Mix 103.1 Fort Walton Beach

[Tibbs4]

Yeah, I had to give up the Hendricks Gin plan in favor of saving for retirement. Not exactly the choice I prefer, but I guess in have to try to grow up starting at 50....

Trips to the beach certainly aren't what they used to be....

 

[Poledo]

I'm too lazy to look it up at fcc.gov but 103.1 change COL from DeFuniak to Valparaiso with no change in facilities since. The only idea I had was that maybe some station to the east may want to upgrade and the new COL would allow 103.1 to move to Hollywood as a Class A or C3 with no measurable loss of listeners. As is I assume the 50k signal from Freeport covers FWB just as well as a 6k signal from Hollywood Blvd. I can't think of a station that would benefit from 103.1 moving west 20 miles or so.

As for those Shrooms, they've been on my mind ever since it was announced that Gulf Shores' Hangout Music Festival next month will feature, among others, The Flaming Lips performing "Dark Side of the Moon" in it's entirety right there on the beach. Lucky for me the festive is sold out so I won't have to do any damage to my mind. I'm sure some of y'all remember the Big Kahuna's Pink Floyd Laser Light Shows circa 1990?

 

[amfmxm]

IIRC, the Hollywood Boulevard site is home to most of the Cumulus sticks, so it might be tricky getting the OK from the competition, assuming Cumulus owns the tower itself. Then again, is Tibbs' old station--The Great 98 (WHWY)--at that site? Could they diplex it with 98.1? They'd still need space for the xmtr.

Spacing is another matter, with 102.7/WXBM being the culprit. Even by dropping to a Class A, it would still need about 60 miles clearance from Robertsdale--and FWB is right at 60 miles. But I don't believe that a Class A can be anywhere close to competitive in Okaloosa County. Not only is it just too big, georgraphically, but the population is way too spread out: the beach towns... mid-county (Niceville-Valpo)... and the Northern Tier (Crestview). Can't cover them all with an "A"--so why spend several hundred thousand dollars to end up with the same as what you've already got? Could maybe move it to Wave's tower as a C3 (only need around 65 miles clearance from XBM), but again you lose in contour what you'd gain in proximity.

Net/net? Why bother? Maybe they can slap a booster (on-channel translators) on 103.1 in FWB to kick up the signal there. Multipath is often a problem, but it might be worth a little fuzziness over Choctaw Bay to boom into the clubs--especially if they do go the EDM/House route with the music.

The move from DFS to Freeport was smart. At least South Walton has humans, and businesses. Ultimately they may just have to figure out how to address the pretty cool smaller market that they actually cover.

 

[Tibbs4]

I swear I thought MXZ boosted to 50k when they went Top 40 back in the mid 90s (roughly?) I thought they had a great signal from roughly The Boars Head on PCB to Mary Ester. I never paid that much attention to how far north they carried. I guess they had no tower height. Again, can't remember. I know the WWAV tower is next to WSBZ near the Publix at Sandestin. That carries ok for it's power. I always thought it was better to drop a powerful signal into the Gulf that try to hit the AL/FL state line. Of course, 98.1 was a fiasco on the beach side of Highway 98. I agree that the newer 98 transmitter and Stick site (you're right AMFMXM about where they are now) provides better coverage where it matters, but it has always seemed to have a thin, under modulated sound. Even though 98.1's old Black Forest site in the middle of nowhere was a million miles away from FWB/Destin that tinny sound was kinda cool sounding. So much for modern technology. Maybe Apex will turn up the volume. :>)

 

[Poledo]

I think it was 102.1 that boosted power from 25k to 50k in the mid 90's.

Could 103.1 move to Country 105.5's tower and do the same C3 directional pattern that they use? We've got a 105.5 in Bay Minette... and another in PC (or is it Apalachicola?) so it seems doable.

 

[amfmxm]

Could 103.1 move to Country 105.5's tower and do the same C3 directional pattern that they use?

Same problems. One, short-spacing with 102.7's contour--and, two, who owns the tower. If Cumulus owns the tower they'd likely tell Apex to go f*ck themselves--and keep MXZ as a rimshot from Freeport.

 

[tomservo]

Was the format flip today, or is it at midnight tonight?

 

[trock]

It's happening @5pm! Any inside scoop on what that format will be?

 

[Rob]

I'm goona guess OLDIES only because 92.1 plays some urban it be dumb to have two urban stations.

 

[trock]

I'm leaning towards rock or something of that ilk. We will see in 20 minutes.

 

[Rob]

http://www.mix1031online.com/ yup

 

[Poledo]

Oh great, a new rocker... and it's one of the 4 Fort Walton FM's I can't pick up. What flavor of rock is it? 99 Rock has been covering everything. Is 103.1 doing Active ala 97x Panama City and TK101, Classic, or is it a straight up AOR competition with 99 Rock? With 99 Rock being live (at least all day long) I doubt they can be beat head to head.

 

[Rob]

Active rock, more like TK but heavier..

 

[trock]

Definitely active rock. We have a good old fashioned radio war right now and Apex has thrown down the gauntlet. I'm loving it. Cumulus has been on easy street for far too long. It's about time they had some compition.

 

[R.D.P.]

Just checked out their live stream. This station rocks really hard. They also have new calls too. The live feed is now using WZLB. Might want to check into that, to see if this info is correct.

R.D.P. <><

 

[Rob]

If they can move their stick to hollywood, would end the reception problems... your right. This will def affect 99 rock and TK

-Rob

 

[Poledo]

Well, Active Rock in Fort Walton. I wasn't expecting that. Could do well, I still think 99 Rock has the upper hand unless Apex has deep pockets and more patience than Quantum. That military audience has always confused me. How do you target/serve them?