Wilmington's 96.1 allocation

[jhguthlac]

When Rollins turned off the WAMS-FM transmitter the final time, where did Wilmington's 96.1 FM allocation go?

 

[DaveWilliams]

Red Lion, PA was able to get a pretty hefty power increase when the 96.1 was deleted in Wilmington. Having seen the paperwork that was involved with this allocation, I don't think they were ever on the air on this frequency. And did you know WILM actually had the 96.1 allocation at one point in time but nothing was ever done with it. I had also seen paperwork where Rollins tried to do something with 98.5 but that was all denied. All of this activity was back in the late 40's/early 50's.

 

[jhguthlac]

Dave, I was hoping you would be on-line this weekend, since I knew you would have the answer. Never knew that WILM once had it.

I am suspecting they were on the air at WAMS-FM at some point. Some old promotional items and newspaper ads are on the WAMS Facebook page, which is where I got the frequency from. I have never really been sure of the dial location. The ads say that both 1380 and 96.1 (20kw) were on the air.

You actually saw the transmitter, didn't you?

Radio-locator.com indicates that 98.5 would still be available for Wilmington. I wonder how accurate that is?

 

[DaveWilliams]

Jim When I worked at WAMS in 1969, any signs of the FM were wepll gone for a while. The transmitter sat in the same area as the MW5A that was there in later years. The transmitter apparently was a Western Electric model with a 4 bay RCA antenna atop Tower 3, which was split at the 200 foot level, the lower section used for the AM. If they were running 20kw with that, they must have had a very good signal given the height of the land at Mt Cuba. After the tp[ sectopn was removed, it became the lower portion of the tower for WJBR at REbright Road (the old WAMS FM antenna was still on the roof of the building in the late 80's). Its a shame that the was let go, the stations would probably still be around.

 

[observer2]

98.5 for Wilmington would have seemed more likely if WSUX hadn't moved from 98.3 to 98.5 downstate. Also, it seems like it would be much to close to WYCR at this point. Even WKRZ might be an issue as one of NEPA's few Class Bs. At the very least, I'm skeptical that 98.5 could still be assigned to Wilmington.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

101.7 has an allocation in Salem, NJ and one at the beach in near Rehoboth, so why two 98.5's, one upstate and one down state.

 

[observer2]

I see your point on 101.7. Would that happen now, though?

98.5 would have been assigned in an era when 98.5 was a traditional class B channel. Much has changed. Could you even squeeze it in as a Class A considering WYCR?

 

[MikefromDelaware]

Now you need someone like Dave Williams to answer that. It was in the mid 1980's ( I believe) when the Lower Delaware 101.7 came on the air as it cut out a section of WNNN-FM's signal in Lower Delaware that we had as an audience prior ( I was working part time at WNNN in Salem NJ when that happened). I don't know if the rules, etc have changed since then or not, but maybe Dave or some of the others who post here who know that side of the business can offer some clarification.

 

[DaveWilliams]

In the 80's, the spaacing distances between stations was changed to get more stations on the air, this was mostly noted with the fringe area of the 'big signal;' stations, the allocations were called 80-90's. There was also a project by the FCC to close in on the high power stations, asking them if they could drop in additional stations with their permission. If they said no, their big signal would continued to be protected out to a certain distance. The distance limits between stations now seems to have gotten to the point of 'whatever fits' these days, allowing low power stations on frequencies where they would have never been permitted before with an obscure power level (WDDE 91.1 Dover as an example). 105.9 is a good example of an 80-90 allocation in lower Delaware. Prior to it coming on, when I lived in New Castle, I was able to get Pittsburgh on a regular basis (with an outdoor beam antenna and a good receiver).

 

[ka3kza]

The rules for the non-commercial part of the band are different. If you are in the commercial part of the band you have to prove a full power station will fit covering the city of license, then one you have the CP, you can use 73.213 to use a directional antenna or reduced power to move the tower site. From 88.1-91.9 you can propose reduced power from the start, if 1500 watts will work, you can apply for that. If they same rules were allowed from 92.1 up you could get more stations on the air. As for 101.7, they were both allocated in the 3KW days of Class A stations, and at that time you could only put a class A on that frequency. By the way 98.3 in Seaford was also on a Class A frequency, when the rules changed, they could more to 98.5, which helped a station in South Jersey and in Southern Maryland on that frequency, let them upgrade to 6kw, and let 97.9 in Selbyville to upgrade from 3kw to 6kw on 98.1. There is a interesting history about 97.9 (WSBL at the time) and how they were responsible for the current auction system. One of these days maybe I'll write a book about it!

 

[RadioPhillyFan]

Is the Allocation still there? Could WDEL move to 96.1 as a lower power class B? It's not like it needs a signal that far north, it could possibly be a directional signal servicing Wilmington and South Philadelphia. WSOX is broadcasting pretty strongly, however. That'd be the concern, if an upgrade was indeed made, Delmarva would possibly have to compensate the losses for WSOX downgrading.

It's not needed, but it'd be great to get WDEL on an FM stereo.

Also, maybe 93.7-HD2 could get on 96.1? it'd be an interesting attempt. At this point in time, it'd be a Class A station, unless WSOX makes changes.

Not saying a Class A wouldn't suffice! But Wilmington could use an Alternative or Active Rock format - It would kill WRFF and WMMR's ratings in wilmington.

 

[ixnay]

When did WAMS-FM go dark? I didn't know it'd existed. How about a format history?

ixnay

 

[w9wi]

Is the Allocation still there? Could WDEL move to 96.1 as a lower power class B?

I can't prove it* but I can assure you this allocation is long gone.

Wilmington is only 90km from the WSOX transmitter. Any new Class B allocation would need to be at least 241km from WSOX. (and meet spacing requirements with other stations on nearby frequencies and on 106.7/106.9) No Class B allocation 241km from WSOX could possibly provide principal city coverage (or indeed, *any* coverage) of Wilmington.

If one were to settle for a Class A station at Wilmington... the new Class A allocation would need to be at least 178km from WSOX. (and again, meet the other spacing requirements) Again, any Class A allocation 178km from WSOX couldn't provide any coverage of Wilmington.

Downgrading WSOX to Class A as well as settling for Class A at Wilmington would come close. You'd need 115km of separation -- the new Delaware Class A would need to be 25km the opposite side of Wilmington. You couldn't license the new Delaware station to Wilmington itself (principal city coverage extends only 16km) but you would have official (60dBu) coverage of part of the city. (60dBu service contour extends 28km)

However, that evaluation completely ignores other stations. It is very likely WSOX is not the only station limiting the ability to use 96.1 at Wilmington.

===========================

If you *really* wanted a new FM station at Wilmington, I suppose you could arrange for the deletion of the 96.1 assignment in Pennsylvania used by WSOX. You'd have to arrange for some other station to change its city-of-license to WSOX's Red Lion, Penna.. (because you cannot delete a city's only radio station) And you'd of course have to buy WSOX.

I see no chance such a move would be economically viable.


* because I can't find a complete copy of the Table of Allocations online -- copies I'm finding show only relatively recent amendments, they don't list *anything* in Delaware!

 

[jhguthlac]

The format timeline of WAMS-FM is that of WAMS-AM. Current day pop hits.

 

[fybush]

* because I can't find a complete copy of the Table of Allocations online -- copies I'm finding show only relatively recent amendments, they don't list *anything* in Delaware!

You're not finding a copy because there is no longer an FM table of allocations in the way we remember it. A rules change a few years back eliminated the full table, replacing it with a hybrid of the existing licenses set out in CDBS, plus the pared-down table you're seeing, which lists only unbuilt allocations.

WAMS-FM on 96.1 predated the table of allocations, which didn't exist until 1964. Anything that had gone dark prior to 1964 never made it into the table when it was created, which is why there's no Channel 241B allocated to Wilmington. (And even if you could get rid of Red Lion, which would have been easier before 1440 was moved out of town, there's a 96.1A now in Margate City (Atlantic City), among other new obstacles to using the channel in Delaware.)

 

[w9wi]

You're not finding a copy because there is no longer an FM table of allocations in the way we remember it. A rules change a few years back eliminated the full table, replacing it with a hybrid of the existing licenses set out in CDBS, plus the pared-down table you're seeing, which lists only unbuilt allocations.

Can't believe I missed that one... guess if I'd read paragraph (a) I'd have known what was going on...

Seems unnecessarily complex. Though I suppose the #1 inquiry the FCC gets is "on what frequency can I have my own radio station?", and that would give them one place to refer the soon-to-be-disappointed inquirer...

WAMS-FM on 96.1 predated the table of allocations, which didn't exist until 1964. Anything that had gone dark prior to 1964 never made it into the table when it was created, which is why there's no Channel 241B allocated to Wilmington. (And even if you could get rid of Red Lion, which would have been easier before 1440 was moved out of town, there's a 96.1A now in Margate City (Atlantic City), among other new obstacles to using the channel in Delaware.)

That may be the most important thing to take from this thread. The FM regulations were VERY VERY VERY different before 1964.

(and yes, WSOX is only the most obvious of several reasons why the 96.1 Wilmington channel cannot be resurrected.)

Something else... due to the changes Scott mentions above, FCC Regulation 73.202 has become a one-stop place to look for unoccupied* FM channels. Note that there are only THREE unoccupied Class B channels in the entire country. (two of them are in isolated parts of eastern California, and the third is reserved for non-commercial stations, in Indiana) There are no unoccupied FM channels of any class anywhere in Delaware, Maryland, or New Jersey.


(but not necessarily *available* FM channels; there is a very good chance there are applications on file for some of these frequencies)