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WHOO Cheating....

B

BRNout

Tonight, WHOO is carrying the Florida State/Clemson football game. How would I know this, listening from Pennsylvania? Because this station is somehow managing to knock out my Red Sox game by overpowering 50 kw WTIC on 1080. Quite a trick with a mere 190 watts of nighttime power (their legal limit). In fact, it is quite a trick with their 10000 watt critical hour allotment.

This is the second time in 4 nights that I'm picking up WHOO up here; the first time was Friday night when they were also carrying a football game. That one was a high school game between Apopka and Lake something-or-other. As for the rest of the summer, I have never heard a peep out of this station.

I truly hope that someone reports this to the FCC. IN fact, I may do it. Things are bad enough with IBOC coming on line, we don't need stations cheating on night time power in order to make more $$$. :mad:
 
Below is the link for the contact page to the FCC site for the Tampa office that covers Orlando. I also suggest you contact the CEO of Genesis Communications (WHOO's owner). Bruce Maduri is the CEO and another to contact would be Kelley McGrath, the Executive Vice President of Florida. Below is their contact page.

http://www.fcc.gov/eb/scr/

http://www.radiogenesis.com/contact.php
 
DarrenWelles said:
I also suggest you contact the CEO of Genesis Communications (WHOO's owner). Bruce Maduri is the CEO and another to contact would be Kelley McGrath, the Executive Vice President of Florida.
Click to expand...

That might not be a bad idea. If you state your problem in a civil email or call, I believe Bruce Maduri will respond...I have communicated with him in the past when there was a different issue at one of their properties and he responded promptly.

I think I found a better page for the FCC section than what Darren provided.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html
 
The station has been doing this ever since genesis took over years ago. They were staying on the air past sunset when they were not supposed to, and signing off whenever they felt like it (usually in mid sentence). So now that they can legally stay on the air 24/7 they are not powering down? That's nice.
 
A thousand thanks for the replies! I'll probably go the FCC route, just to get something on the record, as this sounds like a continuing problem. Not that they'll do much - but if enough people complain they may eventually write a nasty letter or something. ::)

You may notice that a listener in CT also complained on the dx board, so WHOO's bad manners are bothering more than just me. They also seem to be encroaching on WTIC's protected contour. Ironically, all is quiet tonight - I guess WHOO doesn't have a football game to blast all over the eastern US!
 
If they are, in fact, operating over power or off pattern, they're not alone.

There are dozens, maybe hundreds of AM stations operating like that all over the country, which is one of the reasons why the AM band sounds like crap at night.

You're wasting your time to complain to the FCC. They do nothing. They're supposed to care, but apparently, they don't.

They're more concerned about spectrum auctions, and obscenities on radio than stations not following the rules.

Sad. So sad. Another example of our government not being willing to lead, and doing the job they're supposed to do.
 
How late after sunset did this occur? Pattern change times are a bit different
in the western part of the eastern time zone.
I remember when working in Jacksonville, the pattern change or sign off time for
daytimers was a fair amount later than in Boston.
 
chrish said:
How late after sunset did this occur? Pattern change times are a bit different
in the western part of the eastern time zone.
I remember when working in Jacksonville, the pattern change or sign off time for
daytimers was a fair amount later than in Boston.
Click to expand...

No, that wasn't the issue here. This was happening until at least 10:30 pm - when I turned the radio off. Waaay later than critical hours, particularly this time of year as we approach the autumnal equinox. FWIW, the Cubans were no stronger than normal on the nights in question, which would seem to rule out any atmospheric quirks.

Last night, all was quiet - but try listening when they're carrying football at night. That is when they seem to flout the regs. They must be a flamethrower down there when they leave daytime power on at night. It's about the only Florida am station that I have ever picked up here in PA at night.
 
Well I must confess. I am the engeneer of WHOO and a Yankee fan and I did this on purpose just to piss you
off!! ;D

Just kidding!! I do not blame you! I used to listen to out of town stations years ago, but nowadays it is very difficult
to hear any out of town stations these days!
I know you have to pay for it, however you can go to MLB.com and pay to get the Radio broadcasts of all teams.
Option 2 is what i have is XM radio has all the games. (You get the home team 99% of the time)


BRNout said:
BIG APE said:
Tattletales!
Click to expand...

When they messed with my Red Sox game, they made a BIG mistake!
Click to expand...
 
;D I heard the new array was 90 miles south of Miami with a new Collins pumping out 5 million watts...Si Si..Senarita! APEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
 
Re: Another football game and more "impressive dx" from WHOO

Yep as I write this, WHOO is stepping all over WTIC in PA again after 2 nights of complete quiet. Are you sure that this station isn't managed by Raul Castro?

It has to be booming in all over Central FL tonight.
 
WHOO IS NOT CHEATING - at least under my watch. I am the Chief Engineer AND Operations manager of WHOO and am personally responsible for the power levels of the radio station at all times. I have only been employed by the company for less than 3 years so I cannot speak with any experience of past events with powering the station down however I can state - as my wife will attest with a disgusted look on her face - that I have driven the 45 miles each way to the transmitter site after dinner to determine what was wrong with the remote control system the second I was aware that there was an issue. The majority of the time it is a flaked out remote control system that ignored the time of day and thus, did not change power. Upon knowing this - it has been dealt with IMMEDIATELY. I resent the concept that under the current management of the facility that there is anything deliberate going on.

I can say that we are not doing anything deliberately, take the FCC rules VERY seriously and recently spent a fortune getting that facility tightened up VERY well. Please also note that were we to cheat so as to run a LOCAL, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME, (key word being LOCAL) I would not run our critical hours pattern or critical hours power. It would be a total waste of electricity. Who is Iowa would give two craps about Edgewater High School playing Dr. Philips High School. We are actually simulcasting the friday Night local Football games on another Orlando station AM 1030 who is unaffiliated with our company to provide a service to the North side of Orlando which our WHOO night signal does not cover. That alone should show our acknowledgement of the fact that the night signal does not reach all of Orlando and secondly, that we are unwilling to cheat and have no intentions of doing so.

Taking this one step farther, HERE IS MY CELL PHONE NUMBER THAT IS ON 24/7: 321-303-4511. I would be happy to take any calls regarding WHOO's power levels and listen to any accusations about WHOO deliberately doing something assuming that you will give me an opportunity to resond with either a solution, and explanation or to report that we are operating properly and then offer to send you a QSL card.

I was formerly an employee of WTIC back in the 1980's and have a special place for them in my heart. TRUST ME - there is nothing deliberate going on. Furthurmore, I have spoken to Jeff Huggabone at WTIC and he tells me that everything is fine and that he has never had any problems with WHOO. He had lots to say about other stations though.

So, In closing, I feel that I have addressed this accusation and am looking forward to a happy relationship with other 1080 stations and listeners.

Kindly,

Bobby Gray
 
Drowning out the Sox? ha ha ha... the only thing better would to have to been running a Devil Rays game at the time. ;D
 
RobertCGray said:
WHOO IS NOT CHEATING - at least under my watch. I am the Chief Engineer AND Operations manager of WHOO and am personally responsible for the power levels of the radio station at all times. I have only been employed by the company for less than 3 years so I cannot speak with any experience of past events with powering the station down however I can state - as my wife will attest with a disgusted look on her face - that I have driven the 45 miles each way to the transmitter site after dinner to determine what was wrong with the remote control system the second I was aware that there was an issue. The majority of the time it is a flaked out remote control system that ignored the time of day and thus, did not change power. Upon knowing this - it has been dealt with IMMEDIATELY. I resent the concept that under the current management of the facility that there is anything deliberate going on.

I can say that we are not doing anything deliberately, take the FCC rules VERY seriously and recently spent a fortune getting that facility tightened up VERY well. Please also note that were we to cheat so as to run a LOCAL, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME, (key word being LOCAL) I would not run our critical hours pattern or critical hours power. It would be a total waste of electricity. Who is Iowa would give two craps about Edgewater High School playing Dr. Philips High School. We are actually simulcasting the friday Night local Football games on another Orlando station AM 1030 who is unaffiliated with our company to provide a service to the North side of Orlando which our WHOO night signal does not cover. That alone should show our acknowledgement of the fact that the night signal does not reach all of Orlando and secondly, that we are unwilling to cheat and have no intentions of doing so.

Taking this one step farther, HERE IS MY CELL PHONE NUMBER THAT IS ON 24/7: 321-303-4511. I would be happy to take any calls regarding WHOO's power levels and listen to any accusations about WHOO deliberately doing something assuming that you will give me an opportunity to resond with either a solution, and explanation or to report that we are operating properly and then offer to send you a QSL card.

I was formerly an employee of WTIC back in the 1980's and have a special place for them in my heart. TRUST ME - there is nothing deliberate going on. Furthurmore, I have spoken to Jeff Huggabone at WTIC and he tells me that everything is fine and that he has never had any problems with WHOO. He had lots to say about other stations though.

So, In closing, I feel that I have addressed this accusation and am looking forward to a happy relationship with other 1080 stations and listeners.

Kindly,

Bobby Gray
Click to expand...

Thank you for your response. I would like to know how long has WHOO been allowed to stay on at night. For the longest time the FCC database & Radio Locator has listed 1080 as a licensed daytimer only and I've heard 1080 on at night. Only recently this has been updated. Do these databases take a long time to update?
 
Way to go Bobby, That's telling 'em..I'm with ya 100%...BIG APE!
 
RobertCGray said:
WHOO IS NOT CHEATING - at least under my watch. I am the Chief Engineer AND Operations manager of WHOO and am personally responsible for the power levels of the radio station at all times. I have only been employed by the company for less than 3 years so I cannot speak with any experience of past events with powering the station down however I can state - as my wife will attest with a disgusted look on her face - that I have driven the 45 miles each way to the transmitter site after dinner to determine what was wrong with the remote control system the second I was aware that there was an issue. The majority of the time it is a flaked out remote control system that ignored the time of day and thus, did not change power. Upon knowing this - it has been dealt with IMMEDIATELY. I resent the concept that under the current management of the facility that there is anything deliberate going on.

I can say that we are not doing anything deliberately, take the FCC rules VERY seriously and recently spent a fortune getting that facility tightened up VERY well. Please also note that were we to cheat so as to run a LOCAL, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME, (key word being LOCAL) I would not run our critical hours pattern or critical hours power. It would be a total waste of electricity. Who is Iowa would give two craps about Edgewater High School playing Dr. Philips High School. We are actually simulcasting the friday Night local Football games on another Orlando station AM 1030 who is unaffiliated with our company to provide a service to the North side of Orlando which our WHOO night signal does not cover. That alone should show our acknowledgement of the fact that the night signal does not reach all of Orlando and secondly, that we are unwilling to cheat and have no intentions of doing so.

Taking this one step farther, HERE IS MY CELL PHONE NUMBER THAT IS ON 24/7: 321-303-4511. I would be happy to take any calls regarding WHOO's power levels and listen to any accusations about WHOO deliberately doing something assuming that you will give me an opportunity to resond with either a solution, and explanation or to report that we are operating properly and then offer to send you a QSL card.

I was formerly an employee of WTIC back in the 1980's and have a special place for them in my heart. TRUST ME - there is nothing deliberate going on. Furthurmore, I have spoken to Jeff Huggabone at WTIC and he tells me that everything is fine and that he has never had any problems with WHOO. He had lots to say about other stations though.

So, In closing, I feel that I have addressed this accusation and am looking forward to a happy relationship with other 1080 stations and listeners.

Kindly,

Bobby Gray
Click to expand...

Bobby I appreciate your response very much. However, you have to admit that - from this end - it sounded pretty bad when your station was suddenly the only Florida am signal receivable here at night and it was strong enough to step all over WTIC (who puts a great signal in here). A quick check of the FCC database indicated that you almost certainly were not running your night pattern and power. And that the incidents have coincided with football play by play events at your station. That seemed quite suspicious.

No, I never thought that you were trying to pound HS football into Iowa. The northern suburbs of your market were what I was thinking. I would imagine that night time coverage of your entire market is a frustration for the management at WHOO. Nonetheless, we can both agree that these incidents were not in keeping with WHOO's broadcast license and were apparently infringing into WTIC's signal as far north as Waterbury, CT. In other words, it looked bad.

Given the bad behaviour that seems all too common today in broadcasting, I'm sure that you can see where I am coming from. I'll grant you that the word "cheating" may have been a bit strong - but it got everyone's attention. After a couple of posts, some fun was being had with my comments, hence the Castro reference. And, my first post wasn't until it happened twice within a week (after not happening at all for at least 5 months). I figured the first time may have been a glitch because I know that these things can happen. When it happened again, I got suspicious that something else might be happening.

I'm not listening tonight, but I will take your word for it that the issue has been dealt with and you have my gratitude for your hard work. And, again, thank you for your response. If you would like to talk with me about this further, please don't hesitate to message me offline through this website. They have my email address.

Regards,
Bob from PA
 
AM radio is a tough business it seems like the AM band is like a pack of wolves that kill each other for the few penny's left in a market after the FM's get thier fill. That however, is no reason to break the law. I agree that the FCC should get involved even though they are more concerned with corporate merger's now a day's than actually inforcing any of their laws. Like most things in Washington if your not giving money to the politicians they won't do squat to help the common person.
 
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