Manning has CPs for the former WAMU Bluegrass Country Frederick and Hagerstown-area 93.5 translators they recently purchased. They'll move the Frederick 93.5, W228AM, out of Gambrill Park and onto the WAFY tower in Braddock Heights, raising the power to compensate for the lower overall height. This should improve the signal in Frederick for whatever format is coming to the translator. The previous parameters didn't penetrate downtown Frederick well from the mountain at only 19 watts. The tradeoff for a stronger Frederick signal is less widespread coverage. Meanwhile, the other 93.5, W228AB in Paramount (Hagerstown), will be moved to 93.3 and downgraded to 1 watt, presumably to allow for the Frederick move. Also, WCRH's Frederick translator on 91.7, W219BX, has a CP to move to 91.1, raise the antenna up their Gambrill Park mountain tower 122 ft. and jack up the power from 2 to 6 watts, improving their coverage of populated areas in and around Frederick.
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Frederick Translator Changes Coming
- Thread starter JBraddock
- Start date
Wonder what Manning plans to put on Frederick-Hagerstown's 93.3/93.5 translators? Only easy format hole I can think of is sports talk in both markets.
In other Frederick area news an application has been submitted for a 94.3 translator rebroadcasting WWFD (820 The Gamut) from the 103.9 WTLP tower in Gambrill.
In other Frederick area news an application has been submitted for a 94.3 translator rebroadcasting WWFD (820 The Gamut) from the 103.9 WTLP tower in Gambrill.
Manning's Central MD Translator Empire
Manning has quite the translator collection in Hagerstown. On the WARK tower, they have 98.9 which simulcasts WARK, 99.3 which currently carries "Word FM" via WZXH, 100.5 (WWEG-HD 1) and 102.1 ("More 102" WWEG-HD2). They have CPs to downgrade both 99.3 and 93.5/93.3 Hagerstown. Not sure what they're looking to protect by taking 99.3 from 30 to 13 watts. Perhaps they'll use the 99.3/93.3 combination to carry a future WWEG-HD3 along with 93.5 in Frederick.
As for Hubbard's Frederick 94.3 CP, how many watts will they be able to pump out from Gambrill (958 ft HAAT) and still stay within WWFD's contour? Part of the problem with translators high up is that the decreased power to compensate for the height costs them in reduced building penetration. The fleawatt translators on Catoctin Mountain have spotty reception close to the towers in Frederick, Middletown and Myersville even though they get out further than lower sites. I would think that Manning's 93.5 on WAFY's tower (571 ft HAAT) will throw a far better signal into Frederick than 94.3, but we will see (hear!).
Manning has quite the translator collection in Hagerstown. On the WARK tower, they have 98.9 which simulcasts WARK, 99.3 which currently carries "Word FM" via WZXH, 100.5 (WWEG-HD 1) and 102.1 ("More 102" WWEG-HD2). They have CPs to downgrade both 99.3 and 93.5/93.3 Hagerstown. Not sure what they're looking to protect by taking 99.3 from 30 to 13 watts. Perhaps they'll use the 99.3/93.3 combination to carry a future WWEG-HD3 along with 93.5 in Frederick.
As for Hubbard's Frederick 94.3 CP, how many watts will they be able to pump out from Gambrill (958 ft HAAT) and still stay within WWFD's contour? Part of the problem with translators high up is that the decreased power to compensate for the height costs them in reduced building penetration. The fleawatt translators on Catoctin Mountain have spotty reception close to the towers in Frederick, Middletown and Myersville even though they get out further than lower sites. I would think that Manning's 93.5 on WAFY's tower (571 ft HAAT) will throw a far better signal into Frederick than 94.3, but we will see (hear!).
Manning does not own 99.3 (W257DZ). It is owned by Four Rivers Community Broadcasting Corp. The ERP had to be lowered because it switched from a fill in for WWEG to a non com translator for WZXH.
The W225AQ application is 160 watts pointed due east. On paper looks like a pretty decent signal covering a good chunk of eastern Frederick, western Carroll and some of northern Montgomery and Howard counties. Almost looks like half the coverage of WTLP itself!
Thanks for the clarifications - I've been relying too much on r-locator which doesn't update all of its data.
Manning unplugged 93.5 W228AM Frederick a week ago, the day after the purchase from WAMU closed, and filed to take the signal silent while they move it to the WAFY tower from the Catoctin antenna complex (not from the WTLP tower as suggested over at the moderated pay site). We now know that Manning's moving the silent W228AB Hagerstown down to Richmond to accompany Red Zebra's WXGI. The only piece of the puzzle left is for Manning to fire up WWEG-HD3 or whatever programming source will drive 93.5. For now, WPER's 10-watt W228BA signal from Leesburg rules 93.5 in Frederick and the most of the Middletown Valley.
As for WWFD's coming 94.3 translator, it looks like it won't have a presence west of Catoctin Mountain. This probably suits WQCM just fine. WQCM doesn't really have much of a reliable signal southeast of South Mountain, but it is usable at some higher elevations, and being the only mainstream rocker in the area (WBHB doesn't penetrate the Middletown Valley at all) there might well be some complaints from listeners if the translator were to cut into WQCM's marginal reception. Imagine listening to Staind and having "Disco Duck" pop into the speaker. Disquieting, to say the least.
Or maybe, Hubbard will use the WWFD combo to do more than just clear Federal News Radio sports programming.
Manning unplugged 93.5 W228AM Frederick a week ago, the day after the purchase from WAMU closed, and filed to take the signal silent while they move it to the WAFY tower from the Catoctin antenna complex (not from the WTLP tower as suggested over at the moderated pay site). We now know that Manning's moving the silent W228AB Hagerstown down to Richmond to accompany Red Zebra's WXGI. The only piece of the puzzle left is for Manning to fire up WWEG-HD3 or whatever programming source will drive 93.5. For now, WPER's 10-watt W228BA signal from Leesburg rules 93.5 in Frederick and the most of the Middletown Valley.
As for WWFD's coming 94.3 translator, it looks like it won't have a presence west of Catoctin Mountain. This probably suits WQCM just fine. WQCM doesn't really have much of a reliable signal southeast of South Mountain, but it is usable at some higher elevations, and being the only mainstream rocker in the area (WBHB doesn't penetrate the Middletown Valley at all) there might well be some complaints from listeners if the translator were to cut into WQCM's marginal reception. Imagine listening to Staind and having "Disco Duck" pop into the speaker. Disquieting, to say the least.
Or maybe, Hubbard will use the WWFD combo to do more than just clear Federal News Radio sports programming.
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