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SOWNY » Longtime Buffalo AM Station Adds FM Simulcast » January 24, 2019 7:51 pm

WJPYFM
Replies: 7

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Most if not all the FM translators are stereo but the max power is 250watts. Most of them are directional to reduce interference to full power existing stations. 95.5 is located on their AM tower in Lancaster and pointed North so it is not directed at the GTA. 100.5 again is pointed way from GTA. These translators can cover further than their AM daytime coverage depending of course on height and how clear the original frequency is. I think the AM stations that play music should be in stereo for both the AM and FM but that is another discussion.

SOWNY » Longtime Buffalo AM Station Adds FM Simulcast » January 21, 2019 6:13 pm

WJPYFM
Replies: 7

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I can answer that, yes they do interfere with each other. Actually CING HD upper carrier is at 95.5 so it limits how far the translator can be received. Most of CING is no longer listenable other than extreme southern Erie county were the terrain is higher.

SOWNY » Buffalo FM Is Virtually Gone From The GTA » December 27, 2018 8:26 am

WJPYFM
Replies: 44

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RadioActive wrote:

I can't get it at all anymore where I am. I seem to recall reading a while ago that they moved their transmitter farther south, and the signal into T.O. went with it.

As you know, it used to come in great here. Barely even needed a dipole antenna to get it. Now, nothing but static (and bleed over from CKIS 92.5, which also never existed when you listened.)

 
Sometime in the 90’s a few stations actually moved from the high hills 30 miles south of Buffalo closer to downtown and north Buffalo.
96.1 WMSX co-located to Rand Bldg in downtown with 106.5 WYRK and 93.7 WBLK.
96.9 WGRF and 92.9 WBUF co-located to the same tower in north Buffalo that is at the CH 4 studios. 92.9 has directional FM antennas that point away from Canada.
All the superpower stations 94.5, 99.5, and 102.5 have not changed and still are in the hills south of Buffalo.

SOWNY » All Christmas in Buffalo » November 5, 2018 8:42 am

WJPYFM
Replies: 3

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As of this morning both Star 102.5 and Mix 96.1 have gone all Christmas 24x7. It is only Nov 5th and we still have almost a month to Thanksgiving! Sorry I just think it is waaaaaaay too early.

SOWNY » WBEN stream no longer available in Canada » November 2, 2018 9:20 pm

WJPYFM
Replies: 8

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You can also get WBEN on 98.5FM HD3.

SOWNY » AM stations going silent » August 22, 2018 8:06 pm

WJPYFM
Replies: 3

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That is a great article and hits the nail on the head. Most listening is done now on FM or streaming. I too grew up on AM where it just worked everywhere and sounded great. For a time even in stereo. Now there is just so much noise from everything. So to make things “better” receivers are very narrow in bandwidth for AM. For the last 20+ years they made the AM sections cheap and cut the audio to 5khz at best. As noise increased, listenership went down so most music was moved to FM. AM stations now put on ethnic, talk, sports, or go dark. There is not that much left to listen to if you don’t like those choices.
I have a ‘14 Jeep and a while back they did a software upgrade to the radio that actually made AM even worse by reducing the sensitivity on the AM section. They made it so I can only hear close stations. Once the signal becomes to weak the AM tuner almost mutes the audio.
With all that said, unless changes happen soon to help the dial, I would think that once costs exceed return sports stations will be sold or go dark first. Their programming costs the most and get the worst ratings.

SOWNY » HD radio Artist Experience » July 14, 2018 12:20 pm

WJPYFM
Replies: 3

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Just picked up our new Jeep with HD radio and it was cool to see it display AE even though it was just Fresh Radio CING 95.3 FM logo. No other station in the area does this yet. It is more eye catching than just RDS data.

SOWNY » Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet » May 10, 2018 10:06 am

WJPYFM
Replies: 11

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Not looking good, new owner reports issue at transmitter site. A translator at 100.7 was also in the works but the whole thing is in jeopardy due to cost of bringing the AM back to life.

SOWNY » Two border stations switching formats » February 6, 2018 5:34 pm

WJPYFM
Replies: 27

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How about Niagara tourism information for 105.1 and “The River” for 101.1? Oh, wait, sorry having a flashback! I know it not possible but they should sell 101.1 to Buffalo. Keep 105.1 and put a translator or booster in Fort Erie to repeat 105.1, because Fort Erie is just not that big compared to the other areas.

SOWNY » Two border stations switching formats » February 4, 2018 2:05 am

WJPYFM
Replies: 27

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I love the polka idea! But my vote is on soft AC and Country. After all, WYRK is always #1 in Buffalo and has no competition. Country 89.1 does not make it to Fort Erie too well.

SOWNY » WECK Buffalo Gets New Extra FM Frequency » January 28, 2018 2:02 am

WJPYFM
Replies: 2

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The translator will be 250w max and will be highly directional. It will be located somewhere in Tonawanda.

SOWNY » Bell Wants Power Hike For Kitchener FM Due To ‘Super’ Buffalo Stn. » January 28, 2018 1:53 am

WJPYFM
Replies: 16

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Radiowiz wrote:

WJPYFM wrote:

Anyway I find it funny that Toronto stations can reuse Buffalo frequencies but Buffalo area stations cannot use Canada frequencies. I live 40miles south of Buffalo and can listen to all the stations from CN tower in my basement with just rabbit ears.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean. 
Isn't 104.7 a repeater in Buffalo, repeating 107.7 FM?

Wouldn't this make Toronto's Chum FM invisible in Buffalo NY?
The same way that Move 93.5 makes it tough to pick up Buffalo's 93.7 WBLK  in Toronto
and like how G 98.7 makes it very difficult to pick up Buffalo's 98five WKSE? 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alt-buffalo-107-7-104-7fm/id743864895?mt=8 )

 

 
No, 104.5 CHUM is very usable except right near Rand bldg due to all the extra intermod and too much RF at the input of the receiver. Everywhere else in the Buffalo area, CN tower and other GTA stuff is strong enough that no reuse can be done. Example is a local station in Buffalo wanted to use 100.7 for a translator but CHIN is too strong. But yet Toronto area can reuse 99.5 and 106.5 FM which are used in Buffalo. I guess my point is FCC is much tougher to get frequencies authorized.

SOWNY » WSPQ 1330 Springville NY (Buffalo area) off air Jan. 1, 2018 » January 27, 2018 5:40 am

WJPYFM
Replies: 18

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The reason why WSPQ went off was because they did not promote the station and they had no local sales people. Everything except a 1 person morning show was done from offices in Olean, NY which was way out of the market.
Also the office was actually for another type of business that the owners really spent their time working on. Something to do with smoked wood chips. Anyway the technical issue list was long but the biggest was that there was no maintenance on the array so they ran day pattern 24x7. There was no functioning remote control or EAS and no plans to purchase an FM translator. The owners made things sound like business was bad but when a station of that size is just a computer playing music with no local involvement, advertising clients are not going to beat down the door to buy airtime.

SOWNY » Bell Wants Power Hike For Kitchener FM Due To ‘Super’ Buffalo Stn. » January 27, 2018 5:02 am

WJPYFM
Replies: 16

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Back to the original topic, I find it funny they are complaining of WDCX HD because that was turned off last summer. It was causing AC units to trip the main power breakers with the IBOC on. So the CE was going to request a power service upgrade. That will take some time and $$$. Anyway I find it funny that Toronto stations can reuse Buffalo frequencies but Buffalo area stations cannot use Canada frequencies. I live 40miles south of Buffalo and can listen to all the stations from CN tower in my basement with just rabbit ears.

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