How WMAX-FM 96.1 Ended Up So Close To WLHT 95.7

[Ben Zonia]

When WHTC-FM 96.1 and WZZM-FM 95.7 first came on the air, the facility contours were based on he ERP/HAAT combination and 1 mV/m protected contours to both. They didn't overlap. It was only 26 or so miles between the towers. In 1964, the rules changed which required 40 miles (actually 39.5 miles) between the two Class Bs, on second adjacent channels. Section 73.213 at the time allowed existing short spaced second and third adjacent stations to move even closer and use full Class B facilities. WHTC-FM moved about 12 miles away, which put it about 20 or so miles from WZZM-FM. WMAX-FM is also short spaced to WBCM-FM/WHNN, which limited even the WHTC-FM original site ERP to 20 kW. When both stations first upgraded, they were both 41 kW, and were later mutually allowed to agree to about 32 kW toward each other, even though WHNN's HAAT is about twice as high as WMAX-FM's, but WHNN also moved further away, from near Bay City to near Quanicassee.

This is an analysis made from studying History Cards, and Section 73.213 short spaced rules over the years, and other historical information over the years, such as Broadcasting Yearbooks. The Histories become a little sketchy between 1980 when the History Cards were converted to computer files, and when these were available online. David Gleason's worldradiohistory.com, Michi Bradley's fccdata.org site, and Peter Moncure's early Radiosoft programs, which brought analysis within the price range of the average station engineer's and armchair technical consultant's budget, at least for a while, were also valuable.

[MWmetalhead]

WMAX-FM's directional pattern minimum ERP is much less than 32 kW.

[Ben Zonia]

WMAX-FM's directional pattern minimum ERP is much less than 32 kW.

Most likely, the MEASURED PATTERN IS less than 32 kW to the NE. It's he FCC envelope, that the Proof of Performance has to fit into, in other words, less than or equal to.

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

WLAV-FM's MEASURED DA PATTERN is also a lot less than the pattern envelope, especially the null toward WWDV. If it was much closer to the Lake, it would be less of a problem. But much like WOOD 1300, a lot of Ottawa County gets a marginal signal. You can find these in the License to Cover Application, if you can open it. Plus there are some shallow nulls in the measured WLAV-FM pattern in the major lobe. Things like this are why Larry Langford, Jr. quoted a consultant who said that FM DA design and proofs are a lot like sausage making. You don't want to see what they have to do to make it fit.

WHNN had some problems with their pattern toward Saginaw, and had to tweak the antenna to get better service. After much promotion, they "flipped the switch" from M-15 to Quanicassee, but they had a lot of complaints so they moved back to M-15 while they were tweaking it as I recall. I think it's a four direction panel/turnstile antenna for each Bay.

Realize that nondirectional ERPs on FM are the AVERAGE ERP, some directions may be more or less than the AVERAGE ERP. So if you can slightly reduce the nondirectional ERP, instead of going DA, you're usually much better off. Not an option for WLAV-FM and WMAX-FM.

[Ben Zonia]

It's actually 17.12 miles from WMAX-FM 96.1 to WLHT 95.7. The requirement for full spacing for new fully spaced stations now is roughly 46 miles, increasing from roughly 40 miles in the 1980s. At some point, WZZM-FM/WLHT also moved from near Three Mile Rd. to near Four Mile Rd.

[originalzzmfmjock]

When 95.7 first went on the air in 1962 (with the call sign of WKLW), I believe they were 7,100 watts. WZZM bought the station in the summer of 1967 and upgraded the signal to 50,000 watts in 1968. At that time their studios were on the 2nd floor of the Sackner Products building in the 900 block of Monroe Ave. N.W. Their tower was located on the top of that building. WZZM-FM moved their studios to the 3 mile location on January 13, 1971. However their tower remained on the Sackner building downtown and didn't get moved to the 3 mile road location until early 1976.

[Ben Zonia]

When 95.7 first went on the air in 1962 (with the call sign of WKLW), I believe they were 7,100 watts. WZZM bought the station in the summer of 1967 and upgraded the signal to 50,000 watts in 1968. At that time their studios were on the 2nd floor of the Sackner Products building in the 900 block of Monroe Ave. N.W. Their tower was located on the top of that building. WZZM-FM moved their studios to the 3 mile location on January 13, 1971. However their tower remained on the Sackner building downtown and didn't get moved to the 3 mile road location until early 1976.

I wish the FCC had all the old coordinates. It looks like 96.1 has stayed at the LIC location since 1985. It looks like they first applied for 20 kW nondirectional, and then changed to DA with 20 kW toward WHNN. They were 20 kW nondirectional, and moved as close to GR as they could, still in the 20 kW 73.213 Zone, Later I think they made the agreement with WHNN to be 32 kW in that direction. WLHT wasn't the issue from what I see in the rules, it was already grandfathered under the old Section 73.213 to be full 50 kW toward WLHT, though the DA pattern requirements made it somewhat less. I've heard of similar negotiated agreements between WFBE at the FCHS site and WVIC-FM/WMMQ, and between WHNN and WDVD, WUGN and WYCD, and WWWW-FM and what is now WDKL at the old location near Gratiot Ave. near Mt. Clemens.

MOD CP (BPH-831121AB, AS MOD) TO MAKE CHGS. CHG IN SYSTEM
DIRECTIONAL PATTERN. 42 49' 10" 85 52' 09'
CONDITIONS

[Ben Zonia]

Well, I found another set of coordinates that affected WMAX-FM 96.1

43 35' 3.92" N 83 51' 35.88" W
81 Tuscola Rd.
Bay City, MI

Former facility of WBCM 1440, now WMAX (AM) 1440.
Former facility of WBCM-FM 96.1, now WHNN.

It gets really confusing when the same call letters have been on as many as four facilities in Michigan.

WMAX (1440) Bay City
WMAX (1480) Grand Rapids and Kentwood
WMAX-FM 101.3 Grand Rapids
WMAX-FM (96.1) Holland