Re: WHRB

[Rob Landry <umar@nerodia.wcrb.com>]

On Mon, 21 Jun 1999, Peter Q. George wrote:

>      As a very young "radio-junkie" (age 10 in 1970) I
> talked to many engineers in the Boston area.  WHRB was
> one of my "regulars".  One of the staff announcers at
> WHRB was Michael Callowich (sp)

Michael Kolowich, class of '74. 

>      When WBRU/95.5 in Providence went to 20,000 watts
> in 1973, it "did a number" on WHRB's signal (just 19
> air miles from Cambridge).  But, at the time, WHRB was
> not really worried as long as long as they "covered
> Cambridge". (No joke)

Many WHRB staff members have never been conscious of any potential
audience beyond Cambridge. "Civilization ends at the Charles", as someone
once said.

However, WHRB filed a petition to deny WBRU its power increase on the
grounds that WBRU's site was less than the required 40 miles away from
WHRB's, but the Commission decided that 39.6 miles was as good as 40 and
gave WBRU the green light. 

The rules have since been changed; they now require 65 miles of separation
between a Class A and a Class B on first adjacent channels. 

Unfortunately, that wasn't sufficient to stop Ernie Boch from moving his
Cape station, WXTK, from 94.9 to 95.1, effectively blocking WHRB from
reaching Cape Cod. WHRB was available to listeners on the upper Cape for
several months after its move to One Financial Center, prior to WXTK's
move.

I have heard that WXTK was moved to allow a new Class A allocation to
Brewster at 94.3. It will be interesting to see who ultimately applies for
this allocation and whether they will be able to get a license,
particularly in light of the law requiring an auction in the event that
more than one applicant should appear, and of the fact that Chancellor
Media, being the licensee of WJMN in Boston, would be adversely affected
should such a station sign on.

Rob Landry
umar@world.std.com

------------------------------