What happened to WXLW, 950 AM?
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WXLW
- Thread starter Steppenwolf
- Start date
good question. no signal this afternoon in broad ripple. hmmmm?
A
aquamaniac2
Guest
The word is their transmitter has been down most of the week. There are a few details in this Indy Star article.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006612060425
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006612060425
Called to ask about it and the station said they were replacing the Harris SX-5 and it should be back on the air Friday but was not.
Station also has an MW-5 which has never been operational. Bought used never put on frequency or had power wired to it.
The MW-5 has a long history of good service. The SX-5 is more questionable. Msot engineers dislike it. Let's install a computer in a transmitter and expect it to get hit by lightning on a regular basis. Many times the transmitter would have been operational but the computer control logic was down as a result of static electricity or lightning. The output transistors on the SX blow like a 8 year old bubblegum junkie on a regular basis at this site.
Support for the SX series has been less than good. Harris introduced the same transmitter years later as the Gates series (minus the computer control logic) using a less robust (means more reliable) control circuit.
A newer series transmitter might provide for better sound. The SX modulation has never been a nice clean sound compared to the current Harris transmitters.
Station also has an MW-5 which has never been operational. Bought used never put on frequency or had power wired to it.
The MW-5 has a long history of good service. The SX-5 is more questionable. Msot engineers dislike it. Let's install a computer in a transmitter and expect it to get hit by lightning on a regular basis. Many times the transmitter would have been operational but the computer control logic was down as a result of static electricity or lightning. The output transistors on the SX blow like a 8 year old bubblegum junkie on a regular basis at this site.
Support for the SX series has been less than good. Harris introduced the same transmitter years later as the Gates series (minus the computer control logic) using a less robust (means more reliable) control circuit.
A newer series transmitter might provide for better sound. The SX modulation has never been a nice clean sound compared to the current Harris transmitters.
O
Old Skool
Guest
It blows me away that they are not more concerned about being off the air for a long period of time. In a market as competitive as Indy, how can they not have redundancy?
well im sure the people as ESPN Radio are raising a ruckus for being off the air almost a week now due to WXLW's Transimitter failure. With WXNT having to replace programing thats moving to WISG in 2 weeks tim i'm Sure with the better signal strength of WNXT that ESPN Radio might look into see if there is any intrest from the folks at Entercom. Since ESPN is already unhappy with the folks at WXLW due to the horrible signal WXLW has.
1
11south
Guest
Old Skool said:It blows me away that they are not more concerned about being off the air for a long period of time. In a market as competitive as Indy, how can they not have redundancy?
When you bill as little as $40K a month or so, it is difficult to afford redundancy. I understand their phyisical plant is in pretty bad shape.
Quite frankly, the transmitter site land is probably worth more than the station. There comes a point where you must consider eternal slumber for the frequency with visions of a new CVS or something on the land.
The current owners were advised by a trusted advisor that 950 and 95.9 were good purchases. As we have seen in other posts, the trusted advisors didn't know what they were talking about:
1. The 950 signal stinks, and always will. Shirk owns the land, I think, and that complicates matters. It can't be moved much because of NIMBY issues, price for land somewhere to hold multiple towers, further signal degradation due to FCC rules regarding major changes to directional array, etc.
2. The 95.9 signal has little upgrade potential because of 2nd adjacent channel issues with both WHHH and WFMS.
11south said:Old Skool said:It blows me away that they are not more concerned about being off the air for a long period of time. In a market as competitive as Indy, how can they not have redundancy?
When you bill as little as $40K a month or so, it is difficult to afford redundancy. I understand their phyisical plant is in pretty bad shape.
Quite frankly, the transmitter site land is probably worth more than the station. There comes a point where you must consider eternal slumber for the frequency with visions of a new CVS or something on the land.
The current owners were advised by a trusted advisor that 950 and 95.9 were good purchases. As we have seen in other posts, the trusted advisors didn't know what they were talking about:
1. The 950 signal stinks, and always will. Shirk owns the land, I think, and that complicates matters. It can't be moved much because of NIMBY issues, price for land somewhere to hold multiple towers, further signal degradation due to FCC rules regarding major changes to directional array, etc.
2. The 95.9 signal has little upgrade potential because of 2nd adjacent channel issues with both WHHH and WFMS.
Hood bought the land from Shirk. What a great thing to own when the new owners don't understand they need the land and as renters the landlord holds the leash on their future.
Station could have been a two tower array in the 1950's but Lyman Ayres was convinced by engineers to use 3 towers.
Never trust the seller. Never trust the seller. never trust the seller.
Get opinions from others. Many knew this deal stunk and even called. They have my number.
Engineering reports exist that show these problems existed. is this like buying a house in that you must disclose potential problems?
The FM is the same case. "We can move to downtown Indianapolis and have applied to move..." Station is landlocked as a pre 1964 allocation and can't move an inch. Again - reports document this.
The Am can be saved if worth the trouble. New antenna designs would allow the kintronic antenna (75 foot tall whips to be used. Ground system still required. New FCC Rules allow a fix for this. How long this will last we don't know.
If the rent is too high (beyond licensee control) and there is no land available move it under an STA. Even if omnidirectional 1250 watts can be used as long as it doesn't interfere with anything. Don't know how much of the PSSA or PSA power could be used.
Given ground conductivity measurments towards the North the array might be moved to less expensive land North or West.
Jack Mullaney is the best AM engineer out there, Munn Reese is good also. Either could suggest a route to save this but the question remains : 1) Leave it off and work on the FM or 2: Fix the monthly money drain by spending money now (land and new array) to save money over the next 10 years.
If ESPN isn't on 1430 next week i would be amazed. We need a Southern Gospel AM station. Old people don't stay up after dark. I bet they all eat at that Southside Restaurant. Good luck.
I wonder what the selling price of WXLW would be. Any ideas?
1
11south
Guest
CityRadio91.9 said:I wonder what the selling price of WXLW would be. Any ideas?
If you use a multiple of cash flow formula it would be a negative number. With the transmitter land being owned by another party, actual stick value might be a negative number.
I wonder if they could diplex off of 1430, 1260, 1310, or 1500 sites?
K
Kobayashi_Maru
Guest
>> I wonder if they could diplex off of 1430, 1260, 1310, or 1500 sites?
The only array that is even close is 1430's and it still ain't no cigar. XL need a north/south array (or at least an array capable of generating a north/south pattern) and none of the other arrays (except WKWH Shelbyville, which is too far east and south) would render satisfactory results. If they operated it under an STA at 1200 watts omni, it would kill that southern lobe's massive reach and be of little or no value.
I know that parcel of land is worth a bunch, but the TX site isn't the problem. It's the transmitter.
A previous poster was right about one thing: WXLW's signal is the best of Indy stations to the south. Much stronger in Franklin, Columbus and Seymour than WIBC. Back in the 70's, WXLW got huge numbers in Johnson and Bartholomew Counties. They still have a killer signal down south, at least when they are on the air.
The bottom line is, they need to get the TX fixed and get back on the air.
The only array that is even close is 1430's and it still ain't no cigar. XL need a north/south array (or at least an array capable of generating a north/south pattern) and none of the other arrays (except WKWH Shelbyville, which is too far east and south) would render satisfactory results. If they operated it under an STA at 1200 watts omni, it would kill that southern lobe's massive reach and be of little or no value.
I know that parcel of land is worth a bunch, but the TX site isn't the problem. It's the transmitter.
A previous poster was right about one thing: WXLW's signal is the best of Indy stations to the south. Much stronger in Franklin, Columbus and Seymour than WIBC. Back in the 70's, WXLW got huge numbers in Johnson and Bartholomew Counties. They still have a killer signal down south, at least when they are on the air.
The bottom line is, they need to get the TX fixed and get back on the air.
Hood bought the land from Shirk. What a great thing to own when the new owners don't understand they need the land and as renters the landlord holds the leash on their future.
Rev. Hood personally told me that he inherited WXLW from someone named Eddie Sears. Rev. Hood said that in Eddie Sears' will, Sears bequeathed the station to Rev. Hood at no cost.
Rev. Hood personally told me that he inherited WXLW from someone named Eddie Sears. Rev. Hood said that in Eddie Sears' will, Sears bequeathed the station to Rev. Hood at no cost.
Bill Shirk from when ever i remember ran WXLW prior to the SIgnon's of WHHH in the early 90's and WGGR in 94/95 range and the Purchase of WIRE Leabonon in 2000 prior to selling off WHHH/WGGR which by then was WBKS/WIRE by then was WYJZ off to Radio one but kept WXLW and then sold WXLW off to Hood. then i remember Hood selling off WXLW to Jonathon Byrd
So Shirk owned XL when he owned WHHH and WBKS? I didn't quite follow you there, Mike. I am curious, though.
Speaking of WGGR, I always wondered if those calls were a play off of Cincinnati's WGRR. Both stations played oldies at the time.
Speaking of WGGR, I always wondered if those calls were a play off of Cincinnati's WGRR. Both stations played oldies at the time.
Apollo7979 said:Speaking of WGGR, I always wondered if those calls were a play off of Cincinnati's WGRR. Both stations played oldies at the time.
WGGR was but another example of Bill Shirk's "humor"... They often referred to themselves as "Greater Greenwood Radio".
...And I have some recollection that those calls may have been the "originals" assigned to 106.7
Did Shirk build it from a CP he purchased, or did he aquire it later? I seem to remember the former WWWY Columbus owner, Ed Roelling having something to do with that Docket 80-90 drop-in? I'm "fuzzy" on its history.
hipporadio said:WGGR was but another example of Bill Shirk's "humor"... They often referred to themselves as "Greater Greenwood Radio".
Didn't Bill inherit those calls with the LMA from Mary Hotopp?
Apollo7979 said:So Shirk owned XL when he owned WHHH and WBKS? I didn't quite follow you there, Mike. I am curious, though.
Speaking of WGGR, I always wondered if those calls were a play off of Cincinnati's WGRR. Both stations played oldies at the time.
WGGR We're Greater Greenwood Radio!
If you recall the station was supposed to be "The Bear" before Sesquehanna bought Butler's 104.5.
Along with all the stupid Bear names the call letters had to "Growl."
Kobayashi_Maru said:>> I wonder if they could diplex off of 1430, 1260, 1310, or 1500 sites?
The only array that is even close is 1430's and it still ain't no cigar. XL need a north/south array (or at least an array capable of generating a north/south pattern) and none of the other arrays (except WKWH Shelbyville, which is too far east and south) would render satisfactory results. If they operated it under an STA at 1200 watts omni, it would kill that southern lobe's massive reach and be of little or no value.
I know that parcel of land is worth a bunch, but the TX site isn't the problem. It's the transmitter.
A previous poster was right about one thing: WXLW's signal is the best of Indy stations to the south. Much stronger in Franklin, Columbus and Seymour than WIBC. Back in the 70's, WXLW got huge numbers in Johnson and Bartholomew Counties. They still have a killer signal down south, at least when they are on the air.
The bottom line is, they need to get the TX fixed and get back on the air.
STA power is 25% of your licensed power. I used to listen to the array when working properly in French Lick. A working array at 1250 Watts would cover Indy and Greenwood.
The Shelbyville array wouldn't work because the WXLW theoretical signal North is 15 watts. When working properly you can't hear it at 71st and Michigan.
When Lyman Ayres built it he wanted to cover Indy not the cowpiles in Northern marion County. Carmel didn't exist as an area to serve.
Air photographs of the array at it's current site show nothing but pasture in 1959.
15 watts into 1250 watts might help Noethside coverage.
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