If 890 is sold

[Dan.Strassberg]

Salem had an agreement to buy 890--I think from Douglas, but I am not
by any means sure. Their plan was to move the transmitter to the WEZE
site, where Salem apparently wanted to add three towers between the
existing two. The idea was technically unsound on several levels and I
am surprised that it got as far as it did. Nighttime coverage would
have been zilch (North Shore only; nothing in Boston or anywhere to
the west). AND, as it turns out, to avoid nighttime interference to
WCBS, it was essential to have the very tall towers, which the Ashland
site has but the Medford site couldn't. In the end, buyer and seller
unwound the deal and if I recall correctly (which I may not), a month
or two later, the deal with Mega was announced. Mega may have paid
less than Salem was going to pay.

Technically, the best thing that happened to the station was Alex
Langer's decision to proceed with the night upgrade to 1060, which
originally developed the Ashland site in 1980/81. Langer spent a
bundle and put the site in tip-top condition, installing separate ATU
buildings and phasing networks for 890 and 1060. He also replaced the
ground system, which had originally been rather exceptional (240
radials way over 1/4 wavelength--even at 890). The new ground system
has only 120 radials (same length as the originals) but the old one
had been just about destroyed by dirt bikers. The recent night upgrade
to 6 kW was the second most important improvement. Turns out it was a
much bigger job than it appeared because a high-tension power line
about a mile east of the transmitter site had to be detuned to make it
work.

-----
Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net)
eFax 1-707-215-6367

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sean Smyth" <ssmyth@psualum.com>
To: "Kevin Vahey" <kvahey@gmail.com>
Cc: <bri@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2007 10:02 AM
Subject: Re: If 890 is sold


> Kevin Vahey <kvahey@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Entercom has something planned for WCRB but what? I really can see
>> ESPN landing on 590 especially if Salem winds up with 850. I think
>> the
>> AM landscape in Boston is going to see a drastic change. I can't
>> see
>> 890 staying ESPN as the night signal even with the boost still
>> fights
>> WLS.
>
> Didn't Salem already have 890 once? Or did it never finalize the
> deal
> to buy the station?
>
> I would be surprised if ESPN didn't come in and plunk down some
> bucks
> for a Boston station, given that it's important advertising-wise.
>
>
>
>
>
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