New FM translator for Birmingham

[passtheword]

Just saw this on the FCC website a few minutes ago. A new FM translator has been approved for 100.1...calls are 261BX with 10 watts from Red Mtn rebroadcasting WUAL-FM in Tuscaloosa. Any thoughts as to the possibility of a power increase and whether Clear Channel, Cumulus, or whomever will wind up with it?

http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=150818

 

[tomservo]

They'd be crazy not to try and buy it from Edgewater. I think it could easily do 99 watts, maybe even the full 250 if positioned correctly.

100.1 was long the home of a pirate operate originating from Southside back when Southside was a cool place. It put a good signal up and down Jones Valley. I'd listen on Wednesday nights when I was making deliveries to the airport and usually got it from I-20 at Ruffner Mtn onwards.

 

[jharmon]

I am new to the translator thing.
but is a 100 watt translator a game changer?

 

[tomservo]

I am new to the translator thing.
but is a 100 watt translator a game changer?

Not really, at least I doubt it could be in Birmingham due to the spread out nature of the city. But translators are doing very well in other markets and in at least one case I believe on in Jacksonville or somewhere like that knocked a 100 kW competitor down a few notches in the last ratings book.

Not that they're struggling in Birmingham. Last time I saw any kind of ratings, every one of the ones Clear Channel's put on air were showing up in the book, albeit around 2.0 or less in the 12+. None will ever hit #1, but that's probably not the point. They cost next to nothing to get running so it's a lot easier for them to make money on smaller audiences, I believe.

 

[Groove1670]

If it can chip away the ratings from other stations in the market, it is a success.

 

[tomservo]

The 100 watt translator at 100.1 will have some company. Now another new one has popped up: W235BS at 94.9. A whopping 13 watts, parent station is shown as WDXB. "Foggy Mountain 94.9" anyone?

 

[passtheword]

The 100 watt translator at 100.1 will have some company. Now another new one has popped up: W235BS at 94.9. A whopping 13 watts, parent station is shown as WDXB. "Foggy Mountain 94.9" anyone?

I doubt the facilities will stay at 13 watts; it will most likely be upgraded at some point as the other Birmingham CC translators. I also suspect that CC wouldn't program "Foggy Mountain" on 100.1, though...unless "The Bull" and 100.1 were used together as some sort of "squeeze play" on Cox's WZZK.