Why Did WLNH and WBYY Switch to "Frank"?

[Gregg.]

It seemed WLNH 98.3 always had plenty of commercials. Some time ago, it got a big increase in power, going from a Class A to Class C3. 700 watts on a tower at nearly 1800 feet above average terrain... 300 feet taller than the Empire State Building. It boomed over the Lakes Region with Hot AC music. So why go to Rock-leaning Classic Hits? Some parts of the Lakes Region already get 107.5 Frank in Portland or 99.1 Frank in Henniker. Does the Lakes Region need a local Frank FM?

And WBYY was the only AC in the Portsmouth-Dover-Rochester market, which taken together, is quite large. Yes, WHOM and WZID are also heard in the market. WHOM sells there as well but I don't think WZID does. I heard plenty of spots on WBYY. And the funny thing is the P-D-R market already has plenty of stations playing Classic Rock/Classic Hits. 95% of powerful 100.3 WHEB is Classic Rock, even though the station doesn't image that way. Plus there's rock-leaning Classic Hits The Shark 105.3 and 102.1. Does P-D-R need a Frank of their own?

 

[Tomgsinger]

Portsmouth’s market isn’t really that large by area or population, so there’s no reason they need two classic hits stations in market, a third from Sanford ME (Portland market) that targets Dover/Rochester, AND 107.5 WFNK (Lewiston, ME), a 100 kilowatt blowtorch that covers the entirety of the Portland-Lewiston, Augusta AND Portsmouth markets clearly.

The Lakes Region is a puny market (130,000 people total), and it already has a classic station to begin with (WLKZ), but no AC or Hot AC (WHOM comes in clearly throughout the market, but they focus on the much larger Portland-Lewiston market to the east).

I don’t even know if the WNNH simulcast was necessary, as WFNQ’s signal alone covers everything from Concord, MA to north of Concord, NH. However, WNNH has always been in a weird place, as it can’t be heard well in Manchester/Derry (which WJYY and WTPL can) or the Lakes Region (which WNHW does).

 

[Oldie919]

Portsmouth’s market isn’t really that large by area or population, so there’s no reason they need two classic hits stations in market, a third from Sanford ME (Portland market) that targets Dover/Rochester, AND 107.5 WFNK (Lewiston, ME), a 100 kilowatt blowtorch that covers the entirety of the Portland-Lewiston, Augusta AND Portsmouth markets clearly.

The Lakes Region is a puny market (130,000 people total), and it already has a classic station to begin with (WLKZ), but no AC or Hot AC (WHOM comes in clearly throughout the market, but they focus on the much larger Portland-Lewiston market to the east).

I don’t even know if the WNNH simulcast was necessary, as WFNQ’s signal alone covers everything from Concord, MA to north of Concord, NH. However, WNNH has always been in a weird place, as it can’t be heard well in Manchester/Derry (which WJYY and WTPL can) or the Lakes Region (which WNHW does).

WNNH, AFAIK, still has its backup transmitter on Pat's Peak in Henniker.....and its main site on Watchtower Hill in Contoocook.
The (relative) "soft spot" to the south has been a mystery for years.....Topography doesn't appear to be a major factor....but the issue exists, nonetheless.....

 

[jlehmann]

WNNH, AFAIK, still has its backup transmitter on Pat's Peak in Henniker.....and its main site on Watchtower Hill in Contoocook.
The (relative) "soft spot" to the south has been a mystery for years.....Topography doesn't appear to be a major factor....but the issue exists, nonetheless.....

It's been a few years since I've been up there, but I believe last time I was there, the only FM broadcast antenna appeared to be 107.7's.

 

[Oldie919]

It's been a few years since I've been up there, but I believe last time I was there, the only FM broadcast antenna appeared to be 107.7's.

Entirely possible.....It's been more than 20 years since I visited either site (Dirk Nadon was Oldies 99's Chief at the time.....).