On/Off-Air List

[Doctor_Technical]

For Katrina, I recall such a list being maintained for on or off-air stations. Thought it might be interesting to re-start such a list for Gustav.

This first observation made in South Baton Rouge at 10:15am; eye of Gustav south of Houma and about 75 m SSE of BR. Trees down and power out all over BR, but as I write this I'm still watching cable TV via shore power -- fingers are crossed.

Only stations that are off-air or have dead audio (carrier-only) are listed. Normally I have clear reception of NOLA stations; any updates, corrections or reorganziations are welcome.

AM - BR

1260 off air (may be voluntary, they were off early yesterday)
1380 carrier only
1550 off air

AM - NOLA / OTHER

600 NOLA off air
640 Houma off air
1060 NOLA off air

FM - BR

88.1 off air (AFM repeater in Plaquemine)
90.3 off air (see 1260 note above)
91.5 carrier only (dead air)
92.3 off air
94.9 carrier only (BR LPFM)
104.1 carrier only
104.5 dead carrier (modified from on air 10:46a)
104.9 off air
105.5 carrier only
105.7 carrier only (modified from dead air 10:46a)
107.3 dead carrier (modified 10:46a)

FM - OTHER

89.9 NOLA off-air (anyone near NOLA that can verify?)
95.7 NOLA carrier only
97.1 NOLA carrier only
99.5 NOLA off air
101.9 NOLA carrier only
107.5 Houma off air

Interesting to note that N.O. East located 690 and 105.3 are on the air, as is the mighty rooftop-mounted 990.

 

[xmusicmatt]

For Katrina, I recall such a list being maintained for on or off-air stations. Thought it might be interesting to re-start such a list for Gustav

this morning there was a lot of dead air on the clear channel webstreams from NOLA, audio was cutting in out and at point just dead air (stream was playing but no audio). Seems fixed now though they just mentioned they had a satellite dish blow off the roof of their BTR Studios.

 

[Doctor_Technical]

3pm Baton Rouge additions to the previous list, posted via dialup. All power in EBR Parish down, peak winds 90 MPH.

AM
1150 off air
1210 off

FM
89.3 off
91.1 off
92.3 dead carrier
96.1 choppy audio (bad STL?)
101.5 off air
102.5 off air
104.1 back on the air
105.5 off
105.7 off

Noted that NOLA 95.7 and 97.1 are back on the air

 

[Fieldtech1]

as far as i can tell, off in lafayette as of last night:
90.9, 91.9, 93.7, 105.9, 106.3, 107.1

 

[Doctor_Technical]

8am Tuesday update. East Baton Rouge reported to have 95% power outage this morning, sure that's the same for surrounding parishes. Max sustained winds yesterday reported to be ~60MPH, peak 91 MPH. Would you like some tree limbs? We have plenty to spare.

BR FM report (off = no carrier, on = up with programming)

88.1 off
88.5 off
89.3 off
90.3 off
91.1 off
91.5 off
92.3 dead carrier (no audio)
92.7 off (as is 97.7 BR translator)
94.1 up
94.9 off
96.1 dead carrier
98.1 up (carrying Walton & Johnson)
100.7 up
101.5 up
102.5 up
103.3 dead carrier
104.1 up (carrying Baton Rouge // 102.5 audio)
104.5 up
105.5 off
105.7 up (Jeff Baptist LPFM)
106.5 up
107.3 up

BR AM report (note: 100% of BR AMs are not operating)

910 off (long-time STA to stay dark)
1150 dead carrier
1210 off
1260 off
1300 off
1380 off
1460 off
1550 off

Surrounding areas of note

1500 New Roads off
1590 White Castle off
640 Houma/Thibodaux off

From what I can hear in Baton Rouge, most of NOLA is up -- other than 95.7, 98.5 and 99.5 not making the jump very well, perhaps they are on low power?

 

[Doctor_Technical]

10:30 am Wednesday update.

FM

88.1 off
88.5 up
89.3 up
90.3 off
91.1 off
91.5 off
92.3 dead carrier
92.7 off, also 97.7 xlator off
94.1 up
94.9 off
96.1 up
98.1 up
100.7 up
101.5 up, audio in right channel only
102.5 up, " " " " "
103.3 dead carrier
104.1 off
104.5 up
104.9 off
105.5 off
105.7 up
106.5 up
107.3 up

AM

Same as yesterday, 1150 has dead carrier (no audio), all other BR AM stations off air.

Note: 640 Houma/Thibodaux back on; not sure if they stream but they sound good on air, lots of reports and calls.

 

[buttonpuncher]

All these dead-air carriers, what happened to stations using a remote control or STL failsafe to shut down the transmitter when the studio loses connection to the site.

Yes, with dial-up remote controls you don't have a continuous connection, but a silent sensor or STL mute relay transmitter shut-off should be connected when using a dial-up remote.

 

[boiseengineer]

Could be the they still have a good control link, There’s a lot of IP based remote controls out there that can check in with the “mother ship” on a regular basis. Most transmitters are best kept running 24/7. It’s the thermal cycling that causes most of the problems. Plus it keeps condensation from forming. Important in the south even with A/C. Stations that used to sign off every night had more trouble getting the beast to turn on next morning.

The FCC considers a station to be "off the air" if there 's no programming. A legal ID doesn’t seem to required even if the transmitter's on with a carrier! There was a ruling recently where a someone filed a complaint with the FCC that a station was not IDing their station. The FM had dead air but was still broadcasting SCA programming they were getting paid for. FCC said that’s OK.

 

[AH3RD]

I'm not picking up WTIX-FM 94.3 too well, either; seems like ol' Gus got to its transmitter, too. :-\

 

[Blair]

I'm not picking up WTIX-FM 94.3 too well, either; seems like ol' Gus got to its transmitter, too. :-\

All that matters is that Mikey can hear it when he's on.

 

[nolaradiobuff]

TIX was coming in strong at Noon in Kenner/Metairie. True Oldies was coming in stong too, stronger than before the storm.

92.3 and 104.1 were off the air.

WWL is still simulcasting on 1350. No ESPN.

No Lorin Gaudin on WIST this morning. They ran Handel on the Law.

 

[gjroussejr]

Hello from storm ravaged South Lafourche. A couple of local stations are still down:
KLEB 1600 Golden Meadow (No power for Transmitter)
KAGY 1510 Port Sulphur (same problem)
KNOU 104.5 Empire (Ditto) Was on air on STA backup before gustav with oldies.
I could be wrong on this one ( so RFLA please confirm) KTIB 640 just checked but only getting night static.
KLRZ 100.3 is on air on the 50kw backup.
Now if you will excuse me I have to go change the oil on the natural gas generator.

 

[AH3RD]

Funloving 94.3 'TIX-FM's signal is back to 100% efficiency now. No DJs yet, though; probably still haven't returned from bugging out from ol' Gus. ???

 

[BaronBean]

Funloving 94.3 'TIX-FM's signal is back to 100% efficiency now. No DJs yet, though; probably still haven't returned from bugging out from ol' Gus. ???

No DJ's YET? Haw haw haw! You very funny guy.

 

[RFLA]

I checked KTIB and they are currently on and broadcasting. they are on directional at night as far as I know and also the area that KTIB's transmitters are at all supposedly still without power

KFOL-Ca (HTV) Houma lost a transmitter tower in Houma with a crane holding up a transmitter antenna.

Also apparently KBZE is off air as I haven't been able to pick them up recently

 

[Doctor_Technical]

Baton Rouge has two FM signals off air - 91.5 and 104.9; the rest (24 signals) are back on.

As for AM: 1210, 1260 and 1380 are on. 1150 is on, but with occasional STL breakup. 1300, 1460 and 1550 are off air.

 

[AH3RD]

No DJ's YET? Haw haw haw! You very funny guy.

Thanks.

M&M returned yesterday, in time for the weekly Beatles Thursday grind; he stated at the end of today's show that The Krewe Of 'TIX (Hot Rod, Bobby and J.D.) will return next Monday. 8)

 

[gjroussejr]

One thing you have to remember about WTIX; (no not about Michael) is that they are still on the Special Temp Authority (Backup) Transmiter I think in Gretna at 21kw since the corpof engineers just gave him the clearence to rebuild the shack in West Point A La Hache. So recption is strong in Metro New Orleans, but in it's COL of Galliano it is weak. When WTIX is back on the main reception would be like I was hearing it on a walkman standing next to the tower

 

[BaronBean]

;D ;D

 

[BaronBean]

No DJ's YET? Haw haw haw! You very funny guy.

Thanks.

M&M returned yesterday, in time for the weekly Beatles Thursday grind; he stated at the end of today's show that The Krewe Of 'TIX (Hot Rod, Bobby and J.D.) will return next Monday. 8)

Yes...Hot Rod, Bobby and J.D. will "return," now that the voice-tracked automation software has been downloaded to a Commodore 64 that managed to escape the inevitable power surge. Can ye FEEL the excitement?