Has anyone heard 1510 power up yet?

[davideduardo]

It's only a test, so who cares if anyone can hear it?

Likely at low power to enable tuning the diplexer. Sometimes that kind of test can be at even lower power.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

It's only a test, so who cares if anyone can hear it?

It’s just a low power test to keep the license from expiring today if it had been off the air. A 10,000 watt day signal is planned for fall.

 

[Jimmy128]

Great! At some point someone on facebook said the tests would be at 130 watts

Its coming in fairly decent in Salem on the North Shore near the ocean. Sounds like more than 130 watts, but funny what that ocean will do.

BTW: I tried to get WMEX on Tune in app and got Renegade Radio reruns. Ha Ha.

 

[Deleted User]

It's only a test, so who cares if anyone can hear it?

Well the FCC cares. Yes they have a construction permit for that location, and a STA.

They still IMHO had to get back on the air or risk being deleted as they had a license to cover, and under a license to cover, you have to meet requirements such as covering your city of license, having working EAS, etc.

So if I have this right they had a CP for a new tower location, and an STA to be dark under their license to cover.

Being on the air today resets the STA Dark clock to 10 days,IIRC the amount of time a station can be off the air without notifying the feds.

Will they will file for a new STA to go dark again while they continue the build out?

Or will they run at the power the STA for the low power allows while they build out the facility for the licensed powers/patterns?

Or is it they file for a license to cover from that new location,then STA dark, or operate on the low power STA?

I have not read the filings, and I am not a radio professional. I will leave it up to someone that knows what they are talking about to opine about the path to getting or keeping 1510 on the air.

 

[davideduardo]

Well the FCC cares. Yes they have a construction permit for that location, and a STA.

They still IMHO had to get back on the air or risk being deleted as they had a license to cover, and under a license to cover, you have to meet requirements such as covering your city of license, having working EAS, etc.

So if I have this right they had a CP for a new tower location, and an STA to be dark under their license to cover.

Being on the air today resets the STA Dark clock to 10 days,IIRC the amount of time a station can be off the air without notifying the feds.

Will they will file for a new STA to go dark again while they continue the build out?

Or will they run at the power the STA for the low power allows while they build out the facility for the licensed powers/patterns?

Or is it they file for a license to cover from that new location,then STA dark, or operate on the low power STA?

I have not read the filings, and I am not a radio professional. I will leave it up to someone that knows what they are talking about to opine about the path to getting or keeping 1510 on the air.

As mentioned before, STAs are quite easily and simply renewed. I've seen CPs, STA's for parameters at variance and STAs to remain silent extend over and over and over for years on end.

Separately, the station filled two weeks ago for a change in city of license, to Quincy, so coverage of the City of License is obviously covered in the engineering filing.

In all likelihood... based on my past experience building diplexed antenna systems... it is easier to work on diplexers with lower power until they are well tuned for both antenna matching and rejection of the other station(s) on the tower or array. In fact, there have been times in my experience when the "real" station transmitter is not used for testing to avoid damaging it; a low power, portable, test transmitter is employed.

In fact, the low power transmitter may be employed to take measurements in support of the application for a CP at the new location. The station has made a number of filings in June to this effect. The station, as of yesterday, does not have a CP for the new tower; it has filed an application for the CP. The june 6 STA allows them to operate at the site while the CP application is processed.

The design and installation specifications for a simple diplexed tower involve both tuning the transmitter frequency to the tower and also rejecting the frequency of the other station using the same tower. The existing station on the tower also has to have a redesign of its Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) to reject the signal of the new occupant.

When the tower being shared is also part of the directional system of the original occupant, care has to be taken so that the tuning of the directional is not changed. The other tower(s) in the directional array may need to have rejection circuits in each ATU to avoid the signal of the new station feeding back into the transmitter and also to prevent the other towers acting to directionalize, unwantedly, the new station's signal.

Again, this process is best done starting at low power to avoid interfering with the host station's signal while adjustments are done.

The FCC knows and understands this stuff. They know that if a practicing engineer certifies that the installation is harder to adjust than anticipated, they will have to grant an extension. I know of a station in WI that spent a decade trying to get a new night pattern CP to work, and the FCC understood the issues and continued to grant extensions. Yes, the FCC "cares". But that is why they have simple, often used procedures to extend CPs and STAs; as long as the licensee is making an effort to get the station on the air or within licensed parameters, they are there to help, not hinder, the process.

I don't understand why there is so much concern and angst over what is a very normal process.

 

[fybush]

Great! At some point someone on facebook said the tests would be at 130 watts

The actual data is readily available at the FCC's own site or at fccdata.org. Why - WHY? - do you persist in giving more credence to "someone on facebook" than to actual FCC data, Bob?

The facts are these:

The STA operation under which WMEX returned to the air on Saturday is 1000 watts, daytime-only, ND from the WMEX site. (BSTA-20180522AAQ, https://fccdata.org/?appid=1785220&facid=12789)

Ed absolutely had to get something back on the air today. While David is correct that the FCC gives licensees wide latitude in dealing with loss of transmitter sites and such, it is bound by federal law when it comes to the one-year rule. Once its station has been licensed, a licensee that remains silent for 366 consecutive days loses that license as a matter of law, and the FCC is essentially powerless to overrule that.[*]

Ed wasn't going to put all that investment into buying the AM license, negotiating for a lease with WBIX, filing for a translator, and filing an application to modify the WMEX license...only to let it all go to waste by losing the AM license for 366 days of silence. Yes, he took it down to the wire...but it wasn't any surprise that he got it done.

What happens next? Ed can either keep the 1000-watt daytime STA operation going (it can't be that expensive to run), or he can now request another silent STA that could buy him up to another 365 days of silence. (As mrbiboardop noted, there are certain deadlines that have to be met for requesting that silent STA, which Ed will no doubt meet.)

Somewhere along the way, probably within a month or two, the FCC will grant Ed's application for the 10 kW day/100-watt night ND licensed operation from the WBIX site. That CP will run for three years, and as David correctly notes, the FCC has it within its power to extend that CP expiration if Ed can make a case for why that's necessary. The CP grant does not stop that 365-day silence clock, and so Ed would have to reactivate WMEX under STA in June 2019, June 2020 and so on if it's taking him that long to build out the CP and get it licensed.

But he won't take that long, because he can't turn on the FM translator until WMEX is licensed again, and the entire point of this thing is to get the translator on the air. So I expect the 10 kW licensed WMEX will hit the air in a few months, not a few years.

*Do stations manage to stay silent for longer than a year at a time without the FCC knowing about it? Of course they do. The commission lacks the day-to-day enforcement staffing to go around checking for stations that have gone silent without officially notifying the FCC, or that have falsely reported returning to the air. But this is a small industry, and the FCC takes "lack of candor" seriously. If they find out after the fact that a licensee has misrepresented itself, they can request power bills and rent checks and equipment invoices to prove that a station was really on the air when it said it was - and if they can confirm the licensee has lied, they can and sometimes do revoke the license. Ed's a good operator. He's not playing those games.

 

[Deleted User]

Ed absolutely had to get something back on the air today. While David is correct that the FCC gives licensees wide latitude in dealing with loss of transmitter sites and such, it is bound by federal law when it comes to the one-year rule. Once its station has been licensed, a licensee that remains silent for 366 consecutive days loses that license as a matter of law, and the FCC is essentially powerless to overrule that.[*]



*Do stations manage to stay silent for longer than a year at a time without the FCC knowing about it? Of course they do. The commission lacks the day-to-day enforcement staffing to go around checking for stations that have gone silent without officially notifying the FCC, or that have falsely reported returning to the air. But this is a small industry, and the FCC takes "lack of candor" seriously. If they find out after the fact that a licensee has misrepresented itself, they can request power bills and rent checks and equipment invoices to prove that a station was really on the air when it said it was - and if they can confirm the licensee has lied, they can and sometimes do revoke the license. Ed's a good operator. He's not playing those games.

And boys and girls, that was the whole intent of this whole thread/posting.

I am of the opinion WMEX had to be on the air before the second of 2 STA's for "being dark" expired, which potentially would lead to the deletion of the AM license and having some ramification for the FM translator CP associated with the WMEX license. Yes you can be dark for a year, using 2 consecutive STA's which allow for being off the air for up to 6 months each, but there is no third STA without being on the air long enough to give a legal ID, then filing for another STA to buy you another 6 months, and possibly another, etc etc etc.

It seems Mr Fybush, who is far more knowledgeable than I am in matters of the FCC and radio in general, also holds the same opinion.... If WMEX did not get on the air today, it was all going to be for not.

 

[CTListener]

I, not in radio, tend to believe D.E. over BoardOp or Mr. Fybush, for the simple reason that I find it impossible to believe that the FCC, which wants stations to stay licensed and keep paying those fees, would be engaging in a game of "gotcha" vis-a-vis the STA with a station like WMEX that is owned by a legitimate, fee-paying, fully responsible broadcaster who already operates another station and has been doing so for years. If WMEX were to stay silent until 12:01 a.m. on July 1 and at that point fire up its flea-powered test transmission, am I supposed to believe that the by-the-book, we-don't-trust-the-very-people-we-grant-licenses-to Blue Meanies at the Friendly Candy Company would go "Too late, Ed, too late! There is no more WMEX for you! It was only a minute and this sets you back a bundle, you say? Cry me a river! Bwahahahaha!" Maybe that is the way our regulators work, but I seriously doubt it.

 

[davideduardo]

I, not in radio, tend to believe D.E. over BoardOp or Mr. Fybush, for the simple reason that I find it impossible to believe that the FCC, which wants stations to stay licensed and keep paying those fees, would be engaging in a game of "gotcha" vis-a-vis the STA with a station like WMEX that is owned by a legitimate, fee-paying, fully responsible broadcaster who already operates another station and has been doing so for years. If WMEX were to stay silent until 12:01 a.m. on July 1 and at that point fire up its flea-powered test transmission, am I supposed to believe that the by-the-book, we-don't-trust-the-very-people-we-grant-licenses-to Blue Meanies at the Friendly Candy Company would go "Too late, Ed, too late! There is no more WMEX for you! It was only a minute and this sets you back a bundle, you say? Cry me a river! Bwahahahaha!" Maybe that is the way our regulators work, but I seriously doubt it.

I appreciate the compliment, but Scott Fybush is much more the expert in the precise application of FCC rules. I have generally, as a manager, had a communications attorney either in house or on retainer for legal questions and a consulting engineer for the technical aspects of regulation. Scott actually does these things every day, so I defer to him.

I do know of some cases where stations were off the air, with no return, for more than a year due to natural disasters and somehow managed to keep their licenses so there may be a gray area here... or a change in regulations in the intervening years. Once case was a station built in a flood plain that got destroyed by a "100 year flood" and the EPA and other environmental boards stepped in and would not allow rebuilding... and it took them much longer than a year to find a replacement site and construct.

 

[Deleted User]

I, not in radio, tend to believe D.E. over BoardOp or Mr. Fybush, for the simple reason that I find it impossible to believe that the FCC, which wants stations to stay licensed and keep paying those fees, would be engaging in a game of "gotcha" vis-a-vis the STA with a station like WMEX that is owned by a legitimate, fee-paying, fully responsible broadcaster who already operates another station and has been doing so for years. If WMEX were to stay silent until 12:01 a.m. on July 1 and at that point fire up its flea-powered test transmission, am I supposed to believe that the by-the-book, we-don't-trust-the-very-people-we-grant-licenses-to Blue Meanies at the Friendly Candy Company would go "Too late, Ed, too late! There is no more WMEX for you! It was only a minute and this sets you back a bundle, you say? Cry me a river! Bwahahahaha!" Maybe that is the way our regulators work, but I seriously doubt it.

When I was actively involved in radio and cable tv, I read the FCC Daily Digest / Broadcast Actions on a daily basis, and I assure you that stations that were dark for more than a year had their licensed deleted.

Not too long ago, a FM translator was deleted due to a paperwork error on the part of the owner. Eventually they got the FCC to reconsider, but the Feds had no trouble taking it off the books even though everything else was 100% in order, with the exception of filing 1 form.

NAL's generate more money than renewal fees.

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/fcc-upholds-7000-fine-for-wprx

 

[CTListener]

I appreciate the compliment, but Scott Fybush is much more the expert in the precise application of FCC rules. I have generally, as a manager, had a communications attorney either in house or on retainer for legal questions and a consulting engineer for the technical aspects of regulation. Scott actually does these things every day, so I defer to him.

I do know of some cases where stations were off the air, with no return, for more than a year due to natural disasters and somehow managed to keep their licenses so there may be a gray area here... or a change in regulations in the intervening years. Once case was a station built in a flood plain that got destroyed by a "100 year flood" and the EPA and other environmental boards stepped in and would not allow rebuilding... and it took them much longer than a year to find a replacement site and construct.

If the federal law now requires the FCC to slam the door on silent stations at the stroke of midnight at the end of the 365th day, no exceptions, no excuses, then so be it, but consider me still baffled.

 

[raccoonradio]

Joe McMillan is the one mentioning "testing at 130 watts" on the Remembering WMEX facebook group.

 

[raccoonradio]

OK now that I know where to find the info on 'MEX (FCCdata) I can see more information. I'm not giving more credence (Clearwater Revival) to the people on facebook who are putting out what they believe is correct info...it's out there and I'm relaying it, but take it for what it is. Not everyone knows about where to get the FCC info, but that site does help as of course does Scott's site and social media from him.

 

[Tired Of It All]

Talk1200 airing two shows at once.....WTH is wrong with this station? They air the wrong traffic reports, the wrong newscasts, they don't respond to emails and now they're airing two shows at the same time, SMH. Does anyone actually work at the station or is the programming done from six states away via computer?

 

[CTListener]

Talk1200 airing two shows at once.....WTH is wrong with this station? They air the wrong traffic reports, the wrong newscasts, they don't respond to emails and now they're airing two shows at the same time, SMH. Does anyone actually work at the station or is the programming done from six states away via computer?

This is the WMEX thread,

 

[Wimmmex]

Talk1200 airing two shows at once.....WTH is wrong with this station? They air the wrong traffic reports, the wrong newscasts, they don't respond to emails and now they're airing two shows at the same time, SMH. Does anyone actually work at the station or is the programming done from six states away via computer?

I heard this today as well.

I don't believe Talk1200 has ANY employees. It is run by people who work for iHearts others stations. So, if you are the Ops Director for Kiss 108....do you spend any time listening to talk1200? I wouldn't. Would you have any of your employees spend more time away from their duties and efforts at Kiss 108 to focus on Talk1200? Probably not.

The whole thing is set up to run without any effort or money being spent.

I might imagine when the clusters get more organized under one roof (or two), that people will be able to oversee all of the properties and maintain better quality control. That, and if/when Talk1200 starts actually billing anything, people will start paying more attention.

I worked for an FM and the GM told the engineers he didn't want 1 cent spent on the AM. The FM operators would do what is necessary...and the engineers were to install automation along with necessary buttons in the FM control studio to make switches when necessary (ball game, simulcast, etc.)

THe question I have is....who is responsible for programming/running the automation? Engineers probably set it up, but don't do ongoing programming. The Traffic department who only cares about "did the spot run?". Operations and Programmers from the major FM stations in the cluster? (it's what I suspect). Why would they spend more time trying to make the AM that has a .03 share sound any better...to them it's just another headache.

 

[TheBigA]

THe question I have is....who is responsible for programming/running the automation?

Don't know why this is in the 1510 thread. But the answer is the new iHeart VP of News Programming:

"iHeartMedia has appointed Robert Sanchez as Vice President of News/Talk/Sports for its Boston cluster overseeing Conservative Talk 680 WRKO, News 1030 WBZ, and Conservative Talk “Talk 1200” WXKS."

He's only two weeks into his new gig and I'd expect he'll get around to this soon.

 

[DrAkbar]

I worked for an FM and the GM told the engineers he didn't want 1 cent spent on the AM. The FM operators would do what is necessary...and the engineers were to install automation along with necessary buttons in the FM control studio to make switches when necessary (ball game, simulcast, etc.)

For many operators, Ancient Modulation is nothing more than a pariah. Sure there are some still alive and generating an audience, but they're the exception to the rule. Monetization occurs when the land is sold. No wonder I ❤ Bankruptcy isn't too keen on unlimited ownership caps in markets below the top 75...who'd want to buy an AM when you can load up on FM's? The saving grace for so many of these dinosaurs is the paired translator that comes with them. If 15~Ten has a chance, it'll be because of its translator.

 

[Wimmmex]

He's only two weeks into his new gig and I'd expect he'll get around to this soon.

Maybe...he has WBZ and WRKO to occupy a great majority of his time, effort and focus.

 

[Tired Of It All]

This is the WMEX thread,

Yes I know.