WCMU Transmitter Building Fire

[Ben Zonia]

It just showed up. 205 kW STA.

Notification of Resumption of Operation
NCE Station WCML(TV), Alpena, MI (Facility ID 9917)
Central Michigan University (“CMU”), licensee of noncommercial educational television station WCML(TV), Alpena, Michigan, hereby notifies the Commission that the station resumed operations on July 30, 2024 in accordance with the station’s licensed parameters except at a reduced effective radiated power of 205 kW. CMU will file a separate application for reduced power Special Temporary Authority in connection with the current operation.

[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
...

WPHN 90.5 intends on multiplexing with WFDX 92.5 from the existing WFDX tower with a new aerial for their permanent solution, per FCC modification filing this week: https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/datae ... d&goBack=N .


Excerpts from one of the attachments:

"...change to a new site location and decrease to Class C1 status.... The facility will employ a new directional antenna. Diplexing with the facilities of a concurrent, but not contingently filed, Schedule 302-FM License Modification for WFDX(FM) -- Atlanta, MI; CH223C1(92.5 MHz), Facility ID: 49573 is proposed...."

Cheers! ~~ Statmanmi

[audiophile]

What is logic behind that? My guess is CMU essentially blames WPHN for the fire and probably told them they needed a separate bldg. and generator.

When WCML-TV needed more room to hang the DTV antenna years ago, they charged WPHN $100,000 to stay on the tower, with a higher monthly rent on top of it.

[Ben Zonia]

What is logic behind that? My guess is CMU essentially blames WPHN for the fire and probably told them they needed a separate bldg. and generator.

When WCML-TV needed more room to hang the DTV antenna years ago, they charged WPHN $100,000 to stay on the tower, with a higher monthly rent on top of it.

Sounds like they should have done this years ago. Sounds like they were trying to drive them out. To stay 100 kW nondirectional at the WFDX site, they would have had to decrease HAAT, creating terrain problems. At the diplex height they need to be directional. They have been one of the last full Class C stations in the state.

Part of the problem is that that NPR station, WNMC in Traverse City, squeezed in on 90.7 in the meantime. How did they get that past CMU with WCML-TV on Channel 6? I guess it was outside the Grade B contour. Did they also have to put up the TV translator, W46AD in Traverse City, to do this?

https://www.fccdata.org/?lang=en&appid= ... facid=9917

[ftballfan]

WTCK and WPFF may have more to do with WPHN having to go directional than WNMC.

I wonder if Northern Christian Radio is going to buy or LMA WFDX and simulcast The Source on it.

[Ben Zonia]

WTCK and WPFF may have more to do with WPHN having to go directional than WNMC.

If you look at this link, and Engineering Packet #1 on the application, and pay particular attention to Page 35, you'll see that WNMC is the most limiting station, requiring the deepest null.

https://www.fccdata.org/?facid=&call=WP ... d=&lang=en

[ftballfan]

Interestingly, the top of the WFDX tower is at a higher AMSL (608 meters) than the top of the WCML tower (579 meters). Also, most of the coverage area lost will be (a) over Lake Huron or (b) served by other NCR stations, such as WQHN, WOLW, and WSRJ

[MWmetalhead]

I do see there's a bit of a null in the proposed pattern to the SSW as well to protect WKAR-FM.

WPHN will certainly see some attenuation to signal strength along the Lake Huron shoreline of NE Michigan if and when this move occurs.

I am unsure which site (current one vs. new one) is better for reaching Charlevoix and Petoskey, but that probably doesn't matter much since 100.9 WQHN serves those areas.

[Ben Zonia]

Even if WKAR-FM could be a full 100 kW/299 meter Class C1 equivalent, and not a 87 kW/269 meter grandfathered superpower Class B, protected as a NCE-FM to 60 dBu, it would still clear by about 12 km from the proposed site. So as such, there is no restriction required toward WKAR-FM.

[Ben Zonia]

WPHN will certainly see some attenuation to signal strength along the Lake Huron shoreline of NE Michigan if and when this move occurs.

I am unsure which site (current one vs. new one) is better for reaching Charlevoix and Petoskey, but that probably doesn't matter much since 100.9 WQHN serves those areas.

It looks like the 60 dBu will continue to hit Petoskey and Harbor Springs. If necessary, a booster or translator could fill in terrain holes. WWRM/WKPK had a 1 watt translator, W265AA, on 100.9 that did amazingly well in Petoskey. If anything, the WAIR-1 92.5 booster might have been too powerful at 1000 watts, creating larger interference fringe areas. You'd be amazed at how well 10 watt (at that time) FM stations like WCBN, WEMU, WSHJ, and WBFH got out back in the day.

Fortunately, I don't think the measured pattern of the DA will be as bad as WLAV, because the required null is a lot shallower.

[ftballfan]

The null to the SSW is actually toward Strong Tower's Gladwin/Harrison rebroadcaster WBHL (on 90.7)

[MWmetalhead]

I'll be darned. I never knew that station even existed! Thanks for the info.