What became of WATM (1590 AM) in Atmore?

[Nate Wesley]

Mr. Bowab: What a great recollection of your time with WDLT! I really should have asked for a separate thread after all--but your anecdotes were well worth it.

 

[WBGR FM 93.1]

All 1610's I know now are TIS's (Travelers Info Stations) in the US, but there is or was a pirate/part 15 (I can't tell the difference much anymore) in Homestad/Florida City FL
cd

Most legal part 15 AM's have a range of 1/4 mile to maybe 2 or 3 miles at best. I have family who live in Homestead, and have heard AM 1610 Radio RCH several times. There are rumors they have been heard 30 miles south in Key Largo, and I have heard them at least 15 miles west of Homestead and Florida City out in Everglades Nat'l Park around sunset... way too far for part15 AM. They have been raided by the Funny Communist Council before but as of January were still on the air.

-Travis

 

[J Alex Bowab]

Back to the topic of expanded AM band... here in Mobile we hear the Noaa weather radio on 1630, and it's audible on both sides of the bay. Wonder what power it uses. It holds its own with 1620 Pensacola and 1640 Biloxi on either side.

 

[tomservo]

Back to the topic of expanded AM band... here in Mobile we hear the Noaa weather radio on 1630, and it's audible on both sides of the bay. Wonder what power it uses. It holds its own with 1620 Pensacola and 1640 Biloxi on either side.

That's really strange. Those are TIS stations licensed to ALDOT. Seems like they'd (the WTB, not ALDOT) know better than to set it right next to a licensed commercial station. That being said, for years Memphis' airport TIS was on 1610, right next to a Lakeland-licensed metro station on 1600 that runs 50 kW. Needless to say, the TIS' range was, er, limited.

Looks like 1630 is authorized at several sites across Mobile:

29750 Larry Dee Cawyer Drive
Daphne, AL BALDWIN County

51 Water Street
Mobile, AL MOBILE County

I-65 @ MM 22
Creola, AL MOBILE County

US 98 @ University Loop
Mobile, AL MOBILE County

I-10 EB East of Carol Plantation Road
Theodore, AL MOBILE County

I-65 @ Exit 31 NB on Ramp
Bay Minette, AL BALDWIN County

I-10 EB @ MM 47.4 past bridge
Loxley, AL BALDWIN County

 

[J Alex Bowab]

The 1630 station was originally on 1690, then it moved. Perhaps it got too much night interference from the Atlanta area 1690 and found 1630 to be quieter.

 

[StrayKats]

That's peculiar, because the TIS information stations in the Montgomery area, which were originally on 1660 AM, are now on 1690 AM despite their closer proximity to Atlanta. This may have been to protect the TI stations along the Selma to Montgomery Historic Route, which are broadcast over 1650 AM. The ALDOT stations along I-85, one of which is housed at the Right Of Way building you can see from the freeway off US 80 2 miles west of Waugh (near mile marker 15 on 85), seem to have about a 3-3½ mile listenable radius each way (about 6-7 miles worth of listenable time per station).

 

[J Alex Bowab]

Managed to get way off the topic of WATM on this forum, but in the narrative I was requested to do about WDLT, I mentioned my hero, Sam Cochran. I now add to his bio: he has been out of radio for many years, but just this month took on a part-time chore updating oldies formatted WOAB-FM in Ozark, the town where he now lives. Hope it goes well for you, Sam!