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WQCR, WZGX, WBYE Updates

passtheword

passtheword

It appears the simulcast between WQCR in Alabaster and WZGX in Bessemer has ended. I was scanning the dial about a wk ago and noticed they were offering separate programming. WZGX is still offering regional mexican, while WQCR is airing what appears to be mostly Spanish AC (Romantica is what I believe it's called...not entirely sure since I'm not very familiar with spanish-language formats, nor do I speak Espanol. :)

Also, I noticed that WBYE in Calera is no longer on the air, after running a dead carrier for about a month. I live in Calera and am not too far from the station's studios and tower. In fact, I can usually see their tower lights from my back porch. Last night, I couldn't see the lights from the tower, but sometimes the trees obstruct my view of that area. I went by the high school last night to pick up my kids from the football game and looked for the tower since it's clearly visible from the school parking lot. The tower lights were completely out!! :eek:

It's kinda sad seeing the station fall by the wayside, since my Dad worked as a DJ at WBYE in the early 70's. Growing up, my family and I would listen to the station a lot, and we were accustomed to seeing quite a bit of WBYE publicity items hanging around our house.
 
I'm also sad to read this about WBYE. I have a cousin who lived in Birmingham, then later she ended up living in Calera. This was during a time it was apparently a country station.

If the tower is taller than 200 feet, the tower owner legally has to keep the lights on, even if the station has gone dark. I note that WBYE's license is now deleted. I hate when that happens..
 
Are any of Progressive's other stations operating? Or have they all vanished? It seems to me that they had one in Florida, but I can't seem to find it.
 
WQCR is now running "Juan" which is a Spanish-language version of "Jack - Playing what we want" formats.

Re: WBYE - I visited that station back in 1998 or 1999. A really friendly announcer was playing country music for truck drivers and he had a CB radio installed in the studio to communicate with his audience. Anyone remember his name?
 
stereolane said:
Is Progressive's other AL station, WDLK Dadeville, still operating?
Click to expand...

The last time I heard anything about this station was June of last year, it had come back on with a classic country format. No idea if it's still on today, but there have been no STAs filed that I'm aware of.
 
It (WDLK) has been back silent for about a year now... They were on the air just long enough to keep their license active.

-Travis
 
Now for the latest on WBYE.  This info is courtesy of some traveling I did, while I was going to Birmingham today.  The top light on the tower was bent and not flashing at all.  It looked like the power line that ran to the front of the building was cut off and hanging down. The shades in the front door was pulled down completely.  No one was present at the building.  Didn't tune in today because I wasn't driving.  It would've been a wasted check anyway.  ...And the building still looks like it's in need of major remodeling.  The pepsi sign is still fading real bad too.  So sad to see them, get into this kind of shape.  Oh well, when you don't take care of things, it will end up this way.

R.D.P. <><
 
If WBYE is gone for good, what will become of that property?  Will someone come along and tear down that facility?  Will the FCC put this frequency up for an auction?  Or will the facility sit there and just go to waste?  Just wondering.

R.D.P. <><

P.S. It's sad to see what has become of this great radio station.  I know it's heartbreaking for you to look at it now, passtheword.  All those memories you have of that facility have now gone down the drain completely. 
 
I don't see WVFG or WBFZ going anywhere now.

As of this post they are working on becoming fully licensed again.

WBYE AM 1370 was a 1000 watt Daytime station in Calera.

I don't see them coming back anytime soon.

WYVC is gone for good. 

Mr. Zach recently reported this: In October of 2012 a petition for reconsidering for the license was dismissed, and the call sign was officially deleted from the FCC records.

R.D.P. <><
 
I'm still waiting for some sort of explanation as to what happened with WBYE and Progressive United Communications. It's almost like these folks vanished into thin air. There must have been some incident or event that caused this. At one point, they had some money. Owners lived near Orlando. Somebody here must know something.
 
If the owners of Progressive United live/still live near Orlando, someone on the Orlando board may know what happened with them. The only other station I know of they owned, WDLK in Dadeville, has been off and on the air for several years now.

-Travis
 
As of today, WBYE is back on the air...albeit running just a dead carrier as was the case several weeks ago before the signal completely disappeared. I was at the high school tonight dropping my kids off for the football game, and I noticed that the lights on the station's tower are back on.
 
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