Their might be others but I am assuming the operators are filing the proper paperwork. With NIMBY issues I doubt that any tower in GA would be abandoned. There is always a cell phone company that will rent space on a tower.
While we are on the subject of AM towers: the City of Canton has their name on a cell tower on the west side of exit 19 off of I 575. If you look closely at the bottem of the tower you will see what appears to be some kind of AM set up (wires running half way up the side of tower with insulators) The Canton AM station has a three tower array a couple of kilometers north by a river near the flood plain. Is this a really nice emergency HAM radio set up or an emergency site for the Canton AM?
secondchoice said:
Not even close.
In fact, I'm always looking for new ways to keep the meth heads away from my OWN tower sites! How I'd love to walk in on one of these guys and introduce them to my two good pals... "Smith" and "Wesson"
I had someone bring an idea to me where a rusty AM stick or other abandoned tower site near ATL may come in handy. Thanks for the info.
P.S. WDGR is a move-in from Dahlonega, that seems to be having some difficulty...
I drove by the WDGR Dahlonega site two years ago. It looked abandoned then.
jabba17 said:
The remains of WDGR are standing at the west edge of Dahlonega, GA. It was purchased with the plan to move it to Lawrenceville and serve a Korean audience, but that effort must have run out of steam.
Is there a special rule that extends the one year grace period if a station is seeking a move? WDGR probably hasn't emitted anything in over four years.
Standing at the south edge of Cumming is the tower and building of what was 1170 until it was purchased by the folks who then owned 1160 in Atlanta. Consider 1170 an "organ donor" who provided enhanced technical life for 1160.
secondchoice said:
The AM station that is a 3-tower array near the flood plain of the Etowah River off I-575 is the still on-the-air Regional Mexican La Raza 1290 AM WCHK. They were for a time mixing in both the La Raza programming in Spanish along with Bluegrass, Country, & Southern Gospel in English. They played the Bluegrass, Country, & Southern Gospel in the mornings during the week. During the workday, they were playing the La Raza programming from 10AM-4PM. Then in weekday afternoons 4PM-7PM, they played the Jerry Doyle Show. During high school football season, they broadcasted games from both Woodstock & Cherokee high schools. Weekday mornings at 9AM, they used to do a community calendar segment, and then they did a church calendar segment at 9:30 A.M. Unfortunately, the English programming didn't work out. Therefore, WCHK is playing nothing but La Raza programming non-stop. Of course, it just so happens to be a simulcast of the La Raza flagship at 102.3 FM WLKQ in Buford. I think we all can agree that Davis Broadcasting is wasting their time with their North Georgia stations. Not just WCHK & WLKQ, but also regular Spanish music Viva 100.1 FM WNSY in Talking Rock between Jasper & Ellijay. Whoever wants to return back to the subject of this thread, you are welcome to do so. Thank you.
I don't know why you're saying Davis Broadcasting is "wasting their time." WLKQ's billings have gone through the roof since they changed to Hispanic, and the last time I looked, the station was #1 in Gwinnett County (a hotbed for Hispanic growth).
The only thing I question is why they put the "Viva" format on WNSY. Most of the Hispanic population in the station's coverage area would be Regional Mexican listeners. If WLKQ and WNSY covered the same area, then the more upscale Viva format would make sense on WNSY. My guess is Davis thinks it can get more advertising dollars by telling clients that they have 2 different stations.
The only thing I question is why they put the "Viva" format on WNSY. Most of the Hispanic population in the station's coverage area would be Regional Mexican listeners. If WLKQ and WNSY covered the same area, then the more upscale Viva format would make sense on WNSY. My guess is Davis thinks it can get more advertising dollars by telling clients that they have 2 different stations.
I agree. While I miss Lake 102, La Raza seems to bring in the money. Keep an eye on what CC does with Patron, with all the rumbling about a WGST FM simul--if Patron flips, La Raza isn't going anywhere as they will become a goldmine.RoddyFreeman said:
Then there are those translators that Davis has we're trying to figure out the purpose of...if I were Davis I would put La Raza on 100.1 and simul it on the Chateau Elan (the NEW 97.1 The River/WSBB tower) translator, and put the "Viva" format on 102.3.
Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:
I think an exterminator uses the former 1170 studio as a retail office.
> If you look closely at the bottem of the tower you will see what appears to be some kind of AM set up (wires running half way up the side of tower with insulators)
That could be a de-tuning skirt. You'll find them on some cell towers and even on water towers that are located near an AM stick.
LF
That could be a de-tuning skirt. You'll find them on some cell towers and even on water towers that are located near an AM stick.
LF
lfuss said:
Bingo! WCHK 1290 3-tower directional array is just two gnats-hairs less than a mile north of the cell tower. (Azimuth 18 degrees).
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