WMRN Updates

[boyphenom]

It looks like they may be stunting at least until Sandyworld decides to turns off their translator.
WMRN won't have any coverage in the North OSU campus area until the translator is turned
off so they probably won't start the new format until then.

Why are they wasting their time and money on attorneys on such a fruitless cause? Any moron knows that a translator has to go off if it's in the way of a licensed station. But then again, I remember reading an article about how much money this guy was putting into the signal (I think he said he had $50,000 or $100,000 into it and it wouldn't surprise me) so he probably isn't the smartest businessman in the world to begin with. Sounds like he's going down with the ship -- POOF ... his investment is about to go up in smoke!

Any radio geek should take the time to drive around the area beginning from I-70 east of downtown up through Ohio Rt. 315 and Dodridge St. if they want to hear what two radio signals on top of each other sounds like. I am still amazed that a pea-shooter like that translator can wreak such havok on a decent-sized signal like that of WMRN.

 

[CatFM]

Has anyone heard a legal ID yet to find out what the call sign is? I can't hear it very well because of the translator.

Having two signals on the same frequency like this comes down to one station or the other is operating illegally and is subject to a stiff fine for causing intentional harmful interference...unless the FCC has become so inefficient they have managed to license both stations to operate on 106.7. Their actions regarding both stations should have clearly resolved the matter to the point where only one is currently licensed to operate on that frequency. If the FCC didn't manage to accomplish that, their regulatory authority is useless.

 

[pbf1]

rumba, and viva1067.com-- Not gonna happen. CC doesn't use it.It's pretty much radio.. it sucks. I was hoping for Urban/Rhythmic.

Viva 105.3 Atlanta is CC.

Rumba 100.3 Orlando is CC.

 

[boyphenom]

Has anyone heard a legal ID yet to find out what the call sign is? I can't hear it very well because of the translator.

Having two signals on the same frequency like this comes down to one station or the other is operating illegally and is subject to a stiff fine for causing intentional harmful interference...

Yes, the call sign is "WMRN-Dublin".

I'm sure CC ran this move by its lawyers first before switching the transmitter on. Maybe they turned it on so that they could file a complaint against the translator? Like fighting city hall -- Sandyworld gets buried in legal fees!!!!

 

[gabigley1]

According to the FCC database, the 106.7 FM translator is still licensed. Click here for that document:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=10906

WMRN-FM, 106.7 FM no doubt has the right to sign on the air or they wouldn't have in the first place. They(CC) certainly consulted their FCC attorneys before they sighed on the air without the translator first vacating the frequency. Their FCC attorneys must have given them the green light to do so.

I'm hearing "WMRN-FM Dublin" IDS on 106.7.

 

[bwilliam614]

According to radio-locator.com the 106.7 translator is only 8 watts.

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=W294AH&service=FX

 

[CatFM]

According to the FCC database, the 106.7 FM translator is still licensed. Click here for that document:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=10906

WMRN-FM, 106.7 FM no doubt has the right to sign on the air or they wouldn't have in the first place. They(CC) certainly consulted their FCC attorneys before they sighed on the air without the translator first vacating the frequency. Their FCC attorneys must have given them the green light to do so.

That may well be the case, but unless the FCC screwed up, which is very possible, one of these stations would have to be operating illegally because there is no way the FCC would authorize two stations to use the same frequency like that. The actions by the translator licensee in applying for some sort of reconsideration should not have permitted further operation until some action was taken by the FCC. The grant to CC was made and should be final. Why the FCC would even entertain any objection from Sandyworld is hard to figure. They need to spell it out for the guy that "it's over" and he needs to get over it. The Rules and Regulations are very clear that translators are bottom feeders and are afforded no protection in the case of a full power station being licensed on the same or adjacent frequency. Maybe somebody at the FCC doesn't understand their own Rules and Regulations.

 

[boyphenom]

According to the FCC database, the 106.7 FM translator is still licensed. Click here for that document:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=10906

WMRN-FM, 106.7 FM no doubt has the right to sign on the air or they wouldn't have in the first place. They(CC) certainly consulted their FCC attorneys before they sighed on the air without the translator first vacating the frequency. Their FCC attorneys must have given them the green light to do so.

I'm hearing "WMRN-FM Dublin" IDS on 106.7.

I'm guessing the translator either has to sign off by FCC regs. or it was written in the final order granting the change in city of license.

Driving home tonight on Rt. 104 and points east didn't impress me in terms of signal quality. Maybe its because of the interference, but the signal switched out a lot between mono and full stereo mode ... and my car has a pretty sensitive tuner. It didn't really sound much better than a Class - A rimshot. If they went through all that trouble to bring another crap signal to this market, they should have just left it in Marion!

 

[boyphenom]

According to the FCC database, the 106.7 FM translator is still licensed. Click here for that document:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=10906

WMRN-FM, 106.7 FM no doubt has the right to sign on the air or they wouldn't have in the first place. They(CC) certainly consulted their FCC attorneys before they sighed on the air without the translator first vacating the frequency. Their FCC attorneys must have given them the green light to do so.

That may well be the case, but unless the FCC screwed up, which is very possible, one of these stations would have to be operating illegally because there is no way the FCC would authorize two stations to use the same frequency like that. The actions by the translator licensee in applying for some sort of reconsideration should not have permitted further operation until some action was taken by the FCC. The grant to CC was made and should be final. Why the FCC would even entertain any objection from Sandyworld is hard to figure. They need to spell it out for the guy that "it's over" and he needs to get over it. The Rules and Regulations are very clear that translators are bottom feeders and are afforded no protection in the case of a full power station being licensed on the same or adjacent frequency. Maybe somebody at the FCC doesn't understand their own Rules and Regulations.

Knowing a little something about how the appeal system works, you always have administrative appeal rights. Maybe he is doing all this without an attorney and filing things on his own just to gum up the works? If the only station Sandyworld owns is this translator, then even if the FCC assesses fines then they would probably only go against Sandyworld, wouldn't they? If Sandyworld doesn't have anything else at stake then after he loses the license he can just close up shop and stiff the government on any fines?

 

[CatFM]

I had the same problem in the car with the lousy signal in Upper Arlington, but then I was very close to the translator. My guess is that the signal will be better when the translator is shut down, but I doubt if it will real good. As we discussed in some earlier postings about all of these move-ins, a crappy little signal in a distant market usually ends up still being a crappy little signal in the big market after it has been moved in. That is why the numbers are so pathetic on those stations. They still don't have the signal to compete with the full Class B stations, so what is the point? One has to wonder why those companies willing to settle for a 1 or 2 share after spending all of that money.

 

[boyphenom]

I had the same problem in the car with the lousy signal in Upper Arlington, but then I was very close to the translator. My guess is that the signal will be better when the translator is shut down, but I doubt if it will real good. As we discussed in some earlier postings about all of these move-ins, a crappy little signal in a distant market usually ends up still being a crappy little signal in the big market after it has been moved in. That is why the numbers are so pathetic on those stations. They still don't have the signal to compete with the full Class B stations, so what is the point? One has to wonder why those companies willing to settle for a 1 or 2 share after spending all of that money.

According to the FCC's calculator, 7.3 kw at 180 meters for a Class B1 still makes it a 25kw station, so we'll see how this unfolds.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/fmpower.html#START

I did find another filing that was addressed to the owner of Sandyworld, a Mr. Kurt Tuckerman. Just as I suspected, he is acting without an attorney.

 

[xmusicmatt]

106.7 was on air this morning around 11 am with silence at least in the Dublin/Worthington OH area at the time.

 

[Mark77]

Any chance that someone over here will be able to get some audio of the stunting and eventual flip? It'd be great to hear.

 

[boyphenom]

Any chance that someone over here will be able to get some audio of the stunting and eventual flip? It'd be great to hear.

It's not much of a stunt. They are simply looping TV's Greatest Theme Songs Volumes 1 through whatever, with a woman announcing "Television 106.7" with a semi-catchy tag line every so often. Can't imagine this will go on too long.

 

[dawg4life]

I heard from a very reliable source (yes, I really do have one) how the new "Channel" on 106.7 will "Sound". Let's put it this way, I think CD101 and 97.1 is gonna be a little bit pissed.

 

[xmusicmatt]

I heard from a very reliable source (yes, I really do have one) how the new "Channel" on 106.7 will "Sound". Let's put it this way, I think CD101 and 97.1 is gonna be a little bit pissed.

They should bring back Channel Z

 

[xiradiodotcom]

Observing the signal from Hilliard to Downtown this morning, I can say for certain that any signal problems are being caused by the translator. WMRN is winning the battle for most of Columbus, however.

 

[knowbetter]

Why are they wasting their time and money on attorneys on such a fruitless cause? Any moron knows that a translator has to go off if it's in the way of a licensed station. But then again, I remember reading an article about how much money this guy was putting into the signal (I think he said he had $50,000 or $100,000 into it and it wouldn't surprise me) so he probably isn't the smartest businessman in the world to begin with. Sounds like he's going down with the ship -- POOF ... his investment is about to go up in smoke!

I can't imagine any bottom feeder attorney fooling with this, but it probably just adds up to a case of extortion. Sandyworld probably figures they can get CC to settle in some way, figuring the cost of litigation, but that's really not likely to happen. Truth is, anyone can sue anyone, and can appeal as much as they want.

I suspect the FCC, if they haven't already, will rule in CC's favor, (they have no choice here), and send the guys from Detroit down to shut off the translator, which effectively becomes a pirate station. Additionally, I suspect the tower owner should be concerned, since allowing a pirate to operate on your facility isn't the best form either.

I would hope all stations in the area are ready for an inspection, since if the inspectors have to come here, they will use this as an opportunity to check a few others on the way

Any radio geek should take the time to drive around the area beginning from I-70 east of downtown up through Ohio Rt. 315 and Dodridge St. if they want to hear what two radio signals on top of each other sounds like. I am still amazed that a pea-shooter like that translator can wreak such havok on a decent-sized signal like that of WMRN.

Welcome to FM radio... a little power, a lot of height= a lot of distance.

 

[Radioboy989]

I can't imagine any bottom feeder attorney fooling with this, but it probably just adds up to a case of extortion. Sandyworld probably figures they can get CC to settle in some way,

I have to stand up for Sandyworld after reading that. I've known Tuckerman for many years. I guarantee he is not the extorting kind. He is an idealist that wants to hold on to something. Fruitless or not, the battle has to be fought, likely lost, at which timer he'll say "oh well" and he'll move on to another project. He's a good guy.

 

[boyphenom]

I have to stand up for Sandyworld after reading that. I've known Tuckerman for many years. I guarantee he is not the extorting kind. He is an idealist that wants to hold on to something. Fruitless or not, the battle has to be fought, likely lost, at which timer he'll say "oh well" and he'll move on to another project. He's a good guy.

Its got nothing to do with extorting, it has to do with salvaging what you can out of your investment. Let's say CC has $5 million in that station. That means they need to make at least $500,000 from it every year. If he shuts them down for a few more months he could potentially be costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost profits.

Maybe my numbers are off, but you get the idea. It may make sense for CC to pay him off in order to shut him down. He doesn't really have any other option.