W241AI /W241BD Gorgas & Calera

[passtheword]

W241AI Gorgas (96.1) has an app on file to move to Red Mtn and increase power to 43 watts. Currently, the station is rebroadcasting Birmingham's WGIB. W241BD in Calera (which is also on 96.1) now has an app on file to move to 106.7 and increase power to 50 watts from the same location there in Alabaster. The station to be rebroadcast for W241BD has been changed to WBPT. Both translators are owned by EMF, so according to the FCC apps that were filed, there is "no agreement" required since there is only one party involved. Maybe someone can fill me on how this will work, because I can't see how the translator could move to 106.7 (being adjacent to WBPT) even if the two facilities would be 15-20 miles apart from one another. Wouldn't they have to be at least second adjacent to one another? Could it be that the app should read 106.5, rather than 106.7?

 

[secondchoice]

The translators can "accept" interference, They can not mess with a "real" station's 60 db contour. If you have a "real" station (3 or 4 call letters without numbers in the call sign) and one of these things move in on you, you can ask for reports of interference like WWGA 98.9 in Tallapoosa GA has with the 98.9 (Cumulus) translator in Atlanta.

 

[tomservo]

The translator, if approved, will probably not even go on the air. I don't think it was ever on the air at 96.1 (although the Gorgas one was last time I was in town). They can get the license then immediately file to move somewhere more appropriate.

There was a time many years ago where Clear Channel had translators on 96.3 and 102.3 — one channel over from Magic and Bull, respectively — atop Double Oak Mountain. I recall the translator applications mentioned that they would be relaying the stations from one channel over and were some sort of study to see how much interference they caused. It was possible to receive the translators all along highway 280 from about I-459 to well over the mountain towards Calera with a good radio, and they stayed on the air for a while. But they did cause a lot of problems with the actual stations on 96.5 and 102.5, especially at the top of the mountain.

There may be some arrangement with WBPT for this; even if it does go on the air, Alabaster is far enough away that the translator could cause some serious problems with 106.9. That's why I doubt it'd ever even go on air.

BTW isn't W241AI Gorgas being changed to relay WERC-FM?

 

[passtheword]

The translator, if approved, will probably not even go on the air. I don't think it was ever on the air at 96.1 (although the Gorgas one was last time I was in town). They can get the license then immediately file to move somewhere more appropriate.

W241BD has been on the air for several months now. I hear it regularly when I'm up in the Alabaster area. It is currently rebroadcasting WGIB.

There was a time many years ago where Clear Channel had translators on 96.3 and 102.3 — one channel over from Magic and Bull, respectively — atop Double Oak Mountain. I recall the translator applications mentioned that they would be relaying the stations from one channel over and were some sort of study to see how much interference they caused. It was possible to receive the translators all along highway 280 from about I-459 to well over the mountain towards Calera with a good radio, and they stayed on the air for a while. But they did cause a lot of problems with the actual stations on 96.5 and 102.5, especially at the top of the mountain.

There may be some arrangement with WBPT for this; even if it does go on the air, Alabaster is far enough away that the translator could cause some serious problems with 106.9. That's why I doubt it'd ever even go on air.

After I had originally posted this thread, I remembered those translators to which you are referring...WMJJ had one of them and seems like WZBQ/WOWC/WDXB (whichever calls they were using at the time) had two translators, one on either side of 102.5. IIRC, some or all of them were licensed to Chelsea. All those translators were, as you said, on adjacent frequencies (one channel removed). I always assumed those translators were being used to supplement the main signal in those mountainous areas around 280. During the time those translators were on the air, I was living on Shades Mountain and I remember scanning the dial, and the seek on my radio would hit those signals every time...I hated them. The translators for 102.5 were the worst because the seek would hit all three of them in a row before I could continue scanning. I was glad to seem them all disappear, lol. I never really understood the purpose of the translator for WMJJ, but it made more sense with 102.5 because, at the time, the station was still broadcasting from the old tower between Bham and Tuscaloosa and had a much weaker signal than the other Bham FMs. As such, I could see the reasoning behind the decision for using the translators on 102.3 and 102.7.

I was just under the impression that FM translators had to be at least second adjacent to other stations, so as to prevent inteference with other stations' 60 dBu contours. If W241BD is going to be rebroadcasting WBPT (why??), then I could see that, even given the interference it might create to WBPT's signal, then the translator would at least be listenable. I was up in Alabaster yesterday not too far from the cell tower were W241BD resides. Listening to 106.7, I don't see how a translator operating on 106.7 could be heard with any "listenability" (is that a word)? WBPT's signal bleeds over onto 106.7 so it appears any programming on a translator at that frequency (other than a rebroadcast of WBPT) would be unlistenable due to 106.9's signal. Of course, a translator at 106.7 in that area (as any FM translator) would have to accept the interference, but if the translator were unlistenable and isn't going to be rebroadcasting WBPT, anyway, why bother? There must be more going on with all of it behind the scenes.

BTW isn't W241AI Gorgas being changed to relay WERC-FM?

Someone posted on this a while back that W241AI would be rebroadcasting WERC-FM HD3 as a result of some type of agreement between Clear Channel, EMF, and/or WAY-FM. Here's the thread on it:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=194242.0

 

[tomservo]

Just an update, it appears that the Gorgas move-in was made possible by the Calera translator moving to 106.7.

W241AI won't be 99 watts as originally thought, but about 43. Not great, but the 60 dBu plot still covers a ton of people. Still no word on the street as to what "WERC-HD3" might wind up being. Hallelujah 105.1 has good coverage as-is so I definitely don't see it being another relay of that.

Since I predicted this move nearly a year ago and am feeling cocky, I'll guess the format. Clear Channel has already thrown in two urban-oriented stations and a rocker, so I have this sneaking suspicion they'll go the opposite direction with their popular Foggy Mountain classic country HD/iHeartRadio feed. What do you guys think?

And what of W241BD? 106.7 was 53 channels (or 54) from 96.1, so it was a minor move. Now they are free to move again 1, 2 or 3 clicks up the dial. So what's free? 106.5 and 106.3. 106.3 is dead; I used to run my little FM modulator on that channel because I drive practically all over the state and never have to change it. I foresee this moving to 106.3. Can a move to Red Mountain be far behind?

Let's see, what's left. Oldies? Comedy radio? Polkas?