WHAT HAPPENED TO PULSE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[NoMoreLurking]

I didn't listen to "Pulse 87" that much. It has some technical problems with the transmitter, but the stream is up, thank goodness for the "Pulse 87" app on my iPod Touch.

I remember as you are saying that 87.7 is also hearing static, just like the way it did since June 12th when WRGB up in Albany went static during the middle of David Letterman's "The Late Show" and then "Poof!" It is now static. WPVI in Philadelphia did the same thing too. It happened when WRGB started to carry the TV audio on 87.9, it didn't last very long, so the FCC decided to pull the plug once again. Both WRGB in Albany and WPVI in Philadelphia used to have TV audio on 87.7, but now they're history. Is "Pulse 87" will be history starting November 1st? Stay tuned and find out!

Troll on, brother.

 

[DeeJay]

Is "Pulse 87" will be history starting November 1st? Stay tuned and find out!

My guess is yes or maybe sooner!

 

[TonySantiago]

Okay,

A LOT of people have been contacting me regarding this. Here is my stance:

1) Someone had typed in a new comment about Verizon and the fiber. Couldn't another company do this if there is "trouble"?

I'm not sure what you are asking. There are two separate (well actually four- two pairs of Stereo audio loops) that span between Brooklyn and the transmitter room in the Citicorp building that are used to deliver the programming to the transmitter. Both those ride on the same fiber for the last mile into the "big blue building in queens" -- which developed a problem. Verizon was notified, has acknowledged the problem, and has been working to try and repair it. As for "other companies" you don't just get these kinds of circuits in place overnight, and there is not ISDN or another delivery means that exists at the transmitter site to get programming over there on a temporary basis.

Okay, you just answered my question. Thanks

 

[Radio121]

Why can't a laptop at the transmitter just play that feed into the transmitter?

 

[Ozman]

...or at least an Ipod with pulses playlist

 

[JohnParker]

If that would be the case I'd wonder why Joel S would want to program 2 internet dance streams that would basically be the same. In addition to Pulse, Joel also programs the "Original Hot97" stream.

Also, the pirates would be wise to vacate the frequency because Pulse or not, there will be a station there one way or another. Why risk the fine?

jp

Well, "Original Hot 97" would be great on HD off the bat, and it should've had it's respect on the 97.1 HD-3 dial at least. Original Hot 97 plays non stop music 24/7 and I don't know how this stream was neglected to be on HD. As for Pulse, they can still have jocks and the mixshow DJ's, and have it's "live and local" feel.

As for the pirate situation, it seems nobody wants to invade Newark. Look how long Streetz 96 is on 96.5, but has either decreased its coverage, or X96.3 had a real good upgrade. Now there is another caribbean pirate on 87.5, and countless others around Newark/East & South Orange area that constantly pop up and never get shut down.

Not sure I get what you are saying. I was talking about why run 2 internet stations at the same time doing basically the same thing. No reference to HD. Although if one went the HD route at this point what would be gained? There is no way you're pulling the 900,000 plus in CUME on a crappy, limited HD signal.

jp

 

[nd2023]

What we have is an STL outage. Island Broadcasting did not pull the plug on 87.7 yet. There is dead air + stereo pilot on 87.7. Last night, I could hear faint music underneath the static when I turned up the volume. Today, it is just dead air.

 

[lalumia]

I'll change the position of my microwave oven...

 

[d21ofnj]

If that would be the case I'd wonder why Joel S would want to program 2 internet dance streams that would basically be the same. In addition to Pulse, Joel also programs the "Original Hot97" stream.

Also, the pirates would be wise to vacate the frequency because Pulse or not, there will be a station there one way or another. Why risk the fine?

jp

Well, "Original Hot 97" would be great on HD off the bat, and it should've had it's respect on the 97.1 HD-3 dial at least. Original Hot 97 plays non stop music 24/7 and I don't know how this stream was neglected to be on HD. As for Pulse, they can still have jocks and the mixshow DJ's, and have it's "live and local" feel.

As for the pirate situation, it seems nobody wants to invade Newark. Look how long Streetz 96 is on 96.5, but has either decreased its coverage, or X96.3 had a real good upgrade. Now there is another caribbean pirate on 87.5, and countless others around Newark/East & South Orange area that constantly pop up and never get shut down.

Not sure I get what you are saying. I was talking about why run 2 internet stations at the same time doing basically the same thing. No reference to HD. Although if one went the HD route at this point what would be gained? There is no way you're pulling the 900,000 plus in CUME on a crappy, limited HD signal.

jp

Sorry, I was just giving an explanation on what could be done.

 

[TonySantiago]

I'll change the position of my microwave oven...

Just make sure you hit the "popcorn" button, okay? lol

 

[neo11]

I'll change the position of my microwave oven...

Yet another insightful, intelligent post.

 

[neo11]

Why can't a laptop at the transmitter just play that feed into the transmitter?

Perhaps there's no internet connection at the transmitter site? Perhaps installing an internet connection up there would take longer than just repairing the existing T1 lines? Just speculating with a clear head instead of the doom and gloom scenarios that even some of the dance fans are now espousing.

It has been my experience with other stations that these sorts of outages (to Verizon T1 lines) usually take a day or even two to repair.

 

[radioli]

Why can't a laptop at the transmitter just play that feed into the transmitter?

Perhaps there's no internet connection at the transmitter site? Perhaps installing an internet connection up there would take longer than just repairing the existing T1 lines? Just speculating with a clear head instead of the doom and gloom scenarios that even some of the dance fans are now espousing.

It has been my experience with other stations that these sorts of outages (to Verizon T1 lines) usually take a day or even two to repair.

They're still online broadcasting saying they are fixing the problem. I know one station in LA that was down a week with a T1 problem. Don't give up the ship.

 

[nd2023]

My college station used to be down for up to a week when the Verizon ISDN link went down. It went down at random times that didn't correlate with the weather. We replaced the ISDN link with a fiber link when we moved our transmitter site 2 years ago, and haven't had any serious outages since.

Now, Pulse 87 is a major market commercial station, and so they should expect much better service from Verizon. Most stations would have a backup STL, but seeing as Mega Media is in bankruptcy, they probably can't afford to keep a backup STL. The transmitter is in the Citicorp building, not in an isolated tower, so there has to be an Internet connection elsewhere in the building. If it means running a looooooooooooooooong ethernet cable to the transmitter room, and compensating for the use of 64k of bandwidth constantly, why not just do that to get back on the air? Or just use a 3G card on a laptop to get cellular Internet access in there.

Besides, a dead carrier 24 hours a day means there are no legal IDs aired, but I think the video signal has a constant station ID, unless that feed is out too.

 

[trock]

Why is it when it comes to to this station,rationality goes out the door?

 

[BiggieFats]

Why is it when it comes to to this station,rationality goes out the door?

Rationality is hard. Panic is easy. Look at H1N1.

 

[nd2023]

Why is it when it comes to to this station,rationality goes out the door?

It's a coincidence that the Verizon outage happened today and there's the Wikipedia article that says Pulse will be off by the end of the week.

 

[neo11]

The Wikipedia article has also predicted the demise of Pulse in September, in August and probably a couple of times prior to that. Pulse is still here. I'm not saying that Mega Media and Pulse are in robust shape, or close to it, but some of the posts on this thread have been ridiculous. A T1 outage is not uncommon, especially when you have to deal with Verizon, but doing something like stringing up a very long ethernet wire from somewhere else in the building is flat out ridiculous...not to mention the time it would take to get that job done, including obtaining permission (if possible) from building management would probably take as long, if not longer, than just getting the T1 line fixed. Now, they should have had a backup STL, but in Mega Media's financial shape, it's not much of a surprise that they do not. But that does not suddenly mean that the end is imminent, and if it is, it will be unrelated to the T1 issue.

 

[nd2023]

The Wikipedia article has also predicted the demise of Pulse in September, in August and probably a couple of times prior to that. Pulse is still here. I'm not saying that Mega Media and Pulse are in robust shape, or close to it, but some of the posts on this thread have been ridiculous. A T1 outage is not uncommon, especially when you have to deal with Verizon, but doing something like stringing up a very long ethernet wire from somewhere else in the building is flat out ridiculous...not to mention the time it would take to get that job done, including obtaining permission (if possible) from building management would probably take as long, if not longer, than just getting the T1 line fixed. Now, they should have had a backup STL, but in Mega Media's financial shape, it's not much of a surprise that they do not. But that does not suddenly mean that the end is imminent, and if it is, it will be unrelated to the T1 issue.

I wasn't serious about the long ethernet cable comment That's just a worst case scenario. I at least hope they can stay on longer than this week if they do get the T1 fixed.
To the dance haters: you can't declare "victory" just because a T1 is out. I might let you slide if Pulse got a 1.0 share on a signal like 92.3 FM after 18 months, then you can say that dance failed. But for a small station on 87.7 with a weak signal and now interfered with by pirates on 87.5 and 87.9 at a dial position that can't be tuned in by many cars, it's a pretty big success to have 1 million pairs of ears pulsing to 87.7 every week.
You can't trust the Wikipedia on everything, but if the sources that Wikipedia cites are credible, you can trust the sources.

 

[DToTheJ]

When Pulse does play its last track, then WE, the coalition, will be back to do what we have to do. At least we are organized and on the "ready"....which is certainly an advantage over the oldies fans when 'CBS went to "Jack" as well as country fans (who did try a valiant effort after 'YNY flipped to 'KTU, but haven't heard from since Y-107)...

I don't need to remind folks that "CBS-FM" returned two years ago, by popular demand - certainly more demand than a dance station in these parts...