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WOSN Interference

A

AlexBrowne

Up here in parts of the Treasure Coast, Ocean FM (WOSN-97.1, Indian River Shores) is getting obliterated by an FM drop-in or low power broadcasting Creole talk. I actually called WOSN to see if they were off-the-air or operating on low power. No, they said. It's a nearby AM station that was granted a translator on 97.1 -- but I can't figure out which one it is. Lots of complaints on WOSN's Facebook page. WOSN says they've complained to the FCC about the interference. Does anybody know any more about the AM station and the situation?
 
Excellent catch, Alex. I looked up WIRA on the web, found a Facebook page and a homemade weebly.com site, but both are way-out-of-date and, and it seems, dead. I think both are left over from the old owners. It still shows "Jazz and Blues," which, from what you have said, and the chatter on WOSN's Facebook Page, that's not the format. The new owners, Caribbean Radio Group, seem to have no web presence, or a Facebook Page I can find for the "new" WIRA.

For a moment, I though that WPBR 1340 might have been the culprit, as they are Haitian language, and I know they have FOUR FM translators . . . but turns out not at 97.1 FM, and none that far north, I was wrong. I mixed it up with their translator at 97.5. Not even close!

But, I just looked on WOSN's Facebook. As of September 21st (at 4.35 PM), three days ago, the 97.1 (W246CP) translator causing the interference is off the air. The WOSN listeners started writing, calling, and petitioned the FCC. For anyone who wants to read up more, WIRA 1400 AM here's the Radio Locator link.
 
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You are correct, Scoundrel. The offending translator is off the air, and WOSN has thanked its listeners on its Facebook page for weighing in with the FCC. The Radio Locator info on the translator indicates that the owners have a CP for another frequency, 104.9. It is not on the air yet, but that would probably not interfere with current local stations in the way the 97.1 translator did.

For those interested in WIRA/Fort Pierce, it appears to be simulcasting WPOM/Riviera Beach's Creole format.
 
The WIRA translator is now on the air at its new frequency, 104.9, and it doesn't appear to be interfering with any other stations in the Port St. Lucie area. All the info indicates that it retains the call letters W246CP as a slight modification, although I thought the FCC would assign new ones to match the new frequency (246 signifies 97.1 after all).
 
And the story concludes: W246CP/Port St. Lucie, the translator of WIRA/Fort Pierce now at 104.9, was issued its new call letters, W285FN, on October 18.
 
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