OMW hears from database divers that a construction permit has been filed – and granted – for the move of WJER-FM/101.7 from Dover to North Canton – somehow without showing up on the station’s record in the FCC database. (And believe us, we’ve looked.)
Since the deadline to file that CP passed, we enlisted some of our database gurus in finding FCC information. And though we still can’t find it on the commission’s own website, look at what we found elsewhere!
The signal map generated there is the projected 70 dbU “city grade” contour as displayed at REC Networks’ page on the rulemaking for the North Canton COL for WJER. (REC Networks has an excellent, easy to use tool to go sifting through some of the FCC data.)
We’ve certainly seen enough online signal maps and projections to know that Your Signal Mileage May Vary.
As such, the signal may not be as robust as projected on the map above…which puts a city grade signal for 101.7/North Canton very nearly into downtown Akron and places like Tallmadge.
It also turns the station into an “other city” signal – still listenable, but not as strong – in much of its current home base of Tuscarawas County. The city grade projection cuts just short of the station’s current license city of Dover. The station would still be somewhat listenable a few miles outside the above projected signal range, but it won’t be a strong, local signal anymore in that area by the mere nature of the move of the 101.7 tower into the middle of Stark County.
And even if the above map is generous, there’d still be plenty of room for the new 101.7 to serve at least the southern half of Summit County with a very good signal.
Places like Montrose and Bath may be a challenge to reliably reach with the signal, but there’d certainly be no problem in Green, or in Jackson Township/North Canton – Clear Channel Akron/Canton’s home base and one of the region’s busiest retail areas.
OMW hears from an anonymous, unconfirmed birdie that the 101.7 antenna will be located on a tower at 22nd Street off Whipple Avenue. The facility is currently occupied by Melodynamic talk/religious WCER/900, and Cumulus rock WRQK/106.9.
But, we are not 100 percent sure that the above map is directly tied to the facilities actually specified in the construction permit. The center dot would certain be close enough to that particular location…and the power level being already set for an upgraded 6,000 watts, the projected signal map would be close enough as well.
We’re digging further into this, to see if we can bolster this information with an actual FCC filing…
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