Major changes coming to Port Huron radio

[hb2]

Bear in mind a translator on FM used to rebroadcast an AM station cannot change its source to an FM HD station without FCC approval.

105.5 and 92.7 are each required to rebroadcast an AM station as a condition of their respective licenses.

Yes and I believe same is true for converting a station from analog only to HD radio as well, needs FCC approval. It would be a multi piece process but we know what is going to happen per the article. A call sign move and the plug being pulled on 3 signals in this region

92.7 is tied to 1590 and cannot be separated.

The 1590 property, I believe, is rented.

As for a rented plot of land, this would be an additional savings for them aside from maintenance and the electric bill. Makes sense that a translator can't be separated from a particular signal(not too fluent on all the in's and out's of the FCC rules, learning as I go, bear with me). This void would open up a new slot in this area for a LPFM to maybe move in and fill. Watch it be Smile FM or maybe another Bridge 96.7 repeater.

With the WHLS and WHLX calls becoming available (unless another station has dibs on them already in advance), I have a gut feeling that Smile FM might try to snatch up one or both of these call signs like they have in many other cases in their network. Recent ones I know of are WFNT (FM) in Adrian on 88.7 and WDRQ 89.9 in Imlay City (with a signal radius less than 5 miles from the tx site to the south due to interference from CBE-FM, this one repeats 'bridge 96.7').

[hb2]

It sounds like 1450/105.5 will only be retaining the Tigers and Lions PBP. WPHM had carried the Red Wings, Pistons, and Michigan State, and WHLS carried the University of Michigan.

UofM and MSU won't be much of a problem as WJR and WWJ are easily receivable in the Thumb, but WXYT-FM's coverage gets spotty in Port Huron, especially north of town near WBTI's stick.

The real estate factor must play in to this decision, as this reduces Radio First from four tower sites to two. The tower sites for WPHM (Range Road) and WHLX (Marine City Highway) are likely to bring in a decent amount and won't remain undeveloped for long. 1450, 105.5, and WSAQ 107.1 are all on the same stick on 32nd Street, and WBTI is out off M-25 and Gardner Line.

U of M broadcasts were moved to WCSX beginning fall 2025. WWJ now has no college programming.

MSU remains on WJR

[hb2]

As for the dropped sports affiliations in the region, time will tell IF another station (w/Radio First, or competitor) picks up any of these broadcasts. I'm sure they will at least try to make it onto either WSAQ or WBTI first if unsuccessful at getting onto the consolidated WPHM 1450. Radio First might have to consider which remaining signal to be an overflow for programmimg conflicts as even with just Tigers & Lions this does happen (unless they just don't air all or part of one of the broadcasts).

Otherwise WGRT would be a second option if one may seek elsewhere for close FM signals in the US to affiliate with.

Lastly I could see WTGV and/or WMIC getting a call to be an affiliate. WMIC covers Port Huron good during the day but its a daytime only AM and many games happen at night. WTGV is a FAR FRINGE signal and would also overlap with affiliates in Caro, would be troublesome at best to recieve.

Maybe there just won't be any more Red Wings, Pistons, UofM and Spartans over the air Locally anymore?

[ZenithCKLW]

I can't see sports being put on WBTI. As a longtime local, I know that WBTI is the go-to choice for background music in so many St. Clair and Sanilac County businesses, and that seems to attract local advertising and community promotions as customers shop or workers work. You hear WBTI everywhere that doesn't have something like Muzak piped in. I can't imagine local businesses shuffling around the dial during a sporting event interruption, and if they do, I suspect that would become a permanent change for another music station to take advantage of.

[MegaHertz]

Bear in mind a translator on FM used to rebroadcast an AM station cannot change its source to an FM HD station without FCC approval.

105.5 and 92.7 are each required to rebroadcast an AM station as a condition of their respective licenses.

Yes and I believe same is true for converting a station from analog only to HD radio as well, needs FCC approval. It would be a multi piece process but we know what is going to happen per the article. A call sign move and the plug being pulled on 3 signals in this region

92.7 is tied to 1590 and cannot be separated.

The 1590 property, I believe, is rented.

As for a rented plot of land, this would be an additional savings for them aside from maintenance and the electric bill. Makes sense that a translator can't be separated from a particular signal(not too fluent on all the in's and out's of the FCC rules, learning as I go, bear with me). This void would open up a new slot in this area for a LPFM to maybe move in and fill. Watch it be Smile FM or maybe another Bridge 96.7 repeater.

With the WHLS and WHLX calls becoming available (unless another station has dibs on them already in advance), I have a gut feeling that Smile FM might try to snatch up one or both of these call signs like they have in many other cases in their network. Recent ones I know of are WFNT (FM) in Adrian on 88.7 and WDRQ 89.9 in Imlay City (with a signal radius less than 5 miles from the tx site to the south due to interference from CBE-FM, this one repeats 'bridge 96.7').

They got the DRQ calls?! Goddamn it!

[hb2]

Bear in mind a translator on FM used to rebroadcast an AM station cannot change its source to an FM HD station without FCC approval.

105.5 and 92.7 are each required to rebroadcast an AM station as a condition of their respective licenses.

Yes and I believe same is true for converting a station from analog only to HD radio as well, needs FCC approval. It would be a multi piece process but we know what is going to happen per the article. A call sign move and the plug being pulled on 3 signals in this region

92.7 is tied to 1590 and cannot be separated.

The 1590 property, I believe, is rented.

As for a rented plot of land, this would be an additional savings for them aside from maintenance and the electric bill. Makes sense that a translator can't be separated from a particular signal(not too fluent on all the in's and out's of the FCC rules, learning as I go, bear with me). This void would open up a new slot in this area for a LPFM to maybe move in and fill. Watch it be Smile FM or maybe another Bridge 96.7 repeater.

With the WHLS and WHLX calls becoming available (unless another station has dibs on them already in advance), I have a gut feeling that Smile FM might try to snatch up one or both of these call signs like they have in many other cases in their network. Recent ones I know of are WFNT (FM) in Adrian on 88.7 and WDRQ 89.9 in Imlay City (with a signal radius less than 5 miles from the tx site to the south due to interference from CBE-FM, this one repeats 'bridge 96.7').

They got the DRQ calls?! Goddamn it!

Yeppers they did indeed
Drive up M-53 and as soon as you get north of the I-69 bridge it is WDRQ on 89.9 as "bridge 96.7". It was intermittent at first but been regularly on lately

[edj]

WWJ still has some overflow programming if Tigers (or Lions), Wings, and Pistons all play at the same time. If I recall, the nighttime is a little shaky because of the need to protect the long vacated but still allotted 950 in Barrie. It’s not as bad as WFDF but not as good as WJR.

I wonder how much the lease is on 1590’s site? I also wonder if they considered selling off part of the WPHM site and going to one or two towers at lower power full time, while attempting to move an FM translator to repeat it? Several AMs are going this route.

[hb2]

WWJ still has some overflow programming if Tigers (or Lions), Wings, and Pistons all play at the same time. If I recall, the nighttime is a little shaky because of the need to protect the long vacated but still allotted 950 in Barrie. It’s not as bad as WFDF but not as good as WJR.

I wonder how much the lease is on 1590’s site? I also wonder if they considered selling off part of the WPHM site and going to one or two towers at lower power full time, while attempting to move an FM translator to repeat it? Several AMs are going this route.

I also wondered if rather than using the tower itself as an antenna, to use a bare wire strung/fastened along yet spaced apart from the tower a few inches (can't think of term of this process) and do above ground feedline vs buried? If it's deteriorating feedlines/towers/ ceramic insulators that's the problem, this could have been a suitable alternative( a tower could be directly grounded rather than insulated, better lightning protection?) but if it's the transmitters themselves or equipment in the building then thats a whole different story. Very few broadcasters in this day and age have pocket change to burn on new transmitters. Especially on AM

Also thought too the ground plane(s) may be deteriorating, and would likely be cost prohibitive since there are often thousands of feet (sometimes a mile or 2) of wire buried (shallowly if not on the surface) in all directions around AM towers. Another layer of burden on engineers to have to deal with.

[KeenerGoldv2.0]

St. Clair County tax rolls show the WHLX property in China Township owned by Liggett Communications, transferred from Lee Hanson in April 2020.

https://www.stclaircounty.org/Offices/7 ... 5-4004-000

[radio_sparty]

While I totally understand the maintenance and repair aspect to operating two separate directional antenna sites (WPHM is seven towers!), I am left scratching my head on this one.

Port Huron is a blue collar/rustbelt town and the greater St. Clair County area is relatively rural and conservative. Rock (whether it be alternative or classic) and News-talk just make sense for this area.

I find it hard to believe that a AAA/Americana format like the one currently found on WHLX, is successful enough to displace both an Alternative Rock station and a News-Talk station.

AAA has always done well in Ann Arbor, and is doing okay in Grand Rapids, but look at other attempts across the state in Manistee/Traverse City and Benton Harbor/St. Joseph. Both attempts were unsuccessful, and they both took place in more progressive areas than Port Huron.

It is a shame the Rock 105.5 format won't live on someplace else, whether HD as mentioned above, or on another analog signal. It's an even bigger shame that the WHLS calls, which are one of the oldest sets of letters in the state (almost 88 years old) are being kicked to the curb.

Seems to me this decision was made hastily and at the expense of two more established and perhaps more popular formats/brands.

[hb2]

I also wondered if an option was, now that we know they do own the WHLX plot of land, if clearing/ selling the land of WHLX then utilizing the proceeds towards upgrading the current WPHM (1380) site to better dependability and diplexing WHLX from there. They could hypothetically cut power drastically on 1590 being they are now only about 8 miles SW of Port Huron vs 18 miles SSW. Would likely improve the nighttime signal in Port Huron, but would definitely lower it to the south.

Yes agree that these seemed like successful brands for this area and especially the fact that the callsign WHLS is being displaced in favor of WPHM. The WHLS call has been on 1450 since it signed on in 1938 and has remained unchanged until now. If they move "the hills" slogan to 1450/105.5, it would actually go along better as "the HiLlS" with WHLS than anything else. But based on the article it reads like they are likely going to do "WPHM 105.5" as the new slogan.

[radio_sparty]

I also wondered if an option was, now that we know they do own the WHLX plot of land, if clearing/ selling the land of WHLX then utilizing the proceeds towards upgrading the current WPHM (1380) site to better dependability and diplexing WHLX from there.

It would have to put a city grade signal over Marine City as it is the first and only station licensed to that community. Protecting Akron and Coldwater might mean moving the site north of the city of license might not feasibly work. Likely why the station is directional and located where it is.

If they move "the hills" slogan to 1450/105.5, it would actually go along better as "the HiLlS" with WHLS than anything else. But based on the article it reads like they are likely going to do "WPHM 105.5" as the new slogan.

Yup. Not sure why the WPHM calls are being preserved since 90% of WPHM (except for Tigers and the morning talk show) is being jettisoned for the "Hills" format. Might be better just to put WPHM away for good instead of pretending it will continue to exist as a Triple A station.

[hb2]

Port Huron is a blue collar/rustbelt town and the greater St. Clair County area is relatively rural and conservative. Rock (whether it be alternative or classic) and News-talk just make sense for this area.

I did look and CKLW 800 covers this region real good day and night as per Radio-Locator. But it is Canadian and programming may not all be the average (or deep) conservative's cup of tea per-say. It is a "news/talk" station after all, but still. Then there's good ol' WJR that may pick up another listener or two (keyword: listener or two) once 1380 shuts down. Either that or people will lean on(and/or learn to) streaming their conservative programming or sign up for SiriusXM and get it there.

Upon checking, WMIC has a pretty hardline conservative talk lineup afternoons and evenings a bit like WFDF has in a way, wonder if once the 92.7 translator shuts down and license is deleted, if WMIC would try to move in and apply for a LPFM repeater (not translator) in Port Huron on 92.7 (or another frequency)? This would add some ownership variety to Port Huron (at least the US side) and maintain the conservative talk at least in the Populated area... just a thought. (Maybe take a shot at snagging the WHLS calls too once they open up?)

[radio_sparty]

Upon checking, WMIC has a pretty hardline conservative talk lineup afternoons and evenings a bit like WFDF has in a way, wonder if once the 92.7 translator shuts down and license is deleted, if WMIC would try to move in and apply for a LPFM repeater (not translator) in Port Huron on 92.7 (or another frequency)? This would add some ownership variety to Port Huron (at least the US side) and maintain the conservative talk at least in the Populated area... just a thought. (Maybe take a shot at snagging the WHLS calls too once they open up?)

LPFM is reserved for non-commercial only. However if another translator window opens up for commercial stations, I don't see why they can't apply for 92.7, they would be only limited by sister station WBGV.

I had also wondered if 92.7 wouldn't be a better frequency for WRSX 91.3 now that CFCO-FM is operating on that frequency. They could potentially even co-locate with 105.5 using the existing facilities.

Speaking of CFCO... It would be fun to see WMIC pick up the 630 frequency. 660 is already a blowtorch during the day, imagine what they could do at 630! Even at 1kw 24/7, it would be massive!

[format this]

AAA has always done well in Ann Arbor, and is doing okay in Grand Rapids, but look at other attempts across the state in Manistee/Traverse City and Benton Harbor/St. Joseph. Both attempts were unsuccessful, and they both took place in more progressive areas than Port Huron.

WCXT 98.3 Hartford is running an alt format, with a simulcast to 96.1 in South Bend.


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