I decided that it was time to bring my 1610 back to life. I am considering a simulcast of WDXD-LP with the Part 15 AM. With the studios almost rebuilt, I expect to have 1610 returned to the air by December. WDXD will take a bit longer than that to complete.
Radio Boy is a Radio Man
Wow, what a good idea simulcasting between a licensed and a part 15 station.
It gives me all sorts of ideas. I wonder if any other licensed station in America simulcasts their licensed station on part 15 transmitters.
And here’s a question the FCC has never had to face… although the station identifier for a part 15 “cannot be confused with the identification of a licensed station,” WHAT IF THE LICENSEE OWNS BOTH STATIONS?
If you give combined IDs for both stations, your FM listeners will believe they are tuned to a group owned station… it won’t matter that they possibly cannot receive the AM station. They’ll know it’s out there somewhere.
Radio’s Open Door
An article in today’s TV TECHNOLOGY reminded me of radioboy Allan’s “baby sibling” approach to linking different kinds of media.
Titled “Virtual Broadcasting” the article by James Careless (a real pen name) makes the point “You are no longer required to have a physical broadcast facility to be a broadcaster anymore.”
The article further notes that sending content over the internet is a doorway to an audience, or someone else’s transmitters.
This made me realize that our program schedules being sent by part 15 transmitters and streaming online could easily be plugged into the input of someone’s full power transmitter somewhere.
Some individual radio programs are already being downloaded and aired by licensed stations, including “Free Talk Live”, “Democracy Now!”, “The Alex Jones Show” and many others.
If you’re in it to generate revenue, think about polishing your sound to the point where you can propose agreements with licensed stations in which they pay you for your programming.
Many station owners are ready for such a resource (i.e., inexpensive program feed) and they’d love to cut the staff.
If I were a licensed station in today’s market I might look around for the best of part 15 and arrange a few hookups.
Part ordered..
Had to order a replacement wire antenna from Radio Systems.
In doing so, I see they have modified the outdoor unit to an enclosed outdoor transmitter rather than just the ATU.
1610 AM Tallahassee back on the air
The Radio Systems package arrived Monday. In between thunderstorms and regular projects, I got the 1610 antenna installed over at the new studio location.
So my AM 1610 signed back on the air this morning around 8:45 a.m. with Moe Bandy’s “Americana” country song, broadcasting from the WDXD trailer.
The stream and local broadcasts are separate for now as construction continues on licensed WDXD-LP 101.9.
Memories of 101.9
Nice frequency if you can get it.
I had 101.9 FM for a longtime, until a translator from 101.5 moved up to 101.9, I think it gave them a power increase or better height or some other advantage, but it pushed me out.
Since they had vacated 101.5 that’s where I went, shared at times with a high a 50kW station 150-miles away which sometimes comes in here.
Now back to the WDXD Story.