Greenville area station may become a training ground

[AMRocks]

...at least that's the way it sounds. From Tom Taylor's newsletter (sorry, I can't find a link for this)

In Piedmont, South Carolina, the Elks sell to the “Lost Souls Youth Development Corporation.” The names alone make this worth a mention. The “Benjamin Banneker Lodge No. 364 of I.B.P.O.E. of W.” is a local Elks Lodge. It originally won the license for low power FM WXRU-LP at the end of the FM dial (107.9). Now it’s filing to transfer the license to the Lost Souls group. That outfit says it’s “a non-profit organization for youth radio broadcasting and education in beauty and barber training/sales distribution of hair products.” That specialty may be unique in the world of radio licensees. It has a laudable goal – helping “youths and young adults…to become self-sufficient apprentices, entrepreneurs, journalists and radio broadcasters.” You can’t knock that.

Sounds like they might make this a training ground for young people. I don't remember the name of the company, but years ago, some radio training network would buy time on some small non-commercial stations and allow their students to host 1 hour shows. (They would do it on reel-to-reel.) The station would air the shows so the students all actually had experience for their resumes.

Not a bad little signal SW of Greenville. https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=WXRU-FL

 

[tylerSC]

...at least that's the way it sounds. From Tom Taylor's newsletter (sorry, I can't find a link for this)

In Piedmont, South Carolina, the Elks sell to the “Lost Souls Youth Development Corporation.” The names alone make this worth a mention. The “Benjamin Banneker Lodge No. 364 of I.B.P.O.E. of W.” is a local Elks Lodge. It originally won the license for low power FM WXRU-LP at the end of the FM dial (107.9). Now it’s filing to transfer the license to the Lost Souls group. That outfit says it’s “a non-profit organization for youth radio broadcasting and education in beauty and barber training/sales distribution of hair products.” That specialty may be unique in the world of radio licensees. It has a laudable goal – helping “youths and young adults…to become self-sufficient apprentices, entrepreneurs, journalists and radio broadcasters.” You can’t knock that.

Sounds like they might make this a training ground for young people. I don't remember the name of the company, but years ago, some radio training network would buy time on some small non-commercial stations and allow their students to host 1 hour shows. (They would do it on reel-to-reel.) The station would air the shows so the students all actually had experience for their resumes.

Not a bad little signal SW of Greenville. https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=WXRU-FL

My big complaint is this station interferes with the clear full power signal from 107.9-WLNK Charlotte which has previously come in clear. In most areas of Greenville County there is bad mutual interference, and local radio sources say WXRU has illegally boosted their power beyond the 100 watt limit. If they would direct their signal towards Piedmont, Anderson, and Pickens counties the interference would be much reduced. Trying to reach into Greenville County is a bad decision because the full power signal from WLNK prevents a clear signal from WXRU. And WXRU interferes with the clear signal from WLNK, which I remember way back to 1982. They should request another frequency for WXRU. And this license transfer may just be for financial reasons, as the format may remain basically the same, but that remains to be seen. But I really wish Entercom would request WXRU to alter their signal as the interference crosses the Spartanburg County line before you get to Duncan. And Spartanburg County is a legally protected contour for WLNK, although it is beyond the Charlotte DMA. WLNK used to acknowledge listeners in Greenville-Spartanburg, but perhaps Entercom could put Bob and Sheri on one of their Upstate signals. If you look at that radio locator map for WLNK, the fringe contour covers Greenville and extends into Anderson County. And WLNK always had a strong signal in the fringe contour. But at least I still get it with rabbit ears in the house, and the HD will lock on. So a strong signal is definitely there. The WXRU interference should be moved to another channel.

 

[tylerSC]

It should also be noted that WLNK transmits from the same basic location as WNKS-95.1 and Channel 96.1, and they are all similar height towers. Used to be WLNK was the strongest and came in the most clear signal. Now 95.1 and 96.1 come in better, although they have also become subject to some localized interference, although not as bad as WLNK. There is a Hispanic station on 94.9 that bleeds static into 95.1, as well as a religious station on the same channel in Pickens County that may also cause issues. And 96.1 now has strong adjacent channels from 95.9 and 96.3. I just wish the FCC would stop overcrowding the dial and protect the full power stations that reach adjacent markets. Ironically WSOC-FM 103.7 can come in better in the car than WLNK, and 103.7 really should not make it into Greenville as they transmit from the east side of Charlotte. Good signal but go figure.

 

[tylerSC]

WXRU has apparently been at reduced power since August, as apparently there was an issue at the tower and the antenna was lowered. Now they are apparently on some sort of back up transmission. Not sure of the current plans or if the major interference with WLNK will eventually return. But back in August WLNK was coming in strong and clear in most areas of Greenville County. Now WXRU seems to be at reduced power, although previously they seemed to be above the legal limit according to local engineering sources. But at least for now the interference is not quite as bad as before, although static remains in certain areas. And ironically recently the tropo effect was pulling in Hot 107.9 from Atlanta, even though WLNK in Charlotte is much closer. But all Entercom should do is put Bob and Sheri on one of their local signals like they do with Vince Coakley. Meanwhile Entercom has done a good job with the music mix on WLNK since taking over, and WLNK is now ahead of the hit music stations 95.1 and 96.1 in the ratings.

 

[tylerSC]

WXRU has apparently been at reduced power since August, as apparently there was an issue at the tower and the antenna was lowered. Now they are apparently on some sort of back up transmission. Not sure of the current plans or if the major interference with WLNK will eventually return. But back in August WLNK was coming in strong and clear in most areas of Greenville County. Now WXRU seems to be at reduced power, although previously they seemed to be above the legal limit according to local engineering sources. But at least for now the interference is not quite as bad as before, although static remains in certain areas. And ironically recently the tropo effect was pulling in Hot 107.9 from Atlanta, even though WLNK in Charlotte is much closer. But all Entercom should do is put Bob and Sheri on one of their local signals like they do with Vince Coakley. Meanwhile Entercom has done a good job with the music mix on WLNK since taking over, and WLNK is now ahead of the hit music stations 95.1 and 96.1 in the ratings.

Not sure if they have moved the transmitter or still have a technical problem. But the signal for WXRU in Greenville remains very reduced power and no audio interfering with WLNK from Charlotte. But there is some static in the background in some areas remaining from some other station. But the audio from WLNK is strong and WXRU is not being heard. Perhaps the static interference is now from the Catholic station on 107.7. But it is better now to hear WLNK nevertheless. WXRU had previously been over the power limit for a low power station, so not sure if their current status has changed or they continue to have problems with their transmitter. But I much prefer to listen to WLNK and their HD signal locks in on Augusta Rd. So things are better right now, as the audio from WXRU is not interfering, except for some bit of static here and there.