WFLY and the Empire Network

["Peter Q. George" <radiojunkie3@yahoo.com>]

     WFLY (92.3) in Troy, NY was NOT part of the Rural
Radio Network, but a part of the "Empire Network". 
The "network" consisted WBUF (92.9) in Buffalo, WVOR
(100.5) in Rochester, WDDS (93.1) in Syracuse and WFLY
(92.3) in Troy.  Like the RRN, these loosely
interconnected stations used off-air relays in a kind
of "daisy chain" across New York State.  One problem
with this approach was that if one station were to
pre-empt a "network" offering, the rest of the chain
on that "leg" would fail.  All of these stations had
local programming, most of the time.  The only true
regular feed was a stock market report that came out
of Buffalo.  The intro music (which would seem to last
forever) would start at WBUF and eventually the rest
of the chain would get the hint and join in.  But, one
station in particular (in Rochester)would
"accidentally forget" the feed leaving WDDS/Syracuse
and WFLY/Troy on a lurch.  After a while, it came to
the point that it was more trouble than it was worth.
So the so-called "Empire Network" ceased to exist. 
Eventually, all of these stations would be totally
independent and go about their own business. 
     The Rural Radio Network (Agway) roster was a
totally different simulcast chain using full-powered
mountaintop repeaters in Wethersfield Township
(Buffalo area), South Bristol Township (Rochester
area), DeRuyter (Syracuse area) and Cherry Valley
(Albany area).  These stations were eventually to be
bought by Pat Robertson's so-called "CBN/Sonshine
Radio Network", fed via satellite from Virginia Beach.
 The hub of the network was the DeRuyter station. In
1978, I heard the local ID sound like this...."Serving
Syracuse and Central New York, this is Stereo 105 
(CLICK!!!).... Serving Albany and Greater Capital
District, this is Stereo 102, WJIV/Cherry Valley". 
Today, these stations have all been sold and are now
all on their own.  Only WJIV (101.9) Cherry Valley
remains a religious station.
     Hopefully, all this info is 100% correct.  If
anyone wishes to add further info, please do!  Thanks
and 73!

-Pete (K1XRB)   

=====
Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Whitman, Massachusetts
                           "Scanning the bands since 1967"
radiojunkie1@yahoo.com
radiojunkie3@yahoo.com
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