WCMU Transmitter Building Fire

[ftballfan]

Maybe CMU should rent WFDX:

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2659 ... in-hawaii/
(scroll down)

It wouldn't be the first time a public radio station has rented one of Northern Broadcasting's former stations! A few years back, WIAA aired on 105.5 WSRJ for a few months after its transmitter went kaput (WIAA did remain on the air on 88.7 with a backup transmitter)

[statmanmi]

WPHN 90.5 is back on the air with an STA. The signal seems weaker, but is still coming in adequately 35 miles away. Don't know the details of the STA, location, ERP, or HAAT.

The Engineering STA for WPHN 90.5 was filed today: https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/datae ... c&goBack=N

From the attachment:

"Northern Christian Radio, Inc. (“Licensee”), licensee of broadcast station WPHN(FM), Gaylord, Michigan, FCC Facility ID 49536 (the “Station”) respectfully requests Engineering Special Temporary Authority (“STA”) to operate the Station at reduced power and from a temporary trailer placed at the original transmitter site to house the Station’s transmitter due to the total destruction by fire of the Station’s transmitter building and all of the equipment within (see attached photos) which occurred on February 28, 2024. Licensee proposes to operate the Station from the original tower with a Nautel 2.5 Transmitter power operating at 2.5 kilowatts TPO and an Effective Radiated Power (“ERP”) of 10,000 watts.

"Licensee has been advised that it could be 9-12 months before a new permanent tower will be erected at the site. The public interest will be served by allowing the station to operate to provide service to at least some listeners through grant of the requested STA while Licensee diligently works towards rebuilding its facilities and restoring full licensed operations."


Indeed the attachment has two photos, that show the remnants of the transmitter building and perimeter fence. No view of the temporary trailer.

Take care, Statmanmi

[TC Talks]

Pretty crispy

[sinklair]

I might humbly suggest the good folks at WCMU attend today’s Michigan Association of Broadcasters Engineering Conference in Lansing.

https://www.michiganmedia.com/michigan- ... onference/

Not sure if there is a specific session on how not to completely burn down your transmitter site… but there should be one.

[HD74]

There was such an event put on by Nautel.

[Ben Zonia]

Is CMU committed to putting WCML and WCML-FM back on the air soon? Seems like they could do what WPHN has, at least for the FM. It sounds like the antennas weren't damaged. Still haven't heard about the damage to the actual towers. It looks like the transmission lines were only damaged to where they were hanging off the horizontal support structure pictured.

[sinklair]

I think CMU is still trying to figure out how to hold a membership telethon to pay to replace batteries in the transmitter’s smoke detector.

[Colonel Flagg]

Yep. Typical up north fire. Nothing left but the footings.

Unfortunately, many retiring engineers are being replaced with glorified I.T guys. I'm not saying that's what happened here, but many of these new, so called "Engineers" are nothing more than glorified shipping clerks, who spend a lot of time sending emails reminding you to change your password.

[Ben Zonia]

Yep. Typical up north fire. Nothing left but the footings.

Unfortunately, many retiring engineers are being replaced with glorified I.T guys. I'm not saying that's what happened here, but many of these new, so called "Engineers" are nothing more than glorified shipping clerks, who spend a lot of time sending emails reminding you to change your password.

When I visited the site almost 40 years ago, one of the CMU 24/7 42 hour shift engineers who was staying there told me that WPHN was operating from the tower now and that "those Christian guys sure know how to raise money". They also have a team of experts who were committed to getting it back on the air as soon as possible that are like the equivalent of an Amish "barn raising". CMU should borrow some ideas from them.

[rugratsonline]

When I visited the site almost 40 years ago, one of the CMU 24/7 42 hour shift engineers who was staying there told me that WPHN was operating from the tower now and that "those Christian guys sure know how to raise money". They also have a team of experts who were committed to getting it back on the air as soon as possible that are like the equivalent of an Amish "barn raising". CMU should borrow some ideas from them.

Considering that many public broadcasting outlets are having their pledge periods this month, I imagine that CMU will be taking a big hit with the funding, as donors in northeastern Michigan are unable to hear them on the radio or, without cable, see them on TV. Probably won't be as big a deal for TV, as many have cable or satellite, but certainly would on the radio side if they have no signal in that region.

[TC Talks]

When I visited the site almost 40 years ago, one of the CMU 24/7 42 hour shift engineers who was staying there told me that WPHN was operating from the tower now and that "those Christian guys sure know how to raise money". They also have a team of experts who were committed to getting it back on the air as soon as possible that are like the equivalent of an Amish "barn raising". CMU should borrow some ideas from them.

Nothing matches exploiting Jesus for profit, especially in the deep woods.

[MWmetalhead]

Is 89.9.WLJN in financial doo-doo?

Their web page shows only two on-air personalities, and I find it interesting that 105.5 (previously part of their now defunct Fuel FM brand) is now in the hands of a direct competitor.

WLJN lacks the geographic scale that Smile FM and Promise FM enjoy.

[TC Talks]

Is 89.9.WLJN in financial doo-doo?

Their web page shows only two on-air personalities, and I find it interesting that 105.5 (previously part of their now defunct Fuel FM brand) is now in the hands of a direct competitor.

I was told Promise FM is took over the entire operation months ago. Don't know much more, but a local engineer lost the contract.

More here https://mibuzzboard.com/phpBB3/viewtopi ... =7&t=62924

[MWmetalhead]

Thanks for the info.

It's interesting that 89.9 is still being run as its own brand.

[ftballfan]

Thanks for the info.

It's interesting that 89.9 is still being run as its own brand.

89.9/107.9 have apparently shifted to a praise and worship format: https://www.promisefm.com/promiseblog/b ... -new-thing