I was reading the fcc daily digest and noticed that the EMF translator on 97.5 in hillside will no longer be feed by WSRI (88.7) in sugar grove(it never would have worked). They are now going to feed (I believe by the Park Ridge translator, which will be feed by WCLR in Arlington Heights). What is interesting is WCLR is a share time station, so these translators I believe will only be on when WCLR is on the Air. You've got to think emf has called up the other part of the share time station in palatine and perhaps WRSE to see if they would sell. Or they can afford to wait.
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EMF translator network in Chicago going to be part time?
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Do you think that anyone actually listens to translators or satellators? I don't. I think people listen to the power stations that they don't have to keep switching the dial to find as they drive.
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MrJoey
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Mightyfrenchman....that was sorta rude.
MrJoey said:
Often that's how facing reality comes across. I certainly didn't intend to be rude. I think most people listen to radio in the car and that they want to just leave it on one station. Translators/satellators are generally of such low power that it's not possible for the listener to leave the radio on one frequency on their way to work/school/you name it.
I would listen to a station that I liked despite its crappy signal.
Why the moderator moved this to the down state board I don't know. Apparently he does not know that all
these translators are in the chicago suburbs. Or my post just sucks bady. Sorry about that. But no matter wbhere this post was placed its still interesting emf will feed translators with a time share station. I assume they will all go on and off together.
Why the moderator moved this to the down state board I don't know. Apparently he does not know that all
these translators are in the chicago suburbs. Or my post just sucks bady. Sorry about that. But no matter wbhere this post was placed its still interesting emf will feed translators with a time share station. I assume they will all go on and off together.
I was thinking that the subject itself of translators and satellators is one that is applicable to the whole country, not just Chicago and downstate Illinois. Particularly in the case of EMF and other evangelical radio groups who are spending a lot of money to construct these extremely low-power structures, thinking that they're going to be reaching so many more people. I still remember when, for a short time, 50,000 watt WCFL-AM played contemporary Christian music. Whatever the format may be, if a station's to succeed they're going to have to do it the old-fashioned way and that's with power. And we're talking 50 KW.
Depends on what the translator does. We run two of them for WILL-FM Urbana, IL. One to fill out the
signal in town since a lot of building has gone on since the 40s. The other is in Danville, IL which is just
outside of our primary service area. Both of our translators have quite a few listeners. It's quite a different
situation than you mention above...but they are translators.
signal in town since a lot of building has gone on since the 40s. The other is in Danville, IL which is just
outside of our primary service area. Both of our translators have quite a few listeners. It's quite a different
situation than you mention above...but they are translators.
jp1520 said:
Let's say I'm having breakfast at a local eatery in Tilton. Let's call it Mary Lou's Café. Would I be able to pick up the translator inside the café there or only in my car?
On the Tranzzzzlayyyytour issue.. It depends on the equipment and value to the operator.. In a fringe format that many CCM's had status in (1980's and 1990's), the little towns screamed for it.. We at WAY-FM made sure of two things...The support would be there to pay for the basic cost of bringing a translator in and that the antenna would be licensed to a spot with a strong line-of-site to the population... Howard Engstrom just passed and I was honored to have him work through a couple of early problems that we had with our first translator in Clewiston, Florida... It was amazing, with proper engineering and planning for a good antenna site, that the signal had no problem getting into buildings and dwellings for 7 to 10 miles out... In an urban area, it would be somewhat different in placement and radius.... I used the same direction in building two LPFM's..One in a small rural community and one from the upside of a medium/regional metro.... 
Howard was the creator of of the FCC's translator policies and engineering... TEPCO Translators were his gem...
Howard was the creator of of the FCC's translator policies and engineering... TEPCO Translators were his gem... 
I would guess that EMF can afford to run the translators part-time and wait the situation out. It seems like eventually, there is some chance the FCC will approve satellite feeding for commercial band translators, and even if that never happens, EMF just keeps acquiring more and more stations, so it certainly seems like eventually they could get a full power station closer to those translators - all the better to feed them with.
I also think this is potentially a unique situation, in that Chicago is a large market that EMF wants to be in, and even if they can only place their secondary Air1 network on a part-time (network of) stations, they surely consider it better than not being in the market at all.
Perhaps they may also be able to eventually use creative engineering to move one of the translators into the reserved band, where it could be satellite fed, and then use it to feed the other translators.
I also think this is potentially a unique situation, in that Chicago is a large market that EMF wants to be in, and even if they can only place their secondary Air1 network on a part-time (network of) stations, they surely consider it better than not being in the market at all.
Perhaps they may also be able to eventually use creative engineering to move one of the translators into the reserved band, where it could be satellite fed, and then use it to feed the other translators.
Again, for its value in holding listeners due to its low power, the translator/satellator and $1.60 will get me a small coffee at Starbucks.
EMF applied for a license to cover for 96.7 in Park Ridge, IL this week. It says they changed the relay station to K-Love's WJKL 94.3. Can anyone post when it comes on if it is not already on. So EMF might relay K-Love instead it looks like. 94.3's signal is weak in the areas their translator CP's are so it makes sense and its better to be on 24/7 although I like air1 better. 94.3 is weak in Evanston where my brother lives. I hope 96.7 comes in better there.
W244BQ (96.7) is on now on the air full-time from a microwave relay tower in Morton Grove (near Lincoln & Lehigh Aves.) as of Saturday, June 23, relaying K-Love (RBDS /RDS "K-LOVE" as well)...coverage going north mobile is about to Lake Ave. in Wilmette where it breaks up badly after that. Would be interested to know if this translator covers most or all of Park Ridge adequately...I kinda doubt it!
stormy01 said:
Translated into minutes, how long were you able to pick up K-Love in your car?
There are situations where I do listen to translators. WAY-FM has translators in Dyersburg and Union City, TN, and they are the only way of getting them in those areas other than over the internet. I do listen to them when I'm in those areas. On the other hand EMF has translators for K-LOVE in West TN that at the present time aren't as necessary since they have a 100,000 watt station on 90.7 in Dyersburg now. However those translators were for WKVZ 94.9 in Ripley for the outer fringes of their signal and were started before they bought 90.7. Those translators will become needed again if WKVZ changes to Air 1 for their signal to reach further. However if WKVZ doesn't change both the main station and its translators will be unnecessary.
"Translated into minutes, how long were you able to pick up K-Love in your car?"
Yeah, listening to a 10-watt translator on the Edens Expressway would be 5 minutes, however, if one lives near a translator it's great for listening at home or if you're driving around in it's local signal area. Not every station can or should cover the entire metro...."Works for me"
p.s. I'm sure those people who listen to Chicago Public Radio in Elgin (91.3 FM) appreciate being able to hear a clearer signal....
Yeah, listening to a 10-watt translator on the Edens Expressway would be 5 minutes, however, if one lives near a translator it's great for listening at home or if you're driving around in it's local signal area. Not every station can or should cover the entire metro...."Works for me"
p.s. I'm sure those people who listen to Chicago Public Radio in Elgin (91.3 FM) appreciate being able to hear a clearer signal....
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