WPON WCXI Updates - 2020

[KeenerGold]

When I worked at 'PON, we had a very specific contract that had to be signed to anyone that wanted to purchase time after pattern change. Weekends in the winter were a bitch, since we had ethnic programs that ran past 5:00pm. I used to hear "YOU LEAVE F***ING POWER UP" on a regular basis.

[Colonel Flagg]

In my opinion, these piece of shit stations will never make it to the air so long as they remain under their current ownership. I've been saying that for over five years straight now!

My guess is Mr. Birach is trying to kick the can down the road as far as possible in hopes of finding a buyer. He likely doesn't want to spend the $$$ necessary to purchase, install and tune the transmitters to get these stations fully operational.

102.3 in Windsor has likely gobbled up much of the brokered ethnic business.

AM stations with decent 24/7 coverage in this market but are not at all well known to the masses only have a market value of $1 million to $2 million. Both of these stations will have absolutely terrible coverage between sunset and sunrise. That means fully built WCXI would probably only be worth $750,000 and WPON would probably be worth half that amount.

If an FM translator were part of the package, then market values would be different.

I think your numbers are still over inflated. Where exactly would you place the aforementioned translators?

[Colonel Flagg]

When I worked at 'PON, we had a very specific contract that had to be signed to anyone that wanted to purchase time after pattern change. Weekends in the winter were a bitch, since we had ethnic programs that ran past 5:00pm. I used to hear "YOU LEAVE F***ING POWER UP" on a regular basis.

WPON should have never been moved out of Pontiac. You can't tell me there wasn't some sort of brownfield or industrial site available, somewhere in Pontiac proper, where those towers could have been placed, after the sale of the Bloomfield Twp property. I have often wondered what in the world the marketing plan was for Walled Lake anyway? That story never made a damned bit of sense to me.

For you young whippersnappers, WPON was, in fact, a LIVE, local, and very relevant community radio station prior to moving out to Walled Lake. Studios were in the Riker Building in downtown Pontiac. WPON had a news department, and DJs.

[CK-722]

None of the existing translators cover the whole area, let alone new ones. If the frequencies are not duplicated in Canada, they are duplicated in neighboring markets in the US. And some of the translators that appear to have great signals may not be operating within FCC licensed power and modulation levels. Under new complaint procedures, you may even see many of these required to scale back and comply. Many of those US station 45 dBu contours go deeply into the Market on cochannels.

The FCC's prime directive was, and de jure is, to control interference. Not that the translators haven't made a mockery of this. If they had done the Canadian approach of more flexible technical rules years ago that alllowed AM to FM migration, there wouldn't be the problem that there is. But yet there's CanCon and format rules hobbling their potential.

[SixPlusOne]

I am expecting another 20 year STA extension from WPON by the end of this week.

Well here it is however the content is actually different then I expected:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.ex ... _num=22045

"Exhibit 14
Description: OPERATION REQUESTED

APPLICANT HAS COMPLETED A MOMENT METHOD PROOF OF PERFORMANCE AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THE LICENSE TO COVER APPLICATION. APPLICANT REQUESTS FULL POWER OPERATION AT THE MODELED PARAMETERS PENDING SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION. APPLICANT CERTIFIES THAT REFERENCE POINT MEASUREMENTS WERE TAKEN AND ARE WITHIN THE AUTHORIZED VALUES. ATTACHED ARE THE WPON(AM) MOMENT METHOD DAY AND NIGHT ARRAY PARAMETER SHEETS."

Moment Method DAY Array Parameter Sheet

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Att ... &exhcnum=1

Moment Method NIGHT Pattern Parameter Sheet

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Att ... &exhcnum=2

[SixPlusOne]

WPON - A Minor Modify CP - Accepted For Filing - September 18, 2019:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.ex ... _num=22045

"THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THIS FILING IS TO CORRECT THE TOWER SPACING AND ORIENTATION TO MATCH THAT OF THE AS-BUILT SURVEY SO THAT A CONCURRENT 302-AM MOM PROOF CAN BE ACCURATELY FILED. SINCE CERTAIN TOWERS WERE OUT OF TOLERANCE IT ALSO REQUIRED ADJUSTMENT OF THE PHASE AND RATIO PARAMETERS ON CERTAIN TOWERS. THE DATA PROVIDED COMPARES THE LICENSED PARAMETERS TO THE PROPOSED REVISED DAY AND NIGHT TOWER PARAMETERS."

[fuzzpower]

I think WCXI is still on low power from the new site. It should be much stronger if it is indeed at 15,000 watts. Their nighttime CP is 400 watts, which sounds about right for how they sound after dark.

WPON on the other hand... zilch.

[SixPlusOne]

I think WCXI is still on low power from the new site. WPON on the other hand... zilch.

If you'll recall from a few posts up that WCXI received authorization to operate at reduced power from the new site just to get moved. Remember their transmitter failed sometime back and the station desperate for a quick fix which was clearance to use the new site in this fashion until they receive authorization to go to full power.

WPON is as you point out is off the air and has applied now for full power operations as noted in an earlier post above. (The one in red) Apparently their work is done - just waiting for the usual red tape to clear.

[Deleted User 14990]

OMG.... just let it die already. It will be 2025 and WPON will still be testing. WCAR just needs to be put out of it's misery already,

[fuzzpower]

Doesn’t WCXI have a CP for 15,000 watts? Why would they need authorization? They can go full power right now, then apply for the actual license. Sima and company are just cheap, that’s all.

[SixPlusOne]

It will be 2025 and WPON will still be testing.

Well it must be 2025 right now as WPON is on the air playing music and I heard a disk jockey as well who stated they're back.

[SixPlusOne]

Doesn’t WCXI have a CP for 15,000 watts? Why would they need authorization? They can go full power right now, then apply for the actual license. Sima and company are just cheap, that’s all.

From WCXI's latest application:

"WCXI HOLDS AN AUTHORIZATION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF AN IMPROVED FACILITY WITH A POWER INCREASE. ALTHOUGH MUCH OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW FACILITY HAS BEEN COMPLETED, IT IS NOT YET READY FOR LICENSING. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC, WCXI IS REQUESTING SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO OPERATE IN NON-DIRECTIONAL MODE FROM ONE OF THE TOWERS AT THE AUTHORIZED CONSTRUCTION PERMIT SITE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 73.1615(B)(3), AUTHORITY IS REQUESTED TO OPERATE DAY AND NIGHT AT 25% OF THE LICENSED POWER."

[SolarMax]

2p Monday 11/4,
Well, well...
WPON 1460 is on, playing soulful oldies and a live DJ, saying "This is the 20-Grand Review show on WPON 1460, we're back, we're glad to be back home." Quizzing about a song, asking listeners to call 248-557-1460 or web wpon.com.
WCXI 1160 is on, playing French language pop music.
Both w strong signal and good audio in NW Detroit.