Missing FM Mast In Downtown Tampa

[Bored Op]

While driving through downtown Tampa today on 275, I noticed that part of one of the masts on what used to be (IIRC), the old First Florida building is partially dismantled. I know Q-105 and WQYK were up there. Part of the mast on the right hand side of the building looks as if it's being taken down. Both have been up there since I was a kid - just like the old WDAE-FM tower was once part of the downtown skyline. Is it the QYK mast going away?

 

[badjef]

While driving through downtown Tampa today on 275, I noticed that part of one of the masts on what used to be (IIRC), the old First Florida building is partially dismantled. I know Q-105 and WQYK were up there. Part of the mast on the right hand side of the building looks as if it's being taken down. Both have been up there since I was a kid - just like the old WDAE-FM tower was once part of the downtown skyline. Is it the QYK mast going away?

My thoughts are both.
Those are no longer needed. They outlived their usefulness years ago. It was only a final shove by the FCC in the form of fines when CBS finally got the heck off of it.

Somebody could give you better details than I can, but suffice it to say, in the 1970's it was a great place. In the 80's, it was time to move. In the 90's, the stations were declassified. In the 2000's, they needed to be removed.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[frankberry]

I'm wondering if they plan on keeping the newer of the two towers (WQYK's) as an emergency spare for both stations.
The WQYK tower also supports the STL antennas for WQYK-AM. The first hop receive antenna and the second hop transmit antenna.
Time will tell.

 

[TerryKay]

Didn't the long-inactive translator for (forget) used to be mounted there? I used to work in that building, early-90's. I used to have free access throughout the building and would go up on the roof for a dose of radiation occasionally, usually to view Shuttle launches, since I worked for First Florida Bank and had good ties to the Lykes' family inner circle until they sold to Barnett Bank.

 

[frankberry]

It was a 2 gig microwave system that delivered Cable programs (Showtime) to Tampa over the air.
It's been off the air for a long time.

 

[drt]

Didn't the long-inactive translator for (forget) used to be mounted there? I used to work in that building, early-90's. I used to have free access throughout the building and would go up on the roof for a dose of radiation occasionally, usually to view Shuttle launches, since I worked for First Florida Bank and had good ties to the Lykes' family inner circle until they sold to Barnett Bank.

I believe it was in the early 1990's that for about a year or so; WYUU had a repeater on 92.1 so that people could listen to the oldies in downtown Tampa, since their 92.5 signal would not penetrate many of the downtown Tampa buildings.

drt,
st. petersburg,fl

 

[frankberry]

Didn't the long-inactive translator for (forget) used to be mounted there? I used to work in that building, early-90's. I used to have free access throughout the building and would go up on the roof for a dose of radiation occasionally, usually to view Shuttle launches, since I worked for First Florida Bank and had good ties to the Lykes' family inner circle until they sold to Barnett Bank.

I believe it was in the early 1990's that for about a year or so; WYUU had a repeater on 92.1 so that people could listen to the oldies in downtown Tampa, since their 92.5 signal would not penetrate many of the downtown Tampa buildings.

drt,
st. petersburg,fl

You may be correct but I remember one station, it may have been WYUU, trying to operate a repeater on the same frequency as their main carrier. It didn't work at all. Squeals and other noises when the repeater was powered up.
I don't remember how they got the audio to the downtown Tampa location. Back then, probably equalized phone lines. They may have later tried another frequency. I wish I could remember. Perhaps someone else can provide us with the information.

 

[badjef]

CBS was fined for a radiation protocol problem that wasn’t even theirs. Since they were on the roof, they were guilty by association. They should have been gone from there years ago.

The management was very short-sighted. 104.7 and 99.5 have been top rated stations for years and there was no ROI for moving during the time – until the FCC nudged them to move.

Fines have traditionally had a habit of changing more than a few minds.

The signals were statewide until the other buildings and stations around the state were around.

Do not expect CBS to use that roof anymore.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Bored Op]

So you're saying that both WRBQ and WQYK have already vacated that site? (Pardon the ignorance - I've been outta state for a few years.)

 

[badjef]

So you're saying that both WRBQ and WQYK have already vacated that site? (Pardon the ignorance - I've been outta state for a few years.)

Yes. Several months ago, they built a new stick on US41.

They were not able to get a lot of height. They wanted to keep the 100kw signals.

They moved as far east as they could. They have been downgraded so they had to offer protection to stations that should have been offering protection to them.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[TerryKay]

Yes, drt! 92.1 WYUU translator - that was it.

And trying to hear anything in the old First Florida Building was a nightmare with all the RF on top of us.

 

[sbe1]

When 92.1 upgraded from a class A on Auburn Rd in Venice to a lower level class C, it bounced 92.5's 92.1 translator off the air.

 

[Parttimer]

So you're saying that both WRBQ and WQYK have already vacated that site? (Pardon the ignorance - I've been outta state for a few years.)

Yes. Several months ago, they built a new stick on US41.

They were not able to get a lot of height. They wanted to keep the 100kw signals.

They moved as far east as they could. They have been downgraded so they had to offer protection to stations that should have been offering protection to them.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=27.93161,+-82.40128+(WRBQ-FM)&om=1