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WJWF 1400 and WSSO 1230

K

K4WRF

Does anyone know why WJWF 1400 in Columbus and WSSO 1230 in Starkville are off the air? The FCC does not indicate they have silent authority. I travel to that area and over the last year or two noticed WJWF has been off the air for that long or even longer. I was recently informed that WSSO has been off as well. They are both owned by Cumulus and list studio location as 601 2nd Avenue North in Columbus.
Thanks,

w/
 
If 1400 and 1230 had a solid state transmitters the electricity on a 1000 Watt transmitter is like $250 a month.
 
Hell, with a Solid State transmitter, it'd be even less then $250 for 1KW if you have decent rates.

However, when someone made a comment about "saving electricity" I thought Id share a comment or two about my expierience with that, but obviously it's not relevant and Mr Self Appoined Board Moderator decided I shouldn't post.
 
“They found out that NO one was listening!!!”

Humm! This sort of reminds me of that old question of which came first, the chicken or the egg? I was down there no very long ago and the area seems to be coming around economically after a long dry spell. Old departed friend of mine was in ownership down there some years back and he said that Columbus market was a hard nut to crack. Later referred to it as radio desert, all the sales cats were pretty lean and a lot of skeletons around.
 
> If 1400 and 1230 had a solid state transmitters the electricity on a 1000 Watt transmitter is like $250 a month.

Hmmmm... perhaps there might be other expenses, financial and otherwise, in running a radio station? But, what would I know?

DE
 
It would take more than a solid state xmtr to make these jewels work again.antenna system is very antiquated.stations sound like heck,would never pass a proof in their current state.off is where they need to be for now.
 
Of the three Cumulus Columbus AM's only WKOR-AM 980 is on the air today. I'm about a mile from the WSSO-AM 1230 tower, hearing nothing. If WJWF-AM 1400 in Columbus is on the air I can't hear it in Starkville.
 
Well of course I was just joking in my earlier comment, but it is really sad that these stations/frequencies can't be used for the community good. There has been some really great radio in that area. I guess it just shows how tough it is for an AM station these days.
 
Sadly I told the son of the original owner of WSSO that it was off the air. The only thing he could figure is that the tower is on a very valuable piece of land in town. By the way he said his dad signed the station on the air in 1945.
 
Doesn't the 1230 stick have a cell antenna on it now? With Starkville Intergalactic Airport right down the road, the tower (and more specifically the FAA cert) is a valuable piece of vertical real estate. Just for fun, calculate $1 per foot per feedline per month over a 20-year lease.

If additional cellular operators are hesitant, 1230 could be diplexed on the 980 stick.

Related item: Radio-Locator only shows 2 AMs for Columbus, 1050 and 1400. It's been 30 years since I worked weekends on the mighty WACR, but didn't Columbus have a lot more AM signals?

Paul E. Burt
Baton Rouge, LA
 
Columbus had WCBI 550 (?) AM. License was deleted several years ago.
 
Yes, WCBI operated an AM there on from 1941 untill 1988 when Imes sent the license back to the FCC and cut down the four towers out on highway 12 north of town. They were on 550 kHz and was the forerunner of WCBI-TV ch-4. WACR came on in 1951 and was started by Withers Gavin. WMBC now WJWF, moved in from Macon late 1969 shortly after 103.1 went on the air, that was all Billy Furr. Before all that, WCOC operated in Columbus before moving to Meridian in the early 1930's. The "radio desert" might be an accurate description and the area is beginning to show signs of growth.

w/
 
Remember Mr. E at WACR? He was a gentleman if one ever existed in this business...anyone ever see his picture with Bob Hope in his office..after walking up the marble steps to his studio on Catfish Alley...Memories....JBI
 
Mr. E. (James W. Eatherton Jr.) was indeed the definition of a “class act”! I remember all the photographs of him and Bob Hope very well. Jimmie always had a broad smile, good attitude and a firm hand shake. Never saw him without a coat and tie on. He, his wife Eva and son, Mr. 5X5 (nick name) would go for rides around Columbus and E. would have on that tie and never without a cigar. His son, James III, was a rising star in radio and entertainment with a lot of charisma and following in his fathers footsteps. Sadly, he suffered a loss of oxygen when his heart stopped during a minor operation and was never the same. His mentality remained at the level of a five year old until he passed away in a nursing home a few years back. Mr. and Mrs. Eatherton tended him until they passed. In the midst of a sad situation, Jimmie never wavered, remained positive and was a pleasure to know and call a friend. He would always greet me with, “well Watts it’s so good to see ya, how are ya doin’?” Always called me Watts…. Those were the days.

Thanks for all the feedback on WJWF and WSSO.
 
Thanks, Watts...sad that memories of these old timers is fading away.....brings to mind Birney Imes of the WCBI and Columbus Dispatch era...there was another
character that endured many setbacks but prevailed....JBI
 
Wow, Birney Imes, a name I've not heard mentioned in 30-40 YEARS. Thank you for reminding me! Those were the days!
 
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