New FM Assignments For Cape & Islands

[Laurence Glavin]

If you thought that the FCC couldn't possibly shoehorn any more FM assignments on the Cape of Cod and nearby islands, guess again. Inluded in the latest list of channels in the upcoming auction will be stations on 98.7 in East Harwich and 97.7 on Nantucket. People will really line up for these opportuinites; it will resemble the bridge-jumping scene in Steve Martin's "The Lonely Guy".

 

[DToTheJ]

Maybe someone can bring back the old "Rose" format to the area... then, they'll have to get the WRZE calls back from some station in South Carolina...

 

[MR. JAROME_CALVIN]

any of you all from Cape Cod, or who visit Cape Cod, or can get those stations heard of 99.9 WQRC? They seem ok. How about WCOD 106.1. Isn't that the cloest to "The Rose" format that it can get?
I live in Revere, Ma. From time to time, I used to be able to pick up 96.3 The Rose, and 106.1 WCOD, as well as the old "CHR Cape 104" which is now Country?

Which one do you all like??


I liked "The Rose", but now I'd have to go with either WQRC, or WCOD

 

[mgpt6]

I can see 97.7 for Nantucket but 98.7 for the mid-cape. Signal would be buried by Sports Hub's IBOC buzz.

 

[JustinT]

I'll predict Positive, Encouraging K-LOVE finding its way to 98.7. On the other side of the market, 98.7 WBYY in Somersworth, NH survives next to WBZ-FM; so I'd assume an East Harwich allocation is no closer.

But as for 97.7, is there really enough of an audience that would be covered by a Class A on Nantucket to make the station worth building?

 

[raccoonradio]

LauroJrm: You may pick up some Cape stations that come across the water. In fact in summer
or late spring there's some kind of reception situation where stations from Cape, RI, CT, ME, etc
can come in surprisingly well.

Despite being next to 104.1 I have occasionally picked up 103.9 from the Cape (now country);
95.1 talk, 106.1 WCOD (when there isn't a pirate like Touch). WQRC (in fact sometimes here in
Beverly it comes in fairly well). And on that little HD portable from Best Buy, I was getting
WEII 96.3 here. (WEII coverage http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WEII&service=FM&status=L&hours=U )

 

[freqlost]

WQRC has changed their format in the last 6 months or so.
I believe I have heard "currents" on there lately.

 

[Laurence Glavin]

The WBZ-FM antenna is on a tower out by route 128 west of the city. A 98.7 operation should expect less adjacent-channel interference than if 98.5 were on the Pru I should think.

 

[wpxt]

On the other side of the market, 98.7 WBYY in Somersworth, NH survives next to WBZ-FM; so I'd assume an East Harwich allocation is no closer.

I looked up the exact over the air distance between Dover, NH (WBYY's tower location) and Needham, MA (WBZ-FM's tower location) and it is 65 miles. Now the over the air distance between East Harwich, MA and Needham, MA is 74 miles.

 

[MickeyD]

If you thought that the FCC couldn't possibly shoehorn any more FM assignments on the Cape of Cod and nearby islands, guess again. Inluded in the latest list of channels in the upcoming auction will be stations on 98.7 in East Harwich and 97.7 on Nantucket. People will really line up for these opportuinites; it will resemble the bridge-jumping scene in Steve Martin's "The Lonely Guy".

97.7 was listed on the FCC's FM auction for 10K. Can't put it on the mainland has to be on Nantucket.

 

[MR. JAROME_CALVIN]

K Love is pretty good. They're ok. I wish that was on here in Boston. The cloest I get to that is 590am weeknights 10pm-11pm. That one is real good and very smooth nice relaxing music.

 

[MR. JAROME_CALVIN]

I'm not too religious. I do go to Church (Catholic) when I have the free time. I go there for the peace and happiness for that (??? 45 minute service they have) That music is real nice after a long stressful day

 

[LA_Guy]

If you thought that the FCC couldn't possibly shoehorn any more FM assignments on the Cape of Cod and nearby islands, guess again. Inluded in the latest list of channels in the upcoming auction will be stations on 98.7 in East Harwich and 97.7 on Nantucket. People will really line up for these opportuinites; it will resemble the bridge-jumping scene in Steve Martin's "The Lonely Guy".

97.7 was listed on the FCC's FM auction for 10K. Can't put it on the mainland has to be on Nantucket.

Correct. 97.7 opened up on Nantucket because the Brockton 97.7 moved north to the Great Blue Hills.

 

[DanStrassberg]

Correct. 97.7 opened up on Nantucket because the Brockton 97.7 moved north to the Great Blue Hills.

So if someone were to apply for 97.7 on the southern Mass coast with a DA to protect WKAF and send maximum signal toward Nantucket, would the FCC simply reject the app as not compliant with the spacing rules or allow it because it could be designed to avoid any prohibited contour overlap? (Note that I did not say grant it; it would still have to compete with other filings in the auction.)

 

[MickeyD]

Correct. 97.7 opened up on Nantucket because the Brockton 97.7 moved north to the Great Blue Hills.

So if someone were to apply for 97.7 on the southern Mass coast with a DA to protect WKAF and send maximum signal toward Nantucket, would the FCC simply reject the app as not compliant with the spacing rules or allow it because it could be designed to avoid any prohibited contour overlap? (Note that I did not say grant it; it would still have to compete with other filings in the auction.)

I had engineering studies done on it and I saw no such conflicts. I am surprised some of the Nantucket non-comm applicants haven't jumped on it. If the station could have been built on the mainland it may have been a different story.

 

[N1WVQ]

K Love is pretty good. They're ok. I wish that was on here in Boston. The cloest I get to that is 590am weeknights 10pm-11pm. That one is real good and very smooth nice relaxing music.

K-Love is atrocious. Pretty much all of the religious broadcasters are. When I lived south of Jacksonville, Fl. there were about 20 religious stations audible. Much too much. Anyway, thankfully it doesn't seem to play well in New England.

Now, as for 97.7, I thought it could be used in Eastham. Anyway, 98.7 could've been a C3 on ACK.

 

[MickeyD]

K Love is pretty good. They're ok. I wish that was on here in Boston. The cloest I get to that is 590am weeknights 10pm-11pm. That one is real good and very smooth nice relaxing music.

K-Love is atrocious. Pretty much all of the religious broadcasters are. When I lived south of Jacksonville, Fl. there were about 20 religious stations audible. Much too much. Anyway, thankfully it doesn't seem to play well in New England.

Now, as for 97.7, I thought it could be used in Eastham. Anyway, 98.7 could've been a C3 on ACK.

Nope, not 97.7 probably why it made it to the FCC auction twice at a reduced price.

 

[LA_Guy]

Correct. 97.7 opened up on Nantucket because the Brockton 97.7 moved north to the Great Blue Hills.

So if someone were to apply for 97.7 on the southern Mass coast with a DA to protect WKAF and send maximum signal toward Nantucket, would the FCC simply reject the app as not compliant with the spacing rules or allow it because it could be designed to avoid any prohibited contour overlap? (Note that I did not say grant it; it would still have to compete with other filings in the auction.)

I had engineering studies done on it and I saw no such conflicts. I am surprised some of the Nantucket non-comm applicants haven't jumped on it. If the station could have been built on the mainland it may have been a different story.

In order to allot a station, two things have to occur: First, the station must meet the required distance spacing AND cover the proposed city of license with a 3.16 mv/m signal. While it is true that you can use 73.215 short spacing and put the 97.7 transmitter on the mainland (satisfying #1), it's impossible for a class A FM station to put a 3.16 mv/m signal over Nantucket from anywhere on the mainland.