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WONQ to change formats 5/1

Seems pretty good, but a bit less reggaeton would be more to my liking. Interesting to see a reasonably high powered CHR AM being used to feed the FM translators. Are there any other large markets with a CHR using AM to feed translators on FM?
 
Thanks. CHR on AM. Looks like WSDV has a reasonable signal for 1450.

I think that Orlando might be the largest market with a CHR on a decent signal feeding FM translators.
 
Verified from an SDR tuner in Winter Park, 1030 AM is static right now.

Replying from Chattanooga TN. Technology is great sometimes.

Byron
 
But the translators are still on.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the primary station (in this case AM 1030) is off the air, shouldn't the translators be off the air as well?
 
You can get around that rule if there's a temporary technical failure of some sort. As AM 1030 is typically "on", they're not trying to get away with not having a primary station.
 
True, but I've read quite a few reports about translators staying on the air without their AM for weeks, months and sometimes years at a time till the FCC finds out and steps in.
I once heard a sports talk show host say this once, and it's so true, "it's only illegal if you get caught".
 
FrankF said:
True, but I've read quite a few reports about translators staying on the air without their AM for weeks, months and sometimes years at a time till the FCC finds out and steps in.
I once heard a sports talk show host say this once, and it's so true, "it's only illegal if you get caught".
Click to expand...
Wrestler Buddy Rogers, and later wrestler/governor Jesse Ventura, used to put it this way: "Win if you can. Lose if you must. But always cheat."
 
Whatever the case is or was, I doubt very seriously any of the other local large broadcasters are concerned about these two translators and an AM impacting their revenues anyway. They could leave AM 1030 off the air permanently and literally no one would care.
 
WONQ 1030 is back on the air, but clearly using nighttime power. Wonder if they applied for a daytime power decrease? They certainly would drop the AM altogether if they could.
 
billalm said:
Whatever the case is or was, I doubt very seriously any of the other local large broadcasters are concerned about these two translators and an AM impacting their revenues anyway. They could leave AM 1030 off the air permanently and literally no one would care.
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Yet 1030's owner, George Arroyo, is probably the best Spanish format programmer in the market, having even been PD at NYC Spanish language FMs.
 
CentralFL said:
WONQ 1030 is back on the air, but clearly using nighttime power. Wonder if they applied for a daytime power decrease?
Click to expand...
I'm no longer getting AM 1030 up here in Palatka something must've changed either power decrease or antenna pattern.

Edit: before that I could receive it all the way up to around Jacksonville albeit very faint and staticky
 
Here's some info around the STAs they've filed the past 6-12 months, that may help explain all this.

Back in Dec 2024:
Hurricane Irma severely damaged the WONQ transmission system and the hurricanes of 2023 have only made matters worse, causing additional delays in repairing the transmitter. The Antenna site is located in a swampy, flood zone, and engineers who have surveyed the property have been reluctant to work unless the area is safe. Additionally, there are very few engineers available who are able to do this type of work.
In 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton added additional flooding to the transmitter site, further delaying repairs. However, the licensee has engaged the services of three engineers who are supposed to arrive at the site on December 16 to survey the situation and attempt repairs.
The daytime operation of the station has been restored to licensed values. The station is operating with .425 kilowatts, non-directional, at night instead of the 1.7 kilowatts authorized.
It is respectfully requested that WONQ be granted this request to extend the engineering STA for another six months.
Click to expand...
Essentially, running on an emergency wire antenna.

This was approved until June 18th 2025, and before that expired they filed again and asked for an extension, asking another 180 days to have engineers out to an area with accessibility issues, which I'm sure means having the towers down around any times where work could be going on.

Can't cut and paste that here, for some reason the text bugs out, so the PDF is here below
https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f91975c1bfc0197801aff9c18eb

Found using https://fccdata.org/?facid=&call=WO...=&lmspl=&party_type=ELMFA&latd=&lond=&lang=en

Byron
 


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