Re: Merrimack Valley Happenings

["Mark" <markwats@netway.com>]

   Laurence From Methuen wrote:

> Anyone scanning the AM radio dial in the Lowell-Lawrence
> area would perhaps have noticed a few oddities.  On the
> WLLH watch, there was a brief burst of a simulcast of
> the programming on WNFT 1150 for a while on Saturday 
> morning May 1st, about 8:00 am.  Later in the day, they
> returned to English=language programming and "Great
> American Songbook" music.  There was no need for irony
> deficiency because the station ran a pre-recorded promo
> for the station telling people to tell their friends 
> this music was being played on WLLH.

   I was surprised when I got into my vehicle to go to work around 8:45
this morning,when I heard Brenda Lee belting out a tune on WLLH!!! I tuned
in later on my way home from work,just after 4PM.The voice track jock,Kerry
Bodell(sp?) was making reference to this "seemingly endless confusing when
will the music end situation".She also made mention that WCCM will have
this great music soon,from "late afternoon and all night till 6 AM,and I
hope Frank Sunday can convince them to expand it beyond that!!"(Frank
Sunday is a 30+ year WLLH veteran of the sales dept.and airstaff).So this
comment makes it look to me like Mr.Sunday is also moving over to WCCM.
.  Over at WCCM 800, the
> station has been transmitting dead air at night or even
> just a constant hum. (Old joke: why do hummingbirds hum?
> They don't know the words.)  They usually carry some
> TalkAmerica programming at night, including a talk
> show about the internet hosted by David Lawrence who
> identified himself as a former DJ at WKCI-FM Hamden, CT.
> But no nighttime programming, not even sports has been 
> heard on WCCM after dark.  What gives?

   I've noticed that the other night scanning the dial,this was in the area
of 6:30 PM they were running carrier with no audio.


  And WNNW 1110
> in Salem NH has been staying on the air until 9:05 pm
> (and hour and a half after the sign-off time for day-
> timers in April.  They pull the plug right after CNN
> news in Spanish.  It appears that they broadcast with
> the full 5 kw with the daylight pattern because the
> signal completely squelches WBT Charlotte until the
> carrier goes off.  I live within easy biking distance
> from the WNNW 2-tower array which puts a fair signal
> to the southeat.  

  I thought WNNW had a 4 tower array.Although the other night,I heard them
around 8:30 PM here in my house.I think the directional pattern may have
been a bit out of whack.there was no trace of WBT under them at all,and
they completely splattered over 1120,and they were hashing a bit over 1130
from New York.I remember a rate card from WVNH I had in the late 70's
,which I seem to have lost,but it had a coverage map on it that showed a
deep null to the Southwest,towards Lowell.I doubt they may have gotten FCC
approval to alter the pattern.BTW,as of this posting(approx 7:30PM) WCCM is
airing one awfully loud annoying hum,and WNNW is off the air.Interesting.

Mark Watson

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