Predictions for Cleveland Radio in 2024

[radiofollower]

What I was trying to say is to give it a stronger signal. I know that, inside most buildings, a simple antenna is going to have a harder time picking up a lower-frequency station than a higher one. Maybe our receiver where I used to work just had a junky antenna, but all we could get in through it was 102.1, 104.1, 105.7, and 106.5. I could maybe get 102.7 to come in if I angled the antenna cord just right, but that was the extent of it. It could also just have been the part of town we were in, too.

I thought the higher frequency numbers meant stronger signals, but I might be wrong in that. It might also depend on the antenna and other things interfering with reception.

As far as moving formats around, I don't think it would be as problematic as people think it would. Between running social media ads and getting stories on the news about it, I think people would know that a change is happening on a certain date. It worked back in 1994 when Fox and CBS switched affiliates here in town, and again later when The WB jumped ship from 43 to 55, so why wouldn't it work almost 30 years later when information is more readily available than ever?

WAKS (KIss) and WZAK are tacked on to the WTAM tower in Richfield which (being an AM tower) is not very tall. From what I understand WAKS, being licensed to Akron, needed to get a city grade signal into central Akron. The WTAM tower in Richfield was the best they could do and still have a shot at metro Cleveland. WZAK seems to do better into Cleveland than Kiss does. I believe (not totally sure) that WAKS diplexed on the WZAK antenna, which is set up for their frequency (93.1). Since Kiss is on a different frequency (96.5) it won't work as well.

 

[VintageMac]

WAKS (KIss) and WZAK are tacked on to the WTAM tower in Richfield which (being an AM tower) is not very tall. From what I understand WAKS, being licensed to Akron, needed to get a city grade signal into central Akron. The WTAM tower in Richfield was the best they could do and still have a shot at metro Cleveland. WZAK seems to do better into Cleveland than Kiss does. I believe (not totally sure) that WAKS diplexed on the WZAK antenna, which is set up for their frequency (93.1). Since Kiss is on a different frequency (96.5) it won't work as well.

While the tower is right near Richfield, it's actually in Brecksville. WZAK has never come in that well in some parts of Cleveland so it's similar to the issue with WAKS especially if you're listening in HD.

 

[skiwest]

I used to listen to 96.5 years ago at home and in my car when it was WKDD and never had any reception issues. Their tower was somewhere in Akron at the time. I assume reception in the Cleveland area improved after they moved to the Brecksville tower.

 

[VintageMac]

I used to listen to 96.5 years ago at home and in my car when it was WKDD and never had any reception issues. Their tower was somewhere in Akron at the time. I assume reception in the Cleveland area improved after they moved to the Brecksville tower.

Somehow I remember the tower being in Copley Township for the old WKDD but could be wrong.

WKDD on 98.1 comes in decently from Munroe Falls near Peninsula but not as well as 96.5 WAKS.

 

[vw86]

I foresee that if/when some of these guys retire/shuffle off to the big station in the sky [WGOD?] that the powers that be will probably replace them with voice tracking or syndicated fare

That certainly has happened at WNCX. That station managed to stay live in pretty much all dayparts seven days a week through the end of the Bill Louis era. Now middays, nights and pretty much the entire weekend are tracked.

 

[Nathan Obral]

While the tower is right near Richfield, it's actually in Brecksville. WZAK has never come in that well in some parts of Cleveland so it's similar to the issue with WAKS especially if you're listening in HD.

WZAK does have to protect 93.1 in Detroit, which like WZAK is a grandfathered class B. Their FCC history cards show they've been at the WTAM Carl Smith tower since day one (and the former 1100 transmitter building was the first studio for WZAK!!)

 

[Yabadabado1]

Somehow I remember the tower being in Copley Township for the old WKDD but could be wrong.

WKDD on 98.1 comes in decently from Munroe Falls near Peninsula but not as well as 96.5 WAKS.

When WKDD was on 96.5 and was on State rd in Cuyahoga Falls, the antenna was on Sackett ave.
Here is it's current location 41°12'00.2"N 81°31'22.4"W

This has been covered in prior posts, but as usual, I forgot about them till I just stumbled across them again.

 

[VintageMac]

WZAK does have to protect 93.1 in Detroit, which like WZAK is a grandfathered class B. Their FCC history cards show they've been at the WTAM Carl Smith tower since day one (and the former 1100 transmitter building was the first studio for WZAK!!)

WZAK has always been on that site but that doesn't change the fact that the signal is not that great similar to WCRF which is nearby if you're a listener nearer to Cleveland. Maybe they do well in Akron being at the higher elevation in Brecksville.

 

[VintageMac]

When WKDD was on 96.5 and was on State rd in Cuyahoga Falls, the antenna was on Sackett ave.
Here is it's current location 41°12'00.2"N 81°31'22.4"W

This has been covered in prior posts, but as usual, I forgot about them till I just stumbled across them again.

Thanks for the info as I mixed up Copley with Cuyahoga.

Just one question: I though the old WKDD 96.5 tower was where the current 98.1 station is now according to this old article:

WKDD Heading To Bellaire Lane

Clear Channel Akron market hot AC WKDD/98.1 is about ready to return, physically, to the Akron market.The once-Canton licensed facility, now licensed to the Akron suburb of Munroe Falls, got FCC ap…

ohiomediawatch.wordpress.com

I recall when WKDD became popular around 1976-77 that the signal came in quite well in Cleveland with 50kw of power. Was the Sackett Ave. site offices and/or tower as I don't recall that.

EDIT: I checked the locator cards and it shows the original tower location of 424 Sackett Ave. and the Bellaire Lane current tower around 1974.