With the dawn of the new year, it’s time to bring back our semi-regular look at recent FCC applications for station upgrades and granted Construction Permits.
LKCM Radio’s Texas Country “95.9 The Ranch” has completed its upgrade and move closer to the Dallas/Fort Worth market. Previously licensed to Mineral Wells where it operated with 80kW at 329 meters, the station has relicensed to Jacksboro with 100kW at 425 meters.
Just northeast of Boston, Westport Communications’ Classic Hits “North Shore 104.9” WBOQ Gloucester, MA has moved slightly to the west increasing the potential amount of listeners over its coverage area. The station goes from 3.2kW at 136 meters to 6kW at 98 meters. The station is nulled away from Boston to protect 105.1 WWLI Providence.
93.7 WQGR North Madison, OH has had a modification to its Construction Permit approved. The South Shore Broadcasting station will serve the eastern suburbs of Cleveland with 6kW at 79 meters. As Ohio Media Watch has reported, all indications are for the station to be branded as “Cougar 93.7” upon launch.
Translators
In the north Chicago suburbs, MB Capital Management has purchased 106.3 W292DJ Lake Bluff, IL from Calvary Radio Network for $265,800. As part of the sale, the translator has applied to move to Arlington Heights where it will upgrade from 11 to 250 watts. The translator will be fed from Univision’s 105.1 WOJO-HD3, via lease.
Family Radio’s 97.7 W249BD West View, PA has amended its application to relocate to 88.7 with a new tower site south of Pittsburgh. Now the translator wishes to remain on its current tower but slide to 97.9. It would remain operating with 19 watts at 86 meters.
Clear Channel’s 94.9 W235AV Tatnuck, MA has applied to move its facilities into Worcester where it will operate with 220 watts. As part of the move, the translator will shift from rebroadcasting News/Talk 580 WTAG Worcester to a subchannel of 94.5 WJMN Boston.
Clear Channel will also add a new signal in Sussex County, NJ with the upgrade of 102.9 W275AT Four Corners, NJ. The translator will relocate to Newton where it will rebroadcast a subchannel of 103.7 WNNJ. The facility move will see the translator go from 100 watts at -68.2 meters on 102.9 to 103.1 witha directional 250 watts at 63 meters above average terrain.
EMF Broadcasting is looking to move 92.9 W225AM Middleton Township, OH into Toledo with 27 watts. The translator rebroadcasts EMF’s Christian AC “K-Love” via 96.9 WNKL Wauseon, OH.
Danbury Community Radio’s 97.9 W250AA Naugatuck, CT was displaced when Clear Channel moved WUCS in Hartford last year. Now the translator has applied to relocate to 92.1 where it will increase power from 55 to 99 watts. It will continue to rebroadcast 93.3 WFAR Danbury.
Clear Channel has launched 93.9 K230AF Kirtland, NM has a simulcast of “Fox Sports 1340” KCQL Farmington.
WBOQ has hinted at a future facilities change. Maybe a switch to non-directional operation if they can squeeze WRBB-FM at Nofrtheastern U off-the-air? People keep saying that a “Class D” has no status if a “full-power” operator flrexes its muscle. When WFNX-FM 101.7 was on the WLYN-AM tower, it was non-directional while first adjacent to a Providence FM. WBOQ is farther away from its first adjacent FM in Providence. Scott Fybush may clear that up Monday if things go well at home, which I hope they do.
WBOQ cannot point its signal further south not because of WRBB, but because of WWLI. WRBB survives because of that, but it has no control over what happens because of that Class D license.