Emmis to Move 1070 TX Site

[PTBoardOp94]

To dissuade licensees from turning in licenses for the better signal AM facilities just so they won't have to compete against them, the FCC should keep the facility as an allotment, give the current licensee a certain amount of time to transfer it, and auction it off like KZQZ if they don't.

I believe a station owner in Wisconsin has filed a formal petition with the FCC for a system like this. I don't think it has much chance of becoming an FCC rule, though.

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

WIBC 1070 called itself Radio Indiana. These translator's don't even make it Radio Indianapolis, The fact is every single translator in Indy is on a crappy frequency meaning there are other stations that can be heard on these channels on a decent radio in Naptown.

They need to file an upgrade for 93.5 so that it isn't directional against Greenwood. That will protect them in that part of the market with the FCC.

Someone needs to try the digital AM experiment with 1070. It's worth a shot because internet radio is quirky in cars.

 

[gr8oldies]

WIBC 1070 called itself Radio Indiana. These translator's don't even make it Radio Indianapolis, The fact is every single translator in Indy is on a crappy frequency meaning there are other stations that can be heard on these channels on a decent radio in Naptown.

They need to file an upgrade for 93.5 so that it isn't directional against Greenwood. That will protect them in that part of the market with the FCC.

Someone needs to try the digital AM experiment with 1070. It's worth a shot because internet radio is quirky in cars.

"Radio Indiana" (WIBC) is now on full-powered 93.1 and has been for years. 1070 was "Radio Everywhere but the Upscale Suburbs at Night"

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

Here's the 1070 coverage map from the FCC. 1070 NIGHT COVERAGE. If you move the towers to some cheaper farm land north west, the wealthy communities get a good signal.

 

[gr8oldies]

Here's the 1070 coverage map from the FCC. 1070 NIGHT COVERAGE. If you move the towers to some cheaper farm land north west, the wealthy communities get a good signal.

Emmis is counting on and probably has data on most of its audience being on FM or online. Rebuilding a 6 tower array is simply not happening, and even if you could, the pattern would not be the same

 

[davideduardo]

Emmis is counting on and probably has data on most of its audience being on FM or online. Rebuilding a 6 tower array is simply not happening, and even if you could, the pattern would not be the same

And Emmis has brilliant strategists, starting with the VP of Programming, Rick Cummings. They know what they are doing.

Caveat: I worked for Emmis as a consultant for their most listened to station some years back, and the experience was thrilling and rewarding.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

WFNI NIF Calculation from WNWI APP on CDBS.

WFNI.L
50% = 6.377, 25%=8.082; CBA.O/ =4.52 KNX.L=3.22 WAPI.L=3.15 KHMO.L=2.90 CHOK.O/A=2.44 WTSO.L=2.28
KYW.L=2.25

The ground wave interference free contour is about 6.4 mV/m, much higher than 0.5 mV/m 50% Skywave, or even the original prescribed 2.5 mV/m groundwave contour for Class II-B.

That's pretty good, but not great.

But it looks like way up for a station like WSYW 810, for example, even if they only went for 250 watts Night on 1070. The FCC should encourage recycling of the better signals.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Let's assume for a minute that Emmis uses their 1 year silent period, and turns in the license in summer 2022, and the FCC puts 1070 Indianapolis up for auction in early 2023.

Is there an existing broadcaster in Indianapolis who would see lighting up 10kW days, 250W nights on 1070 as a big enough upgrade from their current scenario to justify the auction cost and the construction cost, in 2023 or 2024?

 

[Kent]

WIBC 1070 called itself Radio Indiana.

WIBC moved off of 1070 for a reason.

These translator's don't even make it Radio Indianapolis, The fact is every single translator in Indy is on a crappy frequency meaning there are other stations that can be heard on these channels on a decent radio in Naptown.

I have wondered about that a little myself. During my brief time in Indy more than 20 years ago, I lived near 86th and Township Line Rd. I couldn’t get Hoosier Hot 96 on my home stereo. It sounded fine in my car, but I got nothing but noise on 96.3 at home. I couldn’t get WPZZ 95.9 either, though I was way outside its city grade signal contour. Funny thing was that I could get WKOA 105.3 and WWKI 100.5 consistently, though the latter was scratchy at times. WLEZ 102.7 was also a frequent catch, though I had to tune it manually because my seek wouldn’t stop on it. 95.1, 97.5, and 107.5 transmit from nearby and would likely come in, but I suspect the others would’ve been a tough haul. I don’t know how typical my experience was. I understand the FM and TV tower farm was nearby and may have caused my problems with WHHH.

 

[Kent]

Let's assume for a minute that Emmis uses their 1 year silent period, and turns in the license in summer 2022, and the FCC puts 1070 Indianapolis up for auction in early 2023.

That seems highly unlikely. The St. Louis AM's put up in this current auction were revoked, not surrendered.

Is there an existing broadcaster in Indianapolis who would see lighting up 10kW days, 250W nights on 1070 as a big enough upgrade from their current scenario to justify the auction cost and the construction cost, in 2023 or 2024?

Assuming the highly improbable first scenario were to happen, I'm not sure 1070 could even be built in Indy today. I’m not an engineer, but it seems like it would be tough to engineer there under current FCC rules. The most likely scenario to me would seem to be it getting built in a nearby area, if it were to even be built at all.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Let's assume for a minute that Emmis uses their 1 year silent period, and turns in the license in summer 2022, and the FCC puts 1070 Indianapolis up for auction in early 2023.

Is there an existing broadcaster in Indianapolis who would see lighting up 10kW days, 250W nights on 1070 as a big enough upgrade from their current scenario to justify the auction cost and the construction cost, in 2023 or 2024?

I don't see it happening that way. More likely the use their silent year to find a new CP LIC site with 5-10 kW nondirectional days, ~15 watts Night, from an existing tower, or new 199 foot tower with insulated guy wire top loading and elevated radials, closer to the center of population, or with some sort of skirt wires insulated from a taller tower, and six radials 10 feet above the ground, something like a combination of what WRDT 560 at Night and WDTW 1310 have. And then sell it.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I don't see it happening that way. More likely the use their silent year to find a new CP LIC site ... And then sell it.

There is no scenario where Emmis pays to build out a new 1070 site, either diplexed or new construction, with the intent of selling. That capital expense would take many years to recoup.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

There is no scenario where Emmis pays to build out a new 1070 site, either diplexed or new construction, with the intent of selling. That capital expense would take many years to recoup.

Then put it back on the air until the FCC comes up with a plan to blanket allow move ins or open up a few MHz for new facilities that actually have a decent signal throughout the markets. They can and have allowed in other countries directional allotments, and allowed increased interference received to those facilities, and allowed more flexible rules for full power second and third adjacent channel allotments. What many are hoping for here, like the NAB types, is a REDUCTION in the number of radio facilities, by abandoning AM, so they don't have COMPETITION with them, and lose a few tenths of a rating point to them. They've already blotted out many adjacent market FMs that used to get a few tenths of rating point, with translators.

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

The ratings tell another story. WFNI Numbers Wow! They kicked the butts of all those 50 KW full power FM's with two 250 watt translators that don't cover several counties in the Indianapolis book . This is a miracle.

Or, perhaps the ratings were high but ad agencies don't care about us old pharts anymore.

 

[gr8oldies]

The ratings tell another story. WFNI Numbers Wow! They kicked the butts of all those 50 KW full power FM's with two 250 watt translators that don't cover several counties in the Indianapolis book . This is a miracle.

Or, perhaps the ratings were high but ad agencies don't care about us old pharts anymore.

Aren't the translator numbers tied in with the AM numbers?

 

[gr8oldies]

Then put it back on the air until the FCC comes up with a plan to blanket allow move ins or open up a few MHz for new facilities that actually have a decent signal throughout the markets. They can and have allowed in other countries directional allotments, and allowed increased interference received to those facilities, and allowed more flexible rules for full power second and third adjacent channel allotments. What many are hoping for here, like the NAB types, is a REDUCTION in the number of radio facilities, by abandoning AM, so they don't have COMPETITION with them, and lose a few tenths of a rating point to them. They've already blotted out many adjacent market FMs that used to get a few tenths of rating point, with translators.

I said a long time ago that rimshots would be hardest hit by the translators.

 

[davideduardo]

Aren't the translator numbers tied in with the AM numbers?

Translators for commercial stations are combined with the base or originating station, including its HD channels, for ratings.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Those rimshots could be moved in with DAs if the received interference were increased somewhat, even going to 63-66 dBu F(50,50) protected contour. The stations they are short spaced from would be fully protected. First Local Service is an outmoded joke. The rimshot First Local Services close to larger cities have always attempted to serve the larger cities, with little attention to the official COL. And games are often being used to move these stations in by powerful group owners anyway, like a chess game, where they own all the pieces. Back until 1962, stations in the same metropolitan area were allowed 20-30 miles apart in many cases on second and third adjacent channels. I wouldn't complain, but people here are calling for wholesale abandonment of AM stations without replacements, like in Canada and David can chime in on Mexico as to what the situation is there.

 

[gr8oldies]

Those rimshots could be moved in with DAs if the received interference were increased somewhat, even going to 63-66 dBu F(50,50) protected contour. The stations they are short spaced from would be fully protected. First Local Service is an outmoded joke. The rimshot First Local Services close to larger cities have always attempted to serve the larger cities, with little attention to the official COL. And games are often being used to move these stations in by powerful group owners anyway, like a chess game, where they own all the pieces. Back until 1962, stations in the same metropolitan area were allowed 20-30 miles apart in many cases on second and third adjacent channels. I wouldn't complain, but people here are calling for wholesale abandonment of AM stations without replacements, like in Canada and David can chime in on Mexico as to what the situation is there.

The rimshots I'm referring to aren't contiguous with the larger city (Clinton TN for example) but some more distant, Class As that are a couple of counties out and barely make the "blue" on the coverage map. As far as the FCC is concerned, the station I'm referring to (WIHG Rockwood) is for its own area, not Knoxville. Indeed it mostly sells in the Crossville area.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Many of the rimshots are Class As 65-70 miles from first adjacent Class Bs, usually one or two, which could easily be protected from the Directional Class As. These Class As are also a good 20 miles from the center of population. Others would easily fit in cochannel to Class Bs around 100 miles away. Buy increasing the Class A protected contour for these to even 63 dBu could preserve protected status and allow significant move ins. These would be STATIONS, not CLASS D TRANSLATORS. If the supposed First Local Service community is served by say 5 or more 70 dBu signals, they have a tenuous need for First Local Service, especially with the low bar for qualifiation as a Community. It's always been a game.