WCAR, Dark ?

[Art Van Damme]

As of this afternoon, 1090am appears to be simulcasting programming originating from 1480am. Modulation seems adequate.

[Art Van Damme]

So I heard something interesting today. Listening to WCAR/1090 and definitely heard a sweeper with legal IDs for both WSDS and WCAR.

Did Birach sell 1090 to Vazquez Broadcasting?

[Ben Zonia]

Could be an LMA. Sometimes that precedes a sale.

[edj]

Audio is low but it’s there. I drove right by the towers today, didn’t go to the actual building. What’s the point of a long term simulcast when there is so much overlap in coverage and neither have translators? You would think if there isn’t an LMA Sima would simulcast WPON or even WCXI, at least in the “testing phase”

[k8jd]

Just listened to 1310 with one radio and 1090 with another, sounds like simulcast !!

[Ben Zonia]

AM 1090's audio levels and signal strength are both super faint. The station is barely discernible.

Wouldn't surprise me if they are using a long wire setup to remain on the air.

They would have to file an STA to do that.

[Colonel Flagg]

Well, legally speaking, that's what would be required.

I, for one, am not confident the station is operating legally right now.

The only STA filed was the one from last December requesting stay silent ability for 90 days due to the transmitter fire.

Other than the oddity that WCAR actually increases power after dark, I can't see much advantage in a simulcast with WSDS. During the day, that would be a lot of duplication in coverage.

[Ben Zonia]

Both WSDS (0.75 kW Day, 3.8 kW Night) and WCAR (0.25 kW Day, 0.5 kW Night) increase power at Night. Still licensed, WGVU is 2 kW Day, 5 kW Night, increases power at Night. There are TWO OTHER stations in Michigan that increase input power at Night, but you won't find it in their licensed power levels. Extra points for the Colonel if he can name the other two.

[Ben Zonia]

Well, both WKZO and WWJ increase their IDF to the North, but to my knowledge, do not increase radiated power. WKZO was required to be Directional from 6 PM to 10 AM the following morning from circa 1941 until 1968 to protect WOW 590 Omaha, NE during Drive Time Hours (roughly CH). It gave Grand Rapids more than double their Daytime signal, creating a de facto duopoly with John E. Fetzer's WJEF 1230, now WTKG. 500000 watt ERP WJFM was kind of a dual FM for Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. I have seen references to the call letters being WKZO-FM and WJEF-FM, not sure WKZO-FM was used on 93.7 back then, maybe changed before going on the air. WWJ-FM once proposed 500000 watts from 893 feet on the WWJ-TV now WDIV tower. I think the FCC turned it down. All of Michigan was in Zone II then, allowing superpower.