WMEX applies for 101.1 FM in Weymouth and other translator news

Eli Polonsky said:

I finally heard this WROL translator while driving through Central Square, Cambridge, and I heard why some of you are hearing NOTHING on it!

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No, that just started sometime yesterday: The first time I heard them, on the train, they sounded normal; this morning at 2:40am I heard them for the first time at the South Station PO, with the out of phase/distorted audio you described—it sounds like the IF image signal from a nearby radio (e.g., if someone is listening to 94.5, then there will be a muddy/bassy image at 105.2 on other radios in the immediate vicinity). They sound about, maybe, half as strong as Bloombergʼs 106.1 xltr, so they do get out!
Interesting enough, at the same time, I heard a new, lower powered unLic pirate station on the frequency!

MarcB said:

The other board lists all the applicants for new translators.

WMEX 1510 has applied for 101.1 FM in Weymouth.

WJDA 1300 in Quincy has applied for 100.1 FM in Quincy.

WBIX 1260 wants 97.3 FM in Medford.

Over in New Bedford/Fall River.

WBSM 1420 wants 99.5 FM in New Bedford.

WNBH 1340 wants 101.3 FM in New Bedford.

WSAR 1480 Fall River wants 95.9 FM in Fall River.

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Nothing on WSAR's page on Wikipedia on the FM Translator
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/WSAR

Likewise on WBSM and WNBH

I was under the impression that WVBF 1530 in Taunton was getting an FM presence as well.

As of last night, it sounded like the audio phasing problem on the WROL translator was fixed, modulation level is better, but bandwidth still sounds limited, about the same as a clean AM signal.

I'd think that a 95.9 translator for WSAR in Fall River would overlapping interference with WCRI Block Island, RI in areas of the MA/RI south coast. Though Fall River is outside WCRI's protected area, the WCRI signal hits the south coast well over the water.

Eli Polonsky said:

As of last night, it sounded like the audio phasing problem on the WROL translator was fixed, modulation level is better, but bandwidth still sounds limited, about the same as a clean AM signal.

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Yeah, they seemed to have fixed it—at least to the extent it is now—by Monday night.
That new (Spanish?) pirate on the frequency seems about as strong, almost mimicking the strength of the xltr, even in the post office, where the signals get absorbed to varying degrees by the building.

I listen to WKOX 1430......during both Limbaugh and Hannity's shows there was a little blip saying March 5th both will be moving to 1200...no call letters...has 1430 been sold? Years ago wasn't there a Talk1200...Jeff Katz was the morning guy....IIRC wasn't it initially called something like Rush 1200?

Yes, by early 2010* Clr Channel (was it officially iHeart yet?) swapped calls of WKOX 1200 and 1430."WXKS 1200" became Rush radio with Jeff Katz mornings and Jay Severin afternoons. 2 years later, talk was dropped for Bloomberg (eventually). By July 2015 when Kuhner replaced Rush on RKO, they made 1430 talk and Fox Sports.

I don't know if 1430 is sold yet but the Bloomberg lease ends next week on 1200 and they have to sell 1430 somehow.
As for WROL today I was in the area of Park Plaza and got the 100.3 simulcast.It showed up on my NextRadio app but display said WHEB maybe because I had it scan the dial in Beverly.

*-Jan of 2010 Scott Brown wins special election.Word starts to break about Rush Radio coming.March, shows like Rush debut... Katz and Severin by April

raccoonradio said:

I don't know if 1430 is sold yet but the Bloomberg lease ends next week on 1200 and they have to sell 1430 somehow.

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As announced a few months ago, 1430 is in the Ocean State Trust

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/120779/iheart-sends-three-divestment-trust/

It can stay there as long as necessary. They've had stations in their other trusts for more than a dozen years.

It looks like iHeart is making 1430 an orphan, moving their top syndicated talk shows to the 1200 frequency, which is a better signal. Who knows what they'll fill the time with on 1430. Most likely one of their syndicated formats.

TheBigA said:

As announced a few months ago, 1430 is in the Ocean State Trust

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/120779/iheart-sends-three-divestment-trust/

It can stay there as long as necessary. They've had stations in their other trusts for more than a dozen years.

It looks like iHeart is making 1430 an orphan, moving their top syndicated talk shows to the 1200 frequency, which is a better signal. Who knows what they'll fill the time with on 1430. Most likely one of their syndicated formats.

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Does iHeart ever go the bottom-feeder, dollar-a-holler route with virtually worthless signals like this in other markets, or does it put its own programming on every station it has?

CTListener said:

Does iHeart ever go the bottom-feeder, dollar-a-holler route with virtually worthless signals like this in other markets, or does it put its own programming on every station it has?

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That's a good question. I think it depends on the specifics of the station. Once its in the trust, it's up to the independent trustee to do whatever meets the expenses. But they're definitely not going to leave Rush and Hannity on this station when they have a better signal available.

raccoonradio said:

2 years later, talk was dropped for Bloomberg (eventually).

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Aren't you forgetting the epic Matty's Comedy 1200???

Nope, didn't want to get into too many details!I think they went in '12 into a stunt,Gaffe 1200 playing a loop of political verbal blunders and that led into the comedy.Bloomberg was after that.

In 2004 Clear Channel had tried progressive talk on both 1200 and 1430.The pre launch stint had loops of Neil Young's "Rockin in a Free World" and a clip from an Al Franken audiobook (10/2004).Franken did his show from Boston election week 04, expecting but not getting a Kerry victory.Only local progtalk host was Jeff Santos Sunday afternoons. Both stations dropped the format in late 2006, yielding to Rumba and Mia.They got a signal increase and COL/tower move before Rush 1200 debuted.

Rumba and Mia had some listenership on 1430, and usually showed up in the Boston ratings, albeit near the bottom, but better than many other AM's that were too low to show at all. If I remember correctly, those formats got better numbers on 1430 than either the previous progressive talk or the current conservative talk formats. I could see them running one of those or another Spanish music format on 1430 again. There's an audience for it in the areas of the lower North Shore and the Mystic River Valley where the signal is good day and night.

EDIT: I hadn't yet read the post about the station being disqualified from making a profit while owned by a trust when I typed the above, so this may not be possible.

Eli Polonsky said:

EDIT: I hadn't yet read the post about the station being disqualified from making a profit while owned by a trust when I typed the above, so this may not be possible.

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They can make a profit, but that profit goes to the trust, not iHeart. There are several very successful stations that definitely make a profit in iHeart's Aloha Trust.

One that comes to mind is WFRE-FM, the #1 station in Frederick MD. It's still in the Aloha Trust after 10 years.

We'll have to tune in Thu to find what will air on 1430--nothing (dark) or some placeholder format till a buyer is found? Can someone LMA them with the trust... Suppose someone does intend to buy them--in the meantime they LMA the station via the trust and rent studios from iHeart?

In Pittsburgh a couple years ago iHeart decided to get rid of conservative talk on WPGB 104.7 in favor of "Big" country.The talk shows landed on WJAS 1320 owned by Frank Iorio..and I believe he rented studio space in iHeart's complex there.So iHeart/Premiere still got its shows aired..

Wiki:"WJAS' studios are located on Fleet Street in Green Tree." (Think that's iHeart...)

raccoonradio said:

We'll have to tune in Thu to find what will air on 1430--nothing (dark) or some placeholder format till a buyer is found? Can someone LMA them with the trust...

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I think so...I seem to recall that's what happened with KFWB in LA while it was in the CBS trust.

I don't expect it to go dark. The trustee who runs it is very responsible. They have a game plan ready.

Had been told by a friend that the WMEX transfer, albeit with current calls for now, took place Fri but can't find it on FCC site.The main thing is getting back on within the next 3 and a half months.

Here you go. http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1780258

Thank you! While that main page lists previous owner Daly XXL it has links to other pages naming Perry/his company, his address etc

Exactly right. Last time I looked, the FCC is the guy who wears the badge, carries the stick and enforces (sort of) the law. That's where I go for the any radio-tv info concerning rule making information. Slightly better than hear-say.