wlou

[The King Bee]

I can't tell from FCC AM Query if the sale from Davidson to Anchor has been consumated yet.

Does anybody know? I understand nothing has changed at the stations operationally...have they engaged a contract engineer yet?

I did get a look at the facilities last week...same sorry state, screaming for a move and/or radical modernization.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I can't tell from FCC AM Query if the sale from Davidson to Anchor has been consumated yet.

Does anybody know? I understand nothing has changed at the stations operationally...have they engaged a contract engineer yet?

I did get a look at the facilities last week...same sorry state, screaming for a move and/or radical modernization.

Nope. If you follow this link and scroll all the way down you will see the connsumations:

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_list.pl?Facility_id=31883

The FCC has granted it, let's see if Peter can come up with $800k now. I'm not sure if they have a contractor yet, I did notice that the lights on WLLV's tower are not working the last time I was over off of Grinsted (no I was NOT at Porter's!) and WLOU has a couple of beacons out.

 

[KyDXIn]

The FCC has granted it, let's see if Peter can come up with $800k now. I'm not sure if they have a contractor yet, I did notice that the lights on WLLV's tower are not working the last time I was over off of Grinsted (no I was NOT at Porter's!) and WLOU has a couple of beacons out.

In the spirit of Christmas, maybe a few red-nosed reindeer can be acquired from the Island of Misfit Toys!

 

[Bengalsfan]

The FCC has granted it, let's see if Peter can come up with $800k now. I'm not sure if they have a contractor yet, I did notice that the lights on WLLV's tower are not working the last time I was over off of Grinsted (no I was NOT at Porter's!) and WLOU has a couple of beacons out.

In the spirit of Christmas, maybe a few red-nosed reindeer can be acquired from the Island of Misfit Toys!

They will need several. Coming through Eminence Friday night, I noticed the beacon was also out on that tower and no NOTAM has been issued for it. They sound like an accident waiting to happen anymore.

 

[stereolane]

Are you sure that they are required to light those towers? Neither the WLLV or WLOU towers are registered.

 

[Bengalsfan]

Are you sure that they are required to light those towers? Neither the WLLV or WLOU towers are registered.

Might want to check your information. WLOU's numbers are 1053956, 1053957, 1053958. WLLV 1053959.

 

[The King Bee]

Just when a station should be at its best providing local information, the Golden Door stations fall flat on their face with dead carriers. During the Louisville area's ice and snow showers a couple of days ago, I awakened at 3:15 am to check a couple of my clients' stations for transmitter output power, VSWR readings due to the ice, and general quality.

As I went by WLLV, WLOU, WTUV-AM and -FM, there wasn't even music...just dead carriers. But I'm not surprised at anything they do or don't do anymore. I also think they better get at least the reference tower in the WLOU array lit...FAST! They don't know what a NOTAM is, let alone what the FAA requirements are. So sad this crowd has control of FOUR stations!

 

[Bengalsfan]

As I went by WLLV, WLOU, WTUV-AM and -FM, there wasn't even music...just dead carriers. But I'm not surprised at anything they do or don't do anymore. I also think they better get at least the reference tower in the WLOU array lit...FAST! They don't know what a NOTAM is, let alone what the FAA requirements are. So sad this crowd has control of FOUR stations!

And they are adding to them. All Access reported last week that Jones and Davidson are purchasing 5 stations in Fairbanks, AK from bankruptcy. They are paying $1.65 mil for 5 stations in a market an eighth the size of Louisville (Fairbanks has 35,252 folks; Louisville has 262,764). Divided equally, it's about $325k per station in Alaska. While they are paying $400k apiece for WLOU and WLLV. Something just does not add up here. Either the Alaska stations are over priced or the Louisville stations are under priced.

Either way, wonder how long it's gonna be before the tower lights in Alaska go out 'cause nobody is watching them?

 

[cbader]

I also think they better get at least the reference tower in the WLOU array lit...FAST! They don't know what a NOTAM is, let alone what the FAA requirements are.

I drove by this site the past two nights and the towers are lit.... there is a mid beacon out on the center tower and according to the FAA there IS a NOTAM on file as of 12/6/10.

12/131 - OBST TOWER 928 (483 AGL) 4.48 SW LGTS U/S (ASR
1053957). WIE UNTIL 21 DEC 23:40 2010. CREATED: 06 DEC 23:41 2010

 

[Bengalsfan]

I also think they better get at least the reference tower in the WLOU array lit...FAST! They don't know what a NOTAM is, let alone what the FAA requirements are.

I drove by this site the past two nights and the towers are lit.... there is a mid beacon out on the center tower and according to the FAA there IS a NOTAM on file as of 12/6/10.

12/131 - OBST TOWER 928 (483 AGL) 4.48 SW LGTS U/S (ASR
1053957). WIE UNTIL 21 DEC 23:40 2010. CREATED: 06 DEC 23:41 2010

I was through there Wednesday and both beacons on the middle tower were out. Simple fix, just need to replace the flasher. Shouldn't take more than a half our and there's no reason the NOTAM should be going on 15 days. I'll probably be by there Tuesday, will be interesting to see if they are going again and if not if the NOTAM is extended.

 

[The King Bee]

The price per station disparity is even stranger when you use the post-merger population numbers...the newest population estimates from July 1, 2010 show Louisville (the old 66-square-mile city plus the parts of Jefferson County unincorporated) at 557,000, with Louisville-Jefferson Metro (the entirety of Jefferson County) at 723,000.

As far as tower lighting goes, I'm certain these stations have bare-bones basic remote control without a TSL or telemetry link reading the tower light relay system to confirm lighting status.

 

[Bengalsfan]

The price per station disparity is even stranger when you use the post-merger population numbers...the newest population estimates from July 1, 2010 show Louisville (the old 66-square-mile city plus the parts of Jefferson County unincorporated) at 557,000, with Louisville-Jefferson Metro (the entirety of Jefferson County) at 723,000.

$400k for WLOU and WLLV makes sense from what I have seen on comps. Davidson overpaid for the cluster to begin with, I have a feeling Jones and Davidson have overpaid for the Alaska stations. Fairbanks is roughly the size of Hopkinsville. I can't see paying a mil and a half for five stations down there....unless they see something that's not obvious on the surface.

 

[stereolane]

I also think they better get at least the reference tower in the WLOU array lit...FAST! They don't know what a NOTAM is, let alone what the FAA requirements are.

I drove by this site the past two nights and the towers are lit.... there is a mid beacon out on the center tower and according to the FAA there IS a NOTAM on file as of 12/6/10.

12/131 - OBST TOWER 928 (483 AGL) 4.48 SW LGTS U/S (ASR
1053957). WIE UNTIL 21 DEC 23:40 2010. CREATED: 06 DEC 23:41 2010

I was through there Wednesday and both beacons on the middle tower were out. Simple fix, just need to replace the flasher. Shouldn't take more than a half our and there's no reason the NOTAM should be going on 15 days. I'll probably be by there Tuesday, will be interesting to see if they are going again and if not if the NOTAM is extended.

Thanks to all, for the clarification.

What about the WLLV tower? Is it completely dark, or just the top beacon?

 

[cbader]

What about the WLLV tower? Is it completely dark, or just the top beacon?

WLLV does not have a beacon. That tower has two marker lights at the midpoint and two markers at the top of the tower.

 

[The King Bee]

This morning while scanning AM, I heard WLOU on daytime power and pattern at 0709...problem is, daytime switch time for April EDT is 0715. I wonder how long they've been beating sunrise THIS time?

 

[The King Bee]

I double-checked this morning, and they're still going up in power and to daytime pattern way early. This morning, I noted them at daytime parameters at 0649, instead of the mandated 0715. You can check the FCC database and there it is...the EDT April daytime commences at 0715, and nighttime service begins at 2015 (8:15 PM).

May I mention that whomever is on the operator's log during this time would have some explaining to do when the FCC calls, with your restricted permit or license in jeopardy...they'll take it right then and there!

There is no STA or CP on file to cover such a variance, either, so they're not testing a modified nighttime system to correct their severe nighttime city nulls. What gives-are they daring the FCC to swoop down on 'em? Golden Door, do it right or give it UP. Get some real radio managers in there and give them authority to correct the operational, sales, and engineering woes at WLLV/WLOU/WTUV.

 

[wakyjr]

In looking at the contours of coverage for WTUV the nighttime signal looks better than the daytime area.

 

[The King Bee]

WTUV's problems are mainly poor processing and keeping program consistently on the air...they have too many dead air periods for no reason. Their 620 KHz pattern goes a long way for a low-power Class IV station...it's that low frequency and long, long wavelength at 620. Plus, isn't an English-language ID supposed to be at the top of every hour on foreign-language stations? I only hear the Spanish ID.

As far as WLOU switching power too early (I heard them switch at 0615 this morning), I believe that their automatic power/pattern change program, or the time posting at the control point if done manually, is for Eastern STANDARD Time...not Eastern Daylight begining mid- March. So, they've been switching too early for 35+ days.

Hey, Golden Door, go back to the FCC website and put in "sunrise/sunset" to get to the right page. Input Eastern Daylight on the drop-down menu, along with WLOU's tower coordinates. You'll see the right times, corrected for EDT. OOPS, I forgot...you don't have an engineer nor do you have anyone in management with enough basic operations knowledge to think of such details...tsk, tsk.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

I wonder is someone figured they had best 'spring forward' the remote control clock? Remote controls should be left alone...the sun time remains the same. Non-technical minds can be forgiven for making such an error while trying to be 'helpful'. Management hoever can not be forgiven for having non-technical minds in charge of such critical matters.