WGMP seeks to drop power again

Noticed this while going through the recent applications filed… Bluewater wants to really gut the AM signal for The Gump… WGMP will drop from 10 kW with 2 towers to 850 watts with one tower, and go up from 4 to 7 watts at night, non-directional.

You gotta reckon these people would drop this AM signal in a heartbeat if the Commission would let them, and just run the translators.

i assume this is to reduce the operational costs of running 2 towers on an AM station that is barely recievable day or night, and re-allocate some funds towards the translator, which i believe they still lease from the hagler family.

JD36108 said:

i assume this is to reduce the operational costs of running 2 towers on an AM station that is barely recievable day or night, and re-allocate some funds towards the translator, which i believe they still lease from the hagler family.

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This makes smart business sense unless if was very niche targeted format. Why waste power (and in some cases land) on a frequency that has minimal impact to listeners and revenue.

Hard to blame them. If I had a smaller market AM paired with an FM translator, I wouldn't promote the AM in the slightest. Of course, I'd run the legal ID, but the average listener would think I was running the ID for the FM. Only radio people would know that was the AM.

Well said Mr. Kent and Groove. Why waste money on the AM, when all the listeners are tuned to the FM part. It makes perfect sense to downgrade that signal. I know the Gump is on AM but it's better to promote the FM. From a marketing standpoint, you'll win in the long run by doing it.

Dan <><

luckily for them, there is a profitable demo being reached by the Gump.

That permit has been granted as of April 2017.

Oh my! What will those hard, pipe hitting, Rock-n-Rollers in Troy, Luverne, Auburn and Selma do without Alt Rock on AM anymore?

I just think it's cool and nostalgic to have rock on an AM with a big day or night signal.

Won't miss The Gump on AM. I can still tune in at 104.9 FM, when the winds are blowing right.

Dan <><

seedless said:

Oh my! What will those hard, pipe hitting, Rock-n-Rollers in Troy, Luverne, Auburn and Selma do without Alt Rock on AM anymore?

I just think it's cool and nostalgic to have rock on an AM with a big day or night signal.

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I would actually like to know if that station had any listeners on the AM outside of Montgomery. I bet there was one or two, certainly not enough to justify the power bill.

tomservo said:

I would actually like to know if that station had any listeners on the AM outside of Montgomery. I bet there was one or two, certainly not enough to justify the power bill.

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So all that's left is 1600 (which is very inaudible) that's not repeated on some kind of FM

ThePowerCow said:

So all that's left is 1600 (which is very inaudible) that's not repeated on some kind of FM

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1440 and 740 Am are not on Fm translators, though they are on HD subchannels for 95.1 FM.

Drove by the 1170 transmitter site. They are indeed on but barely. The 4 watt signal reaches maybe a quarter of a mile. The land was still flooded from this weekend's heavy rain.