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WDLR Update

C

chad43358

Made a drive out US 36 between Marysville and Delaware. The two circular-polarized FM antennas for 96.7 that were on one of the towers at the 1270 AM tower site is now on the cell phone tower which matches the location as approved by the FCC. The Yagi antenna that was on the cell phone tower is now at the AM tower site.

I noticed a few weeks ago they shut down 96.7 to work on it. I’m assuming that is when everything moved.

Their listening area goes WAY beyond what is shown here by Radio Locator.com:

W244DV-FM Radio Station Coverage Map



96.7 sounds like a local in and around Richwood and starts to fade slightly at the Union/Marion county line near Essex. Still listenable in and around LaRue. To the South, it sounds like a local in and around Plain City as well. Amazing what 250 directional watts will get you these days…
 
I had been hearing 96.7 very well out here in Reynoldsburg for several weeks, pretty much with the strength of 92.9 before the Columbus translator came on, but hadn't checked in a few weeks. So had 96.7 been broadcasting from Delaware and now is back in Marysville? I'd never heard 96.7 that well out here when they were broadcasting from the farm on 36 before. I'll be out and about later today and will check if I remember.
On a related aside ... if these FM translators are directional, do they operate with the same pattern as the AM? WDLR 92.9's pattern always seemed to mirror 1550s, at least on paper, and certainly this map shows 1270's old pattern that they haven't run in over a decade.
 
schmave said:
I had been hearing 96.7 very well out here in Reynoldsburg for several weeks, pretty much with the strength of 92.9 before the Columbus translator came on, but hadn't checked in a few weeks. So had 96.7 been broadcasting from Delaware and now is back in Marysville? I'd never heard 96.7 that well out here when they were broadcasting from the farm on 36 before. I'll be out and about later today and will check if I remember.
On a related aside ... if these FM translators are directional, do they operate with the same pattern as the AM? WDLR 92.9's pattern always seemed to mirror 1550s, at least on paper, and certainly this map shows 1270's old pattern that they haven't run in over a decade.
Click to expand...
96.7 was broadcasting from their 1270 AM tower site in Marysville, which wasn't the approved location by the FCC. They just recently moved their antennas to the farm on 36 and Springdale Rd which is their approved location.

However, I think we can all agree they are overpowered and not following their directional approval.
 
Finally got to monitor 96.7 signal's last night while I was on my way home to Reynoldsburg from an assignment in Dublin.
My first inkling that 96.7 is running at higher power than before was while I was driving past Hilliard, WDLR completely owned the channel. That's normal during the day, but at night it usually fought quite a battle with WJVG. If that wasn't enough, WJVG was audible around downtown but by the time I hit the Livingston Avenue curve, WDLR and WJVG were fighting and the farther east I got, farther from Marysville by the second mind you, WDLR was back on top even with static while WJVG was nowhere to be found. Still was able to hear Marysville by the time I got home and given the distance, that probably shouldn't happen this far out.
 
The 96.7 repeater in Columbus that was playing religious music seems to be off the air. Is DLR going to use that one too? Anyone know?
 
It definitely was on last night. I couldn't hear the programming all that well but the ID "WJVG" voiced by an elderly-sounding man clearly cut through the static. This was between 9 and 10 p.m. I've also heard it in recent weeks during work trips to the north side, less than five miles from WJVG's tower.
 
The license for 96.7 W244DV specifies that they use a directional yagi antenna from farm/cell tower out on US 36, per the construction permit. The transmitter power is about 120 watts but the directional yagi gives it some gain in the direction of Marysville. There should be no difference in FM signal strength from day to night, but atmospheric conditions might vary it slightly from day to day.
 
I only meant that WJVG is not on 24 hours a day. Last I knew it was on from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. When it's not there, no interference.
Speaking of which, I drove up north today right by WJVG's tower and by the time I got to 161, maybe four miles to the north, it was being absolutely clobbered by WDLR.
 
DLR can not use the LPFM 96.7 in Columbus even if it wanted too. WJVG-LP is a LPFM and plays by different rules than WDLR 1270/96.7 - i.e. LPFM's can not run commercials for example. WJVG-LP has always been clobbered by 96.7 out of Marysville. I believe they are only on from like 3pm - 12mid. The other half of the LPFM license time share never was built out so the frequency is not taken by an LPFM 24/7 in Columbus.
 
xmusicmatt said:
DLR can not use the LPFM 96.7 in Columbus even if it wanted too. WJVG-LP is a LPFM and plays by different rules than WDLR 1270/96.7 - i.e. LPFM's can not run commercials for example. WJVG-LP has always been clobbered by 96.7 out of Marysville. I believe they are only on from like 3pm - 12mid. The other half of the LPFM license time share never was built out so the frequency is not taken by an LPFM 24/7 in Columbus.
Click to expand...
What do you mean LPFM can't run commercials? Aren't 95.1 and 105.3 LPFMs?
 
ryan883 said:
What do you mean LPFM can't run commercials? Aren't 95.1 and 105.3 LPFMs?
Click to expand...
Those are Class D translators, not LPFM stations.
 
GaryL said:
The license for 96.7 W244DV specifies that they use a directional yagi antenna from farm/cell tower out on US 36, per the construction permit. The transmitter power is about 120 watts but the directional yagi gives it some gain in the direction of Marysville. There should be no difference in FM signal strength from day to night, but atmospheric conditions might vary it slightly from day to day.
Click to expand...
The Yagi antenna was moved to the AM tower site where the two circular polarized antennas for 96.7 used to be. Now the two circular polarized antennas are on the cell tower at Springdale Rd and US 36. The Yagi was at the cell tower site about a year after 96.7 started but I'm not sure what it was/is used for considering 96.5 and 96.9 were getting bled all over by 96.7 when you drive by the circular polarized antennas (wherever they are located.)

I think we can all agree they are NOT operating at 250 watts. Even in northern Logan county WDLR battles WCSM out of Sidney. If the hills of Logan county didn't exist, I'd say WCSM would have a complaint against WDLR. Seems awful risky to me.
 
chad43358 said:
The Yagi antenna was moved to the AM tower site where the two circular polarized antennas for 96.7 used to be. Now the two circular polarized antennas are on the cell tower at Springdale Rd and US 36. The Yagi was at the cell tower site about a year after 96.7 started but I'm not sure what it was/is used for considering 96.5 and 96.9 were getting bled all over by 96.7 when you drive by the circular polarized antennas (wherever they are located.)

I think we can all agree they are NOT operating at 250 watts. Even in northern Logan county WDLR battles WCSM out of Sidney. If the hills of Logan county didn't exist, I'd say WCSM would have a complaint against WDLR. Seems awful risky to me.
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WCSM is in Celina, not Sidney (WCSM is a former employer in the deep dark past). Logan County would be very fringe coverage for WCSM, and they're taking interference from WDLR, WWCD or whatever it is wouldn't be a factor anywhere WCSM is listened to or sold.
 
gr8oldies said:
WCSM is in Celina, not Sidney (WCSM is a former employer in the deep dark past). Logan County would be very fringe coverage for WCSM, and they're taking interference from WDLR, WWCD or whatever it is wouldn't be a factor anywhere WCSM is listened to or sold.
Click to expand...
You are correct. I meant Celina but typed Sidney for some reason. WCSM used to be listenable in and around Indian Lake which is listed as "fringe." Since WDLR fired up, WCSM really struggles.

If you look at radio locator's estimated coverage area, WDLR (W244DV) shouldn't be listenable in Delaware or Franklin counties at all. Or Hardin county where I reside.
 
chad43358 said:
The Yagi antenna was moved to the AM tower site where the two circular polarized antennas for 96.7 used to be. Now the two circular polarized antennas are on the cell tower at Springdale Rd and US 36. The Yagi was at the cell tower site about a year after 96.7 started but I'm not sure what it was/is used for considering 96.5 and 96.9 were getting bled all over by 96.7 when you drive by the circular polarized antennas (wherever they are located.)

I think we can all agree they are NOT operating at 250 watts. Even in northern Logan county WDLR battles WCSM out of Sidney. If the hills of Logan county didn't exist, I'd say WCSM would have a complaint against WDLR. Seems awful risky to me.
Click to expand...


So lets evaluate this statement

We're going off a "for entertainment only" coverage map and what sounds to be like someone listening on an average radio.

Real scientific. Not.

Amateur at best with no proven, verified, measurable data. Submit those exact to the FCc and they will laugh as they throw away your complaint.
 
Last edited:
SomeRadioGuy said:
So lets evaluate this statement

We're going off a "for entertainment only" coverage map and what sounds to be like someone listening on an average radio.

Real scientific. Not.

Amateur at best with no proven, verified, measurable data. Submit those exact to the FCc and they will laugh as they throw away your complaint.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking the FCC is only protecting stations in their primary coverage area, not taking complaints from fringe areas.
 
gr8oldies said:
I'm thinking the FCC is only protecting stations in their primary coverage area, not taking complaints from fringe areas.
Click to expand...
when its a translator infringing on a full power the rules have change a few times over the last decade i think but the full power could have a case even in the fringe area.. but you have to do alot of work to prove it
 
SomeRadioGuy said:
when its a translator infringing on a full power the rules have change a few times over the last decade i think but the full power could have a case even in the fringe area.. but you have to do alot of work to prove it
Click to expand...
Do you work for Delmar? You seem quite defensive.
 
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