They’re trying too hard at promoting themselves to anyone who listened to 103.3/95. Liking every single Facebook comment non stop when they aren’t related to anything about you or the subject at hand is tacky. It is and will always be a LPFM. They need to do their own thing and stop over promoting on an almost obnoxious level to being the “new” Earth FM which is in the past. Without the DJ’s and involvement that made it stand apart the music played on Earth FM is on 101.1, 102.5, 106.3 (well, 9 or 10 months out of the year).
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WGTK, Earth FM sold to EMF
- Thread starter passtheword
- Start date
I like the variety on some other local / low power stations as well. 104.3 WZZQ (a small remnant of the old 105.3 WAGI) is right here in Gaffney and has a great variety, is just like Earth FM, and is live and local most of the day, (just gotta put up with Friday night Football every week) and similar is 101.7 WQUL in Woodruff SC. Both of those are Classic Hits options in those towns, and both stream online.
Another great local station is 92.1 WGYT in Greer, which mostly plays only 60s/70s, pretty much commercial free, and I found their stream on TuneIn.
Also in the Charlotte area, there is 90.3 WRBK (60s/70s/80s) which is also simulcast on 90.9 in Whitmire, SC and on 88.1 near Gray Court, SC.
I wish they would stream.
Another great local station is 92.1 WGYT in Greer, which mostly plays only 60s/70s, pretty much commercial free, and I found their stream on TuneIn.
Also in the Charlotte area, there is 90.3 WRBK (60s/70s/80s) which is also simulcast on 90.9 in Whitmire, SC and on 88.1 near Gray Court, SC.
I wish they would stream.
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The owners of WRBK signed on what was then WKRI on 91.9 in Cokesbury/Greenwood in the late 2000s, a decent C3 signal that reaches the southern parts of Greenville county well. I think they sold some of their stations to RTN who has owned it for a decade or so. They had a very interesting library.
I remember when 91.9 near Greenwood SC signed on, even though they were owned by the Richburg Station (WRBK) initially, it wasn't a complete simulcast of WRBK, similar format, it also didn't last very long at all, maybe a few months at most, from what I remember.
However 91.9 is a static channel here in Gaffney, and halfway in between the Cokesbury SC station (WHRT / His Radio) and the Charlotte NC station (WRCM /
K-Love). I can hear either one (weak) at times / sometimes depending on local / varying conditions.
However 91.9 is a static channel here in Gaffney, and halfway in between the Cokesbury SC station (WHRT / His Radio) and the Charlotte NC station (WRCM /
K-Love). I can hear either one (weak) at times / sometimes depending on local / varying conditions.
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95.5 WLTE had a listenable signal down into Georgia a few miles (Lavonia / Exit 173), that's when 95.3 WEGG from Royston started to interfere and bleed over into 95.5. I Didn't hear any signal from WSBB until a few miles later near Carnesville (Exit 164) on Interstate 85.
101.5 in Greenville still ID'ing as WZWK-LP but tomorrow it should be WRTH-LP. Their 107.7 translator is now in mono and had a listenable signal right down to Stone Ave @ 276 in Northern Downtown Greenville before the Mauldin LP (WGWY) started to interfere. Their station needs a better transmitter location with better line of sight, such as atop a building in Downtown but station owner Dave Solomon said thats difficult and potentially expensive.
They added another stream source on MixCloud:
Kool FM - MixCloud
101.5 in Greenville still ID'ing as WZWK-LP but tomorrow it should be WRTH-LP. Their 107.7 translator is now in mono and had a listenable signal right down to Stone Ave @ 276 in Northern Downtown Greenville before the Mauldin LP (WGWY) started to interfere. Their station needs a better transmitter location with better line of sight, such as atop a building in Downtown but station owner Dave Solomon said thats difficult and potentially expensive.
They added another stream source on MixCloud:
Kool FM - MixCloud
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I remember there was something in the sale documentation that stated Salem would move the antenna’s location to the other side of the 95.5 tower if EMF wanted it relocated. I’m not sure if that was done or if so, provided any kind of improvement. It oddly seemed to improve when EMF turned the HD off (then back on) and fixed the RDS where it actually showed song/artist so something must have been done around that time. I’m assuming there was probably unfinished business at the 95.5 site since it was sold just a few weeks after it moved.
I remember seeing the current site selection (from a bunch of choices) as a compromise, for the best possible coverage of both Anderson and Clemson area, while also having as much added coverage to better serve Greenville. There wasn't much room or nearby sites to work with neaby (in the Powdersville area).
The current site was chosen to within a few miles of where the best coverage was possible to complement 103.3 while giving the best comprehensive signal possible to both cities while being Non directional and not causing interference. There must've been a deal with the cell tower company since both sites for WLTE (on 95.9 & 95.5) are on top of a cell towers that are owned by Crown Castle, and both 200+ feet up, but still nearly 100 feet below the top of both structures. There was some video posted on Facebook of the new 95.5 equipment being installed, and new antenna bays being hoisted up the tower on the new/current site.
Yea, funny how the sale was announced shortly after. 95.9 was at a good site for those in Anderson county but 95.5 is a compromise for the weaker areas in West Greenville as well. Since 95.9's facility by itself isn't a reason for selling since that was doing ok on its own, I wonder who's idea it really was to move, AND THEN, to sell..., besides all the Salem financial details, they sure had plenty of money to spend, apparently, to buy new equipment, including upgrades to 95.5 in HD. I believe CraigD was mostly behind the technical details on this, as he showed me the site choices to move, but then it's like the rug was pulled out from under them, once the move was completed. Looks like the plans for HD upgrades to 103.3 also went away when the station was sold, and/or it is not a priority at this point.
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That's pretty good. I remember listening to 95.5 when it was in Athens, but somewhere I heard they moved it. WFOX (now WSRV) was another Atlanta area station I could hear in Western NC.
I thought 95.5 looked like a good idea on paper but once it signed on it was just very bad. It helped that portion of west Greenville where 103.3 starts to get taken over by the adjacent 103.1 but coverage was lost in the western/NW part of the state as well as in parts of Anderson. The old 103.3/103.9 simulcast fit perfectly but 103.9 was more of a Greenville signal. 103.9 is located 5 or so miles to the NE of 95.5, it’s near the Rolling Hills shopping center at US-123 and SC-153 (when I saw it 5+ years ago, the tower site looked painfully neglected but now they have an improved signal and in HD)
I believe originally 103.3 was also going to get the old 95.9 transmitter since 95.5 got all new equipment. I’m not sure how old the current 103.3 one is. I didn’t see anything about it in the sale agreement though. It seems to me Salem just ran in to a financial emergency and had to unload something and just cut their losses. It was definitely a waste of money for Salem because I doubt they got much more for 95.5 individually than the old 95.9 would have been worth. I’ve read before EMF upgrades stations to HD when they have to replace transmitters or other major equipment but I can’t verify.
95.5 for me actually didnt sound like a signal issue for me around most of Clemson, once we entered the town from the west (Seneca) area. Have yet to try them around Anderson other than along I-85. The signal is somewhat better in Most of Downtown Greenville and in Pelzer to Fountain Inn / Simpsonville and well even on I-85 even up to the Spartanburg County Line, by that point 103.3 is much stronger anyway. Most of Spartanburg County reception of 95.5 is hit or miss (perhaps usually terrain related).
Also now KOOL-FM 101.5 LP in Greenville now ID's as "W299BO Berea/Taylors/North Greenville / WRTH Greenville) NO wait! if you listen VERY closely, you can hear the sound cut, & barely and quickly mention "LP," between the WRTH and Greenville, Definitely "Very well hidden" and needed to pay very close attention to hear that. Loving their variety, playing lots more forgotten 1990s hits.
Also now KOOL-FM 101.5 LP in Greenville now ID's as "W299BO Berea/Taylors/North Greenville / WRTH Greenville) NO wait! if you listen VERY closely, you can hear the sound cut, & barely and quickly mention "LP," between the WRTH and Greenville, Definitely "Very well hidden" and needed to pay very close attention to hear that. Loving their variety, playing lots more forgotten 1990s hits.
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And thats legal.. just like "WGTZ Eaton Dayon And Springfield Alive" was back in the day
103.3 WRTH calls will change to WLTS on 12/17:
enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov
Draft Copy « Licensing and Management System « FCC
Licensing and Management System
103.3 WRTH calls will change to WLTS on 12/17:
Draft Copy « Licensing and Management System « FCC
Licensing and Management System
So WLTE & WLTS (95.5 & 103.3) ?
Interesting fit...
I still miss Earth FM terribly, I recently drove by the dark and vacant (and building for sale) former studio (at 920 Wade Hampton), it was so bittersweet, even with the old Earth FM vehicle still in the parking lot... 🌎
But from there I was able to listen to the new "WRTH" 101.5 LP "KOOL FM" tho with a weak signal, and almost out of range, when beyond that area, but thankful to stream on the phone.
That station recently switched from WZWK-LP to WRTH-LP, but it still has yet to be updated on Radio-Locator, and on FCCinfo / RabbitEars Databases
I just can't seem to listen to 102.5 WMYI for more than a few songs at a time, changing it after maybe 15 minutes at the most. I would rather hear old Earth FM Air-checks / recordings or something from out of state, but still Classic Hits, streaming WJRZ or even WCBS, or perhaps KKLZ or KRTH.
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The Beat
Banned
WZWK's calls are legally changed to WRTH, however, due to the volume of ownership reports and the LPFM window, the FCC has been unable to update the LMS. They are aware of the problem and have confirmed all changes are still done. Look for database changes to occur right after the window closes on Friday.
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