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1260 Zeeland Transmitter site burns

Discussion pertaining to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Battle Creek, Big Rapids, and Michiana
cckadlec
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Re: 1260 Zeeland Transmitter site burns

Post by cckadlec » Tue Dec 18, 2018 1:51 pm

cckadlec wrote:
Sat Nov 24, 2018 5:51 pm
I sent an e-mail to them in Big Rapids - which I've done before in the past with zero reply, so there's no surprise there - asking them the same thing basically. I was curious if they planned to take their 107.7, which has a truly epic shitty signal, and broadcast some HD channel from a co-owned station like they do with 99.1. I can see why they wanted the 96.5 frequency back (it originally was a repeater of WFGR in Big Rapids for many years that would now and then faintly be heard down here, though WFGR seemingly admitted they had nothing to do with the translator).

107.7 is just terrible. Horrible audio quality and something you barely want to even listen to because of it. I actually had to record their TOH ID for my 500 TOH ID project three times because two of the times, the audio was so distorted it was hard to understand the ID!! They struggle with poor coverage on 107.7 too. And worse off, barely no coverage area to the southwest because WMUS's IBOC buries it almost entirely until right before you get close to Big Rapids (even in White Cloud, it's usually IBOC'y). So that sucks for them. It's the same situation as 103.9. 35 miles from here but all IBOC unless you aim just right.

96.5 is pretty open for them around here and I can easily carry their signal into the Muskegon area on most days. Certainly a local here in Fremont, and the audio quality isn't as harsh. But it doesn't excuse the fact they're on two frequencies from the same tower. My prediction: they plan to hog both of them and use them both for WBRN programming. Because in their eyes... the FCC was dumb enough to give them another station when they already had one, so why not!!!!? At the same time, though I haven't listened very recently, their IDs still only mentioned 107.7, so anything is possible...
Without making a separate thread for these stations as they aren't worth it, anyone know what the deal is with 96.5 and 107.7 Big Rapids? Both went off the air right before the H*** (this is still stupid that this board is still censoring this after all these years) 3-day tropo opening. (Thank you very much! Great timing, especially on 96.5!). I'd like to think the whole tower is off the air, but 102.3 runs from the same one. Both of the WBRN stations are still off today. Maybe they'll take this time to fix the signals so they're not so distorted, as they'll obviously end up back on the air.
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Last edited by cckadlec on Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:42 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Ed Joseph
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Re: 1260 Zeeland Transmitter site burns

Post by Ed Joseph » Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:02 pm

MWmetalhead wrote:
Sat Nov 24, 2018 5:19 pm
Easy to hear in Wyoming and Kentwood.
For a Class A, WFGR's range and signal penetration is fairly impressive.
(As an aside, I enjoy WFGR's programming.)
I agree. We could get WFGR all the way to Allegan, halfway to Hastings and west to at almost Ionia. I actually can listen to WFGR. I just wish they'd go a tad deeper in their playlist. It's wider than most Classic Hits stations. Processing can sound great if the board isn't buried. If it is, there's definitely a squash factor. I love their jingles, especially the TOH ID jingle.


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Ed Joseph
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Re: 1260 Zeeland Transmitter site burns

Post by Ed Joseph » Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:12 pm

I had only heard a brief tidbit about the fire. This is the first I've seen of it, but I've been offline for a while. I'm glad they are rebuilding and that the pricks got caught. Sad, to say the least.

WBRN... it still even exists? I haven't thought about WBRN in years. That station was like the opitome' of "small-gig" radio back in the 70's. Kinda like the old WOAP in Owosso, but somehow falling way short of half as good! WMPX was WABC in comparison. But it was always priceless listening back when those kind of stations were still around.


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CK-722
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Re: 1260 Zeeland Transmitter site burns

Post by CK-722 » Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:23 am

Maybe the WBRN problems had to do with STL Microwave Tropo feed problems?
Last edited by CK-722 on Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:40 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Ed Joseph
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Re: 1260 Zeeland Transmitter site burns

Post by Ed Joseph » Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:24 pm

CK-722 wrote:
Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:23 am
Maybe the WBRN problems had to do with STL Microwave Tropo feed problems?
Could be. That seems to happen quite a bit up north.


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cckadlec
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Re: 1260 Zeeland Transmitter site burns

Post by cckadlec » Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:04 am

CK-722 wrote:
Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:23 am
Maybe the WBRN problems had to do with STL Microwave Tropo feed problems?
I'm not so sure about that, but I really can't speculate further.

They came back on some days later (perhaps a week?). However, 96.5's signal coverage drastically changed upon coming back on the air. Before they went off, they had one heck of a signal that was about 270 degrees strong coverage with the other 90 degrees weakened but still there to the point it was hard to get Lansing or Kalamazoo. When they returned, it's more like 90 degrees (of a full 360 degree turn with the portable radio) and the rest was nothing. I need to aim right at it to get it now while the remaining 270 or so is just a null, mostly Power and KLH. It's the same with strong tropo like this morning or dead as f*ck conditions like the past week.

So I reckon something changed. I can't speak on 107.7 though. I don't even bother with that one because the frequency is so trashed between Kalamazoo, VCY, mostly IBOC, and Big Rapids poking its nose in there.


[ Radio and weather geeks, beware! Coastal tropo studies, the 3-hr. Seoul AM Radio Listening Guide, 6-hr. 500 Top-of-Hour IDs, and Chinese FM at www.chriskadlec.comTuner: Grundig G8 • Location: Fremont, Mich. ]

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