RE: WJPZ-FM Syracuse (was: Made-up callsigns (was: WBZ-TV News on WSBK...))

[EM1 GITCHIER <RGITSCHIER@doyle.navy.mil>]

I know of one example of a station that sought out an "-FM" suffix.

WHOG-FM Ormond by the Sea (Daytona), FL 97.5, asked the holder of the WHOG
(AM) 1120 Hobson City, AL License Mark Hogan if they could share the call
sign assigned to him. Mark (a friend of mine) previously had the WHOG call
sign on thier other property, 1570 in Fernandina Beach, FL (later went on to
WQAI, followed by WYHI [the station's second time with that call] and now
WGSR.  There was a greasing of the palms, I'm told that helped the decision
along.  WHOG-FM is a classic-rock station that uses "The Hog" monniker as it
serves Daytona Beach, FL home of bike week.... 

I can't say if it's a fact that  you have to secure another service's
permission to use a call on another band, but it seems that way to me. 

I think the fee for changing call signs is about $70. 

Ron Gitschier

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Ben Levy [SMTP:belevy@syr.edu]
> 
> > I believe that's not the case.  There are many stations with the -TV
> or -FM suffix where the
> > base call letters are not otherwise assigned.  Local examples presently
> include WHDH-TV
> > and WROR-FM.  There's also WJZ-TV in Baltimore.
> >
> 
> However, at the time WHDH-TV (on channel 7) was created, WHDH itself was
> not
> available to be the TV station's callsign, it was in use at 850 AM. I
> believe WHDH-TV could now become WHDH if they wanted to, but it'd cost
> them
> a filing fee and the employee time of somebody filling out a form.
> Callsign
> changes don't happen automatically.
> 
> Ben
>