While writing a big long update for my website's blog (which you can read here if you're interested in what's happening in Alabama & the Gulf Coast) I began to realize that none of the info on Pensacola translators was in one spot. So I am posting this so we can have one place to go to for all the updates & wildly rampant speculation. This is what I have so far:
W277CC - 103.3 - relays Divine Word Catholic Radio WDWR - on air
W266AL - 101.1 - relays ESPN 1450 WBSR - CP issued but still on air from the TV 44 tower with WBHY-FM
W293BA - 106.5 - to relay news/talk WNRP - CP issued but off air
W295AP - 106.9 - to relay urban AC WRNE - CP issued but off air
W246BN - 97.1 - relays Cat Country WYCT - still in Atmore, possible move-in
W221CD - 92.1 - relays WSTF Andalusia - CP issued to move to 92.3, pick up WBHY-FM, move to Flomaton area
So right now we've got one on, three waiting to get built out and two more possible move-ins.
The newest one to pique my interest is W221CD; it has a permit to change to W222BR on 92.3 MHz, which would allow it to shoehorn into the Pensacola market if my hunch is correct. The CP is for 250 watts from Pollard, near Flomaton. I think some careful planning could have this thing in Pensacola in just two hops. Wouldn't it be great for WEBY or WCOA-AM to get this thing?
W266AL is still broadcasting from the TV 44 tower. I went to Pensacola three times in two days this week and it's lost the WBHY feed and is just dead air. Despite the enormous coverage area on paper, it's really, really ratty sounding. It's weak and gets lots of QRM from TK 101 for some reason. I hope that isn't the case when it's built out in Pensacola, because it's going to be running much less power. Even with a straight line view to the TV 44 tower I couldn't get it clearly whilst driving US-98 between Elberta and Lillian.
W246BN in Atmore hasn't gone anywhere, so I am beginning to think it's DOA. The fact that Cat Country is the parent makes me hold out hope that it may move eventually. I think it would fit in Pensacola but there aren't many AM stations left if the rest go on air as planned.
There was a time when I figured that, barring any interest from AM stations, these translators could pick up something from an HD subchannel as is popular in Montgomery and Birmingham, but there doesn't seem to be much interest in that in this area for some reason. Clear Channel Mobile recently upgraded the antenna for Rocket & Lite Mix and never bothered to turn the HD back on for 99.9. 96.1 has returned and it works a LOT better now, no more dropouts while sitting still. But WNTM was only on the HD-2 for a week or so before it mysteriously disappeared. The Pensacola-targeted stations aren't doing much better. The generic alternative iHeartRadio thing on TK101-2 continues to languish in sub-AM audio quality, and the smooth jazz on 107.3-2 chugs away, but there doesn't seem to be any interest in doing anything to get these on translators in town. I still think Cumulus is missing a HUGE opportunity to do something with their HD feeds on WDLT and WBLX. They still have no subchannels.
Look at that, I managed to go off topic on my inaugural post. This should be fun.
W277CC - 103.3 - relays Divine Word Catholic Radio WDWR - on air
W266AL - 101.1 - relays ESPN 1450 WBSR - CP issued but still on air from the TV 44 tower with WBHY-FM
W293BA - 106.5 - to relay news/talk WNRP - CP issued but off air
W295AP - 106.9 - to relay urban AC WRNE - CP issued but off air
W246BN - 97.1 - relays Cat Country WYCT - still in Atmore, possible move-in
W221CD - 92.1 - relays WSTF Andalusia - CP issued to move to 92.3, pick up WBHY-FM, move to Flomaton area
So right now we've got one on, three waiting to get built out and two more possible move-ins.
The newest one to pique my interest is W221CD; it has a permit to change to W222BR on 92.3 MHz, which would allow it to shoehorn into the Pensacola market if my hunch is correct. The CP is for 250 watts from Pollard, near Flomaton. I think some careful planning could have this thing in Pensacola in just two hops. Wouldn't it be great for WEBY or WCOA-AM to get this thing?
W266AL is still broadcasting from the TV 44 tower. I went to Pensacola three times in two days this week and it's lost the WBHY feed and is just dead air. Despite the enormous coverage area on paper, it's really, really ratty sounding. It's weak and gets lots of QRM from TK 101 for some reason. I hope that isn't the case when it's built out in Pensacola, because it's going to be running much less power. Even with a straight line view to the TV 44 tower I couldn't get it clearly whilst driving US-98 between Elberta and Lillian.
W246BN in Atmore hasn't gone anywhere, so I am beginning to think it's DOA. The fact that Cat Country is the parent makes me hold out hope that it may move eventually. I think it would fit in Pensacola but there aren't many AM stations left if the rest go on air as planned.
There was a time when I figured that, barring any interest from AM stations, these translators could pick up something from an HD subchannel as is popular in Montgomery and Birmingham, but there doesn't seem to be much interest in that in this area for some reason. Clear Channel Mobile recently upgraded the antenna for Rocket & Lite Mix and never bothered to turn the HD back on for 99.9. 96.1 has returned and it works a LOT better now, no more dropouts while sitting still. But WNTM was only on the HD-2 for a week or so before it mysteriously disappeared. The Pensacola-targeted stations aren't doing much better. The generic alternative iHeartRadio thing on TK101-2 continues to languish in sub-AM audio quality, and the smooth jazz on 107.3-2 chugs away, but there doesn't seem to be any interest in doing anything to get these on translators in town. I still think Cumulus is missing a HUGE opportunity to do something with their HD feeds on WDLT and WBLX. They still have no subchannels.
Look at that, I managed to go off topic on my inaugural post. This should be fun.