• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

WEBR lands on FM

KilowattKat

KilowattKat

Curiosity had me streaming WEBR to hear what they sound like now...and heard them identifying as 105.3 / 1440 WEBR. So folks in Lockport (not even their COL) get to listen on FM, while Niagara Falls is stuck with the 55 watt AM signal at night..

105.3 was WLVL's now former 250 watt FM translator. I wonder if plans are in the works to move it closer to Niagara Falls.
 
KilowattKat said:
Curiosity had me streaming WEBR to hear what they sound like now...and heard them identifying as 105.3 / 1440 WEBR. So folks in Lockport (not even their COL) get to listen on FM, while Niagara Falls is stuck with the 55 watt AM signal at night..
Click to expand...
Scott Fybush can give the real facts, but translators don't have the same signal strength over the community of license that "full" AM and FM stations do.
 
Translator W287CV @ 105.3 MHz
The signal pattern, particularly the radials at 270° through 350° present a basic representation of the area this translator is required to protect. Some information on the page is to be updated to reflect the translator's official assignment by the FCC from WLVL to WEBR.

Radio-Info contours for W287CV @ 105.3
This graphic may not be as technically and theoretically reflective of the signal contours, but it is none the less demonstrative of the area that the translator must protect, west and northwest, full power on-or-co-channel FM radio stations licensed to operate in Canada.

As the above relate to moving the translator from its present location in Lockport, further west to provide coverage of the 1440 COL: Not impossible, but there are hurdles. It will likely become more directional to protect FM radio stations in Canada.
 
Last edited:
Guess we see the focus is on propping up 1440 even if it means throwing WLVL under the bus. WLVL has managed to hold in there within its niche and adding the translator a couple years ago was a nice enhancement to help it out. 1440 needs to focus on Niagara Falls the way WLVL focuses on Lockport and its immediate surrounding towns. Rebroadcasting it in on an FM in Lockport doesn't do much for serving NF.
 
One thing is for certain, the frequency is going to need to change. 105.1 CJED in just across the river in Niagara Falls at 15KW. That freq 105.3 is not going to work there anywhere near NF. So it looks like they just wanted the license being that there is no auction open. In the future WLVL could get a new translator back on 105.3 during a future auction.
 
Is anybody in the area covered by the translator? Is it full-time WEBR, or are they splitting time with WLVL?
 
I have a few more moves coming up.Drive around and you would be surprised what areas that I am covering with that translator .Full time now on WEBR. I didn't need translator covering Lockport when I am full power all the time.Covering the same area. Especially on Talk Radio format.I forgot all the experts are in here.
 
Last edited:
WJPYFM said:
One thing is for certain, the frequency is going to need to change. 105.1 CJED in just across the river in Niagara Falls at 15KW. That freq 105.3 is not going to work there anywhere near NF. So it looks like they just wanted the license being that there is no auction open. In the future WLVL could get a new translator back on 105.3 during a future auction.
Click to expand...
I see you are aware that translators can change frequency and, sometimes, move geographically. Mr. Fybush may be able (if not under restrictions) to tell us if this translator might be able to change its location and / or frequency to better cover the ares they'd like to serve.
 
DavidEduardo said:
I see you are aware that translators can change frequency and, sometimes, move geographically. Mr. Fybush may be able (if not under restrictions) to tell us if this translator might be able to change its location and / or frequency to better cover the ares they'd like to serve.
Click to expand...
The challenge is importing/finding/moving (to) a frequency (other than 105.3) given the FM band is saturated, perhaps more than any other US-Canada border market. Canadian signals from Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Welland, St Catharines and Welland-Port Colborne occupy some valuable RF real estate on the FM band. Then again, there's always the purchase route. Everything's for sale at the right price.
 
It seems like Bill Yuhnke is all in on 105.3 delivering an audience to WEBR. More power to him! I like the station! That said, is the signal on 105.3FM powerful enough to make a difference? When learning of the change from WLVL to WEBR last weekend, I tuned in 105.3FM on the two radios I still have in my house in Snyder. On a tabletop radio, I could hear the programming, but there was enough noise underneath it to make it unlistenable. My stereo receiver is hooked up to an antenna. It either captures the signal, or it doesn’t. In this case, it didn’t. Still, my at home radio listening these days is through radio station apps and Alexa. So, I have no problem listening to WEBR at home.

In the car, I heard 105.3FM clearly traveling from home along Main Street to the Eastern Hills Mall Tuesday. From there, the signal was clear as I drove down Maple Road toward Tonawanda. But it deteriorated around the Boulevard Mall. Today, there was plenty of picketing on Wehrle Drive until I passed Union Road toward Transit. So, it looks like 105.3FM covers the Northtowns. I’ll be interested in checking out the strength of the signal the next time I head west on the 90 toward the Southtowns. I also wonder what other moves Bill has in mind, as he alluded to in his post. From what I’ve been told, there are no more repeaters or translators available in our market.
 
Rusty Bridges said:
Translator W287CV @ 105.3 MHz
The signal pattern, particularly the radials at 270° through 350° present a basic representation of the area this translator is required to protect. Some information on the page is to be updated to reflect the translator's official assignment by the FCC from WLVL to WEBR.

Radio-Info contours for W287CV @ 105.3
This graphic may not be as technically and theoretically reflective of the signal contours, but it is none the less demonstrative of the area that the translator must protect, west and northwest, full power on-or-co-channel FM radio stations licensed to operate in Canada.

As the above relate to moving the translator from its present location in Lockport, further west to provide coverage of the 1440 COL: Not impossible, but there are hurdles. It will likely become more directional to protect FM radio stations in Canada.
Click to expand...

Longley-Rice:
 
More moves? Just a thought as Bill brought up more moves. Could 1340 and 1440 switch COL, tower site, and frequency? This would give better night time coverage for Niagara Falls and much further out, than the current flea power on 1440.

AM coverage isn't necessary for Lockport with the FM, and they would still have WLVL-AM. But it would help Niagara and the more populated areas with better night coverage.
 
Last edited:
KilowattKat said:
More moves? Just a thought as Bill brought up more moves. Could 1340 and 1440 switch COL, tower site, and frequency? This would give better night time coverage for Niagara Falls and much further out, than the current flea power on 1440.

AM coverage isn't necessary for Lockport with the FM, and they would still have WLVL-AM. But it would help Niagara and the more populated areas with better night coverage.
Click to expand...
WEBR has much better coverage in Niagara Falls and the Tonawandas than WLVL. WLVL covers NE Niagara County better, but more revenue is theoretically available with WEBR's pattern. Right now, WLVL likely outbills WEBR by a lot. The question is whether any gain by giving WEBR the FM translator are offset by removing the FM signal from WLVL.
 
WJPYFM said:
One thing is for certain, the frequency is going to need to change. 105.1 CJED in just across the river in Niagara Falls at 15KW. That freq 105.3 is not going to work there anywhere near NF. So it looks like they just wanted the license being that there is no auction open. In the future WLVL could get a new translator back on 105.3 during a future auction.
Click to expand...

Small point of order re CJED: That 15kW is at peak power, which it hasn't been for some time. The station decreased its power from 7.2kW to 4kW in 2004(back when it was known as CFLZ and Keith Dancy's company owned the station).
 
ckg279 said:
Small point of order re CJED: That 15kW is at peak power, which it hasn't been for some time. The station decreased its power from 7.2kW to 4kW in 2004(back when it was known as CFLZ and Keith Dancy's company owned the station).
Click to expand...
This is not correct, at least not per current ISEDC data from Canada.

While the FCC lists only one power level for a directional FM, Canada shows both an average ERP across all azimuths *and* the maximum ERP in the largest lobe.

CJED's current facility is 4 kW average, 15 kW max at 179 meters HAAT. The maximum lobe is at 130 degrees, basically straight toward Buffalo.


(You may need to select the Canada drop-down instead of US FCC to see the ISEDC data)
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom