why are translators allowed to overlap already received signals.

[hangman]

Where I live in Philly, I can receive W299BH on 107.7, just south of Wilmington, which relays WRTI, and also W278AK on 103.5 from Aston, which relays W246AQ (WXHL), on 97.1 in Center City. Instead of filling a Hole Format, why are these translators permitted to have two signals in the same Market, I am sure this happens all over the country. WHAT when they had the standards format should of utilized 97.1, it could of helped the weak 1340 signal, that would of been useful not what is there now that you can hear on 103.5. I have included photos of the 107.7 and the 103.5 sites.

 

[John1]

Whatever rules the FCC used to have for translators and 2 signals in a market seem to be thrown out the window these days. They used to be used to relay a missing niche format into a small market. Last week CBS bought a translator from a church in Baltimore and upped the power and launched a country station on it to rival market leader WPOC. Many remaining daytime-only AMs now have an FM translator. It's amazing to me a station like 50kw 660 AM WFAN in New York can simulcast on FM now like pre-1965. It's also strange that 920 Trenton and 1040 Flemington can simulcast the religious format that each had individually at one time or another with overlapping signals. There seems to be no clear rules on this anymore.

 

[hangman]

It seems in less populated areas of the country translators usually relay a weak AM (and make it stereo), or an HD-2/3 signal. For some reason the Philly market has no real distinctive translators, the relay on 107.3 coming out of West Philly is so weak they are barely listenable a few miles from the house their transmitter is on. They air some good Country Classics and Oldies on the weekend, but they barely get out. The other one on 96.9 is non existent and they utilize a tower from the antenna farm. So I guess what I am saying is it would be good to have a strong translator in this market programming a format that is needed.

 

[John1]

I am surprised at how strong a signal some translators put out. I have picked up the WRDV translator at 107.3 on the car radio on the Blue Route. I was in DC area recently and was able to pick up WAMU's 'Bluegrass Country" translator at 105.5 Reston way down on I-95 past Alexandria. It will be interesting to see in Baltimore how a new 250 watt 'translator' competes with a 16,000 watt established station.

 

[hangman]

It seems the WRDV translator on 107.3 has a better signal to the west, I did receive them around the Springfield Mall area. But to the east and south it is horrible. I posted a few photos on the Baltimore/DC board of both translator sites of 106.1, the new site is on the big three pronged tower just like WOGL in the antenna farm looks, so I would imagine the new site would have great coverage.

 

[Rick_E]

Another example is WBYN 107.5 which now also has a translator on 107.9, both which can be received w/no issues. 107.9 was already a battle between hot 107.9 Philly and WKRF (WKRZ) now we have WBYN blasting in, what a mess. Do not get me started with all the Word FM and Hope FM translators which can be received.....Word FM alone can be heard in my area on 88.1,88.7,88.9,89.1,90.5, and recently on 103.5 (no more KTU which would come regularly) and 103.7 (no more WNNJ). 97.1 seems to be the only open frequency left where Hot 97 comes in from NYC. I am in Northern Chester County.

 

[Mikon8er]

Basically, it comes under the justification that translators are extremely limited in terms of transmitter power (maximum 250 watts) and with strict tower limits dependent on overall HAAT. Above this, their legal status is that they may not (or at least should not) cause interference to any officially protected contours of stations at higher broadcast classes and must accept any interference received. Of course, they're so overused in urban and rural settings these days that same channel and adjacent channel interference has become so much of a problem that the rules, in my opinion, have really broken down.

 

[Richard Lewis]

Some of you who have been complaining, let me remind you that WHHS is at 10 watts, about the same power as many translators in rural parts of the country. Anywhere else in the country you would have to get a low power FM license to do what WHHS does with a Grandfathered license of many years. Also, around where I live, instead of doing HD radio, a lot of stations are doing translators to enhance signal in the local market and to get an FM signal. For example, we have a signal in the Jackson, MS market a daytime station that does all Beatles and a FM translator that doesn't get all of Jackson, MS but continues the format when it would be better to get an HD signal to transmit that format.

 

[1005427]

Word FM alone can be heard in my area on 88.1,88.7,88.9,89.1,90.5, and recently on 103.5 (no more KTU which would come regularly) and 103.7 (no more WNNJ).

I'm from the Poconos and enjoy listening to WNNJ. However, as soon as I travel to school in Bethlehem, that stupid Word-FM signal on 103.7 fights with it like crazy. I don't get why they have so many unnecessary frequencies in this area. They recently bought WXLV and now have their canned programming on 90.3

 

[NWO]

...WBYN-FM 107.5fm which now also has a translator on 107.9fm, both which can be received w/no issues...I am in Northern Chester County...

Rick, while I realize your post here is from some time ago, I wanted to quick mention that while Positively Different 107.5 Alive.fm (WBYN-FM) had been broadcasting on both 107.5fm and 107.9fm at the time, their sister station has since begun now effectively utilizing the 107.9fm signal instead, as part of their "see a need, fill a need" initiative, as it pertains that listening area's rapidly growing Spanish speaking population, by broadcasting Radio Moody, in español.

La Voz de Esperanza 107.9fm (W300BZ) can now be heard on 107.9fm and is said to be the only Spanish speaking, Christian Radio Station (AM or FM) in the entire combined 107.5 Alive & WDAC listening area (each of which effectively cover a one hundred mile diameter in and of themselves), whereas the 107.9fm signal is much more focused, specifically upon the Reading, PA to Lancaster, PA area. La Voz de Esperanza 107.9fm has been well received and had been long awaited by many.



That said, while Positively Different 107.5 Alive.fm (WBYN-FM) originates from Boyertown, PA and will always primarily utilize 107.5fm, they also have a translator nowadays on 103.7fm (W279CB), to help ensure 107.5 Alive listeners in that area can receive perfect stereo sound (between the two signals), for their favorite music and programming.



The FCC provides various resources online nowadays for folks wishing to know more about the exciting world of FM Translators and Boosters.

Hope this helps!

 

[K.M. Richards]

Just a couple of things to consider as you discuss:

Translators, because of the previously mentioned 250 watt ERP limit, tend to be better receivable in cars than in buildings, where there are walls in the way of the signal.

When you see a new format "launch" on a translator, it undoubtedly is either on an AM or a HD2/HD3 signal, and if there were more HD radios around (hahahahaha) the owners wouldn't find the translator necessary.

Also take into account how many translators are taking up bandwidth relaying religious stations hundreds (or thousands) of miles away. Is that a really good use? Would you call that "a niche format being brought into a market"?

 

[hangman]

Wasn't 107.5 a Rock Alternative Classic Rock station know as Frank in the 80's or so...what happened...I thought WRFY needed some competition in their controlled market.

 

[Bob Eubanks]

There was an LMA over several years that ended.

 

[NWO]

Re: Frank FM:

"In March 2009, WFKB in Boyertown, Pennsylvania (serving Reading) went off the air after three years. That station is owned by a Christian broadcaster, WDAC, Inc., but was managed by Nassau fall of 2005 to the spring of 2009. It...reverted [back] to the WBYN-FM calls and Christian music, preaching, and teaching programming due to Nassau's unwillingness to finance the LMA or purchase the station outright..." -Wikipedia

That said, it's important to note that 107.5fm began as a Christian station in the late 60's, and due to popular demand, 107.5fm maintained it's Christian format for roughly 50 of it's 55 years in existence, from what I can gather...whereas it's secular/non-religious Frank FM days were brief, in the grand scheme of things.