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Ridgfield Broadcasting is denied 1490 in Uncasville

T

TXengineer

Guest
Ridgefield Broadcasting has been trying to get an AM station on the air on 1490.
The FCC rejected the 1490 application because of "prohibited overlap" to WACM in West Springfield. Allow me to rant here a little. What the FCC should do is revoke the license of WACM to allow for the station or allow the overlap. WACM broadcasts mostly over-modulated brokered programing from their West Springfield studios and hasn't served West Springfield in ages. They have had the top light of their tower out since Labor Day (Seems a teeny bit past the 10 day period) and only reported the outage last month. In my opinion , they either should be fined severely or have their license status really looked at.

Dennis Jackson would have run the station in Uncasville with local programming oriented towards the audience, something that WACM hasn't done in ages.

Maybe Dennis could buy WACM, now that might be an idea!
 
> Ridgefield Broadcasting has been trying to get an AM station
> on the air on 1490.
> The FCC rejected the 1490 application because of "prohibited
> overlap" to WACM in West Springfield. Allow me to rant here
> a little. What the FCC should do is revoke the license of
> WACM to allow for the station or allow the overlap. WACM
> broadcasts mostly over-modulated brokered programing from
> their West Springfield studios and hasn't served West
> Springfield in ages.
here's a few questions reguarding all of your nonsense about WACM:

1. Why you think WACM does not serve West Springfield? Do you think that West Springfield is the only city they must serve (not to mention the fact that they serve the Latino community of that town, and most of western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut)?

2. As long as they do not violate decency standards, and pay all their fines on time, WACM c/o Davidson Media will not lose their license.

3. Brokered programming is at night and on Sundays (and is mostly religious), while most of the schedule provides a Classic Tropical CHR format (known as Radio Popular 1490 AM). If you want to change the format, then buy the station (if you have about $1.5 million to buy it and another $250-$350K annually to operate it, and that includes payroll, electricity, five phone numbers in the studio, equipment, water/sewer bills, and proper tower maintenance).

They have had the top light of their
> tower out since Labor Day (Seems a teeny bit past the 10 day
> period) and only reported the outage last month. In my
> opinion , they either should be fined severely or have their
> license status really looked at.

They had been fined, however they need to make access to the tower easier.
>

> Dennis Jackson would have run the station in Uncasville with
> local programming oriented towards the audience, something
> that WACM hasn't done in ages.
WACM was the first full time station with Spanish programming for the western part of Massachusetts (with some brokered Christian programming on late nights, and on Sundays), and they are serving not only West Springfield (I think you need to hear about all the school cancellations, parking bans, EAS bulletins, etc..) If you do not like their programming, come up with the $1.5 million (about $5 million if you also buy WSPR 1270 AM) from Davidson Media, and then try to program a station (or two) that had served the latino community for the past 15 years or so, plus they are billing better than you ever think.

>
> Maybe Dennis could buy WACM, now that might be an idea!
Perhaps may not be a bad idea, but will he dare to change a format that bills well for Davidson (and that does not include their sister station on 1270).

>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by shadowman on 02/07/06 07:40 AM.</FONT></P>
 
What a crock of crap.

I'm going out on a limb here, because I don't live in that area and only visit up there when my fiance drags me there to go to Foxwoods. That being said, TXEngineer is 100% right.

What we need is less 'ethnic' and brokered programming, and more locally formatted radio. Right now there is a tremendous insurgence of infomercial-driven radio, and an over-abundance of bird-fed, automated radio, something the AM band can do without. The AM band needs all the help it can get, and if it continues on its current path, it will eventually cease to exist. I don't care what market you're speaking about, these crappy, 'take the lazy way out' programming decisions need to stop. Quit wasting frequencies with that garbage. If you're not willing to, then sell the station and let someone take over who will.

> > Ridgefield Broadcasting has been trying to get an AM
> station
> > on the air on 1490.
> > The FCC rejected the 1490 application because of
> "prohibited
> > overlap" to WACM in West Springfield. Allow me to rant
> here
> > a little. What the FCC should do is revoke the license of
> > WACM to allow for the station or allow the overlap. WACM
> > broadcasts mostly over-modulated brokered programing from
> > their West Springfield studios and hasn't served West
> > Springfield in ages.
> here's a few questions reguarding all of your nonsense about
> WACM:
>
> 1. Why you think WACM does not serve West Springfield? Do
> you think that West Springfield is the only city they must
> serve (not to mention the fact that they serve the Latino
> community of that town, and most of western Massachusetts
> and Northern Connecticut)?
>
> 2. As long as they do not violate decency standards, and
> pay all their fines on time, WACM c/o Davidson Media will
> not lose their license.
>
> 3. Brokered programming is at night and on Sundays (and is
> mostly religious), while most of the schedule provides a
> Classic Tropical CHR format (known as Radio Popular 1490
> AM). If you want to change the format, then buy the station
> (if you have about $1.5 million to buy it and another
> $250-$350K annually to operate it, and that includes
> payroll, electricity, five phone numbers in the studio,
> equipment, water/sewer bills, and proper tower maintenance).
>
>
> They have had the top light of their
> > tower out since Labor Day (Seems a teeny bit past the 10
> day
> > period) and only reported the outage last month. In my
> > opinion , they either should be fined severely or have
> their
> > license status really looked at.
>
> They had been fined, however they need to make access to the
> tower easier.
> >
>
> > Dennis Jackson would have run the station in Uncasville
> with
> > local programming oriented towards the audience, something
>
> > that WACM hasn't done in ages.
> WACM was the first full time station with Spanish
> programming for the western part of Massachusetts (with some
> brokered Christian programming on late nights, and on
> Sundays), and they are serving not only West Springfield (I
> think you need to hear about all the school cancellations,
> parking bans, EAS bulletins, etc..) If you do not like
> their programming, come up with the $1.5 million (about $5
> million if you also buy WSPR 1270 AM) from Davidson Media,
> and then try to program a station (or two) that had served
> the latino community for the past 15 years or so, plus they
> are billing better than you ever think.
>
> >
> > Maybe Dennis could buy WACM, now that might be an idea!
> Perhaps may not be a bad idea, but will he dare to change a
> format that bills well for Davidson (and that does not
> include their sister station on 1270).
>
> >
>
<P ID="signature">______________
"...How can you be deaf, with ears like that??"</P>
 
> 1. Why you think WACM does not serve West Springfield? Do
> you think that West Springfield is the only city they must
> serve (not to mention the fact that they serve the Latino
> community of that town, and most of western Massachusetts
> and Northern Connecticut)?

So doesn't WSPR, their sister station incidently, which does a better job of serving the Latino population in the area with live programming, jocks and such.

> 2. As long as they do not violate decency standards, and
> pay all their fines on time, WACM c/o Davidson Media will
> not lose their license.

That's not the point and you know it.

> 3. Brokered programming is at night and on Sundays (and is
> mostly religious), while most of the schedule provides a
> Classic Tropical CHR format (known as Radio Popular 1490
> AM). If you want to change the format, then buy the station
> (if you have about $1.5 million to buy it and another
> $250-$350K annually to operate it, and that includes
> payroll, electricity, five phone numbers in the studio,
> equipment, water/sewer bills, and proper tower maintenance).

Hmm, when did I say I wanted to buy the station. Spend money to do projects such as, as you quote, "proper tower maintenance". You mean versus the $0 spent to fix that darn illegal light bulb.

> They had been fined, however they need to make access to the
> tower easier.

That's not an excuse. I know how they get to the island via boat, and the weather has been clear, with no snow cover down by the riverbank. There is also NO EXCUSE for not reporting the light going out when it went out. I'm not a tattle tale and I didn't report it when I saw it out on my way home.

> WACM was the first full time station with Spanish
> programming for the western part of Massachusetts (with some
> brokered Christian programming on late nights, and on
> Sundays), and they are serving not only West Springfield (I
> think you need to hear about all the school cancellations,
> parking bans, EAS bulletins, etc..) If you do not like
> their programming, come up with the $1.5 million (about $5
> million if you also buy WSPR 1270 AM) from Davidson Media,
> and then try to program a station (or two) that had served
> the latino community for the past 15 years or so, plus they
> are billing better than you ever think.
>

Again, I wasn't knocking the programming, I was knocking the fact the tower hasn't had a bulb that should have been fixed months ago repaired, which is irresponsible as a owner. At least not having the proper monitoring for the outage. And it's not the first time this has happened. Irresponsible "shadowman". Sorry I criticized your work place, obviously, but learn that your going to have to face it, well your station will from time to time, without getting so defensive about it.
 
Let's assume an AM in Uncasville would have made a noble effort of serving their community of license and they eventually would have upgraded to more than 250 watts. How financially viable would it have been without having to resort to what the West Springfield station already does or being incorporated into one of the groups that already own New London County stations? I can tell you from firsthand experience that Uncasville may be on top of a goldmine casino, but it is not an endless supply of advertiser revenue. It is a bedroom community to New London, Groton and Norwich. Ed's Kitchen, Montville Hardware and Herb's Country Store see no reason to advertise beyond the weekly polka show on WICH, whether we agree with that marketing strategy or not. Local businesses that want traffic from beyond the town are well served by plenty of FM signals. WSUB 980 Groton didn't flip to Spanish because they were leading the market with local English programming; they filled a void, even with their low night power.

The old 1510 out of Waterford/New London went dark not just because their format switched to FM, but because it was shoehorned in to protect other stations. Would 1490, even if nondirectional, really get that great a signal into the neighboring cities and towns where it needs some presence to survive in any form? A scan button on a decent car radio during the day will land on WFIF 1500 out of Milford with 5000 watts pointed in this direction. At night, 1490 is already the most crowded graveyard frequency on a crowded dial. The new AM wouldn't even be by salt water, unlike the original WNLC before the questionable move to 1510. The 70s are long gone, as is the era when three local AMs, The Day & the Norwich Bulletin were all you needed to reach everybody.


> > Ridgefield Broadcasting has been trying to get an AM
> station
> > on the air on 1490.
> > The FCC rejected the 1490 application because of
> "prohibited
> > overlap" to WACM in West Springfield. Allow me to rant
> here
> > a little. What the FCC should do is revoke the license of
> > WACM to allow for the station or allow the overlap. WACM
> > broadcasts mostly over-modulated brokered programing from
> > their West Springfield studios and hasn't served West
> > Springfield in ages.
> here's a few questions reguarding all of your nonsense about
> WACM:
>
> 1. Why you think WACM does not serve West Springfield? Do
> you think that West Springfield is the only city they must
> serve (not to mention the fact that they serve the Latino
> community of that town, and most of western Massachusetts
> and Northern Connecticut)?
>
> 2. As long as they do not violate decency standards, and
> pay all their fines on time, WACM c/o Davidson Media will
> not lose their license.
>
> 3. Brokered programming is at night and on Sundays (and is
> mostly religious), while most of the schedule provides a
> Classic Tropical CHR format (known as Radio Popular 1490
> AM). If you want to change the format, then buy the station
> (if you have about $1.5 million to buy it and another
> $250-$350K annually to operate it, and that includes
> payroll, electricity, five phone numbers in the studio,
> equipment, water/sewer bills, and proper tower maintenance).
>
>
> They have had the top light of their
> > tower out since Labor Day (Seems a teeny bit past the 10
> day
> > period) and only reported the outage last month. In my
> > opinion , they either should be fined severely or have
> their
> > license status really looked at.
>
> They had been fined, however they need to make access to the
> tower easier.
> >
>
> > Dennis Jackson would have run the station in Uncasville
> with
> > local programming oriented towards the audience, something
>
> > that WACM hasn't done in ages.
> WACM was the first full time station with Spanish
> programming for the western part of Massachusetts (with some
> brokered Christian programming on late nights, and on
> Sundays), and they are serving not only West Springfield (I
> think you need to hear about all the school cancellations,
> parking bans, EAS bulletins, etc..) If you do not like
> their programming, come up with the $1.5 million (about $5
> million if you also buy WSPR 1270 AM) from Davidson Media,
> and then try to program a station (or two) that had served
> the latino community for the past 15 years or so, plus they
> are billing better than you ever think.
>
> >
> > Maybe Dennis could buy WACM, now that might be an idea!
> Perhaps may not be a bad idea, but will he dare to change a
> format that bills well for Davidson (and that does not
> include their sister station on 1270).
>
> >
>
 
I will respond to your answers:


> So doesn't WSPR, their sister station incidently, which does
> a better job of serving the Latino population in the area
> with live programming, jocks and such.
>
This was one of the reasons why Antonio Gois bought the station for about $1 million, and since then the station has been highly rated, due in part because he and the program director of both stations at that time (Mr. Marcos Rivera) listened to the jocks, their audience, and their advertisers on what programming would be the better fit to a market that has been watched since their share was increasing steadily. Davidson did see that and their future potential for both WSPR and WACM, and offered Gois about $5 million for both stations, when they acquired them last year.

> > 2. As long as they do not violate decency standards, and
> > pay all their fines on time, WACM c/o Davidson Media will
> > not lose their license.
>
> That's not the point and you know it.

Let me quote you on your rant that was the purpose of you starting this thread:

"Allow me to rant here a little. What the FCC should do is revoke the license of WACM to allow for the station or allow the overlap. WACM broadcasts mostly over-modulated brokered programing from their West Springfield studios and hasn't served West Springfield in ages. They have had the top light of their tower out since Labor Day (Seems a teeny bit past the 10 day period) and only reported the outage last month. In my opinion , they either should be fined severely or have their license status really looked at."

Tower and their burned bulb issues are not a reason for license removal (they're consider small issues, but can lead to costly fines for extended non action), based on FCC rules. If no complaint about the bulb has not been filed, the FCC will not act on if. Feel free to file a complaint, since I have seen the tower's burned bulb. And just a reminder, if they do not violate decency standards, no major issues on their tower, any major interference issues, and pay all their fines before license renewal, their license will not be pulled.

Also, WACM stopped the mostly brokered programming circa fall of 1992, when they dropped most of their brokered Portuguese, and most of the non Christian brokered programming on weekdays and Saturdays, and enphasized on their "Radio Popular 1490" monkier since then. Oh, I forgot to mention that WACM used to simulcast most of the programming from "Cadena Popular" that originated from Waterbury, CT, and was simulcasted on another AM frequency in Bridgeport. Sometime in 1991, "Cadena Popular" was dismantled, and the three stations did have most of their programming in Spanish (I believe the station in Waterbury used or still uses the "Cadena Popular" monkier).


> > 3. Brokered programming is at night and on Sundays (and
> is
> > mostly religious), while most of the schedule provides a
> > Classic Tropical CHR format (known as Radio Popular 1490
> > AM). If you want to change the format, then buy the
> station
> > (if you have about $1.5 million to buy it and another
> > $250-$350K annually to operate it, and that includes
> > payroll, electricity, five phone numbers in the studio,
> > equipment, water/sewer bills, and proper tower
> maintenance).
>
> Hmm, when did I say I wanted to buy the station. Spend money
> to do projects such as, as you quote, "proper tower
> maintenance". You mean versus the $0 spent to fix that darn
> illegal light bulb.
>
> > They had been fined, however they need to make access to
> the
> > tower easier.
>
> That's not an excuse. I know how they get to the island via
> boat, and the weather has been clear, with no snow cover
> down by the riverbank. There is also NO EXCUSE for not
> reporting the light going out when it went out. I'm not a
> tattle tale and I didn't report it when I saw it out on my
> way home.

perhaps you should report it. It's an issue that the owners (Davidson Media) must address, either on their own or by a fine by the FCC.
>
> > WACM was the first full time station with Spanish
> > programming for the western part of Massachusetts (with
> some
> > brokered Christian programming on late nights, and on
> > Sundays), and they are serving not only West Springfield
> (I
> > think you need to hear about all the school cancellations,
>
> > parking bans, EAS bulletins, etc..) If you do not like
> > their programming, come up with the $1.5 million (about $5
>
> > million if you also buy WSPR 1270 AM) from Davidson Media,
>
> > and then try to program a station (or two) that had served
>
> > the latino community for the past 15 years or so, plus
> they
> > are billing better than you ever think.
> >
>
> Again, I wasn't knocking the programming, I was knocking the
> fact the tower hasn't had a bulb that should have been fixed
> months ago repaired, which is irresponsible as a owner. At
> least not having the proper monitoring for the outage. And
> it's not the first time this has happened. Irresponsible
> "shadowman". Sorry I criticized your work place, obviously,
> but learn that your going to have to face it, well your
> station will from time to time, without getting so defensive
> about it.
>

I don't work for Davidson Media, although I had done business with them before, especially loaning them wireless microphone sets to use for their floats at local parades, and some remote broadcasts.

Also, you made it an issue with the blown tower, and their non-service to West Springfield as reasons (in your opinion) to have WACM's license revoked on your rant. You have to be a little careful with what you post here at times, which can create unnecessary havoc on these boards. We can have a constructive discussion on any topic without having to agree on everything. This makes the discussion more interesting. :)
 
Question about 1510....

I was just curious about the old WNLC-1510. Years ago, they used to interfere with my reception, of the also long gone WMEX. What were the day/night patterns and power of WNLC, anyway? For that matter, what were the patterns of the 5000 watt, and later on, 50,000 watt WMEX like, at the time. I can recall driving west on I-90, from Boston, and WMEX would fade, very fast. By the time, I would reach Springfield, I would be getting WNLC, instead. It was a crappy station.
I used to have to tune over to 1490-WTXL, instead!!!



Let's assume an AM in Uncasville would have made a noble
> effort of serving their community of license and they
> eventually would have upgraded to more than 250 watts. How
> financially viable would it have been without having to
> resort to what the West Springfield station already does or
> being incorporated into one of the groups that already own
> New London County stations? I can tell you from firsthand
> experience that Uncasville may be on top of a goldmine
> casino, but it is not an endless supply of advertiser
> revenue. It is a bedroom community to New London, Groton
> and Norwich. Ed's Kitchen, Montville Hardware and Herb's
> Country Store see no reason to advertise beyond the weekly
> polka show on WICH, whether we agree with that marketing
> strategy or not. Local businesses that want traffic from
> beyond the town are well served by plenty of FM signals.
> WSUB 980 Groton didn't flip to Spanish because they were
> leading the market with local English programming; they
> filled a void, even with their low night power.
>
> The old 1510 out of Waterford/New London went dark not just
> because their format switched to FM, but because it was
> shoehorned in to protect other stations. Would 1490, even
> if nondirectional, really get that great a signal into the
> neighboring cities and towns where it needs some presence to
> survive in any form? A scan button on a decent car radio
> during the day will land on WFIF 1500 out of Milford with
> 5000 watts pointed in this direction. At night, 1490 is
> already the most crowded graveyard frequency on a crowded
> dial. The new AM wouldn't even be by salt water, unlike the
> original WNLC before the questionable move to 1510. The 70s
> are long gone, as is the era when three local AMs, The Day &
> the Norwich Bulletin were all you needed to reach everybody.
>
>
>
> > > Ridgefield Broadcasting has been trying to get an AM
> > station
> > > on the air on 1490.
> > > The FCC rejected the 1490 application because of
> > "prohibited
> > > overlap" to WACM in West Springfield. Allow me to rant
> > here
> > > a little. What the FCC should do is revoke the license
> of
> > > WACM to allow for the station or allow the overlap. WACM
>
> > > broadcasts mostly over-modulated brokered programing
> from
> > > their West Springfield studios and hasn't served West
> > > Springfield in ages.
> > here's a few questions reguarding all of your nonsense
> about
> > WACM:
> >
> > 1. Why you think WACM does not serve West Springfield?
> Do
> > you think that West Springfield is the only city they must
>
> > serve (not to mention the fact that they serve the Latino
> > community of that town, and most of western Massachusetts
> > and Northern Connecticut)?
> >
> > 2. As long as they do not violate decency standards, and
> > pay all their fines on time, WACM c/o Davidson Media will
> > not lose their license.
> >
> > 3. Brokered programming is at night and on Sundays (and
> is
> > mostly religious), while most of the schedule provides a
> > Classic Tropical CHR format (known as Radio Popular 1490
> > AM). If you want to change the format, then buy the
> station
> > (if you have about $1.5 million to buy it and another
> > $250-$350K annually to operate it, and that includes
> > payroll, electricity, five phone numbers in the studio,
> > equipment, water/sewer bills, and proper tower
> maintenance).
> >
> >
> > They have had the top light of their
> > > tower out since Labor Day (Seems a teeny bit past the 10
>
> > day
> > > period) and only reported the outage last month. In my
> > > opinion , they either should be fined severely or have
> > their
> > > license status really looked at.
> >
> > They had been fined, however they need to make access to
> the
> > tower easier.
> > >
> >
> > > Dennis Jackson would have run the station in Uncasville
> > with
> > > local programming oriented towards the audience,
> something
> >
> > > that WACM hasn't done in ages.
> > WACM was the first full time station with Spanish
> > programming for the western part of Massachusetts (with
> some
> > brokered Christian programming on late nights, and on
> > Sundays), and they are serving not only West Springfield
> (I
> > think you need to hear about all the school cancellations,
>
> > parking bans, EAS bulletins, etc..) If you do not like
> > their programming, come up with the $1.5 million (about $5
>
> > million if you also buy WSPR 1270 AM) from Davidson Media,
>
> > and then try to program a station (or two) that had served
>
> > the latino community for the past 15 years or so, plus
> they
> > are billing better than you ever think.
> >
> > >
> > > Maybe Dennis could buy WACM, now that might be an idea!
> > Perhaps may not be a bad idea, but will he dare to change
> a
> > format that bills well for Davidson (and that does not
> > include their sister station on 1270).
> >
> > >
> >
>
 
Re: Partial answer about 1510....

WNLC had a very tight directional pattern day and night. I forget how many towers (8-10?) they used in Waterford near Cross Road. They were inland a bit, so they really weren't helped by Long Island Sound much. They could be heard reasonably well up Routes 2 and 9 and could call themselves the second most powerful AM, behind WTIC's 50K, in CT. It was indeed 10,000 watts days, but with a considerable null to the east to protect the former WMEX/WITS/WMRE 1510's in Boston and a null to the west/southwest which allowed WFIF ("We Fade In Fairfield"} 1500 to beam east with 5K from Milford.

At night, the signal limitations were really obvious anywhere outside New London/Groton city. They fed the fish with it and I wouldn't be surprised if their 1KW nights could be heard in Bermuda, but it died at the Montville line going up Routes 85 and 395, faded in parts of East Lyme and fell short of Mystic going east. That limitation meant listeners would catch the Red Sox then on WERI/Westerly, WTIC/Hartford and I believe for a time on WLIS/OLd Saybrook. Their closest competitor, WSUB 980 used to sign off at night. WICH 1310 in Norwich would come in better in some spots between Norwich and New London than WNLC. I don't know everyone's signal pattern this well, but WNLC did draw this old radio geek's interest driving to Crystal Mall!

Programming-wise, they had their heydays and missteps, and were about the closest to a local Top 40 in the 60s. WICH rocked out a bit, too.



> I was just curious about the old WNLC-1510. Years ago, they
> used to interfere with my reception, of the also long gone
> WMEX. What were the day/night patterns and power of WNLC,
> anyway? For that matter, what were the patterns of the 5000
> watt, and later on, 50,000 watt WMEX like, at the time. I
> can recall driving west on I-90, from Boston, and WMEX would
> fade, very fast. By the time, I would reach Springfield, I
> would be getting WNLC, instead. It was a crappy station.
> I used to have to tune over to 1490-WTXL, instead!!!
 
> perhaps you should report it. It's an issue that the owners
> (Davidson Media) must address, either on their own or by a
> fine by the FCC.

It's not my responsibility to report it. It is theirs to have working equipment to do so.

> to have WACM's license revoked on your rant. You have to be
> a little careful with what you post here at times, which can
> create unnecessary havoc on these boards. We can have a
> constructive discussion on any topic without having to agree
> on everything. This makes the discussion more interesting.
> :)

Ah I don't consider this havoc though. I just think we had a good discussion, like we have a lot in the past.
 
I think it may be interesting to point out that WACM-1490...many years ago went directional to make room for 1480 in Windsor, CT. That probably had some influence on the FCC decision. Most class IV stations are omnidirectional running 1 kw day and night.

BTW the old WTXL-1490 was a pretty decent sounding Top 40 but the could never compete with WHYN-560 in coverage.
 
> > perhaps you should report it. It's an issue that the
> owners
> > (Davidson Media) must address, either on their own or by a
>
> > fine by the FCC.
>
> It's not my responsibility to report it. It is theirs to
> have working equipment to do so.
>
> > to have WACM's license revoked on your rant. You have to
> be
> > a little careful with what you post here at times, which
> can
> > create unnecessary havoc on these boards. We can have a
> > constructive discussion on any topic without having to
> agree
> > on everything. This makes the discussion more
> interesting.
> > :)
>
> Ah I don't consider this havoc though. I just think we had a
> good discussion, like we have a lot in the past.
>

And that will remain that way. There's no ohter way to operate on any online forums. :)
 
> I think it may be interesting to point out that
> WACM-1490...many years ago went directional to make room for
> 1480 in Windsor, CT. That probably had some influence on the
> FCC decision. Most class IV stations are omnidirectional
> running 1 kw day and night.
>
> BTW the old WTXL-1490 was a pretty decent sounding Top 40
> but the could never compete with WHYN-560 in coverage.
>

For what I have heard and read, it was a very hip Top 40.
 
> I think it may be interesting to point out that
> WACM-1490...many years ago went directional to make room for
> 1480 in Windsor, CT. That probably had some influence on the
> FCC decision. Most class IV stations are omnidirectional
> running 1 kw day and night.

WACM is running licensed Non-Directional 470 watts.
Single tower somewhere near the rail yard in West Springfield.

It should be noted that WSPR had a construction permit to diplex into the WACM tower and build a second tower close to it. However that CP has since expired.
 
Re: Partial answer about 1510....

A little tidbit regarding 1510 WNLC: Back in 1982, a weekender named "Bill McAndrews" did Saturday nights there. Who was "Bill McAndrews", you might ask? None other than Bill McFarland, who also worked at WERI/Westerly and WNOU/Willimantic around the same period, and later worked at WLYQ/Norwalk. Afterwards, he worked at WZAT/Savannah, Ga. and Z-100/NYC as "Spanky" McFarland. Unfortunately, he passed away way too young in March of 1988 at age 26.





> WNLC had a very tight directional pattern day and night. I
> forget how many towers (8-10?) they used in Waterford near
> Cross Road. They were inland a bit, so they really weren't
> helped by Long Island Sound much. They could be heard
> reasonably well up Routes 2 and 9 and could call themselves
> the second most powerful AM, behind WTIC's 50K, in CT. It
> was indeed 10,000 watts days, but with a considerable null
> to the east to protect the former WMEX/WITS/WMRE 1510's in
> Boston and a null to the west/southwest which allowed WFIF
> ("We Fade In Fairfield"} 1500 to beam east with 5K from
> Milford.
>
> At night, the signal limitations were really obvious
> anywhere outside New London/Groton city. They fed the fish
> with it and I wouldn't be surprised if their 1KW nights
> could be heard in Bermuda, but it died at the Montville line
> going up Routes 85 and 395, faded in parts of East Lyme and
> fell short of Mystic going east. That limitation meant
> listeners would catch the Red Sox then on WERI/Westerly,
> WTIC/Hartford and I believe for a time on WLIS/OLd Saybrook.
> Their closest competitor, WSUB 980 used to sign off at
> night. WICH 1310 in Norwich would come in better in some
> spots between Norwich and New London than WNLC. I don't
> know everyone's signal pattern this well, but WNLC did draw
> this old radio geek's interest driving to Crystal Mall!
>
> Programming-wise, they had their heydays and missteps, and
> were about the closest to a local Top 40 in the 60s. WICH
> rocked out a bit, too.
>
>
>
> > I was just curious about the old WNLC-1510. Years ago,
> they
> > used to interfere with my reception, of the also long gone
>
> > WMEX. What were the day/night patterns and power of WNLC,
> > anyway? For that matter, what were the patterns of the
> 5000
> > watt, and later on, 50,000 watt WMEX like, at the time. I
> > can recall driving west on I-90, from Boston, and WMEX
> would
> > fade, very fast. By the time, I would reach Springfield, I
>
> > would be getting WNLC, instead. It was a crappy station.
> > I used to have to tune over to 1490-WTXL, instead!!!
>
 
Re: Partial answer about 1510....

WNOU Willimantic? Is that either 1400 AM or 98.3 FM?<P ID="signature">______________
The 2006 New York Yankees...on to title #27!</P>
 
1510 alums

> WNOU Willimantic? Is that either 1400 AM or 98.3 FM?
>
98.3 FM. Before WILI/Nutmeg Broadcasting took it over and made it CHR I-98, it was "New 98" and even tried an urban approach with a marginal signal aimed at Hartford. WNOU didn't work any better than easy listening WXLS before it.

I did work briefly with Bill McFarland at Q-96/Norwalk in '83. He was more enthusiastic about being in radio than anyone I've ever met, with the possible exception of another guy who also passed through Willimantic and passed away in his mid-twenties: Chris Shannon.

Speaking of ex-WNLC people, Cliff "Truckin'" Canyon was there during its Top 40 days between gigs at WCCC and WAVZ/WKCI (Willie B. Goode). He was a great CHR jock and, from what people told me, a heck of a nice guy. Where is he now?
 
Re: Question about 1510....

> I was just curious about the old WNLC-1510. Years ago, they
> used to interfere with my reception, of the also long gone
> WMEX. What were the day/night patterns and power of WNLC,
> anyway? For that matter, what were the patterns of the 5000
> watt, and later on, 50,000 watt WMEX like, at the time. I
> can recall driving west on I-90, from Boston, and WMEX would
> fade, very fast.

The original WMEX had towers in Quincy, MA just a few miles south of downtown Boston right on the coast. The signal was beamed mainly north right into Boston, and it also blew up the New England coast over salt water and bombed into coastal New Hampshire, Maine and Canada.

However, it was nulled to the west, and I don't think it had much to the south either. It was weak in the suburbs just ten miles west of Boston even in the daytime, and barely listenable there at night. I'm sure their nighttime reception was far better in Nova Scotia than in Boston suburb Newton, MA (where I grew up attempting to listen to them).

The increase to 50 kW from the Quincy site was daytime only, they never went 50 kW at night until moving to their Waltham site in the early 80's (by then it was no longer WMEX).

The 50 kW daytime WMEX still sent most of it's signal north into Boston, up the New England coast, and out to sea. It was a slight improvement, but still not great, in the Boston west suburbs.

1510 Boston moved to the west suburban Waltham site in the early 1980's with a very directional 50 kW full time, beamed mainly east over Boston and out to sea. The new location allowed it to cover the immediate west suburbs of Boston before the extreme west/southwest null drops it to nothing outside of the Route 128 belt at night. This is still their current site as WWZN "The Zone", satellite-fed sports talk.
 
Re: Question about 1510....

> > I was just curious about the old WNLC-1510. Years ago,
> they
> > used to interfere with my reception, of the also long gone
>
> > WMEX. What were the day/night patterns and power of WNLC,
> > anyway? For that matter, what were the patterns of the
> 5000
> > watt, and later on, 50,000 watt WMEX like, at the time. I
> > can recall driving west on I-90, from Boston, and WMEX
> would
> > fade, very fast.
>
> The original WMEX had towers in Quincy, MA just a few miles
> south of downtown Boston right on the coast. The signal was
> beamed mainly north right into Boston, and it also blew up
> the New England coast over salt water and bombed into
> coastal New Hampshire, Maine and Canada.
>
> However, it was nulled to the west, and I don't think it had
> much to the south either. It was weak in the suburbs just
> ten miles west of Boston even in the daytime, and barely
> listenable there at night. I'm sure their nighttime
> reception was far better in Nova Scotia than in Boston
> suburb Newton, MA (where I grew up attempting to listen to
> them).
>
> The increase to 50 kW from the Quincy site was daytime only,
> they never went 50 kW at night until moving to their Waltham
> site in the early 80's (by then it was no longer WMEX).
>
> The 50 kW daytime WMEX still sent most of it's signal north
> into Boston, up the New England coast, and out to sea. It
> was a slight improvement, but still not great, in the Boston
> west suburbs.
>
> 1510 Boston moved to the west suburban Waltham site in the
> early 1980's with a very directional 50 kW full time, beamed
> mainly east over Boston and out to sea. The new location
> allowed it to cover the immediate west suburbs of Boston
> before the extreme west/southwest null drops it to nothing
> outside of the Route 128 belt at night. This is still their
> current site as WWZN "The Zone", satellite-fed sports talk.
>

Thanks...I can recall the signal, being strong when ever driving from the South shore, to the North shore, but as soon as you went West on 1-90, you could almost immediately hear it start to fade....where as WRKO was audible past the New York State border....
 
I don't agree with Tex (TXEngineer) very much, but I am on his side on this one. The station discussed NEEDS to fix the broken tower light. If they don't, they are continuously violating FCC regulations. Therefore, the violation should be reported and the station should be fined. Period. Also, I agree that a station like that should be taken off the air if it's proven they are NOT serving the community as they are required to. If the programming is over-modulated, brokered garbage that nobody is listening to, then why is the station on the air? Shut it down and allow someone else to take over and do right by the station and their community...or allow another station closeby to "expand."

Shadowman: I suggest you stop defending the illegal actions of the station. They have a proven violation, but you think it's all right for them to continuously break the law. That's ridiculous. I really do hope Tex reports the station to the FCC...and I do hope we will be reading about a heavy fine given to your buddies in West Springfield. People like that should not be involved in broadcasting at all. It's a joke...and you're a joke for sticking up for them. I don't feel sorry for station owners like that when they do get caught and the FCC "lays the smack down" on them...basically for being stupid.
 
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