UP High School Radio Station Loses Frequency To Bigger Station

[SixPlusOne]

Courtesy: Detroit Free Press

U.P. Radio Station Had Same Dial Spot For Decades Until Bigger Station Took Frequency

"ONTONAGON — Tiny little radio station WOAS was just sitting at its frequency, minding its own business, when a bigger station came along and took away its spot on the dial."

https://www.freep.com/story/news/column ... 361967007/

[Ben Zonia]

It seems like a displaced Class D station can move to another frequency, even a Commercial channel, between 92-108 MHz. There are a lot of vacant Canadian allotments, but if the 34 dBu F(50,10) doesn't reach Canadian land, they could use it. A lot of applications and grants have been made recently in the NCE-FM 88-92 MHz since WLUC-TV is no longer actually on Channel 6.

[EdWalker]

It seems like a displaced Class D station can move to another frequency, even a Commercial channel, between 92-108 MHz. There are a lot of vacant Canadian allotments, but if the 34 dBu F(50,10) doesn't reach Canadian land, they could use it. A lot of applications and grants have been made recently in the NCE-FM 88-92 MHz since WLUC-TV is no longer actually on Channel 6.

They should be able to move easily....they just need a consulting engineer to put together the application. They may possibly need a new antenna and the transmitter retuned.

[TC Talks]

Given their lack of access to engineering, maybe some of the board members here could offer to help?

[deadend]

Anyone have a link to the story that doesn’t prompt to pay for a subscription? Or perhaps someone could tell me how this went down?

[kager]

station funding mainly comes from two snack vending machines in the school

From the sound of things, another of radio's Gawd Squawd is involved... and FCC offers no interference protection for Class D's...

https://radioink.com/2023/07/14/michiga ... lass-a-fm/

Essentially same story here:

https://rbr.com/a-sound-choice-faces-it ... broadcast/

[TC Talks]

Here's the story paywall free
https://archive.ph/DURXY

[deadend]

Thank you!

[Ben Zonia]

Technical Consultants and Consulting Engineers often avoid frequencies that studies say are short spaced to Canadian stations and allotments, because it's more work to do it and there are FCC and International Bureau obstacles. But there's a big lake called Lake Superior between Ontonagon and many of these around Thunder Bay. But if the 34 dBu F(50,50) does not reach land in Canada, it's much easier. Even interference overlap from some Canadian allotments over Lake Superior would be allowed by the FCC as long as it's below 40 dBu F(50,50) on US land. And Class Ds are able to receive more interference, and a vacant allotment in Canada may never be used, given the state of radio. The border area FCC databases are currently a disaster for Canadian allotments. You have to find a consultant who has patched up the database for that area.

The fact that it is Class D does restrict it from upgrading to 100 watts Class A without lengthy waits for filing windows. If there is a first second or third adjacent channel available for a Class D, that might be the path of least resistance.

[audiophile]

There are plenty of vacant FM frequencies in the Ontonagon area. Sure, some might be a bit more susceptible to interference during tropo events than others, but WHWL's actions here are bullshit.

WHWL could've easily found another frequency for a new Class A facility and applied for a change to the table of allotments. At the very least, WHWL could assist WOAS in finding a new home and provide engineering help.

https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&facid=767787

There is no table of allotments for non-comms. Many consultants won't even look at class D because it won't even show in their software unless they check an extra box because it non-protected, and it won't prevent a FCC grant of their proposal. From what I have read, WHWL did make suggestions to them.

The non-comm band is getting fairly crowed in the UP after the recent FCC window, and the winner is picked based largest service provided, so I don't blame them for ending up on any specific frequency.

[Ben Zonia]

Would 88.1 work with a Raleigh Waiver? With 10 watts, the 100 dBu contour goes out 222 meters/728 feet free space. With an antenna height that short, it might be difficult to get a vertical pattern to protect it within that radius. If it was U/D with 105 dBu/65 dBu it would be 125 meters. Maybe with a tower in the Lighthouse area?

[Plate Cap]

It's interesting the amount of attention that this matter has received. I'm told it is appearing on all sorts of different postings on FakeBook, and as a result I've heard from about 6 friends who brought it to my attention suggesting that I take care of them gratis'. I'm certain, given the attention, someone will. Given the location in Michigan I'd bet our friends in Coldwater step up.

Another religious broadcaster in the region has a rather predatory predisposition to attacking HS/College non-comms for their authorizations. That one doesn't seem to get any sort of media attention.

Sounds like given the shoestring operation, even an antenna change might be out of the question self-financed, but I'll wager there will be a landslide of donations well above and beyond what is necessary to make the change. I'm thinking their troubles with both frequency assignment and also operations / expenses will soon be over.

[Ben Zonia]

There is 87.9, but it's mainly available on paper. I think there's just one station on it. It would still need a waiver to be 600 kHz spaced to WHWE.

[audiophile]

There is 87.9, but it's mainly available on paper. I think there's just one station on it. It would still need a waiver to be 600 kHz spaced to WHWE.

Too close to Canada.