98.9 in Myrtle Beach

[BostonRandy]

91.3 WHQR (Wilmington) has fired up a translator (W255BZ) on 98.9, effectively killing my reception of Fun 98.9 in Charleston.  This makes no sense to me as their 100K signal already covers the Grand Strand.

[vchimpanzee]

91.3 WHQR (Wilmington) has fired up a translator (W255BZ) on 98.9, effectively killing my reception of Fun 98.9 in Charleston.  This makes no sense to me as their 100K signal already covers the Grand Strand.

I liked Fun 98.9 too, at least when Tom Kent was on. I actually prefer WEZV, so no real harm for me, but it would be nice to have the other alternative.

This has been needed for a long time. No one was playing classical music in the area, and I understand they do.

I could be wrong because the radio I have now won't pick up anything below 92 FM, but I don't recall ever picking up WHQR in my room, and I've done pretty well with Wilmington stations. That was at a time when I could pick up WHMC and WLGI, but not WKVC. I just wonder if the radio was having problems then and I didn't know it.   

Now I did pick up WHQR in the car, but not dependably.

[BostonRandy]

I'm at Myrtle Beach National near the Conway/Myrtle Beach line. WHQR comes in on all my radios at the house. In my opinion, it's unnecessary signal duplication based on the transmitter location. I've worked at stations with translators and we had them based upon a null in our signal, not as a "move-in", disrupting local reception. Perhaps this is purely a move to expand their financial base. I don't think a 13-watt translator more than 50 miles from your 100KW stick is the best way to improve the situation.

[vchimpanzee]

You could be right. WRXZ used to have a translator at 95.9 back in its Shark days, and I don't think that one's still in use. It was never needed, in my opinion. That would be the way to go.

[vchimpanzee]

It was nice to hear classical music in my motel room. It has been years since I could.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of NPR talk programming even on WHQR.