At the current site they are already equivalent to a C0; the new site raises the antenna height 200' so they have to reduce ERP to compensate. The coverage area will roughly be a wash, the main difference due to the shift to the west. Plus the antenna at the old site has to go away due to new DTV antennas loading the stick.
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Gulf Coast Radio Thoughts
- Thread starter qid937
- Start date
> the new site raises the antenna height 200' so they have to reduce ERP to compensate.
They were still licensed as a full C on the old tower. One doesn't downgrade automatically to a C0; something has to happen first.
According to the application, the C0 downgrade was necessary to stay clear of 107.1/Gulfport. You are right, though, the amount of area covered remains roughly the same.
Still, it puts a 70 dBu over a couple of hundred thousand more people.
DE
They were still licensed as a full C on the old tower. One doesn't downgrade automatically to a C0; something has to happen first.
According to the application, the C0 downgrade was necessary to stay clear of 107.1/Gulfport. You are right, though, the amount of area covered remains roughly the same.
Still, it puts a 70 dBu over a couple of hundred thousand more people.
DE
M
MN Maniac
Guest
The stronger signal over Mobile makes complete sense. Ditto for the lower power bill. Still, I hate to see full Class C stations downgrade their facilities. Once it's lost, it's likely gone forever.
From the coverage map on radio-locator.com, it appears that even with the drop to 50kW ERP, the signal will be stronger in SE Mississippi than was the case previously. This may cause problems for 107.1/Gulfport. As it is, they do not cover the eastern half of Jackson Co. effectively. If WYCL's new facility pushes them back further, it could spell trouble.
From the coverage map on radio-locator.com, it appears that even with the drop to 50kW ERP, the signal will be stronger in SE Mississippi than was the case previously. This may cause problems for 107.1/Gulfport. As it is, they do not cover the eastern half of Jackson Co. effectively. If WYCL's new facility pushes them back further, it could spell trouble.
You're right Zach, my error. I was thinking of other stations that have moved from the old FM panel on the 21/44 tower.
I've been out to the tower farm so many times in the past few years that all of the tall sticks are starting to blur.
All I see is a t-shirt posting in gallery...
E
Euford
Guest
I remember 94QID. Back in the early/mid 80's it was my favorite station. When Power 108 came on, it watered down the format, and eventually, both were gone. There was something really cool about the imaging and I guess the music was better too.
M
MN Maniac
Guest
I find it interesting that although WYCL is lowering power to 50kW to meet Class C0 equivalent, they maintain the Class C height requirement of 450m. Perhaps the second shoe has not yet dropped on this (?)
Enter WRBE, a Class A on 106.9 in Lucedale, MS. Given the FCC's recently relaxed rules for changing city-of-license, I can see the following scenario play out:
1. WYXK goes dark and is deleted from the FCC database. Since Gulfport has two additional commercial FM allocations (96.7 and 102.3), the FCC should allow this.
2. WRBE then upgrades and moves it's transmitter location SW into Jackson Co. The new signal covers the Gulf Coast. Assumedly, Triad would purchase WRBE and it would become the replacement for WYXK. Frequency remains on 106.9. City-of-license could remain Lucedale since the new signal would still place a city-grade contour over that community.
3. WYCL then upgrades back to a full Class C from their new location. Since they already meet the height requirement, all they will need to do is turn the transmitter back up to 100kW ERP.
Result: WYCL and WXYK both get improved signals.
Enter WRBE, a Class A on 106.9 in Lucedale, MS. Given the FCC's recently relaxed rules for changing city-of-license, I can see the following scenario play out:
1. WYXK goes dark and is deleted from the FCC database. Since Gulfport has two additional commercial FM allocations (96.7 and 102.3), the FCC should allow this.
2. WRBE then upgrades and moves it's transmitter location SW into Jackson Co. The new signal covers the Gulf Coast. Assumedly, Triad would purchase WRBE and it would become the replacement for WYXK. Frequency remains on 106.9. City-of-license could remain Lucedale since the new signal would still place a city-grade contour over that community.
3. WYCL then upgrades back to a full Class C from their new location. Since they already meet the height requirement, all they will need to do is turn the transmitter back up to 100kW ERP.
Result: WYCL and WXYK both get improved signals.
The part about 107.3 WYCL Pensacola upgrading back to full Class C would never happen. When a Full class C downgrades to C0 or below, it is usually the result of allowing a previously short spaced facility upgrade to take place. Once this other station upgrades facilities, the former Class C could never regain that status, due to being short spaced.
Well, there are a couple important issues with the WRBE idea...
First, there really isn't as much incentive as one might think for WYCL to increase back to 100 kW, assuming it could. It's just another 3 dB of field strength -- hardly noticeable at all.
But, the larger issue is the 106.9 move. If I understand the scenario laid out, 106.9 moves south to beautiful Jackson County and upgrades. Let's say that 106.9 wants to be a C2. The problem? KKND near New Orleans, a C1 on 106.7. First adjacent spacing is 158 km, or 98 miles. Ain't gonna fit, at least not if you have the transmitter close enough to Biloxi to matter. And, remember, 106.9 needs to clear WYCL by 55 miles (2nd adjacent C0-to-C2).
A C3? 'Not sure it's worth the trouble.
I am sure there are other challenges, but that one is a likely deal buster.
I'm just sayin'...
DE
First, there really isn't as much incentive as one might think for WYCL to increase back to 100 kW, assuming it could. It's just another 3 dB of field strength -- hardly noticeable at all.
But, the larger issue is the 106.9 move. If I understand the scenario laid out, 106.9 moves south to beautiful Jackson County and upgrades. Let's say that 106.9 wants to be a C2. The problem? KKND near New Orleans, a C1 on 106.7. First adjacent spacing is 158 km, or 98 miles. Ain't gonna fit, at least not if you have the transmitter close enough to Biloxi to matter. And, remember, 106.9 needs to clear WYCL by 55 miles (2nd adjacent C0-to-C2).
A C3? 'Not sure it's worth the trouble.
I am sure there are other challenges, but that one is a likely deal buster.
I'm just sayin'...
DE
Besides the spacing issues with KKND, that Lucedale station seems pretty much mom'n'pop and contented to serve George County.
I drove through Lucedale a couple weeks ago with the windows down and felt as if I could have reached up and touched the WRBE antenna; it sure didn't seem 180' away!
I drove through Lucedale a couple weeks ago with the windows down and felt as if I could have reached up and touched the WRBE antenna; it sure didn't seem 180' away!
Not sure if this would still work... we calculated this almost 20 years ago... maybe someone could run the numbers and see if 104.5 in Hattiesburg could move to WXXV's stick in McHenry? Now THAT would be a good move-in.
OK. Another reason...
KNOU/Empire, LA. 104.5, a C2 just south of New Orleans. 139 mile clearance required, assuming the new station as a C1. And, boy, aside from just the spacing, can you imagine the interference when tropo ducting is up? Wow; that's almost straight over the Gulf, a tropo magnet.
I am sure there are other reasons; this is just stuff I am doing from memory (though, I looked up the spacing requirements). Bottom line: this one ain't gonna work (assuming it's even worth it -- a C1 doing well in Laurel/Hattiesburg is probably best kept where it is).
DE
KNOU/Empire, LA. 104.5, a C2 just south of New Orleans. 139 mile clearance required, assuming the new station as a C1. And, boy, aside from just the spacing, can you imagine the interference when tropo ducting is up? Wow; that's almost straight over the Gulf, a tropo magnet.
I am sure there are other reasons; this is just stuff I am doing from memory (though, I looked up the spacing requirements). Bottom line: this one ain't gonna work (assuming it's even worth it -- a C1 doing well in Laurel/Hattiesburg is probably best kept where it is).
DE
Poledo, that's a market #93 to 154 move...not 250. Geez...
CC wanted a 4th FM in the market...
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