Re: 91.7 & WUMB (Was: WAVM & WUMB In Radio Wars)

[Robert Smith <rmsmith@ma.ultranet.com>]

Shawn Mamros wrote:

> I'm personally appalled at WUMB's blatant "land grab" at the expense
> of WAVM.  Pat Monteith's description of WAVM's application as "a
> violation of the law" is completely untrue, as far as I know.
> WMBR moved from class D to class A just over 20 years ago, and even
> though class D's have since been downgraded to secondary service,
> I don't know of any regulation changes that outright prohibit
> existing class D's from becoming class A's, if they can prove that
> it won't cause objectionable interference.  I intend to get an
> opinion on this from an attorney who specializes in working with
> the FCC, if I can...
>
> -Shawn Mamros
> E-mail to: mamros@mit.edu

Shawn,

I'm not an attorney, but I am an Engineering Consultant.  Class Ds are
prohibited from filing major change applications.  However, WAVM's
application proposes changing class to Class A.  This is NOT prohibited.
In fact, for a number of years, the F.C.C. has been sending letters to
Class Ds encouraging them to upgrade to Class A.  I have a copy of the
filing UMass sent to the Commission as a Petition to Deny the WAVM
application.  I lost a lot a respect for UMass, and their law firm, after
reading their pleading.  Add UMass to the list of 'Spectrum Hogs'.

Bob Smith