WCNZ 1660 & WMYR 1410 "The Avenue"

[ok walters]

All three (1410, 1480, 1660) are for sale at bargain-basement prices.

Do you know the asking price for all three? Please contact me off-list at jmt@jmtillery.com.

To be a bargain it would have to be pretty much free.  How much land is there?  Condition of the towers and equipment?

[HadYourPhil]

I put 1480 and 1660 on in stereo back in 1999. They sounded teriffic. After I left the first time in late 2000, other engineers with different opinions took over. When I was brought back in 2003, the stations had separate programming and there weren't enough STL's to go around. When I came back a third time in 2010, the programming was still separate. After the edict was issued to simulcast 1480 and 1660 again, I would have loved to put them back in stereo, but the opportunity was not there. I left again last summer and I can assure you there is no interest.

You can asymmetrically modulate AM Stereo. It does not make one channel louder on stereo radios. The only tradeoff might be increased distortion, but that's not an issue if you are attentive to detail.

A bargain is in the eye of the beholder, and in that beholder's vision.

[N1WVQ]

I put 1480 and 1660 on in stereo back in 1999. They sounded teriffic. After I left the first time in late 2000, other engineers with different opinions took over. When I was brought back in 2003, the stations had separate programming and there weren't enough STL's to go around. When I came back a third time in 2010, the programming was still separate. After the edict was issued to simulcast 1480 and 1660 again, I would have loved to put them back in stereo, but the opportunity was not there. I left again last summer and I can assure you there is no interest.

You can asymmetrically modulate AM Stereo. It does not make one channel louder on stereo radios. The only tradeoff might be increased distortion, but that's not an issue if you are attentive to detail.

A bargain is in the eye of the beholder, and in that beholder's vision.

I would love for them to be in stereo.  I think you were there when you sent me a QSL card when 1660 was WMIB.  I was listening in St. Augustine.  We had stereo WKLN/1170 as a local, then.

[jrobert]

It's a shame, that 1410 and 1660 aren't being run with any interest in making an impact on either Ft. Myers or Naples. As for 1410, their daytime ND signal used to able to be heard halfway to West Palm back in the late 60's and 70's. Their Nightime DA would be better if they took advantage of a couple of improvement options available (or at least they used to be available). Their southern null could be let out sighting an old FCC ruling allowing U.S. stations to counter interference from Cuban stations (Miami's WIOD 610 back in the 80's), and their N,NW null slightly advanced due to WNPL Mobile (1410) bringing in their southern lobe along with a reduction in their night time power (albeit only a 200watt reduction). WMYR was always a big station in SWFL. Could be again, with some great format changes, a little promotion, great live/local presence. I know I could make those stations work, and get a showing in the book too.

[HadYourPhil]

There definitely are format holes that those stations could fill, with one of my favorites being the "Route 66" format on WDDV in Sarasota. The curent ownership has absolutely no interest in doing anything other than selling the stations.

I don't think there is anything meaningful that could be done to improve WMYR's night pattern. Supposedly, that very subject was addressed in depth a few years ago. It is possible that if WMYR was moved, they could re-engineer the pattern, but that would be a major undertaking. And, it is quite possible they are on reduced power for some reason or another.

Just another waste of AM signals. Another local example is the 92.5/1240/1270 trimulcast.

[HadYourPhil]

You have to wonder who is minding the store at 1660/1480/1410. They have had very intermittent audio on (sounds like satellite issues) for over two weeks. 1480 was totally off for three days. 1660 for most of one. 1410 frequently has hours of dead air. Obviously, no one is listening, especially local management.

Nothing like paying the power bill for three wasted transmitters...

[cd637299]

^Was DXn from Cape San Blas (see DX & Reception), and yes indeed 1660 was there, with that choppy audio, except for the announcers.

cd

[ellenparks]

Heard 1660 WCN,,,,all the way up the We,,t coast Friday on m....  ay  to Sar,,,,,,sota.  Great music an,,,,,,chirp,,chirp,,squeek,,,,ere is another ,,,,iless cool,,,,ong

[ellenparks]

Noticed the stream for these station is down.  I'd guess that's so the big guy up North who owns them doesn't get wind of what's happeing in Fla

[Jeff Laurence]

JM Tillery..we need to talk about this.  I have a studio we are building in Sanibel.  Might be a great place to run at least two of those from.  Will the owners hold the note?  This could be a little cash machine with the right group who truly cares about it.