Wasn't 99.7 originally allocated to Walterboro? I seem to remember that Jay had mentioned that the CP was tied up in court for decades.
Jay, where are you?
I'm right here, Robyn. Here's what I remember about the origin of 99.7. Sometime back in '76/'77, WMCD/Statesboro (then
[email protected]) requested a move from 100.1 to 99.9, with an upgrade to a full C, with 100,000 watts. It's important to remember that at this point in time, you only had two classes of FM channels (in the southeast, anyway)...a class A with 3,000 watts and a class C with 100kw. Some channels were designated class A channels, with the others designated class C.
By the way, the type change proposed above was rarely granted. In fact, I'm aware of only two*(see below).
The above move was predicated on mutual exclusivity. That is, because there was a station at 100.1, nobody could build a station at 99.9...unless the mileage separation was sufficient (105 miles, in this case, at that time). In those days, the FCC took at long and hard look at what opportunities for new radio stations would be eliminated by approval of such a proposal. Many times, staff engineers performed a study which detailed what those opportunities might be, and "circulated" their findings. In other words, they were seeking potential applicants.
Well, they found one. The late Dick King, owner of WQKI/St Mathews, SC, requested that
99.7 be allocated to Walterboro as a third station (in addition to WALD-AM/FM). This would work, as the separation requirements were 65 miles between WMCD (100.1 class A) to the proposed Walterboro transmitter site. Once Dick filed, Carmen Trevitt, owner of WFNE/Forsyth, Georgia and holder of a permit for WQMT/Chatsworth, Georgia, filed for 99.7 at Port Royal, as a first service.
The commission dealt with WMCD's request by telling them that, if they still wanted it, they'd allocate a
different class C channel to Statesboro (I've forgotten what it was),
BUT they would open it to all applicants, with WMCD being free to file an application to change channels. Naturally, WMCD cancelled their request, not wanting to create an opportunity for potential competition. Of course, this is what the FCC wanted.
Then, the fight began. King claimed that Port Royal did not pass muster as a community of sufficient size to support a 100kw radio station (yes, the FCC did consider those things, once upon a time), and that Trevitt was playing fast and loose with the truth...that he was really trying to get into Beaufort and Hilton Head "through the back door". Well, Trevitt came back with his assertion that King was really trying to get into Orangeburg "through the same back door", as King's proposed transmitter site was between Harleyville and Bowman, from which it would've put a nice signal into Orangeburg, with Charleston coverage, as well. King had already been through this with WQKI. The folks at WTND/Orangeburg protested King's plan to utilize a directional antenna with WQKI, in order to operate at 1,000 watts. They claimed that he could get 250 watts omni, and serve St. Matthews adequately (which was true). Ultimately, he got what he wanted with Quickie, and it was a major competitor in Orangeburg.
In the end, Trevitt had more money to fight than Dick did, so the 99.7 was allocated to Port Royal, once King dropped out. Before the station was built, Trevitt also ran into a financial roadblock...a nasty (and costly) divorce. I can't remember if he actually built the station (I think he did), but either way, it was quickly sold off.
*WJST/Port St Joe, Florida: from
[email protected] to
[email protected].
*WXBM/Milton, Florida: from
[email protected] to
[email protected].
In addition, there is another instance of a 3kw to 100kw upgrade, WITHOUT mutual exclusivity protection. In the mid-70's, Clarence Jones successfully moved WQIZ-FM/St. George, SC from 95.9 to 107.5. I'm not sure why he did it that way, as 96.1 would've worked the same way. Maybe it was the same situation as Statesboro, and he agreed to the FCC proposal, and there were no competing applicants.
In 1980, Ken Durst (you out there somewhere, Kendall?) and I requested Clarence's old 95.9 be allocated to Johns Island, which evolved into the eventual assignment of 96.1 to Hanahan. That was the origin of WAVF.
Once again Robyn, you simply asked for the time, and I've told you how to build a watch!
