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WPCM 920 am Moving to 95.1

The aux antenna onTower Drive came crashing down along with the self-supporting tower. When it was rebuilt, CMG put up a folded unipole without the aux FM bays. The back up for the FM is also on the mtn.
 
I remember seeing a picture of the original self-supporter at that facility back in 2001, but didn't realize it had collapsed. What year did that happen and was it weather related?
 
The PCM tower musr have gone down around 1988 or 89. I was on the air at WBAG at that moment. Weather was horrible. Straight line winds. Wondered why we never got an EBS signal. I live near tower Drive, so I saw that the stick had pretty much bent in half. Larry Allen got the AM back on the air before too long. Think he strung up a dipole to what was left of the tower.
 
To clarify the title of this post, 920 AM cannot turn off it's signal. There would be nothing for 95.1 to translate. So they are not "moving". 920's daytime signal ain't bad for 5kw.
 
WBAG had the same opportunity as PCM to get a translator and from what I hear felt it was not necessary. Hard to believe in this day in time that an AM operator does not feel he or she would be better off with an FM signal. Can't say that Joe Gray is his father's son!
 
I caught them testing 95.1 monday morning, no on air mentions of 95.1 by mid afternoon the signal was gone, it was still very listenable in nearby mebane
 
tothedj said:
In regard to the protection of low power FM's, this is something the FCC should have considered when these translator licenses were handed out, what they should have done for AM's to migrate to FM, is expand the FM band which has been considered, this ought to have been done years ago, which would have meant stations like WPCM, WSJS, WBAG, WCHL, and many others could had a better signal and made a difference for listeners.
Regarding 920 going to "Classic Country", that would be a good idea.
Click to expand...
Definitely. WBRF probably doesn't have much of a signal in that area. WTOB has the beach covered, if you're on the west side.
 
vchimpanzee said:
tothedj said:
In regard to the protection of low power FM's, this is something the FCC should have considered when these translator licenses were handed out, what they should have done for AM's to migrate to FM, is expand the FM band which has been considered, this ought to have been done years ago, which would have meant stations like WPCM, WSJS, WBAG, WCHL, and many others could had a better signal and made a difference for listeners.
Regarding 920 going to "Classic Country", that would be a good idea.
Click to expand...
Definitely. WBRF probably doesn't have much of a signal in that area. WTOB has the beach covered, if you're on the west side.
Click to expand...



WHAT BEACH does WTOB have covered??? Salem Mudhole?? Are you nuts.... Ya can't even pick WTOB up 18 miles Southeast of the transmitter???????
 
BIG APE said:
vchimpanzee said:
tothedj said:
In regard to the protection of low power FM's, this is something the FCC should have considered when these translator licenses were handed out, what they should have done for AM's to migrate to FM, is expand the FM band which has been considered, this ought to have been done years ago, which would have meant stations like WPCM, WSJS, WBAG, WCHL, and many others could had a better signal and made a difference for listeners.
Regarding 920 going to "Classic Country", that would be a good idea.
Click to expand...
Definitely. WBRF probably doesn't have much of a signal in that area. WTOB has the beach covered, if you're on the west side.
Click to expand...



WHAT BEACH does WTOB have covered??? Salem Mudhole?? Are you nuts.... Ya can't even pick WTOB up 18 miles Southeast of the transmitter???????
Click to expand...


Maybe at night but wtob covers the entire triad during the day pretty well.... I have no problem getting them in salsbury.. Burlington.. Mocksville.. mount airy or eden
 
On my trip today from the Triad to the Triangle, I listened to 95.1 from about 15 miles (according to signs on 40) out of Burlington static free. To their credit, they mention both frequencies (a lot of operators seem to forget the AM once the FM translator is on the air.) Light voice tracking with Charlie Brown. Standard tight 60s/70s playlist except for an occasional beach tune and 80s tune. I'm all for variety but I did not think the particular beach or 80s tunes fit sonically (ie: Houston's Saving All My Love For You). The station voice is Jeff Laurence who used to do KIX 102.9 (essentially another Curtis station). Some elements were cut off and a music bed ran for a very long time but overall, I would say WPCM is a pretty well executed automated station. My only suggestion would be to give the processing a bit more energy. BTW: 95.1 did not "fight" with 95.3 as I thought it might. On the return trip, 95X really carried tonight - well past Greensboro.
 
Loads better than WTOB but pretty nondescript overall. Functional but no real production value or showmanship. You can definitely tell that these folks today did not experience radio in the 60's and 70's when radio was boss. And yes...I did hear something like "Washed Ashore" segued cold in to "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney, bringing things to a screeching halt.
 
I was passing through Burlington again and listening to 95.1 tonight. Something about the audio just wasn't quite right. This had me wonder: do translators have to literally rebroadcast the home station's signal? In other words, does the audio that goes into 95.1's processor come from an AM receiver (of 920). Are we listening to mono FM?
 
The translator can be fed straight microwave.

The issue is that when you're on AM you don't have to care much about your audio chain. Problems that never were apparent on AM are very obvious on FM.
 
Betcha the management of the AM competition in Burlington are kicing themselves in the butt for not taking the lead on this translator thing and getting a translator for their station. Don Curtis has driven the price of translators up in the market and if you recently read he has purchased another translator for WSJS in Winston-Salem for 150,000. Gotta give Don credit for moving forward with these FM's and spending the money to give them the opportunity to become profitable.
 
I don't know the guy but I'm impressed he addressed the issue. Most don't bother, they don't have to.


kraziguy said:
Found this on the "Beach Party Radio" Facebook page....

I felt the need to share this status from the Big Time Party Band regarding WPCM, Oldies & Beach, 920AM. I knew they were returning to the FM dial but thought they were doing so well that they were bringing Carolina Beach Music with them when they migrated. I have listened to & followed this station for decades given it has been a part of my hometown. To learn this is truly disheartening to me.

Rest assured that even though our radio show/station is not on the FM dial, we will work to bring you the BEST in Carolina Beach Music and oldies! We love this music & this is the music that other genres have been born of. See More
Are we losing our local 24 hour "Beach Music" station?? Here is a response letter written to a friend from Phil Zachary, President of Curtis Media who owns WPCM, 920 AM in Burlington.

Thank you for taking the time to write your concerns about the lack of true Carolina Beach Music on WPCM. Since it was I who made the decision to adjust the music, I'll take responsiblity for your displeasure.

I've been with Curtis Media Group for 11 years, and I couldn't be more proud of the place WPCM has earned with the Beach Music community. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you know, Alamance County is growing, changing, welcoming new residents who don't have that deep passion for the songs you love, and the station's ratings have been consistently slipping. In addition, WPCM will soon be on the FM dial at 95.1. This opens a fresh, new opportunity for the station to grow its audience and reach more listeners for our advertisers. Ultimately, that means we'll need to become more mass appeal in playing songs most everyone knows and loves. We'll still have Beach Music on the weekends and sprinkled throughout the weekdays, so rest assured that won't change.

I'm sorry you didn't receive a more prompt response. This is the first time the matter was brought to my attention.

Thank you, again, for writing and listening.

Phil Zachary
President
Curtis Media Group
Click to expand...
 
I haven't taken the time to listen but how much has the music changed?

I'm going to keep providing updates from the oldies station in my area. Most of the songs I hear at the two-year college where it is the audio on the college's cable channel, which plays on a TV outside the library. My clock radio that wakes me up to wash clothes is on this station but only so I can be sure it will be clear enough even in winter, and my only other choice is that station with the narrow-minded preacher on Saturday morning. Both stations do community news and information in a simulcast during the week.

Most recently I have heard "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Oh, Pretty Woman".
 
Joe Gray has got to be ready to have a cat! His long time rival is now on FM and he will be left to pick up the ad crumbs that are left after the Curtis vultures pick the market clean.
 
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