• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

WCTA 810AM Alamo,TN Dark?

I've heard it at night as well. I think they must have done enough to get it back on the air, but it's still where nobody in control is paying any attention to what is going on otherwise.
 
It's been off again for several weeks, at least.

I wonder how much it costs to keep the station on, when it actually IS on. Utilities for both the studio and transmitter, taxes, etc...Considering it only runs NOAA weather radio with no commercials or income.
 
I've said before that I don't see how long they can continue, especially since the owner passed away. I think it's way past time to shut down for good, if this isn't what is happening now.
 
AMFMKYTN said:
It's been off again for several weeks, at least.
I wonder how much it costs to keep the station on, when it actually IS on. Utilities for both the studio and transmitter, taxes, etc...Considering it only runs NOAA weather radio with no commercials or income.
Click to expand...
anotherguy said:
I've said before that I don't see how long they can continue, especially since the owner passed away. I think it's way past time to shut down for good, if this isn't what is happening now.
Click to expand...
Two words: tax writeoff.
 
And they were back on over the weekend. Believe it or not this thread will be 10 years old in another 3 weeks!
 
The last time I heard WCTA on was in November. Since then, nothing. I checked at the studio and the sign with the Chattanooga area contact number is gone. The remaining sign says to contact the engineer who has passed away. I'll keep a watch, but I won't be surprised it this is for good.
 
Some guy on Facebook recently tried to convince me that this station is somehow still "relevant" and used a link to the following website as "proof."

http://www.wcta810.com/wctaprograms...jzC9YacuTh68XgUS_bbmhd1EbaAf6_XKr-RooVyBBa4nM

Impressive website, but most of the links are either dead, or go to MYSPACE pages! I can't make this stuff up! Even still has an email address for Billy! Didn't he die YEARS ago?

Meanwhile, here in the midstate, another similar station, WQSV finally sold (again), this time to The Wolf out of Waverly (105.1), and now simulcasts them. Corky sold out and finally retired after 28 years with that station. Their (the former WQSV's) coverage is now much more regional than local. (Not sure what the Wolf needs with this frequency. They want to move into the Nashville market, but a weak and little-known AM frequency isn't going to give them much "visibility" in the greater Nashville area.)
 
WCTA has been off the last few times I've checked, the latest being this past weekend. It looks like the license expires in September, 2020.

Doesn't at least one of the two towers have obstruction lighting? If so, are they even on these days?

Down the road in Humboldt, WIRJ 740 has also been off for awhile.
 
firepoint525 said:
Some guy on Facebook recently tried to convince me that this station is somehow still "relevant" and used a link to the following website as "proof."

http://www.wcta810.com/wctaprograms...jzC9YacuTh68XgUS_bbmhd1EbaAf6_XKr-RooVyBBa4nM

Impressive website, but most of the links are either dead, or go to MYSPACE pages! I can't make this stuff up! Even still has an email address for Billy! Didn't he die YEARS ago?
Click to expand...

I think I can remember seeing this web page before, but it's been a LONG time. At the time this thread started (over 10 YEARS ago!!!) Billy Williams was already in the nursing home and he died in May 2014 according to other posts. THe home page had a copyright date of 2001, and has probably been updated very little or none since then.

AMFMKYTN said:
WCTA has been off the last few times I've checked, the latest being this past weekend. It looks like the license expires in September, 2020.

Doesn't at least one of the two towers have obstruction lighting? If so, are they even on these days?

Down the road in Humboldt, WIRJ 740 has also been off for awhile.
Click to expand...

I haven't seen any lights on the towers at night in several years.
 
Are there any vacant FM frequencies in the Alamo/Humboldt area that could serve as translators for these AM stations? If not, I don't see any way that these stations could stay on, or return to, the air. There is just not enough listenership in rural areas for these small-town AM stations to survive.
 
And they're back again with their usual assortment of NOAA weather radio, generic filler music, announcements that "New programming is coming soon" and sporadic dead air.
 
firepoint525 said:
Who do they think that they are fooling? Or is this just another example of a tree falling in a forest when no one is around?
Click to expand...
Probably the latter, with the possible exception of me and a few others who occasionally flip past it to see if they're actually on. They could at least take the "New programming coming soon" message off.
 
anotherguy said:
Probably the latter, with the possible exception of me and a few others who occasionally flip past it to see if they're actually on. They could at least take the "New programming coming soon" message off.
Click to expand...
The problem (for them) is that they have (apparently) been off the air for close to a generation now. And the NEXT generation of senior citizens (which would include me) WON'T be listening. I remember that the old (and now thankfully gone!) WQSV's programming was so bad that even my parents wouldn't listen to them when they moved here to Cheatham County after they retired. My dad (R.I.P.) later found classic country music on the old (and now also thankfully gone!) WPFD. But not too long after that, they apparently sold to Hispanic interests, and then sometime after that, left the air entirely.
 
I tuned in yesterday afternoon, and it was on. However, there was awful interference from somewhere. Other area stations sounded fine. I tuned back in last night around 8:30, and it was still on. I didn't listen long enough to see when (or if) it finally went off for the night.
 
AMFMKYTN said:
I tuned in yesterday afternoon, and it was on. However, there was awful interference from somewhere. Other area stations sounded fine. I tuned back in last night around 8:30, and it was still on. I didn't listen long enough to see when (or if) it finally went off for the night.
Click to expand...
More of us discussing this station than actually listening to it! And can't even count me, as I am here in the midstate, and CAN'T listen to it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.
Back
Top Bottom