I remember an AM/FM combination (1130/99.5) that was locally owned and run. Now I see the AM is gone and the FM moved. What happened to it? How long ago? Do the AM towers still exits?
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WMGA Moultrie
- Thread starter Towerjunky
- Start date
the last licensee of WMGA apparently knew nothing about, nor had any interest in, legal operation of a radio station. There were numerous violations, that led to WMGA's license being revoked:
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2002/FCC-02-319A1.html
I also came across this in a blog post by Michael Covington:
The sad end of WMGA (AM), Moultrie, Georgia
When I was about 6 years old, in the early 1960s, one of the landmarks of Moultrie, Georgia, was radio station WMGA, located just outside town on the road to Tifton. It looked like a 1930s frame house with a neat sign in front and an impressive array of towers in the large, swampy back yard.
When in Moultrie in February, 2006, I saw the station in ruins — a decaying, vacant building with towers behind it. At least I think the towers were still there.
Some idle web searching brought me to the rest of the story. This radio station didn't just go out of business, it had its license revoked. Charges included failing to maintain the red aircraft warning lights on top of the towers, failing to keep the towers painted red and white as required for aircraft safety, and transferring control of the station to other people without permission.
When last heard from on the Web, WMGA was calling itself La Favorita and was apparently networked with some Spanish-language AM stations in Atlanta. This is a long way from the relatively dignified small-town radio station of the 1960s that often broadcast instrumental music. Apparently, its transmitting frequency was 1400 kHz in the 1940s, possibly 580 kHz some time later, and 1130 kHz when it last operated.
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2002/FCC-02-319A1.html
I also came across this in a blog post by Michael Covington:
The sad end of WMGA (AM), Moultrie, Georgia
When I was about 6 years old, in the early 1960s, one of the landmarks of Moultrie, Georgia, was radio station WMGA, located just outside town on the road to Tifton. It looked like a 1930s frame house with a neat sign in front and an impressive array of towers in the large, swampy back yard.
When in Moultrie in February, 2006, I saw the station in ruins — a decaying, vacant building with towers behind it. At least I think the towers were still there.
Some idle web searching brought me to the rest of the story. This radio station didn't just go out of business, it had its license revoked. Charges included failing to maintain the red aircraft warning lights on top of the towers, failing to keep the towers painted red and white as required for aircraft safety, and transferring control of the station to other people without permission.
When last heard from on the Web, WMGA was calling itself La Favorita and was apparently networked with some Spanish-language AM stations in Atlanta. This is a long way from the relatively dignified small-town radio station of the 1960s that often broadcast instrumental music. Apparently, its transmitting frequency was 1400 kHz in the 1940s, possibly 580 kHz some time later, and 1130 kHz when it last operated.
That is a sad ending but not surprising. I remember reading a story about them in (I think) Radio & Records long ago (maybe in the 80s). It had a picture of a (young) owner who also did mornings. Hope he wasn't the last owner.
Thanks Alan for the background.
Thanks Alan for the background.
I thought the 99.5 was the 1130's FM.
99.5 was Douglas? WMTM has had 93.9 for the longest time. I always recall WMGA being a stand alone AM.
I do recall WMGA moving to 580. Seems like it was in the early 90's late 80's. They were able to squeeze in 900 watts (If I recall correctly)day, and I cannot remember the night power. The 580 signal, of course was superior to 1130. If nothing else, the 580 move made the operation a bit easier. WMGA was 10kW Non-directional day, 10kW DA for Critical Hours and then 250 watts DA at night.
I am not exactly sure how it ended up BACK on 1130 before it was forced from the air.
The write up of the WMGA Case by the FCC is a sad, sad tale. There are a bunch of those historic signals are nothing but a distant memory now.
I do recall WMGA moving to 580. Seems like it was in the early 90's late 80's. They were able to squeeze in 900 watts (If I recall correctly)day, and I cannot remember the night power. The 580 signal, of course was superior to 1130. If nothing else, the 580 move made the operation a bit easier. WMGA was 10kW Non-directional day, 10kW DA for Critical Hours and then 250 watts DA at night.
I am not exactly sure how it ended up BACK on 1130 before it was forced from the air.
The write up of the WMGA Case by the FCC is a sad, sad tale. There are a bunch of those historic signals are nothing but a distant memory now.
Here's the rest of the story. Initially they did get a CP for 580. Along the way, a lot of things were
not reported to the Commission.
_______________________
Elsewhere on the web, Jay Braswell wrote this:
WMGA/Moultrie, Georgia operated on 1130 kHz, with 10kw-ND-D, 10kw-DA-CH and 250w-DA-N. There were 4 towers...one was a 360' self-supporter dating back to 1939, and the other 3 were each 218' guyed towers, in-line, 90 degree spacing, installed in 1969. ND-D operation used the self-supporter, while CH operation used the self-supporter and the middle tower of the three guyed towers. DA-N operation used the three guyed towers.
The main transmitter was a Bauer FB-10J, and was used for D and CH operation. For nighttime, the former main transmitter, an RCA BTA-1R, was used (WMGA had been on 1400, with 1kw-D/250w-N). As the CH and Night patterns were different, two phasor cabinets were required. Including the equipment rack, this was an 18' span of equipment.
The pattern change from DA-CH to DA-N was an interesting site to see (and hear). At pattern change time, we ran a cart that announced we were changing patterns and lowering power "...to provide protection to other, far distant radio stations, that have priority use of this frequency. To many of our listeners, we'll now say goodnight. To those in the immediate vicinity of Moultrie...please stand-by." There was 10 seconds of silence on the carted message, and that was about how long it took to make the change...if you were swift.
30 minutes prior to pattern change time, you turned on the filaments to the RCA. That done, at the appropriate time, you killed the plates on the Bauer (which was in the center of the span), dashed over to the far phasor cabinet and depressed the 'NIGHT PATTERN" button, then dashed over to the RCA (which was at the far opposite end of the span). When all the relays had engaged, the 'NIGHT PATTERN' button would illuminate, giving you the okay to bring up the plates on the RCA. If you were too quick on hitting the RCA (as I did...more than once), the poor old BTA-1R would go "ker-chunk, ker-chunk, ker-chunk" with an unpleasant clatter, the relays vibrating the floor.
If you were too quick when going the other way (DA-N to DA-CH operation), which I did only once, the noise was deafening, and it 'broke' the big Bauer!
After suffering a severe lightning strike, we had to temporarily change patterns by affixing very heavy 'jumper cables' to the correct connection inside the rear of the phasor cabinets. THAT was just a bit scary.
In the late 80's, WMGA was granted a CP to move to 580, with 900w-D/250w-DA-N. The change was initiated, and the station operated at the new frequency for a number of years. The only problem was that they never filed for a license after making the changes. Upon discovering this, the FCC communicated the necessity of correcting this immediately with the licensee. Unfortunately, the licensee had "sold" the station to someone else, but never filed for a transfer authorization. The so-called new owners had sold to another party, who had then LMA'd the station to someone else. Of course, none of this was ever filed with the Commission.
Initially, after receiving no response from the licensee, the station was ordered to return to operation at 1130, which was attempted. The Bauer had been replaced with an RCA, which had been replaced with a Continental, which had been sold after the change to 580, as had been one of the phasor units. The station's sole transmitter was a Gates-1. The self-supporting tower had been top-loaded by adding guy wires (to achieve 90 degrees at 580).
Somebody (not sure who) drug an ancient Westinghouse 10kw rig into the building. To the best of my knowledge, that piece of junk never worked dependably, so the Gates-1 was used for operation on 1130. Everything had been changed to operate at 580, so there was never any night operation after the change back to 1130.
Finally, after discovering all the mess regarding the status of the license, the FCC fined the licensee of record $350,000.00, and revoked the license for WMGA.
This was a sad end to one of south Georgia's pioneer radio stations. The studio/transmitter/tower-site became overgrown with weeds, and the towers rusted into a dangerous state. After legally regaining possession of the property, a principal of the station's second licensee had the towers removed, and the equipment and furnishings that remained in the building were sold. The last time I rode by there, there was still a big 'FOR-SALE' sign in front of the building. It's enough to make you cry..."The Big Voice In Deep Dixie" is no more.
__________________________
We can only hope that one day "after all statues of limitations have passed," Mr. Braswell finally writes that book!
I remember hearing WMGA on 1130 back in the days when I was just discovering radio. I was around 13 years old and wrote WMGA a letter (I do not remember what I was writing to ask them.) But within a week I received a personal response from Mr. Roy Zess. Held on to that, and some other correspondence from area stations, for years after.
not reported to the Commission.
_______________________
Elsewhere on the web, Jay Braswell wrote this:
WMGA/Moultrie, Georgia operated on 1130 kHz, with 10kw-ND-D, 10kw-DA-CH and 250w-DA-N. There were 4 towers...one was a 360' self-supporter dating back to 1939, and the other 3 were each 218' guyed towers, in-line, 90 degree spacing, installed in 1969. ND-D operation used the self-supporter, while CH operation used the self-supporter and the middle tower of the three guyed towers. DA-N operation used the three guyed towers.
The main transmitter was a Bauer FB-10J, and was used for D and CH operation. For nighttime, the former main transmitter, an RCA BTA-1R, was used (WMGA had been on 1400, with 1kw-D/250w-N). As the CH and Night patterns were different, two phasor cabinets were required. Including the equipment rack, this was an 18' span of equipment.
The pattern change from DA-CH to DA-N was an interesting site to see (and hear). At pattern change time, we ran a cart that announced we were changing patterns and lowering power "...to provide protection to other, far distant radio stations, that have priority use of this frequency. To many of our listeners, we'll now say goodnight. To those in the immediate vicinity of Moultrie...please stand-by." There was 10 seconds of silence on the carted message, and that was about how long it took to make the change...if you were swift.
30 minutes prior to pattern change time, you turned on the filaments to the RCA. That done, at the appropriate time, you killed the plates on the Bauer (which was in the center of the span), dashed over to the far phasor cabinet and depressed the 'NIGHT PATTERN" button, then dashed over to the RCA (which was at the far opposite end of the span). When all the relays had engaged, the 'NIGHT PATTERN' button would illuminate, giving you the okay to bring up the plates on the RCA. If you were too quick on hitting the RCA (as I did...more than once), the poor old BTA-1R would go "ker-chunk, ker-chunk, ker-chunk" with an unpleasant clatter, the relays vibrating the floor.
If you were too quick when going the other way (DA-N to DA-CH operation), which I did only once, the noise was deafening, and it 'broke' the big Bauer!
After suffering a severe lightning strike, we had to temporarily change patterns by affixing very heavy 'jumper cables' to the correct connection inside the rear of the phasor cabinets. THAT was just a bit scary.
In the late 80's, WMGA was granted a CP to move to 580, with 900w-D/250w-DA-N. The change was initiated, and the station operated at the new frequency for a number of years. The only problem was that they never filed for a license after making the changes. Upon discovering this, the FCC communicated the necessity of correcting this immediately with the licensee. Unfortunately, the licensee had "sold" the station to someone else, but never filed for a transfer authorization. The so-called new owners had sold to another party, who had then LMA'd the station to someone else. Of course, none of this was ever filed with the Commission.
Initially, after receiving no response from the licensee, the station was ordered to return to operation at 1130, which was attempted. The Bauer had been replaced with an RCA, which had been replaced with a Continental, which had been sold after the change to 580, as had been one of the phasor units. The station's sole transmitter was a Gates-1. The self-supporting tower had been top-loaded by adding guy wires (to achieve 90 degrees at 580).
Somebody (not sure who) drug an ancient Westinghouse 10kw rig into the building. To the best of my knowledge, that piece of junk never worked dependably, so the Gates-1 was used for operation on 1130. Everything had been changed to operate at 580, so there was never any night operation after the change back to 1130.
Finally, after discovering all the mess regarding the status of the license, the FCC fined the licensee of record $350,000.00, and revoked the license for WMGA.
This was a sad end to one of south Georgia's pioneer radio stations. The studio/transmitter/tower-site became overgrown with weeds, and the towers rusted into a dangerous state. After legally regaining possession of the property, a principal of the station's second licensee had the towers removed, and the equipment and furnishings that remained in the building were sold. The last time I rode by there, there was still a big 'FOR-SALE' sign in front of the building. It's enough to make you cry..."The Big Voice In Deep Dixie" is no more.
__________________________
We can only hope that one day "after all statues of limitations have passed," Mr. Braswell finally writes that book!
I remember hearing WMGA on 1130 back in the days when I was just discovering radio. I was around 13 years old and wrote WMGA a letter (I do not remember what I was writing to ask them.) But within a week I received a personal response from Mr. Roy Zess. Held on to that, and some other correspondence from area stations, for years after.
C
cd637299
Guest
wow
Wow 2. Thanks for the rest of the story. There's too many stories like that.
OK, someone help me out here. What is a DA-CH pattern? Directional antenna, I get but what is the CH part, please?
Alan McCall said:CH=Critical hours.
Thanks! Now I feel like a proper dunce as opposed to the improper dunce I was before you told me.... I really ought to have known that without having to ask. Oy!
Rare photo of Bob Mansfield broadcasting on WMGA in the early 1950s.http://www.wsgs.com/wmgaradio.jpg
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