W221CH Frequency Switch?

[Laurence Glavin]

The FCC Applications list for Thursday, June 2nd includes a request by WNNW-AM 800 translator W221CH to change frequency from 92.1 to 102.9 and its City of License from Newton, NH to Lawrence, MA. The interference from WPHX (and to a lesser extent WFEX), both of which operate on 92.1...the former from Sanford, ME; the latter from Peterborough, NH) must have been too much for coverage of the Lawrence area. I've noticed that billboards promoting WNNW's FM translator seem clustered in South Lawrence where the signal's better. Of course, there's a low-power FM on 102.9 in Londonderry, NH, but it's usually swamped by the 102.9 in Maine.

 

[raccoonradio]

I guess the 92.1 went down to 60w because of int. complaints

From Tom Taylor right here on radio-info:
>>It’s necessary because last year Costa-Eagle got an interference complaint about its 92.1 and had to throttle the power back from 250 watts to just 60 watts. Its solution is to move the translator known as W221CH, Lawrence, Massachusetts up the dial to 102.9.

 

[Laurence Glavin]

OK, I know Kaimbridge Goldchild mentioned it elsewhere that I can't seem to find, but YES, W221CH is now broadcasting on 102.9. At my house, the signal strength is down somewhat from when they started on 92.1. I haven't monitored 92.1 for a while, so the signal on that channel may have declined just before the switch. But even when 92.1 was the strongest, by fiddling with my external FM antenna, I could get WPHX even with W221CH so close. Now, I can't seem to pick up WBLM. (I never could get the Low Power FM in Londonderry, NH).

 

[raccoonradio]

Coming in fairly clear, full stereo in Beverly. I know this will be sad news for the folks
at Choice 102.9 FM*, if they're still on (a pirate that claimed to have the call letters
"WCFM", which came as news to the legitimately operated station at Williams College in
Williamstown). The calls are prob something diff. to reflect the channel position.
Maybe Choice will try 92.1--no wait, too close to WUMB.

Here's 30 sec of them (no ID, just music) as recorded in Beverly
http://raccoonradio.freehostia.com/Air/FM1029.mp3

*--their domain name expired. According to Boston Area Low Powered/Unlicensed AM/FM stations
at http://www.bamlog.com/bostonlp.htm :
>>WCFM Choice FM, Dorchester-Boston - "Number one in Boston for Caribbean music." 2 kW. Fined by FCC, Feb 2007

"Choice 102.9"'s website can be seen at http://www.archive.org by typing in Choice1029.com and clicking on a date. From 2007: "Choice FM was commissioned WCFM in 2004. Originally, the call sign letters stood for Caribe FM. When the radio changed its name to Choice FM in June of 2005, the acronym was changed to stand for The people choice (sic). WCFM broadcasts at 2000 radiated watts from its studios in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Our broadcast radius extends into the Boston metro area for approximately 100 miles from the studio, and contains almost 100,000 potential listeners."

My response: bovine excrement.

>>WCFM broadcasts 24 hrs. a day, seven days a week. Unlike most low power stations, WCFM is on the air on major holidays.

Uh, 2000 watts is low power?
The REAL WCFM, out in Western MA: http://wcfm.williams.edu/

 

[necrat123]

Actually I mentioned it a few days ago that they were switching to 102.9.

Y'all may or may not be happy to know that the W221CH 92.1 translator has a CP to go to 102.9 from the same site.

Was granted last week.

 

[raccoonradio]

Wikipedia's entry on WNNW lists the calls of the 102.9 as W275BH; power 150 w

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNNW

 

[fybush]

W275BH was the callsign of this translator in its first go-round on 102.9. FCC policy, as I understand it, is to retire a translator callsign once it's been used once, so when what's now W221CH is licensed on 102.9, it will get the next W275-- callsign that's in sequence.

 

[carmen]

Coming in fairly clear, full stereo in Beverly. I know this will be sad news for the folks
at Choice 102.9 FM

the brand changed to Choice 103 over a year ago. specifically when expending to North Shore areas and mentioning new frequencies like 103.5. i havent bothered to try to rx any of those cuz the original freq still comes in fine

great Dem Bow. only station ive ever heard play any, besides a 30 minute guest spot by WAyne and Wax on WMBR

 

[raccoonradio]

I did notice a Choice 103 Facebook. 103.5 would cause WODS trouble of course

 

[johnster]

http://choice103.com/about_us.php

 

[chrisradioanimal]

This new translator is really pissing me off. I can't listen to WBLM anymore. WBLM used to come in like a local where I am and now the new translator and WBLM battle it out on that frequency. It sucks :-(

 

[beantownradio25]

Their website says "Choice 103.5", are they still broadcasting on 102.9 or have they moved to 103.5? It's a shame a translator has moved to 102.9, WBLM was fun to DX in Mass.

 

[Laurence Glavin]

I drove over to the WNNW/W221CH tower today to see if they had installed a new FM antenna. Apparently not; the bays look EXACTLY like the pix at NECRAT. I thought that they would originally have been tuned to 92.1, and wouldn't work for a frequency that's much higher, unless they had been somehow moved closer together. In the past, when Cosata/Eagle has done work on the tower, they've silenced WNNW-AM 800. Maybe they did; I can't listen every day. And some of those silent days were to install communications or cell tower elements I believe.

 

[robotique]

http://choice103.com/about_us.php

hilarious

 

[pqgeorge]

http://choice103.com/about_us.php

hilarious

I think the people at the REAL WCFM (91.9/Williamstown, MA) at Williams College would take a VERY dim view about these bozos at "Choice FM" using their 60 year old set of call-letters. "Choice FM's" little statement is sure funny. And if anyone believes one iota about it, maybe I can sure show you some "choice" property in Wichita, Kansas with an ocean front view! It's a pirate, baby!