Radio stations that need a boost to stay alive

[1L6E6VHF]

(Me, earlier) I think that with its coverage area, WDRJ could be useful as a Spanish-language station.

Except that 1480 IS in that format and covers the hispanic area well.

The Hispanic area of Pontiac, indeed, but the Hispanic core of Detroit (Southwest), the signal leaves a lot to be desired. Simply well below NIF at night (IIRC), the daytime signal is strong enough to hear, but still relatively weak. Worse, SW Detroit is in the beam of second-adjacent WLQV, with 50kW concentrated in a nine tower array. WSDS is thus up against more than 100 mV/v in the far reaches of the core with still about 30 mV/m in the eastern end of it (roughly 14th Street).

Not only is WDRJ stronger than WSDS in SW Detroit by day, without off-channel interference (barring a set of rule changes and some idiot somehow bringing 1430 Mt. Clemens back from the dead), it also has a good signal into SW Detroit at night.

As I mentioned elsewhere, 1310 would be a good candidate for a WSDS simulcast targeting SW Detroit (either a single tower 1/.02 D right in the area or a stronger Class B DA2 in a downriver burb)

Back in the day, when Gallagher asked me to sell it, i suggested Hispanic broadcasters as it hits those areas well. However, for the money he wanted, it would have never had covered its debt. Not long after that, Sima brought in his Hispanic client to LMA the station. Then our genius at WMKM killed off 6 of the towers without FCC approval. Did Davidson get screwed on that deal.
<snip>

Wow. Haven't heard about that story (there are still, physically, twelve towers at the site, and the FCC still shows separate arrays), but I believe you (please tell me more, PM me if it is wordy).

 

[jry]

(Me, earlier) I think that with its coverage area, WDRJ could be useful as a Spanish-language station.

Except that 1480 IS in that format and covers the hispanic area well.

The Hispanic area of Pontiac, indeed, but the Hispanic core of Detroit (Southwest), the signal leaves a lot to be desired. Simply well below NIF at night (IIRC), the daytime signal is strong enough to hear, but still relatively weak. Worse, SW Detroit is in the beam of second-adjacent WLQV, with 50kW concentrated in a nine tower array. WSDS is thus up against more than 100 mV/v in the far reaches of the core with still about 30 mV/m in the eastern end of it (roughly 14th Street).

Not only is WDRJ stronger than WSDS in SW Detroit by day, without off-channel interference (barring a set of rule changes and some idiot somehow bringing 1430 Mt. Clemens back from the dead), it also has a good signal into SW Detroit at night.

As I mentioned elsewhere, 1310 would be a good candidate for a WSDS simulcast targeting SW Detroit (either a single tower 1/.02 D right in the area or a stronger Class B DA2 in a downriver burb)

Back in the day, when Gallagher asked me to sell it, i suggested Hispanic broadcasters as it hits those areas well. However, for the money he wanted, it would have never had covered its debt. Not long after that, Sima brought in his Hispanic client to LMA the station. Then our genius at WMKM killed off 6 of the towers without FCC approval. Did Davidson get screwed on that deal.
<snip>

Wow. Haven't heard about that story (there are still, physically, twelve towers at the site, and the FCC still shows separate arrays), but I believe you (please tell me more, PM me if it is wordy).

It was a mess. Davidsons guy noted 6 towers day and night and didn't realize that it was separate towers for a total of 12. Gallagher had taken 6 of them down. Peter had to make the whole thing right.
Now, to back up a bit. 1480 is the old WSDS, shooting its signal from Salem Township. Seems to me that it did cover the southwest Detroit area pretty well. 1MV in that area. Maybe there's too much noise, now.