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WLCO 1530 to Smile FM

Discussion pertaining to the Tri-Cities, Flint, Mt. Pleasant, and Bad Axe
ChrisWL1980
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WLCO 1530 to Smile FM

Post by ChrisWL1980 » Fri Sep 17, 2021 2:51 pm

Sale price is $172,500, including a deal to program WLHT-HD2 in GR (which currently airs Magic 104-9's Hip-Hop programming). The WLHT-HD2 lease is worth more than WLCO's transmitter and license put together!

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2129 ... k-of-9-17/

This means Smile will own three of the five full-power licensed radio signals in Lapeer County, and this is also the first AM in their portfolio. Since there's nothing mentioned about converting the station to non-commercial status, I wonder if they'll put the Positive Country format on 1530.

Smile is also buying WCTP 88.5 in Gagetown and their (silent last I checked) 105.1 translator in Saginaw, which means the end of their eclectic southern gospel mix.



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WLCO 1530 to Smile FM

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:31 am

I think Magic 104.9 in Grand Rapids technically rebroadcasts (translates) AM 1410 there, so I would expect no format change at 104.9.

I wonder if Smile will ever boost the power of its 99.9 FM translator in GR? They have a CP to boost wattage to 220 watts, but I don't believe it has been constructed. If it were to be constructed, they would enjoy nice coverage across the vast majority of Kent County.



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Colonel Flagg
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Re: WLCO 1530 to Smile FM

Post by Colonel Flagg » Sat Sep 18, 2021 10:48 am

Hopefully, the 2 or 3 listeners will like sports. ESPN 1530 WCKY Cincinnati usually bleeds through from sign-on until 11AM, then starts to creep back in after 2PM. Sometimes, in the winter months, WCKY never goes away at all. And forget about any coverage in Flint. Even on Center Rd, and Dort Hwy, with 5KW, it can't overcome the noise floor. Unfortunately, the same is now true for WOAP as well.


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Ben Zonia
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Re: WLCO 1530 to Smile FM

Post by Ben Zonia » Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:46 am

ChrisWL1980 wrote:
Fri Sep 17, 2021 2:51 pm
Sale price is $172,500, including a deal to program WLHT-HD2 in GR (which currently airs Magic 104-9's Hip-Hop programming). The WLHT-HD2 lease is worth more than WLCO's transmitter and license put together!

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2129 ... k-of-9-17/

This means Smile will own three of the five full-power licensed radio signals in Lapeer County, and this is also the first AM in their portfolio. Since there's nothing mentioned about converting the station to non-commercial status, I wonder if they'll put the Positive Country format on 1530.

Smile is also buying WCTP 88.5 in Gagetown and their (silent last I checked) 105.1 translator in Saginaw, which means the end of their eclectic southern gospel mix.
WLCO 1530 blasts in beginning about three hours before Sunset until about one hour before Sunset in Northern Michigan, and one to three hours after Sunrise. Within an hour of Sunrise and Sunset, WCKY begins to interfere. Always has blasted in into Northern Michigan during Critical Hours. The first time I heard WTHM 1530 up is when I was staying at Crystal Lake in the mid 1960s. At the same Breakfast sitting with the radio, I heard 50000 watt WISN, then Wisconsin's only 50000 watt radio station, which even at my young age I knew couldn't be on 1150 then. But it was hard to tell the frequency with the old insensitive 1960 vintage transistor radio.

Point of historical reference, WISN wasn't licensed with 50000/10000 U4 until 1967, but could have been on Program Test Authority by 1965 or 1966.

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/c ... r_id=61097

Looking further, WISN applied for a License to Cover in early 1965, but it wasn't finally granted until early 1967.


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Willie108
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Re: WLCO 1530 to Smile FM

Post by Willie108 » Sun Sep 19, 2021 8:35 pm

The last I knew, WLCO is nothing but a computer running in the WFNT studio. They may have 2 hours of local programming a day. The station may generate little if any revenue.



ChrisWL1980
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Re: WLCO 1530 to Smile FM

Post by ChrisWL1980 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 1:37 am

Willie108 wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 8:35 pm
The last I knew, WLCO is nothing but a computer running in the WFNT studio. They may have 2 hours of local programming a day. The station may generate little if any revenue.
They've been simulcasting US 103.1 for a while now.



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