FCC to Purdue: WBAA may extend its reach

[radiojohno]

Lafayette J&C writes that the FCC has given Purdue's WBAA the green light for an upgrade to 14,000 watts from 101.3 FM's present 5000 watts:

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080715/NEWS09/80715010

Here's the Purdue press release (this link will likely work longer than the above J&C link):

http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008b/080715SingletonPower.html

 

[Timewarp]

WBAA was able to upgrade from a Class A to a B1. This was made possible because WFMG Richmond, Indiana downgraded itself from a Class B to a B1 to create a new channel in the Cincinnati market.

WBAA listeners will now have a much better signal. This is great!

 

[Flying-Dutchman]

Congratulations to WBAA and Purdue. This should help their listeners outside Lafayette.

 

[jegrant]

"We've had comments from several years from people in Kokomo (about the signal), and we hope this helps."

Huh? The FM signal is blotted out by a satellite-fed religious LPFM on 101.3 in Kokomo. It will still be blotted out, because as I understand it, WJJD-LP 101.3 is not required to change channels as a result of this WBAA action. Is WBAA going to pay WJJD to move?

Alternatively, they are referring to complaints from Kokomo about the quality of the AM signal, which this FM expansion will do nothing for. (Perhaps the HD upgrade might do something; I don't know.)

Plus, we already have a WFIU translator W261AM at 106.1, which carries NPR News & Classical, just like WBAA-FM, so I'm not sure what we'd gain here. Unless perhaps WBAA plans to have something interesting/innovative on an HD-2 channel, but again, will HD make it all the way to Kokomo?