Rip wgft-am 1330 1963-2013

Bernard has thrown in the towel:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101598575&formid=910&fac_num=74164

They didn't throw in the towel they have asked for an extension to remain silent. It looks like there was an error when Bernard attempted to file the extension through the electronic database.

Skip's translator application was granted earlier this week so he can begin to build the translator and fix the WGFT site for operations. I'm guessing he was waiting for the translator application to be granted a Construction Permit before fixing WGFT. However he is going to be getting into bad weather soon and there could be delays unless some of the outdoor work has been done at the WGFT site.

what does Notification of Suspension of Operations mean?

The station actually dates back to 1957 when it was a daytimer at 1570 AM.

At some point, either WASN or WGFT will have to hand their license over. One could feasibly survive if it feeds an FM translator, but the other simply cannot.

aguyinradio said:

They didn't throw in the towel they have asked for an extension to remain silent. It looks like there was an error when Bernard attempted to file the extension through the electronic database.

Skip's translator application was granted earlier this week so he can begin to build the translator and fix the WGFT site for operations. I'm guessing he was waiting for the translator application to be granted a Construction Permit before fixing WGFT. However he is going to be getting into bad weather soon and there could be delays unless some of the outdoor work has been done at the WGFT site.

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Skip and Mike (froggy's engineer/jamz engineer) have been doing work on and deciding WGFT's fate since June as they were on the fence if they were going to keep the station or turn it off for good as the cost of fixing both WGFT and WASN is too much. I was told that one of the two goes off for good and Skip takes the FM translator and pairs it with the AM that is cheaper to fix as Christine (bernard's CEO) does not want to spend money on the two remaining AM's in Y-town.

She for years wanted to shut off 1330 but Skip has found some way to keep them going as he for at least 3 years planning on buying the Y-town radio group as a retirement gift as his family along side Helen are from the region and he wanted to settle here.

WGFT was only listed as the rebroadcast for 94.3/93.7 for paper purposes.

Whether the STA goes past FEB it all depends on if Skip was able to get the right price on the required "fixes" for WGFT as the signal does not go into the right pattern (way out of phase), the site is not secured to FCC standards, and some of the copper ground system is gone.

Also at one point I heard that the new owner of WHTX and WYCL was trying to place a offer for 1330 and 1500 and Skip balked based on the low offer.

It looks like they called the FCC when they couldn't files via the electronic system and the FCC guided them to filing a different way. It looks like it is an extension to stay silent but filed a different way.

I also heard the the new owner of WHTX and WYCL kicked the tires around on buying the stations. They can't be surprised by the low offers the stations are not worth that much. I wouldn't mind offering them ten grand and finding a frequency to put a translator on. Do you know what is wrong with both sites? And how much it would cost to fix them? I heard that the WASN site was in better shape than the WGFT site?

aguyinradio said:

It looks like they called the FCC when they couldn't files via the electronic system and the FCC guided them to filing a different way. It looks like it is an extension to stay silent but filed a different way.

I also heard the the new owner of WHTX and WYCL kicked the tires around on buying the stations. They can't be surprised by the low offers the stations are not worth that much. I wouldn't mind offering them ten grand and finding a frequency to put a translator on. Do you know what is wrong with both sites? And how much it would cost to fix them? I heard that the WASN site was in better shape than the WGFT site?

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I know for the past 4 years WGFT has been out of phase, not secure no fence around the site (FCC violation), a transmitter that is on its last legs, and some of the copper wire was stolen. Skip priced a total remake at 75,000 if he went to one firm. If he pieced it together, 30,000 but that involves cutting corners.

I know Wes from cumulus, the retired engineer Jim from clear channel (WGFT's old transmitter engineer) and Mike tried to fix the the phase with no success last summer.

WASN had its ground system stolen (similar to WYCL) and it needs to be replaced. Other than that it is in good shape despite being a day timer that operates on critical hours. Its transmitter is from its sign on in 1976 about the same age as WGFT's transmitter.

The on-going problem with both sites is the location as both are not in "safe and friendly" locations as both are prone to be either non secure (WASN is near McKevley Lake) with nothing around it, or a area known from crime (WGFT site) so there is a chance if whatever does get done, someone will just steal it.

Unless Skip sent the studio equipment to FT Wayne (that is when the jamz 101.9 van went) somewhere in Youngstown there is 4 audio boards(including a brand new Arrakis ARC-10 board) new mics for WGFT and 3 old scott studios from 2004. The old studio at 20 federal plaza is now offices for VXI (human resources).

After Mr.Lash priced his AM's to at the time 75,000, Skip and Chris raised his price from 25,000 for WASN and 35,000 for WGFT (higher only due to it not having critical hours) as they felt they could get that kind of money as well.

I have an idea where the sites are and you are right they are not in the best of neighborhoods! You bring up a good point where has the studio equipment gone? Whoever buys the station next needs to build a studio for it! I'm my opinion that only devalues the station more especially if none of that equipment is included in the sale. Ground systems can be expensive to replace but it sounds like WASN is the best site rehab at this point if the repairs there aren't too costly you can always replace the transmitter down the road if it's in decent shape to run now but it might be time to put a fence up and take extra security measures!

Too bad there isn't a local "radio geek" who could cheaply buy the station, bring it back on the air, and perhaps provide something truly different (i.e., a Cleveland version of Boston's Bob Bittner, who has owned little WJIB-740 for almost 20 years).

Joseph_Gallant said:

Too bad there isn't a local "radio geek" who could cheaply buy the station, bring it back on the air, and perhaps provide something truly different (i.e., a Cleveland version of Boston's Bob Bittner, who has owned little WJIB-740 for almost 20 years).

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There is, to a degree, a Cleveland version of WJIB already in existence... Kensington High School's WKHR/91.5.

1330, 1500, 1540, & 1570:

Even if you spent the hundreds of thousands of dollars per station it would take to fix their antenna systems & replace poor or missing studio/transmitter equipment, in order bring the stations back to even marginal working order, you'd still have....

4 low-powered AMs that have limited market-wide coverage due to multi-tower directional patterns (and 3 of the 4 are daytimers, 1570 might as well be).

And, stations with no audience, inconsistent formats, no real advertiser history, and thus not enough consistent income to be able to hire even a few staff members.

Bob Bittner's stations in metro Boston & Maine don't have powerful signals...but their coverage is at least decent enough to cover much higher-income areas to get listener-support; and has kept consistent formats over years (not days or weeks)...and stations that most of the time are 100% automated with only one "fulltime employee": Bob...and 1 Sunday-morning board op.

Unless an area owner is wealthy and wants to pump money into one or more of these stations as a "toy"....the likely long-term future for them a real businesses is bleak. Shut 'em all off.....and build an internet radio station (s) instead if you just have to own a "radio station". At least the investment is next to nothing...and everybody with an internet connection could hear you anywhere.


p.s.: I know a broadcast engineering firm who's done ground systems for thousands of AM's over many decades. The average cost in 2013 is "at least 250-thousand dollars and up". (Average cost for a directional array has more than doubled in the past 10 to 15 years due to copper price increases worldwide.

Unregistered said:

There is, to a degree, a Cleveland version of WJIB already in existence... Kensington High School's WKHR/91.5.

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I was recently listening to WKTX (830) while traveling though the area, and it reminded me of the descriptions I've heard of WJIB.

Unlike WJIB, they did have some commercials, and they also have some ethnic programming, but the station gave me the sense that it is on the air because its operators want to run a radio station, rather than trying to make a big profit, which would not be possible for a 1,000 watt TRUE daytimer situated where they are.

Also noted that they had local commercials for businesses in Lakewood, where their signal is a fringe signal.

Is 1330 back on the air ?

1L6E6VHF said:

I was recently listening to WKTX (830) while traveling though the area, and it reminded me of the descriptions I've heard of WJIB.

Unlike WJIB, they did have some commercials, and they also have some ethnic programming, but the station gave me the sense that it is on the air because its operators want to run a radio station, rather than trying to make a big profit, which would not be possible for a 1,000 watt TRUE daytimer situated where they are.

Also noted that they had local commercials for businesses in Lakewood, where their signal is a fringe signal.

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They have commercials for Lakewood businesses because their studios are in Lakewood. Calling Lakewood "fringe" is a stretch. You'd need a very sensitive and selective radio to pull in 830 in Lakewood.