• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

x107.1 New Translator

Re:

That proposed 107.1 CP will never be built, I'm thinking. I suspect it was simply filed with the FCC to prevent someone from dropping in another translator on the same frequency NE of town. I don't see Cox giving up the strong coverage they currently enjoy in midtown & downtown.

You are absolutely correct that translators are not protected vis-a-vis licensed Class A / B / C stations.

That being said, a full power station on 106.5 FM in the heart of the metro would have no effect whatsoever on 107.1's continued ability to broadcast from its current TX site. The requisite spacing requirements would be met. There are already multiple examples of translators in town that broadcast just 0.4 MHz down the dial from a Class C or Class C0 blowtorch.
 
If Mark W is correct, then I really wonder why Cumulus didn't move 106.7 to 106.5 and an in-town tower? Cox is going to downgrade 97.1 by about 261 meters and the class C protection. It will be C1 and IMHO the reception out I 20 west of 285 and around Peachtree city will suffer. There have been postings about the existing big tower having very expensive issues, so this most likely is a financial decision. But the 106.7's filing:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101503193&formid=301&fac_num=48727

should have really increased the population in WYAY's 60 DB.
 
If Mark W is correct, then I really wonder why Cumulus didn't move 106.7 to 106.5 and an in-town tower? Cox is going to downgrade 97.1 by about 261 meters and the class C protection. It will be C1 and IMHO the reception out I 20 west of 285 and around Peachtree city will suffer. There have been postings about the existing big tower having very expensive issues, so this most likely is a financial decision. But the 106.7's filing:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101503193&formid=301&fac_num=48727

should have really increased the population in WYAY's 60 DB.

Cumulus withdrew their application because in order to use a FM frequency you must be able to demonstrate to the FCC there is an area to locate that is fully spaced mileage wise to all other stations even if that location is not used for actual transmitter site . They were unable to do so. Most industry folks in the know think a part of the multiple station plan was derailed. Stations from Chattanooga to Macon impacted the possibility and somewhere along the way a part fell apart.
 
Cumulus owns 106.5 in Chattanooga, and CC's WQBZ has a CP to move their tower farther south:

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WQBZ&service=FM&status=C&hours=U

Any engineer (who does this kind of stuff) should have figured this out. I would hate to answer to shareholders why I have to withdraw a CP filing because of shoddy engineering.

INHO: It might have taken a directional antenna but even a class C1 in town most likely would have better building penetration.
 
I need the engineers on the board to chime in on this please. I went up to Sandy Springs/Roswell a few days ago and I don't think the problem with the signal overlap between the translator and main tower has anything to do with the actual signal. First, on your car stereo, set 105.7 and 96.7 on different presets next to each other. You will notice two things: 1 - Unless it's changed in the last 24 hours, 96.7 is about 5 seconds ahead of 105.7. Obviously that is not a problem with 107.1 signals. 2- The sound on 96.7 is lower than 105.7. Now, on 107.1, where the two signals overlap (translator & main tower), it almost seems like the poor quality is not signal as much as it is simply the sound quality of one signal sounding different (louder or lower) vs the other signal. Traveling Holcomb Bridge from Norcross to old Roswell, I noticed in Norcross, the signal was fine. Once I reached the river on Holcomb Bridge (East Roswell line), the quality of 107.1 started to sound awful. It was like mono and stereo were having it out but that is not the issue. I believe the issue is that 107.1 translator is slightly louder than 107.1 main signal out of Rockmart and this is causing the quality to sound awful in areas where the two signals overlap. Thoughts on that?

Also, 107.1 (main tower) has a CP. I believe that CP has been executed and completed because the signal is no longer as clear in Carrollton. Per Radio-Locator, the signal for CP is moved to the south but directional to the north (I think). Anyone know for sure? I'm assuming the move for the translator being pushed further into Dekalb County has not taken place yet.
 
It’s been over 20 years since I have touched a transmitter but, here are some possibilities:

The 105.7 96.7 time difference could be from 96.7 using an internet tunneling protocol for the STL. If 105.7 is using HD then there could be the digital translation HD delay.

The 107.1 signal issues are many. 106.7 is a full class C and has some second adjacent protection except for Low Power community FM’s (100 watts or less). I still feel that this is the reason Cumulus pulled the 106.7 to 106.5 in town CP a couple of years ago was to limit any one upgrading 107.1 or the translator. (Cumulus would have to move 106.5 Chattanooga which to 106.7 but they own 106.5 WSKZ too. Market #9 commercials sell for a lot more than Chattanooga.) Plus you have 107.5 in the equation too. What really needs to happen is massive frequency and city of license swap in the Southeast. Class C’s should be assigned to cover and have signal protection to SMAs only.

IMHO the only way to make 107.1 “work” is to severely downgrade the main 107.1 and max out the 107.1 translator. But then someone could then figure out some way to move in a suburban allocation closer on 107.1. and “take” the channel.
 
Cumulus owns 106.5 in Chattanooga, and CC's WQBZ has a CP to move their tower farther south:

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WQBZ&service=FM&status=C&hours=U

Any engineer (who does this kind of stuff) should have figured this out. I would hate to answer to shareholders why I have to withdraw a CP filing because of shoddy engineering.


INHO: It might have taken a directional antenna but even a class C1 in town most likely would have better building penetration.


A former ABC/Citadel/Cumulus engineer (I will not mention his screen name) once posted here that they once tried to move to 106.5, and that what prevented it was a station that was neither WSKZ nor WQBZ. As I recall, it was a station in Alabama.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom