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WPFM on a new stick

C

cceng1

WPFM has moved from the Ch 7 tower where it has been since 1964 when it went on the air as WMAI-FM, to the Ch 13 tower about 8 or so miles South. Just curious how you are receiving it......no smart a$$ remarks about the programming....just curious if you notice any improvement---this is a technical discussion----so Tibbs, no programming rants ;D .....they are about 400 feet higher on the new tower but they had to back their power down but as I have always said, always take antenna height when you can get it.....I have absolutely nothing to do with the project, I am just curious to know if anyone really noticed any improvement.

cceng
 
The signal in Bainbridge this weekend was better than it's been since the early 1990's. I defiantly noticed 107.9 standing out from the rest of the PCB stations but didn't know if perhaps another 107.9 or 107.7 was offline giving WPFM better coverage. Now I know what's up.
Back home in Pensacola and WPFM is just the same, almost not there and fighting for reception with Kicker from Biloxi.
 
I don't know all the details of the swap but I do know they were on their backup jammer for several days while they moved to the new site.......those who have been on the board for a while know why I refer to their backup site as their backup jammer ;)
 
So they were on the air since 1964? What was their original format? I remember seeing the billboards around PC in the early 70s, with a seagull in flight and "New and beautiful... WPFM 108." They started with the beautiful music format, then about 1973-74 they had a split format: beautiful music till 9 pm, then they ran Mutual's "Zero Hour" or some other radio drama, and then played progressive rock from 9:30 pm till around 6 or 7 am. I think it was in '75 they went rock full time.
(I worked for WPFM's sister station 3WQ, now WLTG, in 1982-83, and got canned after Jim "do me a favor" Broaddus sold the stations to Culpepper out of Texas.)
 
they were automated "beautiful music".....the primary purpose of WMAI when it went on the air was to supply Muzak via SCA to customers from Ft Walton to Dothan to Tallahassee and of course, Panama City. Many businesses in the are would sport 20ft masts on top of their building with a 4 or even 8 element FM yagi to pick up Muzak. The station was originally owned by 'Mus-Aire", the area Muzak franchisee.....which was Elbert Dukate. He originally owned 1430 when it went on the air in 1949 and was later sold in the late 60s or early 70s....can't remember the exact details. I know Joe Bruno, who owned (s) Bruno's supermarkets once owned 1430 and 107.9.....just can't remember the exact years that he owned it.

cceng
 
cceng said:
I don't know all the details of the swap but I do know they were on their backup jammer for several days while they moved to the new site.......those who have been on the board for a while know why I refer to their backup site as their backup jammer ;)
Click to expand...

Wow! You've spent years avoiding discussions of Jammin' 92.5 and now you introduce the topic into a thread. I still can't believe you were calm and patient enough to wait for a police escort before you took care of that problem... but that's probably the way Clear Channel San Antonio wanted things handled.
 
I've noticed it's coming in a lot clearer here in Crestview during the day. Usually it's all static during the day and then improves somewhat at night. But it's been pretty solid for a couple of days. I'm guessing the added height is helping with interference.
 
Are they still on low power at this point? I used to get PFM 107.9 here in Crawfordville when they used to be on the WJHG-TV tower. I check im got nothing yet here.
 
The Brunos guys owned the station? Geez, who, except me, hasn't owned that world 's most resold radio station? How much better is is signal upgrade vs. Island 106 or Sunny? PFM has seemed thin and lower in audio since the late 80s, I thought, CCENG. Are you jammin with WPFM?
 
Tibbs2 said:
Geez, who, except me, hasn't owned that world 's most resold radio station?
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We aren't dead or in the nursing home yet Tibbs. One day. One day...

...And when one of us gets it we won't have a clue what to do with it without the Miracle Strip Tower for inspiration.
 
Or the Miracle Strip Amusement Park....and I barely remember the old haunted house castle thing (was it Dracula's Castle or something?) You're right Poledo, we ain't done fir yet. Even the guy who went way up North (and is probably well preserved by freezing eight months a year) probably rode the MSAP Starliner a few hundred times. I know I gin. I mean did. :D.
 
That was Castle Dracula Wax Museum... and there was Petticoat Junction, also long gone, a Walmart in its place. At least Goofy Golf is still there. Now the beach is walled off by condos and more condos... not only along Front Beach Road, but Thomas Drive as well.
 
It's not possible to discuss WPFM without reminiscing over 1980. See what you've started here Charlie. This thread will go on for several more pages after Tibbs starts posting pictures!

You know, if we were all old and crazy and had enough spare cash to buy WPFM we might also have enough resources to build a new Miracle Strip Tower... with lots of neon.... maybe even lasers... and more lasers... and we could display Charlie's vintage strobie collection... maybe even put one of those big Ferris Wheels next to it.... nah, the Ferris Wheel would get in the way of the lasers. And we can't have lasers without Pink Floyd.

We still wouldn't have a clue how to program 107.9 today or in the future... unless we just copped out and started recycling old playlists from circa 1980.
 
Louis_009 said:
Are they still on low power at this point? I used to get PFM 107.9 here in Crawfordville when they used to be on the WJHG-TV tower. I check im got nothing yet here.
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Ah hello I was saying that Are they on low power? I used to get PFM 107.9 in Crawfordville from the old WJHG tower but now you guys said they move to the WMBB tower. So whats the lateset?
 
The new power level looks like 54 kw (54,000 watts) at 390 meters.

I can't pick them up due to WFSD-LP being just under two miles from me.
 
Louis_009 said:
Louis_009 said:
Are they still on low power at this point? I used to get PFM 107.9 here in Crawfordville when they used to be on the WJHG-TV tower. I check im got nothing yet here.
Click to expand...

Ah hello I was saying that Are they on low power? I used to get PFM 107.9 in Crawfordville from the old WJHG tower but now you guys said they move to the WMBB tower. So whats the lateset?
Click to expand...

Isn't there a 107.9 LPFM in the Waukula state forest? Perhaps that's jamming the signal? Or maybe the new antenna is mounted on the side of the WMBB tower and you are in an inadvertent null? WPFM was large and in charge last weekend in SW Georgia so the signal is getting out. WPFM was stopping the seek on my radio while local stations like Gulf 104 and X101.5 were getting skipped over.
 
The Wakulla LPFM is on 96.9. Despite what the FCC database says, it has been silent since 2006.
I went looking for it and there ain't no station at that address. Looked like a residence in the middle of a wooded lot.

Was just going to offer to volunteer out of boredom a few years ago. Stayed home with the grandkids instead.
 
I will check again this weekend to see if i get PFM 107.9. I like that station since they play alot of dance track from Club LaVela at nights.
 
Now I am pissed I cant get WPFM anymore. I listern to them all the time when they used to be 100,000 watts from WJHG's tower utill now I cant anymore since they move the tower to WMBB's tower unless they downgrade the singal to 100,000 to 50,000. Crawfordville is in Wakulla County. Now im hearing static on 107.9 with Rock Music could be Rock 108 from Vadosta Ga. Im serious im not happy with this move.
 
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