Is WVKO AM in trouble??

[RFdude1]

St Gabe has (had) a competent engineer already on their staff. The Marysville transmitter site was fed via IP using Barix equipment. It works reliably and is a lot cheaper per month than ISDN. This was designed and installed by the staff engineer and was in service since St Gabe took over WUCO radio.

My understanding is that there was a leadership change on the St Gabe board of directors with the result that Savoldi was brought in as a contract engineer by the new board. I'm sure his services wont come cheap so it will be interesting to see if they keep him as a contractor once he starts billing them for his services.

The sad thing is that they already had years of engineering talent and experience available to them and they chose not to fully utilize it. As a result it's going to cost them even more for the engineering talent and experience.

 

[techie2]

St Gabe has (had) a competent engineer already on their staff. The Marysville transmitter site was fed via IP using Barix equipment. It works reliably and is a lot cheaper per month than ISDN. This was designed and installed by the staff engineer and was in service since St Gabe took over WUCO radio.

My understanding is that there was a leadership change on the St Gabe board of directors with the result that Savoldi was brought in as a contract engineer by the new board. I'm sure his services wont come cheap so it will be interesting to see if they keep him as a contractor once he starts billing them for his services.

The sad thing is that they already had years of engineering talent and experience available to them and they chose not to fully utilize it. As a result it's going to cost them even more for the engineering talent and experience.

I've wondered how they do on money, especially with having to make LMA payments on WVKO now. The studio looked clean but rather spartan equipment wise...unless they have another control room it looked like they were using a Mackie type board for their on-air studio. I guess if they are running mostly prerecorded stuff and EWTN off the bird it would do the job though. How long has WUCO has running 125 watts non-directional via STA? The fact that they hadn't got that fixed yet also made me wonder how they got the money together to LMA-to-purchase on WVKO.

I guess it makes sense to use IP to run out to WUCO since the site is pretty far from the studio. A microwave shot would be difficult and the alternatives more pricey. I remember the WFOT schedule was straight EWTN, so I assume that site was main studio waivered and was just a dish and transmitter (similar to a K-Love station).

 

[gabigley1]

The following was pulled from the old WUCO-WILE thread from 2007. Chris Gabrelcik is the president of St.
Gabriel Catholic Radio. This should answer a few questions. WUCO's S.T.A. to run 125 watts non-directional
runs out on January 23, 2009. They have yet to file for an extension for that S.T.A. and have yet to file
to purchase WVKO-AM radio with the FCC. This is on their S.T.A. for WUCO 1270: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1231908 and here: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=9681

You guys are awful negative. WUCO is still a Marysville station. We still run local news and weather. The reason we moved the studio is because we relay on volunteers and we can get more of them in Columbus area. We don't have any money. We rely on listener support. We are non- profit. Nobody on the board gets paid. Nobody on the board is a millionaire. We are all just normal people trying to make it month to month. Our only motivation is to spread the Gospel. Everything we are doing is an open book. You just need to call if you have any questions.
Chris Gabrelcik

Chris:
Two questions. Are you running the night pattern during the day and has it been going on for quite some time in the recent past?
If not, how do you explain the coverage over Columbus?

Yes we are running on night pattern. It had been intermittent. We were having problems with the Potomic. We hired 2 different engineers to fix it. They both failed. We were able to get it to switch to day pattern but it would quit working after a few weeks. We bought a rebuilt unit from potomic to fix the problem but it isn't working now. We hired a new engineer to fix it. Unfortunaltely there is a short somewhere and now when we switch to day pattern the whole thing shorts out and we go off the air. I hired a 4th engineer to help the 3rd engineer thinking we could clean this up but he flew in and said it will take a long time to sort this out and we need to file a STA with the FCC asking for 6 months to rebuild. Which we are doing. The engineer wrote it up and sent it to our FCC attorney this weekend.

The problem we encountered with this station is that none of the other owners made any money on it (which is why we were able to buy it) so they didn't put any money into it. 2 of the former owners filed bankrupcy. We had to rewire the studio and the transmitter site. You would not believe the mess of wiring we had when we started. We were off the air at least once a week. We have been working night and day to get the station brought up to code. To make things worse we have a local owner of a tower that is reradiating our signal toward Columbus. We have begged and pleaded with him to detune the tower but he will not. We even offered to pay for the detuning so we could finish adjusting our array but he just refuses. We hired Jack Layton to come out and do field measurements and adjust the array but he said unless we detune Dave Moots' tower we are wasting our time. This is all going to the FCC in the next 30 days.

So to answer your question, the intermittant night pattern is not from lack of effort. We have spent 100's of man hours and 10's of thousands of dollars trying to fix it. We are willing to accept anyones help in this matter. So if any of you gentlemen in the know wants to give us a hand we would deeply appreciate it.

Chris

 

[kirkiefan]

Sad..really sad. A shining example how so many in the radio hierarchy (small AND large)are all blinded by their pride...yet they don't see their own mistakes and at the same time they talk down and ballyhoo their peers.......the old speck and log biblical passage applies here ever so evidently.

My prayer is that WUCO gets their transmitting sticks out in the Union County sticks fixed once and for all....they are doing the best they can with what they have...Christian radio (especially in WUCO's case) is a David up against the CC Goliaths.....go get 'em St. Gabe!

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Sad..really sad. A shining example how so many in the radio hierarchy (small AND large)are all blinded by their pride...yet they don't see their own mistakes and at the same time they talk down and ballyhoo their peers.......the old speck and log biblical passage applies here ever so evidently.

My prayer is that WUCO gets their transmitting sticks out in the Union County sticks fixed once and for all....they are doing the best they can with what they have...Christian radio (especially in WUCO's case) is a David up against the CC Goliaths.....go get 'em St. Gabe!

Kirkiefan, you lost me here.

Columbus, for starters, has a plethora of religious radio stations. As for Catholic programming, my pastor is a weekly contributor to "Catholic Radio Weekly" which airs on WMNI.

For its part, WVKO in its previous format devoted Sunday mornings to gospel music hosted by Alvis Moore, whose name is synonymous with the station's history in programming to Columbus' African-American community. It was followed by Air America's "State of Belief," a program of The Interfaith Alliance hosted by the Reverend Welton Gaddy.

So my question to you, kirkiefan, is this: Where were you when Gary Richards worked to make WVKO a place for alternative voices not available on other radio stations?

 

[gabigley1]

My prayer is that WUCO gets their transmitting sticks out in the Union County sticks fixed once and for all....they are doing the best they can with what they have...Christian radio (especially in WUCO's case) is a David up against the CC Goliaths.....go get 'em St. Gabe!

The fine Chief Engineer at CC Columbus is the person that took "Progressive Talk" WVKO-AM off the air and replaced it with Catholic programing under St. Gabe Catholic radio.. Since he works as a contract engineer for St. Gabe, it doesn't look like the Catholic programming would be of any concern to CC Columbus and also not a conflict of interests for them.

Maybe CC Columbus is glad to see "Progressive Talk" off of WVKO-AM radio because they were consistently
beating CC's WYTS AM 1230 in Columbus. Here you had a station run on a shoe string budget and still manged to beat the CC Goliaths! So, Sean may be right when he said a few months ago on WVKO-AM that
JohnnyBoy C of CC wanted to see WVKO-AM fail! After all, WVKO-AM never spoke kindly about CC radio.
Maybe CC Columbus is getting the last laugh.

 

[msmjegr]

My prayer is that WUCO gets their transmitting sticks out in the Union County sticks fixed once and for all....they are doing the best they can with what they have...Christian radio (especially in WUCO's case) is a David up against the CC Goliaths.....go get 'em St. Gabe!

The fine Chief Engineer at CC Columbus is the person that took "Progressive Talk" WVKO-AM off the air and replaced it with Catholic programing under St. Gabe Catholic radio.. Since he works as a contract engineer for St. Gabe, it doesn't look like the Catholic programming would be of any concern to CC Columbus and also not a conflict of interests for them.

Maybe CC Columbus is glad to see "Progressive Talk" off of WVKO-AM radio because they were consistently
beating CC's WYTS AM 1230 in Columbus. Here you had a station run on a shoe string budget and still manged to beat the CC Goliaths! So, Sean may be right when he said a few months ago on WVKO-AM that
JohnnyBoy C of CC wanted to see WVKO-AM fail! After all, WVKO-AM never spoke kindly about CC radio.
Maybe CC Columbus is getting the last laugh.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

My prayer is that WUCO gets their transmitting sticks out in the Union County sticks fixed once and for all....they are doing the best they can with what they have...Christian radio (especially in WUCO's case) is a David up against the CC Goliaths.....go get 'em St. Gabe!

The fine Chief Engineer at CC Columbus is the person that took "Progressive Talk" WVKO-AM off the air and replaced it with Catholic programing under St. Gabe Catholic radio.. Since he works as a contract engineer for St. Gabe, it doesn't look like the Catholic programming would be of any concern to CC Columbus and also not a conflict of interests for them.

Maybe CC Columbus is glad to see "Progressive Talk" off of WVKO-AM radio because they were consistently
beating CC's WYTS AM 1230 in Columbus. Here you had a station run on a shoe string budget and still manged to beat the CC Goliaths! So, Sean may be right when he said a few months ago on WVKO-AM that
JohnnyBoy C of CC wanted to see WVKO-AM fail! After all, WVKO-AM never spoke kindly about CC radio.
Maybe CC Columbus is getting the last laugh.

Do I sense a conspiracy theorist, Mr. Bigley? ;D

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Or, I don't know...maybe that CC Columbus engineer wanted to make a few extra bucks.

 

[adamcarrington]

Or, I don't know...maybe that CC Columbus engineer wanted to make a few extra bucks.

Make no mistake, sir. It's all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy.

 

[smedge2006]

Or, I don't know...maybe that CC Columbus engineer wanted to make a few extra bucks.

Make no mistake, sir. It's all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy.

Do I think it's a conspiracy. Not without more evidence.

Do I blame people who do? Not given the way this format has been treated. (Sticking Imus in morning drive on Miami's liberal talker and sticking Dave Ramsey on the one in Madison.)

 

[hdtvnewbie]

Or, I don't know...maybe that CC Columbus engineer wanted to make a few extra bucks.

Make no mistake, sir. It's all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy.

OMG, lol!!! LMAO!!! The only conspiracy CC cares about is how to make the most money. They gave the format plenty of opportunity to succeed. If pinko radio made money for them, it would still be on. In fact, as a hint to the man who posts here and brags about making $42,000 a year, if he spent more time on financially productive endeavors rather than blind loyalty to people who don't give a rats behind about him and other such feel-good "causes", he might be more prosperous and successful.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Or, I don't know...maybe that CC Columbus engineer wanted to make a few extra bucks.

Make no mistake, sir. It's all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy.

OMG, lol!!! LMAO!!! The only conspiracy CC cares about is how to make the most money. They gave the format plenty of opportunity to succeed. If pinko radio made money for them, it would still be on. In fact, as a hint to the man who posts here and brags about making $42,000 a year, if he spent more time on financially productive endeavors rather than blind loyalty to people who don't give a rats behind about him and other such feel-good "causes", he might be more prosperous and successful.

Newbie, there are some things more important than money. Obviously, you have a lot to learn.

 

[DaleGriffin]

Or, I don't know...maybe that CC Columbus engineer wanted to make a few extra bucks.

Make no mistake, sir. It's all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy.

This is a joke right?

 

[willcail]

Well WVKO AM was beating Savage, Laura, and Bill O when Progressive Talk was on WVKO AM. This is why when I have the time I catch Ed Schultz on WAIS 770AM. (Since I telecommute on most days, I can tune to Ed Schultz at 3PM on WAIS.)

Don't pay attention to the knuckle dragger's who post on Radio Info.

 

[DaleGriffin]

WE get that you listen to Ed Shultz, you have said so 50 times. We also know you have an apartment and a fancy radio to do so. Sean Gilbow works at the DMV... OK GOOD THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY.

It matters not that they were betting the main talk stations flanker stations. That station is their for one reason... added value to their other stations. The format it is now is providing more revenue than WVKO was. That is reality.

This is about money, not politics. It is about money, not ratings. The sooner you get that the better.

Here's a challange for you... Find me some proof that corporate radio is killing progressive talk because of the ideology. (Bonus points for not trotting out the CC Cincy guys joking claim of "being progressive talks executioner."

 

[SeanMGilbow]

WE get that you listen to Ed Shultz, you have said so 50 times. We also know you have an apartment and a fancy radio to do so. Sean Gilbow works at the DMV... OK GOOD THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY.

It matters not that they were betting the main talk stations flanker stations. That station is their for one reason... added value to their other stations. The format it is now is providing more revenue than WVKO was. That is reality.

This is about money, not politics. It is about money, not ratings. The sooner you get that the better.

Here's a challange for you... Find me some proof that corporate radio is killing progressive talk because of the ideology. (Bonus points for not trotting out the CC Cincy guys joking claim of "being progressive talks executioner."

Dale, you are only right to a point on this one. St. Gabriel Radio is on a rent-to-own basis regarding the station. Until it can come up with the $1.5 million to buy the station outright, the company is renting the AM and has to pay monthly rent.

This would put the total the company needs to raise in excess of $2 million.

The format has been on the air for three weeks and is generating minimal advertising revenue.

Simply put, Dale, the deal is not closed completely unless St. Gabriel comes up with the cash. Right now, they are under an LMA just like Cowtown was. And to be honest, I'm not optimistic the deal will close. The company is asking for donations, and the Catholics that do listen are going to be faced with the choice of which Catholic organizations they will support with their limited charitable dollars.

And I have a question for you, Dale...Why would someone from Huntsville, Alabama, want to continue keeping alive a message board in Columbus where the subject matter has pretty much been settled?

 

[jharmon]

It is absolutely amazing to me that 36 pages on this board are devoted to an AM radio station. CC is about to lay off thousands of people, Gannett is requiring a voluntary furlough for one week, 8% unemployment in the country and we are wondering whether WVKO is in trouble?

No one under 50 listens to AM radio. No 18-44 year old consumer cares about radio in the first place. Ipod, Mp3, satellite, internet, cell phones, etc. All lot of other technology is on their radar. AM is not one of them.

There are still plenty of AM listeners in the demos mentioned above for Limbaugh Ditto heads, Beck maniacs, etc. But the train has left the station for AM.

Sorry to see, since I started in AM radio in the last millenium. Times change, I am not wearing Neru jackets and madras shirts anymore. Move forward.

 

[DaleGriffin]

It is absolutely amazing to me that 36 pages on this board are devoted to an AM radio station. CC is about to lay off thousands of people, Gannett is requiring a voluntary furlough for one week, 8% unemployment in the country and we are wondering whether WVKO is in trouble?

No one under 50 listens to AM radio. No 18-44 year old consumer cares about radio in the first place. Ipod, Mp3, satellite, internet, cell phones, etc. All lot of other technology is on their radar. AM is not one of them.

There are still plenty of AM listeners in the demos mentioned above for Limbaugh Ditto heads, Beck maniacs, etc. But the train has left the station for AM.

Sorry to see, since I started in AM radio in the last millenium. Times change, I am not wearing Neru jackets and madras shirts anymore. Move forward.

Well that was a bunch of pointless dribble.

 

[DaleGriffin]

Dale, you are only right to a point on this one. St. Gabriel Radio is on a rent-to-own basis regarding the station. Until it can come up with the $1.5 million to buy the station outright, the company is renting the AM and has to pay monthly rent.
This would put the total the company needs to raise in excess of $2 million.

The format has been on the air for three weeks and is generating minimal advertising revenue.

The sale was related to money not ideology. That's what I meant, you know that.

Simply put, Dale, the deal is not closed completely unless St. Gabriel comes up with the cash. Right now, they are under an LMA just like Cowtown was. And to be honest, I'm not optimistic the deal will close. The company is asking for donations, and the Catholics that do listen are going to be faced with the choice of which Catholic organizations they will support with their limited charitable dollars.

That's how it works.

And I have a question for you, Dale...Why would someone from Huntsville, Alabama, want to continue keeping alive a message board in Columbus where the subject matter has pretty much been settled?

Back to this are we?

I try to follow a bunch of topics on this board. I can see when this topic is updated. I believe it was you that made a fanboy post about WVKO on the News/Talk page which led me here. I hope that answers your lame question again.