Family Stations Will Sell 94.7FM WFME Newark

[reelyreal]

94.7 can move, and should move, to Empire.

If you see the FCC's 54dbu contour of 94.7 as it is presently in West Orange
http://maps.google.com/?q=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml?gmap=2%26appid=1184871%26call=WFME%26freq=94.7%26contour=54%26city=NEWARK%26state=NJ
and compare it with WMAS in "Springfield"
http://maps.google.com/?q=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml?gmap=2%26appid=1455327%26call=WMAS-FM%26freq=94.7%26contour=54%26city=ENFIELD%26state=CT,
then take any given full Empire signal, in this case WPLJ,
http://maps.google.com/?q=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml?gmap=2%26appid=104015%26call=WPLJ%26freq=95.5%26contour=54%26city=NEW_YORK%26state=NY
you will see that in no way do either scenarios fall inside the protected contours of the other.

Radio-locator is a cute website, but go to the guys and gals signing off of the potential change.

As I've stated before and ""stationless listener" has eluded to, 94.7 is part of the "Holy Grail" of radio: starting with 88.3-107.5, at 800kc increments.

I sometimes have to wonder if there isn't an effort to minimize the importance of these frequency allocations. But then I think that, after all, this is just a discussion board.

Move it, then spin the format wheel.

Unless Pillar of Fire gets it. (yeah, I read non-comm to comm license, too - big deal. Buy the station, first.)

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

Interfering and protected contours are two different things.  Just because protected contours don't overlap doesn't mean the interfering contours don't either.  There are a lot of "what-if's:" co-channel interference contours would depend if you're leaving both WFME and WMAS-FM as class B's, or if WFME downgrades to a B1.

If you've got to go directional, where are you going to find room on ESB to go directional?

I think an ESB move is a gray area.  It's definitely not a move that can be "armchair engineered," so I wouldn't dare say whether or not it definitively can or can't be done.

NOW, if Cumulus were to buy WFME and wanted to take both 94.7's directional, then we've got a whole different ballgame...

[Kent]

I think you were trying to get at this, but keep in mind that protected signal contours don't mean much of anything when it comes to short spacing.  The FCC requires two class B signals to be roughly 150 miles apart if they're on the same channel.  The flight distance between New York and Springfield, MA is approximately 120 miles.  Even if WFME were to downgrade to a B1, it would still have to be 131 miles from WMAS-FM to clear spacing requirements.

There are a couple of other issues that could come into play here.  If the two stations are already short-spaced and have been grandfathered in at their current locations, there could be a chance for WFME to move.  This seems plausible as West Orange and Springfield, MA are roughly 125 miles apart.  The FCC allows already short-spaced allotments an opportunity to move so long as the move doesn't exacerbate the problem.  However, I believe the FCC regards "exacerbating the problem" as moving your transmitter closer to the other short-spaced station's transmitter.  In other words, you can move a transmitter within the forbidden zone, but it has to be an equal or greater distance from the other transmitter.  This would still rule out a move of WFME to pretty much anywhere in New York.

Also, if Cumulus were to buy WFME, they might be able to consider the possible interference between WFME and WMAS-FM as acceptable.  I don't know what the FCC requires in terms of mutually agreeing to accept interference, but I know it was at least allowed at one time.

And, yes, there are different rules with regard to directional antennas.  I'm not exactly sure what they are or what the technical limitations are for putting up a directional antenna on the Empire State Building, but a directional antenna might be an option.  Of course, as others have mentioned, it might not matter much since going directional would likely continue to exclude the northeastern part of the market.

[butchfm]

www.bbnradio.org

BBN has a radio network around the country...may have an interest in 94.7FM

[DavidEduardo]

www.bbnradio.org

BBN has a radio network around the country...may have an interest in 94.7FM

I believe it has been stated that Family will not sell to another religious operator, thus the filing to convert to a commercial station.

[stationless listener]

I would add that it is also time to "secularize" 94.7. There are people who want various non-religious formats not served by the other stations who would want a new station on that channel.
 
New York City, despite its historical temples, churches, etc., have more or less secularized. If having a religious station would have worked more people would have listened to WFME, WMCA, WNSR, etc.. Instead, it took a far-out prophecy followed by tons of money thrown away in advertising it that drew attention to WFME during the last year. The prophecy came and went and now some of their stations are going. To secular groups.

[Play Freebird]

There are a couple of other issues that could come into play here.  If the two stations are already short-spaced and have been grandfathered in at their current locations, there could be a chance for WFME to move.  This seems plausible as West Orange and Springfield, MA are roughly 125 miles apart.  The FCC allows already short-spaced allotments an opportunity to move so long as the move doesn't exacerbate the problem.  However, I believe the FCC regards "exacerbating the problem" as moving your transmitter closer to the other short-spaced station's transmitter.  In other words, you can move a transmitter within the forbidden zone, but it has to be an equal or greater distance from the other transmitter.  This would still rule out a move of WFME to pretty much anywhere in New York.

The rule governing grandfathered short-spaced stations is 73.213.  WFME would be allowed to move closer to WMAS-FM if it can be shown that total area and population in the interference zones of each station are not increased.  Since both stations are commercial Class B, predicted interference would occur where the 34 dBu interfering contour of one station overlaps the 54 dBu service contour of the other.   I have software to do these studies, so I just checked the situation.

Here's where it gets interesting.  WFME could indeed move to Empire and operate with full power from the master antenna without causing any additional interference to WMAS --- however, WFME's new 54 dBu contour would receive considerably more overlap from the 34 dBu of WMAS.   To keep the total area of received interference the same in compliance with 73.213, WFME would need to reduce power by about 6 dB.   In other words, if the nondirectional master antenna is used, the allowable ERP would be 1.5 kW, rather than the full 6 kW.   Overlap would decrease towards Westchester County, but it pops out on Long Island. 

Now for a lesson in FCC Physics:  If WFME were considered a Class C2 commercial facility (or even Class B non-commercial), none of this would matter because WFME's protected contour would be defined as 60 dBu, the WMAS interfering contour would become the 40 dBu, and they would clear.  WFME could then run 6 kW at Empire and serve far more population, but the FCC wouldn't consider this "in the public interest". 

Does this make any sense?

[ansky212]

In theory, the future of radio could/should be HD sub channels. It's ashame that hasn't taken off. If everyone had an HD radio and stations actually cared what they put on their sub channels there would actually be enough fm stations for most viable or even non viable formats. It would silence the whole AM/FM debate.

If you have ever listened to an HD radio in the car you'll understand why HD radio will never take off.  The audio dropouts make HD radio unlistenable in the car.  With analog radio you don't even notice most of the time when you experience interference.  It's totally different with digital.

[badjef]

94.7 will move. I have very little doubt about that.
Initially, it may run reduced power, but the harder thing would be the move.

If Cumulus purchases the frequency, then the move will be much easier. Don't be surprised to see them try to move WMAS so as to fall out from under the short spaced concerns.

I can't stress the importance of those frequencies enough. Where do you think 100.3 was before Empire? And why did it move?

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

[w9wi]

The rule governing grandfathered short-spaced stations is 73.213.  WFME would be allowed to move closer to WMAS-FM if it can be shown that total area and population in the interference zones of each station are not increased.  Since both stations are commercial Class B, predicted interference would occur where the 34 dBu interfering contour of one station overlaps the 54 dBu service contour of the other.   I have software to do these studies, so I just checked the situation.

Here's where it gets interesting.  WFME could indeed move to Empire and operate with full power from the master antenna without causing any additional interference to WMAS --- however, WFME's new 54 dBu contour would receive considerably more overlap from the 34 dBu of WMAS.   To keep the total area of received interference the same in compliance with 73.213, WFME would need to reduce power by about 6 dB.   In other words, if the nondirectional master antenna is used, the allowable ERP would be 1.5 kW, rather than the full 6 kW.   Overlap would decrease towards Westchester County, but it pops out on Long Island. 

- Is WFME allowed to agree to accept the interference from WMAS?
- What happens if the same company buys both stations & downgrades WMAS to Class B1?

[luperm]

94.7 will move. I have very little doubt about that.
Initially, it may run reduced power, but the harder thing would be the move.

If Cumulus purchases the frequency, then the move will be much easier. Don't be surprised to see them try to move WMAS so as to fall out from under the short spaced concerns.

I can't stress the importance of those frequencies enough. Where do you think 100.3 was before Empire? And why did it move?

100.3 was an easier move since they did not have the same short spacing issues.  By moving to Empire, they moved FURTHER from the co-channel in Media, PA.  Moving WFME to Empire worsens an already short-spaced situation.
Plus, what about second adjacent stations like 95.1 in Brookfield/Danbury, CT and 94.3 in Smithtown, NY?