Nashville FM translator status

[w9wi]

Since translators in Nashville have become a subject of discussion on another section.. and the FCC has been busy authorizing some new ones... Here's a list of FM translators in Davidson & bordering counties:

89.9: relays WPRT-102.5's HD3, which in turn relays 88.7 Way FM. On one of the TV towers near Joelton.
90.7: relays KAWZ-89.9 (Twin Falls, Idaho religious station). In Brentwood near the Channel 2 tower.
92.5: Permit for new Brentwood station to relay WLVU K-Love 97.1
93.9: relays WECV-89.1. On the WVCP 88.5 tower on the Vol State campus west of Gallatin.
95.9: relays WQKR-1270 but listed with (and will probably carry soon) WNSR-560. Located near Portland.
96.7: Permit for new Smyrna station to relay WNSR-560.
97.5: Listed as relaying WBUZ-102.9 but heard carrying WQZQ-830. (which in turn simulcasts WPRT 102.5) WMTS-88.3 tower on the MTSU campus.
97.5: Permit for new station to relay WLVU K-Love 97.1. To be located on the Fox 17 TV tower near Joelton.
98.3: Permit for new station to relay WNRQ 105.9. Located in Nashville proper -- downtown, I suspect. I also suspect it will actually relay WNRQ's HD2, which in turn relays WLAC.
99.3: relays WAMB-1200 from Donelson.
100.5: relays WGNS-1450 from the WGNS tower in downtown Murfreesboro.
101.9: relays WECV-89.1; transmits from the WCOR-1490 tower east of Lebanon. FCC DB says the antenna is 128m below average terrain. Apparently there's a REALLY BIG sinkhole east of Lebanon!
101.9: relays WFMQ-91.5 Lebanon from the WGNS-1450 tower in downtown Murfreesboro.
102.1: relays WPRT-102.5 HD2 ("The Light") from the Channel 4 TV tower in West Nashville.
105.5: relays KAWZ (see 90.7) from the WANT-98.9 tower west of Lebanon. Has application on file to move to Mt. Juliet & change frequency to 105.3.
105.5: Permit for new station to relay KAWZ (see 90.7) from a site in "Goodlettesville".

I would not be entirely surprised to see the WLVU translators (92.5 & 97.5) end up actually relaying their other network "Air 1" via a WLVU HD2 channel.

 

[NashvilleNative]

I have to throw the BS flag on 89.9 relaying WPRT-HD3. WPRT-HD3 sounds like it's a 64kbps stream from 1998, meaning the translator must be satellite fed. I think it's safe to say the KLove stations will be Air One, unless the Brentwood one is to compensate for the signal blocking hills, but I too think Air One. If the signals are even close to what way's 89.9 is, that'll be some good overall coverage for under 500W. Wasn't WRQQ in HD?

It kills me that Gaylord and WSM won't get in on this! I wanted to hear George Jones the other day, but neither my work or shop radio have AM and AM sounds awful in the car, despite having an HD tuner (I take it WSM-AM is NOT HD).

 

[Kent]

I have to throw the BS flag on 89.9 relaying WPRT-HD3. WPRT-HD3 sounds like it's a 64kbps stream from 1998, meaning the translator must be satellite fed.

Because the translator is a fill-in translator for WPRT-HD3, it may be fed by means other than over-the-air. So, it may be fed either directly or via satellite.

 

[mattthepm]

101.9: relays WFMQ-91.5 Lebanon from the WGNS-1450 tower in downtown Murfreesboro.

Actually, it is a relay of WGNS, so they have two translators rebroadcasting 1450 (100.5 and 101.9).

-M

 

[w9wi]

Re: audio quality on WPRT HD3, I'd be pretty sure Kent has the right answer. It *does* relay WPRT-HD3 but not off the air..

Re: 101.9 Murfreesboro relaying WGNS: that certainly makes a lot more sense than relaying WFMQ! The FCC DB says they relay WFMQ but such things sometimes change without any notice. 100.5 down there gets out a LOT better than 101.9. (I frequently hear 100.5 up in Pleasant View. I've *never* heard 101.9 unless I was *in* Murfreesboro.)

Native: 102.1 is the only other translator that really comes anywhere near 89.9 for theoretical coverage.

 

[firepoint525]

89.9: relays WPRT-102.5's HD3, which in turn relays 88.7 Way FM. On one of the TV towers near Joelton.

Okay, here is where it begins to get confusing (and I am only using the above as an example). Why would a Cromwell station be carrying WAY-FM programming? Is WAY-FM leasing the signal from Cromwell, or is this (as I suspect) a suspicious way of getting around FCC rules and regs regarding FM translator coverage? And I have often wondered what are the coverage rules for FM translators that are carriers for other commercial FM stations? If the translator cannot theoretically reach outside of the coverage area of the "mother" station when "mom" is an AM, what about when you are carrying one of your FM stations on your translator? If you cannot exceed the coverage area of the original station, then why have the translator?

And some of these translators listed depend on where in middle Tennessee that you live. For instance, isn't 101.9 still "the Light" in the Clarksville area?

 

[w9wi]

89.9: relays WPRT-102.5's HD3, which in turn relays 88.7 Way FM. On one of the TV towers near Joelton.

Okay, here is where it begins to get confusing (and I am only using the above as an example). Why would a Cromwell station be carrying WAY-FM programming? Is WAY-FM leasing the signal from Cromwell, or is this (as I suspect) a suspicious way of getting around FCC rules and regs regarding FM translator coverage? And I have often wondered what are the coverage rules for FM translators that are carriers for other commercial FM stations? If the translator cannot theoretically reach outside of the coverage area of the "mother" station when "mom" is an AM, what about when you are carrying one of your FM stations on your translator? If you cannot exceed the coverage area of the original station, then why have the translator?

And some of these translators listed depend on where in middle Tennessee that you live. For instance, isn't 101.9 still "the Light" in the Clarksville area?

Yes, some of these frequencies are duplicated, including 101.9.

I'm sure Way is indeed leasing WPRT's HD3 from Cromwell. (and yes, it's a way of getting around the regs...)

There are three reasons why you might want a commonly-owned commercial translator, even if that translator is not allowed to extend the theoretical reach of your primary station:

1. The actual coverage of your primary station is less than the theoretical coverage. The FCC formulas say your primary station should have a good strong signal in, say, West Nashville but due to a large hill and/or overload from other nearby stations, in fact your primary signal is pretty weak. This is a pretty good reason to have a translator of an FM station, the situation doesn't come up that often for AM primary stations.

2. When the primary station is on AM, the FCC requires the translator's coverage to be within the *daytime* coverage of the AM primary. They don't care if the translator extends the station's *nighttime* coverage. The vast majority of AM stations have far better daytime coverage than nighttime. (I would suggest that, in Nashville, WSM 650 is the ONLY AM station whose nighttime signal reaches every point where its daytime signal reaches.)

3. The theoretical coverage regulations no longer reflect reality. They assume AM noise levels that existed long before computers & other digital equipment. The FCC may think your AM signal reaches Podunk (and thus allows you to have a translator there) but in fact, that AM signal is buried in noise.

 

[Kent]

Okay, here is where it begins to get confusing (and I am only using the above as an example). Why would a Cromwell station be carrying WAY-FM programming? Is WAY-FM leasing the signal from Cromwell, or is this (as I suspect) a suspicious way of getting around FCC rules and regs regarding FM translator coverage?

Cromwell either leases WPRT-HD3 to WAY-FM or donates it to them as a tax write-off. In exchange, WAY-FM gets to operate a translator at a larger antenna height than it otherwise would if it were translating 88.7. It's really not that confusing or suspicious. The FCC determined arrangements like this were legal several years ago, and at least one user on this board has heard WAY-FM on 102.5-3. So, there's probably not any monkey business (or at least not any of the illegal kind).

If you cannot exceed the coverage area of the original station, then why have the translator?

Believe it or not, some stations actually can't cover the entire area within their theoretical city grade signal. That's why you'd have the translator. It's also why "fill-in" translators can be fed by means other than over-the-air. If you're covering an area that's entitled to hear your station but can't, it's reasonable to expect that the translator can't get your over-the-air signal either. So, you may feed the translator however you desire.

 

[onetake]

Give me a guess Watt (or anyone who studies this stuff) Where is all this coming from? Is it a mad race to grab what they can before the FCC realizes they've cluttered up the FM band?
I know guys in radio believe people sit around and "scan" the dial endlessly looking for great new station, but I've read too many Arbitron diaries to know that surprisingly, and disappointingly, most people..the average Joe and Mrs Joe...have a couple of favorite stations (usually no more than 2 or 3) that they go back and forth to (and they are the ones on their presets). I don't know if I see or believe there is a big pay off here. Am I wrong?

 

[firepoint525]

Give me a guess Watt (or anyone who studies this stuff) Where is all this coming from? Is it a mad race to grab what they can before the FCC realizes they've cluttered up the FM band?
I know guys in radio believe people sit around and "scan" the dial endlessly looking for great new station, but I've read too many Arbitron diaries to know that surprisingly, and disappointingly, most people..the average Joe and Mrs Joe...have a couple of favorite stations (usually no more than 2 or 3) that they go back and forth to (and they are the ones on their presets). I don't know if I see or believe there is a big pay off here. Am I wrong?

It's partly that, but I believe that it is also a mad dash by AM stations to migrate over to FM because all of their (former) listeners are leaving AM (and those who remain are dying off, sadly).

Most of these translators have a reach of just a few miles anyway, as evidenced by all the duplicate dial positions listed above.

What you describe here may not be as big of a deal in some of the more rural areas, but make no mistake, there are translators "out there," too.

And it seems to me that some AM stations near (but not actually in) big cities now need translators because they sold off their FM sister stations back in the day when those became big city "move-ins." The Dickson station (WDKN) is a good example of this, but in fairness, I should point out that it wasn't the current owners of that station that sold off the FM sister station years ago. But they have obviously had to add a translator to replace it.

 

[w9wi]

onetake:

I think there are three reasons for this translator dash:

- As firepoint says, AM stations which realize nobody listens to AM. (and/or which realize a 250-watt translator has better coverage than their 5,000-watt AM) There is little to no chance of acquiring a new full-power FM in most places.

- Big groups wishing to add to their clusters. See Clear Channel's 98.3. They'd love to have WLAC on FM, but since (it's my understanding that) they already own as many FMs as the FCC will permit in this market, they'd have to blow up one of their other stations to do it. A translator doesn't count against the multiple-ownership totals.

Or, see 102.1. Where Cromwell has been able to create a completely new station without having to buy it from someone else.

- Speculators. Companies taking out as many translator permits as possible in hopes of selling them to third parties for a profit.

 

[deltas69]

Sure wish Gallatin had one..but no one up here with a station can see the picture...what a waste..they don't understand how it could help them in so many ways...

 

[romer979fm]

add 95.9 to the list:
appears WNSR will move 95.9 from Ruebensville (Portland) running 15 watts...to the former WAY-FM tower
(next to the WKRN tower). the CP says 250 watts @ 300 feet...in-car should be pretty good...but no building penetration.

 

[radiorob2.0]

A reminder that Commercial LPFM was shot down on issues of spectrum integrity. The very same individuals are now crowding the band with translators.

 

[radio guy 1951]

Sure wish Gallatin had one..but no one up here with a station can see the picture...what a waste..they don't understand how it could help them in so many ways...

I seriously doubt the owners of the 3 Gallatin stations have the money to purchase a translator.

 

[deltas69]

the 3 Gallatin stations ...Three ?? WHIN..WMRO...What's the third ??''Well technically 104.5 but..they obviously don't need one.

 

[romer979fm]

the 3 Gallatin stations ...Three ?? WHIN..WMRO...What's the third ??''Well technically 104.5 but..they obviously don't need one.

1130 still exists...as hispanic religious WYXE

 

[deltas69]

Yes..but it is no longer in Gallatin.........

 

[w9wi]

Yes..but it is no longer in Gallatin.........

It's still licensed to Gallatin -- isnt' the transmitter still northwest of town on 109 up towards Music Mountain?

 

[deltas69]

That I don't know...the old Music Mountain property is a small tower farm nowadays..When I worked at 1130..the trans was in the usual shack at tghe tower..but after the property and license swap..I'm sure the ttrans was moved..now that you mentioon it..I don't know where their tower is..as the one on the original site is WMOR's tower I think...Is 1130 still in the Hend shopping plaza lower level ??