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WFCR-FM Amherst applying for Worcester translator
- Thread starter DavidZ
- Start date
http://www.swr-rf.com/catalog/page34.html
Complete list of frequencies/channels. Years ago, in the 80s, WMWM used to have sign on and sign off carts and it said "we operate at 91.7 megaHertz, on Channel 219 D at a power of 130 watts..." I guess the D meant class D (in fact I just found a page listing stations in Richmond, VA and there's a class D at 91.7, and that's what it says--219D
Sometimes I can get WFCR here on the North Shore, like in Beverly, though one spot in Beverly (junction of Rantoul and Federal
streets) often gives me Howard Stern. Someone nearby has XM/Sirius and uses that freq, 88.5 to send it to radios near their
apartment or whatever.
Complete list of frequencies/channels. Years ago, in the 80s, WMWM used to have sign on and sign off carts and it said "we operate at 91.7 megaHertz, on Channel 219 D at a power of 130 watts..." I guess the D meant class D (in fact I just found a page listing stations in Richmond, VA and there's a class D at 91.7, and that's what it says--219D
Sometimes I can get WFCR here on the North Shore, like in Beverly, though one spot in Beverly (junction of Rantoul and Federal
streets) often gives me Howard Stern. Someone nearby has XM/Sirius and uses that freq, 88.5 to send it to radios near their
apartment or whatever.
The maps on radio-locator.com can't always be seen as accurate but the red "local" line goes right through Worcester--that is, that's the furthest extent of "local" (after that it's distant then fringe), and while it prob reaches Worc quite well as it is, it will extend the listenable signal in nearby areas even further.
The transmitter site is EXACTLY 70 miles away from the WJFD-FM transmitter site in New Bedford, so any point southeast of Asnebumskit Hill is closer to WJFD and people living there or driving around there can expect interference on the new Worcester translator for WFCR. During periods of weather instability, WJFD might come in clearly at the airport!
Distance and weather arenot the only factors. On FM terrain plays a huge role in determining coverage.
I worked for WFCR when I was in college (UMass) - summer, 1977. FM signals in that area tend to do well
to the north and south - funneled up and down the Connecticut River Valley. To the east and west --
not so much!
to the north and south - funneled up and down the Connecticut River Valley. To the east and west --
not so much!
While WFCR is an NPR news station much like WGBH & WBUR, IMO WFCR's angle on stories is much better than either of the other two stations.
Since it appears WUMB's numbers are at the bottom of the heap for the second or third month in a row and probably can't get much lower than its current .1 share, maybe it would be better for 'FCR to take over the WBPR signal rather than put a new unprotected translator on the air since all three of the stations are owned by UMass.
I hope not. My wife and I love WUMB! It is our favorite music station! I wionder what their ratings are in the key demos?
The vitriol and snark aimed at WUMB on this board are second only to that directed toward WUFC. Must give some people pleasure in being able to look down at a musical genre and proclaim that nobody likes it. Maybe the WUMB translators are wiping out some out-of-market adjacent station they want to listen to. (Awww, poor baby DXers ...) Whatever, it's a poor reason to be calling for a largely redundant public radio station (classical and jazz are both readily available to Worcester listeners, as is much of the talk) to replace one that programs music unheard anywhere else on the dial.
We don't have access to the demographic breakdown of WUMB's ratings, nor to the donation level of its listenership. I assume one or both are proving satisfactory to UMass brass, or they'd have flipped format long ago.
Does anyone know if W235AV 94.9 is planning to move their transmitter into downtown Worcester?
I think that was mentioned a while back on this board and the rumor was that they were going to place WJMN back on the translator. Jam'n 94.5 was the original station being relayed before Clear Channel changed it to WTAG to plug holes in their coverage to the East of Worcester.
Not sure about the validity of either scenario but I do know that WTAG promotes both the AM & FM quite heavily. In fact, I can listen to WTAG to / from my work in Franklin with W235AV's current location on Asnebumskit Hill in Paxton. Although the signal was pretty bad yesterday with a lot of bleed in from another station so perhaps the move finally occurred. I’ll check again today on my drive home.
Not sure about the validity of either scenario but I do know that WTAG promotes both the AM & FM quite heavily. In fact, I can listen to WTAG to / from my work in Franklin with W235AV's current location on Asnebumskit Hill in Paxton. Although the signal was pretty bad yesterday with a lot of bleed in from another station so perhaps the move finally occurred. I’ll check again today on my drive home.
Massachusetts is experiencing a strong warm front like midsummer when distant FMs often come in over local frequencies. I got a little "tropo" this morning on WBUR-FM. A few weeks ago, WBLM interfered with WNNW's translator in Lawrence while distant signal were flying.
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