Is Miller moving 99.3 into Columbia?

[OnairPdMd]

WXRY is moving to 99.5 - Construction Permit Granted April 06 2012

Does that mean WWKT 99.3 will move in?

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=wxry&x=0&y=0&sr=Y&s=C

[DudeFan]

No.

WWKT has spacing issues with WKXC, WBT-FM Chester and 99.1 Barnwell. It cannot get close enough to throw a City Grade over Columbia.

With the promulgation of the new LPFM regulations implementing the removal of the 3rd Adjacency protection requirements, WXRY applied to change to 99.5 in order to improve our coverage.

WXRY is not afforded protection against a move-in other than Commission Policy that would deny a move-in if it would put an LPFM off the air.

[Powell E. Way III W4OPW]

Barnwell is off air, and won't return until the new station gets licensed and that won't be really soon.

Powell

[KyleAndMelissa22]

No.

WWKT has spacing issues with WKXC, WBT-FM Chester and 99.1 Barnwell. It cannot get close enough to throw a City Grade over Columbia.

With the promulgation of the new LPFM regulations implementing the removal of the 3rd Adjacency protection requirements, WXRY applied to change to 99.5 in order to improve our coverage.

WXRY is not afforded protection against a move-in other than Commission Policy that would deny a move-in if it would put an LPFM off the air.

I don't see how moving to 99.5 will improve coverage at all.
At 99.3 they are at only 17 watts, and moving to 99.5 will drop them to 16 watts.
The coverage maps (CP & Current) look the about same, however to try to improve coverage they'll need more power...
LPFMs can go up to 100 watts, I think XRY should apply for more watts so they can be better heard near Irmo, Lexington, Blythewood
and even the main stretch of I-20 where it fades out almost completely at times between exits 68 & 71.

BTW 99.5 is likely a worse choice than 99.3 in Columbia due to the Very close proximity to WKXC right in Aiken.
Without XRY on the air, WKXC would likely be stronger in Columbia than WBT.
I say apply to keep it at 99.3 with a null to the north and east (protect WBT & WWKT) from a power of at least 50 watts.

[DudeFan]

WXRY is looking for a more clear channel (note the lower case). Effective coverage is limited on 99.3 by the presence of two co-channels on either side. 99.5 only has one co-channel WKXC Aiken/Augusta. The frequency change may not be implemented depending on what is the reality in the field. Once a filing window opens up, a major change is possible, so the several other, more clear channels, are possible.

KyleandMelissa, LPFM does not permit directional antennas, at this point. In addition, the Commission is proposing a 250watt upgade class for "rural" LPFM's. At this point, Columbia is not considered "rural." But that is just the proposed rules.

The I-20 stretch is a matter of antenna height. That stretch is below the WXRY antenna view because of the terrain. The Meridian Building also causes a major shadow to the SSE.

Powell, I believe 99.1 was granted to the Catholic Church in Barnwell. How soon it gets built is another matter.

[Gatekeeper007]

I don't know when 99.1 will come back on the air, I was asked if I would like to apply for it back when it was open for WLRE but I didn't want a 25000 watt electric bill on a non commerical station in a rural area.  We have a change going on that effects a possible move to 99.3 on a translator and a mutual on a different translator on 99.5 in Orangeburg with Miller that's been pending for eight years.  Either way that's not going to effect your changes in any way.

[DudeFan]

Gatekeeper, depending on our field tests in the next couple months, we may let the CP lapse.

[Gatekeeper007]

Our changes won't effect your range in any way.  Is the open frequency on 99.5 have less bleed over or less cochannel interference than 99.3 in your area.

[DudeFan]

Our initial tests in downtown and Northeast are a remarkable improvement on 99.5. Full quieting stereo on Clemson Road and beyond. However, Irmo/St.Andrews and parts of Cayce are worse due to the co-channel WKXC.

We may wait until the filing window and then make a major change.

[KyleAndMelissa22]

We may wait until the filing window and then make a major change.

Wouldn't it be possible to go for the most power possible, 100 watts, surely that's allowed for most any LPFM,
I don't know why the current setup was only allowed 17 watts, heck even some pirate radio stations are stronger than that, LOL. 

Also, out of curiousity, I'm guessing the electric bill for any 100 watt (or less) radio station should be under $10 a month to transmit,
as it'd take 10 hours at 100 watts to equal 1 kilowatt-hour (about 11¢ per kWh is average in SC)...Like running a light 100 watt light bulb all month.