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W281AB: Something old is new again?

passtheword

passtheword

I was on recnet.com looking up translator applications, CP's, for Birmingham, etc when I came across this interesting tidbit. It's the info on W281AB, a translator licensed to Mountain Brook (rebroadcasting WBFR). This translator has been off the air for several years, but there's a CP to return the translator back to the air, with a change in xmtr location.

According to the recnet site, this was approved on June 14 of this year. There's also an application to transfer the license from Family Stations (who owns both WBFR and the translator) to Richardson Broadcasting (who owns WJLD-AM). Will (or could) Richardson use the translator to rebroadcast WJLD? I remember this used to be an FCC "no-no", but there are some instances where the FCC has allowed translators to rebroadcast AM stations (one of these I can remember was the former WAMB in Donelson (Nashville) which was allowed to rebroadcast on a local translator during the night hours because of Cuban interference on their frequency).

Here's the info on the recnet site about W281AB:

http://recnet.com/cdbs/fmq.php?facid=20921&jaws=0


_________________________
Radio stations come and go.
Does anything last forever?
www.PassTheWord.net
 
Hmm... That's interesting. I saw the CP in the daily digest the other day but didn't check it out, assuming it was a minor change.

I'm not familiar with the criteria that must be met for the FCC to allow an AM station to simulcast on FM, but I can see from the contour map that the translator won't cover any new territory that the AM doesn't already blanket at night. So who knows what plans they may have; the translator appears to be located at the studios for WJLD, on Spaulding-Ishkooda Road...
 
Apparently, the FCC now allows AM stations that have considerable interference to rebroadcast their signals on FM translators. Here in SC, two AMs WDXY/1240 in Sumter and WRHC/1340 in Rock Hill to rebroadcast on translators in the same city.
 
If the FCC allows 1400 WJLD to simulcast on 104.1, it'll be interesting to see if they enjoy small a ratings bump. Some of the "Kiss" audience likely listens, and the translator will negate a band switch (at least in the car).
 
Check the FCC website. W281AB will continue to rebroadcast WBFR-FM.

The FCC has allowed FM boosters for a few AM stations in Alaska, but in the lower 48 states I am only aware of two cases - the former WAMB-AM in Donelson, TN and WJNT-AM in Pearl, MS. In both cases, the FM boosters operate under a renewable STA, so neither are actually licensed. Both operate during nighttime hours only to combat interference from high powered stations in Cuba. If Cuba permanently shuts down their high powered stations that are creating interference, the STAs would supposedly be cancelled.

To the best of my knowledge, the FCC will not allow FM translators to rebroadcast AM stations.

RFB
 
fortmill said:
Apparently, the FCC now allows AM stations that have considerable interference to rebroadcast their signals on FM translators. Here in SC, two AMs WDXY/1240 in Sumter and WRHC/1340 in Rock Hill to rebroadcast on translators in the same city.
Click to expand...

Well... I stand corrected. The FCC did grant an STA for these AM stations to rebroadcast on FM translators. Must be some serious interference as the FCC doesn't grant this kind of thing very often.

RFB
 
rfburns said:
Check the FCC website. W281AB will continue to rebroadcast WBFR-FM.


RFB
Click to expand...

The FCC website info for the station being rebroadcast may not have been updated. For example, the record for the new translator for Alabaster (W286BK) owned by WAY-FM still identifies the station to be rebroadcast as WJSP-FM in Warm Springs, GA (WJSP is a public radio station). WJSP was listed on the original application filed by Edgewater Broadcasting, who owned the CP up until very recently.

It doesn't make sense to me why Richardson Broadcasting would buy a translator and continue to rebroadcast a station it's not affiliated with it any way. If the translator continues to rebroadcast WBFR, I can't see how Family Stations could finanically support that translator once it goes to Richardson. Don't FCC rules only allow a translator to be funded by the entity who holds the license?


___________________________
Radio stations come and go.
Does anything last forever?
www.PassTheWord.net
 
passtheword said:
rfburns said:
Check the FCC website. W281AB will continue to rebroadcast WBFR-FM.


RFB
Click to expand...

The FCC website info for the station being rebroadcast may not have been updated. For example, the record for the new translator for Alabaster (W286BK) owned by WAY-FM still identifies the station to be rebroadcast as WJSP-FM in Warm Springs, GA (WJSP is a public radio station). WJSP was listed on the original application filed by Edgewater Broadcasting, who owned the CP up until very recently.

It doesn't make sense to me why Richardson Broadcasting would buy a translator and continue to rebroadcast a station it's not affiliated with it any way. If the translator continues to rebroadcast WBFR, I can't see how Family Stations could finanically support that translator once it goes to Richardson. Don't FCC rules only allow a translator to be funded by the entity who holds the license?


___________________________
Radio stations come and go.
Does anything last forever?
www.PassTheWord.net
Click to expand...


Search the CDBS for the license assignment for W281AB from Family to Richardson that was filed this month. It shows WBFR-FM as the station to be rebroadcast. If they changed anything, it would have been within the past few days.

Leasing a translator to another group isn't unheard of. I'm guessing they worked out some type of mutually beneficial arrangement that may or may not involve $$.

RFB
 
rfburns said:
passtheword said:
rfburns said:
Check the FCC website. W281AB will continue to rebroadcast WBFR-FM.


RFB
Click to expand...

The FCC website info for the station being rebroadcast may not have been updated. For example, the record for the new translator for Alabaster (W286BK) owned by WAY-FM still identifies the station to be rebroadcast as WJSP-FM in Warm Springs, GA (WJSP is a public radio station). WJSP was listed on the original application filed by Edgewater Broadcasting, who owned the CP up until very recently.

It doesn't make sense to me why Richardson Broadcasting would buy a translator and continue to rebroadcast a station it's not affiliated with it any way. If the translator continues to rebroadcast WBFR, I can't see how Family Stations could finanically support that translator once it goes to Richardson. Don't FCC rules only allow a translator to be funded by the entity who holds the license?


___________________________
Radio stations come and go.
Does anything last forever?
www.PassTheWord.net
Click to expand...


Search the CDBS for the license assignment for W281AB from Family to Richardson that was filed this month. It shows WBFR-FM as the station to be rebroadcast. If they changed anything, it would have been within the past few days.

Leasing a translator to another group isn't unheard of. I'm guessing they worked out some type of mutually beneficial arrangement that may or may not involve $$.

RFB
Click to expand...

I found it. You're right...looks as though the translator will be rebroadcasting WBFR, unless that's some type of FCC error.
I stand corrected.
:)


______________________________
Radio stations come and go.
Does anything last forever?
www.PassTheWord.net
 
It's been a while, but something old is indeed new - this translator is on the air and rebroadcasting WJLD 1400.

I heard it in Bessemer over the Thanksgiving holiday. The signal is very, very choppy and weak. In fact, as I drove along Spaulding-Ishkooda Road heading east, it didn't clear up until I was almost within eyesight of the WJLD studios. I didn't hear any stereo content, which is odd, since WJLD used to do some decent C-QUAM stereo on the AM side. During the day, the AM's HD was also off, yet they were still playing the ads encouraging us to make the switch. ::)
 
Zach said:
It's been a while, but something old is indeed new - this translator is on the air and rebroadcasting WJLD 1400.

I heard it in Bessemer over the Thanksgiving holiday. The signal is very, very choppy and weak. In fact, as I drove along Spaulding-Ishkooda Road heading east, it didn't clear up until I was almost within eyesight of the WJLD studios. I didn't hear any stereo content, which is odd, since WJLD used to do some decent C-QUAM stereo on the AM side. During the day, the AM's HD was also off, yet they were still playing the ads encouraging us to make the switch. ::)
Click to expand...

That's interesting that you mentioned all of that. I was checking this morning to see if the two new WAY-FM translators for Birmingham and Pelham/Alabaster were on the air yet (which they're not), so I thought I'd check to see if the one at 104.1 was up. I was up on Shades Mountain in the Vestavia area, and I could barely hear the WJLD programming underneath all the static, even though (according to radio-locator), I was supposed to be in the secondary coverage area. Years ago when Family Radio owned that translator, you could hear it very well in the Hoover/Vestavia area, but it looks as though from the radio-locator coverage maps that it's now broadcasting just east of the Fairfield area. If the coverage isn't any better than that, I would guess that many of the WJLD listeners aren't going to be too happy with that FM signal. Doesn't the FCC website still show WBFR as the rebroadcasting station for W281AB?


___________________________
Radio stations come and go.
Does anything last forever?
www.PassTheWord.net
 
passtheword said:
If the coverage isn't any better than that, I would guess that many of the WJLD listeners aren't going to be too happy with that FM signal. Doesn't the FCC website still show WBFR as the rebroadcasting station for W281AB?
Click to expand...

I tried calling up the authorization today from the FCC site and it never worked, so as far I know, it still says they're relaying WBFR. I think the coverage is mostly over west Birmingham in areas like Central Park and parts of Ensley. It's probably listenable along I-20/59 corridor between Scrushy Parkway (or whatever it is now) and say, Arkadelphia.

It certainly doesn't provide solid coverage anywhere that the AM signal doesn't already blanket.
 
I heard the big 14 on 104.1 in Gardendale about 2 weeks ago passing through.
 
W281AB owned by Richardson Broadcasting which also owns WJLD -AM, in talking with its Owner,GM and Chief Engineer Gary Richardson. WJLD recieved an STA on August 7, 2007 to re-broadcast its AM programming. W281AB antenna is temporarily located at the studio loaction. Richardson says he will move the antenna to Red Mountain soon, and says the signal will dramatically improve when that move occurs. The FM antenna is on a short STL studio tower and is shadowed by Ishkooda mountain which explains the choppy signal. Is practically on the ground using 27 watts. WJLD is the first AM in Alabama allowed to use an FM translator, it was also the first HD AM radio station in the US to broadcast a digital signal using commercially available equipment. Richardson says that HD exciter needed repairs, the HD signal should return to the air by December 20.
 
rambo2 said:
W281AB owned by Richardson Broadcasting which also owns WJLD -AM, in talking with its Owner,GM and Chief Engineer Gary Richardson. WJLD recieved an STA on August 7, 2007 to re-broadcast its AM programming. W281AB antenna is temporarily located at the studio loaction. Richardson says he will move the antenna to Red Mountain soon, and says the signal will dramatically improve when that move occurs. The FM antenna is on a short STL studio tower and is shadowed by Ishkooda mountain which explains the choppy signal. Is practically on the ground using 27 watts. WJLD is the first AM in Alabama allowed to use an FM translator, it was also the first HD AM radio station in the US to broadcast a digital signal using commercially available equipment. Richardson says that HD exciter needed repairs, the HD signal should return to the air by December 20.
Click to expand...

I thought WTLS in Tallasee was the first AM in Alabama to be granted permission to rebroadcast on AM?

Either way, hope they get the antenna up on the mountain soon; once they turn the HD back on, 104.1 will be the only way to hear the station reliably. ::)
 
I'm curious, when did WTLS receive a waiver from the FCC to broadcast on an FM translator? If so, what are the call letters, and who owns it? Are there any other AM stations in the State of Alabama using FM translators besides WJLD?
 
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