K
kenwood
Guest
MIXED SIGNALS: WBLQ SEEKS TO MOVE TOWER AFTER BEING CROWDED OUT BY L.I. STATION
By Gloria Russell - The Sun Staff
WESTERLY - It's a signal that WBLQ has to change its antenna location.
The antenna that services local radio station WBLQ will be moved from the intersection of Routes 216 and 3 in Ashaway to the Ashaway Fire Station to temporarily improve the quality of reception at the nonprofit 100 watt station which broadcasts from the Dunn's Corners area, the station's owner says.
The radio station recently changed its frequency from 88.1FM to 96.9. A permanent resolution will mean yet another frequency change, according to Chris DiPaola, owner-operator of the local community radio station since 1997.
DiPaola said, "Hopefully moving the antenna to the nearby fire station will make it temporarily better."
The trouble surfaced after the WBLQ frequency changed to 96.9 - and a signal from an eastern Long Island broadcasting station, using the same frequency, began overriding the local signal and interfering with reception in some parts of town.
"The Federal Communications Commission figures we're far enough away from each other but at the same time it's coming across the water," DiPaola reported.
"Maybe you can get (WBLQ) OK at your house, but away from the station, going toward the beach especially, it's troublesome," DiPaola said. The Long Island station moved from its 96.7 frequency to 96.9 to better reach listeners in the Nassau-Suffolk area, DiPaola said.
DiPaola contacted the FCC and was told he could apply for a modification of his license.
"They're only looking at it because of my situation. In other words somebody new can't just go in and apply for one of these licenses," DiPaola said. "They're considering it to be, even though it's a change of frequency and location, to be a minor amendment. Unfortunately it means switching frequencies which the FCC told me could be a four-month process, maybe longer, but not much longer. But the up side is that it means much better coverage."
In the meantime, DiPaola said he would "do what we can to improve it."
WBLQ still owns the 88.1 frequency and leases it to a non-profit corporation that features contemporary Christian hits in order to maintain a stable source of income without having to depend entirely on the station's benefactors.
Station officials are also restructuring underwriting policies for the broadcast outlet on the 96.9 frequency to improve its financial footing, DiPaola noted.
Email this story
Print
Courtesy of the Westerly Sun.
By Gloria Russell - The Sun Staff
WESTERLY - It's a signal that WBLQ has to change its antenna location.
The antenna that services local radio station WBLQ will be moved from the intersection of Routes 216 and 3 in Ashaway to the Ashaway Fire Station to temporarily improve the quality of reception at the nonprofit 100 watt station which broadcasts from the Dunn's Corners area, the station's owner says.
The radio station recently changed its frequency from 88.1FM to 96.9. A permanent resolution will mean yet another frequency change, according to Chris DiPaola, owner-operator of the local community radio station since 1997.
DiPaola said, "Hopefully moving the antenna to the nearby fire station will make it temporarily better."
The trouble surfaced after the WBLQ frequency changed to 96.9 - and a signal from an eastern Long Island broadcasting station, using the same frequency, began overriding the local signal and interfering with reception in some parts of town.
"The Federal Communications Commission figures we're far enough away from each other but at the same time it's coming across the water," DiPaola reported.
"Maybe you can get (WBLQ) OK at your house, but away from the station, going toward the beach especially, it's troublesome," DiPaola said. The Long Island station moved from its 96.7 frequency to 96.9 to better reach listeners in the Nassau-Suffolk area, DiPaola said.
DiPaola contacted the FCC and was told he could apply for a modification of his license.
"They're only looking at it because of my situation. In other words somebody new can't just go in and apply for one of these licenses," DiPaola said. "They're considering it to be, even though it's a change of frequency and location, to be a minor amendment. Unfortunately it means switching frequencies which the FCC told me could be a four-month process, maybe longer, but not much longer. But the up side is that it means much better coverage."
In the meantime, DiPaola said he would "do what we can to improve it."
WBLQ still owns the 88.1 frequency and leases it to a non-profit corporation that features contemporary Christian hits in order to maintain a stable source of income without having to depend entirely on the station's benefactors.
Station officials are also restructuring underwriting policies for the broadcast outlet on the 96.9 frequency to improve its financial footing, DiPaola noted.
Email this story
Courtesy of the Westerly Sun.
I TOTALLY SUPPORT EVERYTHING YOU DO!!