WEAT-FM Has Moved...

[jmtillery]

... several years ago when WEAT-FM moved from 104.5 C to its present 104.3 C. Does anyone know why WEAT-FM moved frequency? Was this to make room for another station "drop-in" or perhaps another station upgrade? Comments?

 

[cd637299]

Dunno for sure, but their 104.5 signal was marginal in Miami-Dade County. The 104.3 was an upgrade, and maybe to satisfy .8 kHz spacing for the M-D & Broward markets? (103.5 & 105.1)

That being said, keep in mind that WFLM on 104.7 serving Ft. Pierce is on now....never woulda been possible had WEAT stayed on 104.5.

I remember for a brief time that WWUS in the lower Keys upgraded from 93.5A to 104.7 w/ 100k & wondered if that would pose a problem with the existing 104.5....but naaaaahhh....btw WWUS is now 104.1.

Also, 104.5 is now home to *two* Bahamian stations, one in Nassau & one in Freeport. How in the world Freeport got it, so close to West Palm Beach AND with WEAT having IBOC.....who knows? If not for the IBOC, I'd be hearing Freeport (which is parallel AM 810 BTW) all the time with my outdoor antenna.

cd

 

[jmtillery]

WEAT-FM was already a full class C on 104.5 although it didn't operate at minimum C power levels. I was thinking possibly another station may have come on the air later, causing a class downgrade on 104.5 and preventing full C operation on that frequency, so the move to 104.3 was implemenetd in order to gain some kind of an upgrade with WEAT back to its full C status. I was also thinking, perhaps, the move to 104.3 may have been implemented to avoid a potential short-spacing conflict with WHQT 105.1 Coral Gables/Miami should WEAT desire to move its tower closer to Miami.

 

[ScottBurns]

WEAT-FM's signal is still very weak in most of Miami-Dade. However, the move to 104.3 improved the signal significantly in Broward. After WRMF, WEAT-FM probably is Palm Beach County's best FM signal into Broward (well, WKIS is technically in Palm Beach County as well, but it is in Boca).

 

[jmtillery]

WEAT-FM's signal is still very weak in most of Miami-Dade. However, the move to 104.3 improved the signal significantly in Broward.

Thank you Scott - So you are saying the frequency move was more in line with improving its signal in Broward County as opposed to any attempts at targeting Miami-Dade? This is exactly what the former WEAT-AM accomplished when AM 850 upgraded to 50kw although AM 850's signal is still spotty in Miami-Dade. Again, thanks.

 

[Ai4i]

WEAT is at least as strong as WRMF, higher up from the same stick.
Somewhere back in time, 105.1 moved north and WEAT moved south, I believe after the move to 104.3.
When WIRK moved onto WEAT's old stick, Super-Q moved north and the Country K's fate was sealed.
WRMF might be short spaced with WFLC.

Interestingly, WKPX has a CP to octuple their power, already extremely short spaced with WEDR, 10.6 MHz up the dial.

 

[ScottBurns]

Mark, that is exactly what I was trying to communicate. Regarding WEAT-FM's signal versus WRMF's, there are several Broward-area spots where WRMF's signal seems better. Among them: the Las Olas area of Fort Lauderdale Beach; a good chunk of I-595; and Port Everglades. It could be the radio I am using, but I have always found WRMF to be clearer. In addition, WIRK's signal does decently in good parts of Broward as well.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

WEAT was 3rd adjacent to Hot 105 at 105.1 and moved to 104.3 to accomodate Hot's move further north. Apparently there were no issues with the frequency change. They just happened to be on a freq they didn't need to be on and blocked 105.1's northern move.

BTW, still amazed that WEAT hasn't attempted a move in to the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale market. Not sure if there's anything stopping them other than a DCOL change or if in the intervening years a shortspace has been created due to another move or drop-in.

 

[Ai4i]

BTW, still amazed that WEAT hasn't attempted a move in to the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale market.

If anyone knows the answer, we too have always wondered why (not). Maybe some station in the Keys?

 

[cd637299]

Not that this is the answer....but both WEAT & WFLC carry Delilah. I suppose that one of the two would have to drop the show if WEAT attempted a further move.

cd

 

[InSearchOfGear]

BTW, still amazed that WEAT hasn't attempted a move in to the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale market.

If anyone knows the answer, we too have always wondered why (not). Maybe some station in the Keys?

There's a 104.7 in the keys, but it's far enough out of the market to peacefully co-exist as a 2nd adjacent, as far as I know. There are a variety or potential northern broward COL's that would be city grade from the countyline rd antenna farm. And, since most stations from that stick still have a decent signal in wpb, it seems like a no brainer.

 

[cd637299]

That 104.7, WWUS, moved to 104.1 a few years ago. I can hear a Cuban (Radio Rebelde) on 104.7, along with WSGL Naples, when I am down there now.

cd

 

[ScottBurns]

From Marathon, I have always picked up WSGL/Naples on 104.7. I have never had any luck with Radio Rebelde.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

From Marathon, I have always picked up WSGL/Naples on 104.7. I have never had any luck with Radio Rebelde.

Possible that WEAT could still shoehorn in as a C-1?

 

[jmtillery]

Of course no one really knows for sure if 104.3 can be shoehorned in as a C1 without an engineering study. However, if it is possible, it would need a COL change to a community much closer to Miami-Dade since a C1 operation will not provide a 70dbu city grade over West Palm Beach and Miami-Dade simultaneously. Of course one can argue that WEAT is much more valauble as a Miami-Dade C1 than it is a West Palm Beach C.

 

[cd637299]

Re any upgrade:

(1) With that format, and 97.3 & 101.5 covering Miami-Ft. Lauderdale already with it, I'd think that they'd have to make a radical change.

(2) I wonder if the two 104.5's in the Bahamas would be able to have any say about that? (You might even add WTKS & WWUS both on 104.1 here too.)

cd

 

[jmtillery]

Re any upgrade:

(1) With that format, and 97.3 & 101.5 covering Miami-Ft. Lauderdale already with it, I'd think that they'd have to make a radical change.

(2) I wonder if the two 104.5's in the Bahamas would be able to have any say about that? (You might even add WTKS & WWUS both on 104.1 here too.)

cd

WWUS may be a problem with any moves further South. WTKS would have no effect as 104.3 would be moving further away from 104.1 Cocoa Beach-Orlando.

 

[Ai4i]

it would need a COL change

That neopolitan, if not metropolitan, community of Lazy Lake completely surrounded by, isolated by, and RF shielded by Wilton Manors has always been media starved and would welcome them with a free PO Box.

 

[jmtillery]

it would need a COL change

That neopolitan, if not metropolitan, community of Lazy Lake completely surrounded by, isolated by, and RF shielded by Wilton Manors has always been media starved and would welcome them with a free PO Box.

I'm sure the lure of a free Post Office Box is enough of an incentive to convince CBS to make the move.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

Of course no one really knows for sure if 104.3 can be shoehorned in as a C1 without an engineering study. However, if it is possible, it would need a COL change to a community much closer to Miami-Dade since a C1 operation will not provide a 70dbu city grade over West Palm Beach and Miami-Dade simultaneously. Of course one can argue that WEAT is much more valauble as a Miami-Dade C1 than it is a West Palm Beach C.

Changing COL is easy now. Many municiplities that fall within city-grade if they were c-1 from Countyline road that currently have no primary service. They moght even hold onto thier c or a c0 if they did a da.