Re: WMWM/Salem 91.7

[Dan.Strassberg@worldnet.att.net]

I thought that WUMB was on a rather tall communications 
tower in Quincy. The tower made quite a bit of news a 
year or so ago, when I believe the owner got into 
problems with either the Mass Dept of Revenue, the IRS, 
the City of Quincy, or some combination of the three. I 
think the Globe ran a picture of the tower together with 
a pretty lengthy story. If I recall, the environmental 
vultures sensed that victory was close at hand and were 
circling the tower for a kill. They wanted the tower 
removed, or at least substantially reduced in height. 
Apparently, the owner had increased the tower height 
without benefit of the required permits (or so the 
environmental groups asserted). As far as I know, the 
complaints did not result in any modifications to the 
structure. But presumably the owner reached some sort of 
settlement with the tax authorities. Such a tower 
generates substantial income, although expenses are 
relatively modest (taxes, insurance, maintenance, and 
lighting). If the owner lacked the cash to pay the 
taxes, I'm sure that he could have sold the tower for 
substantially more than his investment.

> WMWM predates WUMB by 6 years.  WUMB did not hit the air until late 1982.  It 
> was orginally located on a two-way tower located just adjacent to the south
> entry to the Southeast distressway in Quincy.  Unfortunately, they had to
> move into the middle of a quarry for a time due to the future construction
> of that afformentioned highway.  They had a better signal with 200 watts
> before the move to the eventual water tower location in Quincy with 1000 watts
> that they have now.  When they moved to the quarry, they dumped stereo. The
> signal was dismal, but they had no choice.  Cant fight the state.
> 
> WMWM has fine signal.  I used to listen to it in Weymouth, clear as a bell
> until WUMB hit the air in 1982.  I have to admit that I would rather listen
> to a real college station like WMWM, than listen to another NPR type
> station.  When WUMB turned on, good bye WMWM.  
> 
> -Pete
> 
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> Peter Q. George (K1XRB)                 *  "Scanning the bands since 1967 !" 
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