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Earth FM to move to 95.5

103.3 and 106.3 both have a similar signal advantage being nearly halfway between Greenville and Spartanburg...the only exception is 106.3 is stronger tho from a shorter height HAAT.

103.3 is still a very impressive signal in this area (decent height HAAT) and only a little weaker than 106.3 in Gaffney, but going down hills in this area the signal gets weak.

I agree 103.3 is a shoehorned signal in this area, but I still think 103.3 can and should upgrade to C3 for better coverage north and east and especially for better signal strength in weak areas... Is anything stopping them? Directional SW to protect WHQA and WZSN, also Directional SE to protect WJMX. (So it will not send any additional power towards its neighbors). I would think they would want to get as much power as they can...It probably wouldn't cost that much to just crank up the power on the existing transmitter (the new one they'll be getting from 95.9). The 60 dbu signal on the class A signal reaches about 18 miles, but it can reach 25 miles on a C3 station (like WSPA or WZSN or WROO).

92.7 in Charlotte recently pulled this off, a former Class A, now it's a C3 sending a much better signal North and South, but directional southwest to protect WESC and directional southeast to protect WEGX.

I did get a message from CraigD about a potential upgrade but mentioned the HD signal of 94.5-2 as an alternative, so maybe they don't want to upgrade but I would love to see it. Someone also mentioned the sound quality on HD, but I really can't tell a difference or it's very subtle at best, I just don't like the 30 second delay (vs the main signal). The sound quality is definitely not as bad as 98.9-2 or 93.7-4 for WSPA (Magic 106.3).

94.5 HD2 for Earth FM easily makes it to Gaffney with no dropouts most of the time, which I guess is okay on the one HD radio that I do have (Sangean HDR-16).
 
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“80s and 90s throwbacks”, interesting. I wonder if they will give it a new sound? “Throwbacks” is commonly used on classic hip hop stations, but 95.9/103.3 plays a lot of 80s and 90s rock and alternative. However, it looks like it’s dayparted out in PM drive following no true structure looking at their music log:

Jungle LoveTime06:48 PM
Channel ZB-52's06:44 PM
Some Like It HotPower Station06:39 PM
Eat The RichAerosmith06:36 PM
For The Love Of MoneyO'Jays06:29 PM
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)Pet Shop Boys06:25 PM
Money (That's What I Want)Flying Lizards06:23 PM
I Don't Wanna FightTina Turner06:14 PM
The DistanceCake06:11 PM

Notably more rock leaning after 7pm (and this is what it normally sounds like when I listen during the day or on the weekend)

Kryptonite3 Doors Down08:12 PM
Here I Go AgainWhitesnake08:07 PM
Bust A MoveYoung MC08:03 PM
Our Lips Are SealedGo-Go's08:00 PM
The Way It IsBruce Hornsby & The Range07:59 PM
Ordinary WorldDuran Duran07:46 PM
Everything She WantsWham!07:40 PM
Losing My ReligionR.E.M.07:36 PM
InvinciblePat Benatar07:29 PM
When I Come AroundGreen Day07:26 PM
Shattered DreamsJohnny Hates Jazz07:23 PM
Mary Jane's Last DanceTom Petty & The Heartbreakers07:18 PM
Like A VirginMadonna07:14 PM
AnimalDef Leppard w/ Royal Philharmonic Orchestra07:10 PM
JeremyPearl Jam07:05 PM
 
That new slogan, '80s and '90s throwbacks, is already being used on the air on 103.3/95.9 as of today. Probably won't be long till 95.5 comes online.

Lots of interference today checking 95.5 and 95.3 today in South Greenville near Woodruff Road.

Edit: good E-Skip today I think, pretty sure I just heard WPYO ID'd as Power 95.3 as Spanish Hip Hop off Laurens Road at 85.
 
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KyleAndMelissa22 said:
Hmm...I wonder what i was hearing then, I know it was likely E-Skip and Spanish Reggaeton...
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Well, El Sol is mostly reggaetón. But it is not called "Power". The only other contemporary Spanish formatted station in the East that I find is in Laurel, Delaware and it is called "Máxima".
 
Maybe it was a pirate then, but it was fading in and out in parts of Greenville SC today and never heard them here before...but 95.9 (WLTE) moving over to 95.5 will take priority over neighboring frequencies.
 
The playlist is very interesting. It’s definitely some kind of variety hits format.

No One Like YouScorpions10:30 AM
Lucky StarMadonna10:26 AM
The Impression That I GetMighty Mighty Bosstones10:23 AM
Hungry Like The WolfDuran Duran10:19 AM
Hot Girls In LoveLoverboy10:16 AM
Take Me HomePhil Collins10:10 AM
Longview (Very Clean Version)Green Day10:06 AM
Pride (In The Name Of Love)U210:03 AM
Gimme All Your Lovin'ZZ Top09:58 AM
Take On Mea-ha09:55 AM
Cruel SummerBananarama09:47 AM
CrazyAerosmith09:42 AM
The Glamourous LifeSheila E.09:38 AM
ThunderstruckAC/DC09:28 AM
Too ShyKajagoogoo09:24 AM
Wicked GameChris Isaak09:20 AM
Danger ZoneKenny Loggins09:17 AM
Close To MeCure09:14 AM
I Feel For YouChaka Khan09:10 AM
I'll Be There For YouBon Jovi09:04 AM
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)Proclaimers09:00 AM
What's Love Got To Do With ItTina Turner08:56 AM
Don't Tell Me You Love MeNight Ranger08:51 AM
Good ThingFine Young Cannibals08:45 AM
LegsZZ Top08:32 AM

I wonder if they will see any kind of ratings improvement since the current simulcast hangs out around a 2 share. What was the highest they’ve gotten with 103.3 and 95.9? 95.5 will fill in some holes in west/SW Greenville county but 103.3 already hits the most lucrative areas of the market as well as 95.9 in Anderson/Pickens county. I don’t have any issues with 103.3 in Greenville other than in the White Horse Rd corridor where it can get shaky (106.3 can too).
 
WLTE on 95.5 will have more signal across the core of Greenville than 103.3 WRTH. WRTH's primary contour, 1 mV/m, comes in from the east to the intersection where the Hyatt downtown Greenville. WLTE on 95.5 will pass from the west over the entire city of Greenville and it's 1 mV/m primary signal contour will fall at Eastside High School. Granted the signal will be weaker in Anderson than the present 95.9 but even still the 1 mV/m of 95.5 reaches the Anderson County courthouse in the heart of downtown Anderson. There is a considerable drop in elevation toward Anderson which will help the signal in that direction despite it being toward 95.5 in Atlanta. Their signal is not a full Class C1 so I expect WLTE will easily dominate the frequency in Anderson County especially with even further drops in elevation toward the lake area. The 95.3 at Royston, GA had to protect WLTE on 95.5 so it's really not a factor until you cross over into Georgia around Hartwell area. By the way, that station was once at Due West, south of Anderson. It's moving is what made it possible for WLTE to move to 95.5. By moving to 95.5, WLTE doubles the population in its 1 mV/m contour from 264,000 to 573,000 just shy of the 589,000 in WRTH contour.

WRTH can't be upgraded. The biggest problem is 103.3 in Lenior, NC; 103.1 at Honea Path; and 103.5 in Greenwood. 103.9 WSHP now as a C3 goes right up to WRTH Class A contour. Staying a Class A as they are now, WRTH could move as far east/southeast as Jonesville in Union County but it would make no sense to move out of the denser population not to mention the cost associated with such a move.
 
Another recent station I found causing interference to Earth FM on 95.9 is W240EK (Translator for WLOV-AM) near Athens GA. Even though it's only 100 watts, its from a very tall tower (over 1100 feet) and caused problems even near the SC/GA state line on I-85.

I've also had previous issues on 95.9 before reaching Powerdersville on I-85 right after exit 35 (not far from the current transmitter), and complete dropouts at some traffic lights in the city of Clemson. Signal was always gone when reaching I-185 (Exit 42) in Greenville, when 103.3 would start to become nearly static free. I've also heard WRTH with few issues down to about Williamston SC and it then would fade out when reaching Anderson, that's when a hop hop station started to interfere (I guess WVEE Atlanta).

Maybe moving 95.5 will be a clearer channel on the SC side of the border and not bothering WSBB (and I hear there are plans to add HD as well) and then maybe 95.9 will be free for a new allocation nearby.

Right now WLTE is directionally protected towards WHQC Charlotte, so going non directional will add lots of potential to the coverage area. It looks like it'll have a similar coverage area as 103.9 in Easley before they upgraded to Class C3 (back when 103.3/103.9 were simulcast together).
 
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CraigD says the new 95.5 (WLTE) will be in HD, not sure if right away or shortly after, and then sometime later 103.3 will be HD eventually, but 1st step is moving the 95.9 transmitter to the 103.3 site.
 

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I’ve been hearing something that sounds like classical type (religious?) music on 95.5 in Greenville around Haywood Rd. It’s got a quiet signal, not really sure what it is.
 
Well WSB on 95.5 will definitely be blocked a bit near the SC border. Right now you can start to pick up WSB on 95.5 about near the Clemson exit. Now I wonder if it will even be heard in Lavonia across the lake in Georgia. Back to 750AM I guess until closer to Atlanta. Hopefully by Carnesville or definitely Commerce.
 
tylerSC said:
Well WSB on 95.5 will definitely be blocked a bit near the SC border. Right now you can start to pick up WSB on 95.5 about near the Clemson exit. Now I wonder if it will even be heard in Lavonia across the lake in Georgia. Back to 750AM I guess until closer to Atlanta. Hopefully by Carnesville or definitely Commerce.
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I wonder aren't both 95.5 (WSB) and 97.1 (WSRV) both Cox Radio Atlanta stations? I know both used to be located in the same area as the current 97.1 signal near Gainesville, and 97.1 still does ok up to parts of the Anderson area. Maybe WSB is/could be on one of 97.1's HD channels, that would help with reception in NE Georgia that was lost by moving 95.5 towards Downtown Atlanta...just a thought, I would ask them about it.
 
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