NPR Talk...Now Richmond's got it!

[Radio-X]

92.5 is now on the air in Richmond as RadioIQ. It's certainly not a full-powered FM, but it beats no NPR talk outside of drivetime!

Interesting Richmond Magazine article quoting a WVTF (RadioIQ's regular NPR station) employee basically saying that he wanted to work "...with WCVE to enhance public radio".

WCVE doesn't really reiterate this statement, but basically said that RadioIQ offers the same programming as WCVE-HD2 "for different listeners".

Not to knock WCVE (they did save public radio around Richmond after all), but has anybody else noticed they react very coolly to NPR talk? Is there a good reason for this? I would just imagine WCVE would have seen this writing on the wall about a decade ago and would have jumped on the opportunity. Pretty much every other NPR affiliate in the state has!

And lastly, what type of impact will RadioIQ make in this neck of the woods?

Radio-X

 

[MsMusicRadio]

What is the COL and the power?

 

[Radio-X]

What is the COL and the power?

Call sign is W233AZ Richmond. So yeah, no full-powered FM for Richmond.

Technicals are 10 watts at 551ft. Translator is a FM-grade receiver rebroadcasting 88.5/Charlottesville (THAT would be an impressive rebroadcast receiver. I want to know how they pulled that one off)

It's on the Basie Rd. Tower with WRXL, WCDX, WWLB, and maybe another translator.

So, looks like coverage is limited to north of the James with a few exceptions...

Unless A) WCVE or Virginia Tech falls into a windfall of cash and

B) one of the other religious non-comms (88.1, 89.7, 99.9, or a combo of all of these new rim-shot construction permits in Amelia Co., etc.) has no desire or the lack of cash to continue broadcasting. Liberty University is on a FM buying binge, EMF and AFR sell stations that are in pretty pokey markets and make little money...er...donations.

And so long as American Family Radio owns 89.7, it will never, EVER be sold to a NPR group (google NPR and AFR and see what pops up)

As far as I know as well, WYFJ will never be sold either. I think that was their first FM station, and even though the move to 99.9 will make it more commercially viable, CSN will never sell that station IMHO.

This will be interesting....VA Tech has a crack team of radio engineers and if that 92.5 translator can't be moved frequency-wise and boosted power-wise, they will get some other solution on there. Wait until they buy WCVE-FM or some other station. They want to sink their teeth in Richmond reeeeal bad.

Radio-X

 

[dxho]

Doesn't WRIR do NPR talk during the day?

 

[Dale H. Cook]

Call sign is W233AZ Richmond.

The call is W223AZ - channel 233 is 94.5.

I have emailed WVTF's CE (an old friend) to ask what receiver they are using.

Dale H. Cook, Contract Engineer, Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA
http://plymouthcolony.net/starcityeng/index.html

 

[Dale H. Cook]

Translator is a FM-grade receiver rebroadcasting 88.5/Charlottesville (THAT would be an impressive rebroadcast receiver. I want to know how they pulled that one off)

They are using the same receiver that many other translators use - a Sony HD car radio that sells for about $100 (CDXGT340, if I remember correctly), fed by a Sitco Yagi.

Dale H. Cook, Contract Engineer, Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA
http://plymouthcolony.net/starcityeng/index.html

 

[MsMusicRadio]

I wish somebody could explain how AFR got 88.1 and 90.7 (in Charles City ?). One would think that WCVE or some university could have proven that two of these stations in the same area bsically is not in the public interest. Of course that is just my opinion. Why can't the University of Richmond increase the power on their station?

 

[Radio-X]

I wish somebody could explain how AFR got 88.1 and 90.7 (in Charles City ?). One would think that WCVE or some university could have proven that two of these stations in the same area bsically is not in the public interest. Of course that is just my opinion. Why can't the University of Richmond increase the power on their station?

90.1 is too close to 90.5 to juice up a lot, and 89.7, and I think there's now a 90.3 down around Petersburg, and even if they did juice up, they'd have to keep it a class A...WPVA on 90.1 is up on the Blue Ridge with WCYK and has a HUGE signal.

And WRIR does carry some NPR and Pacifica programming. But it's a low-powered flea. I can't pick it up until I cross the James!

Now, Richmond has a AAA station, next on my wishlist is a full-powered NPR Talk station. I'll have gray hairs by then...and radio will be "what old people listen to"

Still, suprised at the choice of radio rebroadcaster! I woulda thought a Magnum-Dynalab (used at WMLU in Farmville to rebroadcast WMRY) or that fantastic Sony tabletop XDR-F1HD!

Leave it to a Hokie to come up with something that ingenious! Still, suprised 88.5 can be picked up with any radio with any consistency on that tower! Boy did we have fun trying to keep WMRY tuned on that old MD! I guess times they are 'a changin'

Radio-X

 

[Dale H. Cook]

Leave it to a Hokie to come up with something that ingenious!

That's not original to Paxton - in the last year I've seen the use of that Sony car receiver discussed a number of times on a couple of the country's major radio engineering mailing lists. It has often proven to be the best choice in difficult receiving situations such as the one in Richmond.

It has been several years since I've been responsible for a translator, but back in the day I used an analog Sony car receiver with a Yagi in a tight situation where I had to receive a Class A over twenty miles away, reject a nearby adjacent-channel Class A, and reject a distant co-channel Class C. The Sony was the only receiver that worked.

 

[dxho]

I wish somebody could explain how AFR got 88.1 and 90.7 (in Charles City ?). One would think that WCVE or some university could have proven that two of these stations in the same area bsically is not in the public interest. Of course that is just my opinion. Why can't the University of Richmond increase the power on their station?

90.1 is too close to 90.5 to juice up a lot, and 89.7, and I think there's now a 90.3 down around Petersburg, and even if they did juice up, they'd have to keep it a class A...WPVA on 90.1 is up on the Blue Ridge with WCYK and has a HUGE signal.

UR has a CP for 2500 watts.