Plush Blimpbaugh in stereo

[N2CHX]

So.... Entercum has been turning FM music stations that are doing poorly into FM talkers. This week they flipped WLKK-FM which was classic rock, to simulcast conservative news talker WBEN.

Just what we need, Blimpbaugh, Handjobitty, Deplorable Angryham and George Snooory in FM stereo... Actually they were smart and turned the stereo pilot off. Still, what a waste of spectrum. They should just shut it off, dismantle the tower and burn the building down.

[KG4CGC]

So.... Entercum has been turning FM music stations that are doing poorly into FM talkers. This week they flipped WLKK-FM which was classic rock, to simulcast conservative news talker WBEN.

Just what we need, Blimpbaugh, Handjobitty, Deplorable Angryham and George Snooory in FM stereo... Actually they were smart and turned the stereo pilot off. Still, what a waste of spectrum. They should just shut it off, dismantle the tower and burn the building down.
Yep! Same thing here a few years ago but they dropped Snoory and rerun the daytime line-up from 11pm to 5am. It works here because the demographics are there.

[kc7jty]

Adolph & Bubba on the same page. I know there's some significance there somewhere.
Throw in Stalin and Mao and it'll come to me.
I got it!
Slightly less than great leaders.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

To add to the confusion.
WBEN is in Buffalo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBEN_%28AM%29
WBEN is in Philly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBEN-FM

And the FAA now issues tail numbers that do not start with N. ;)

[WØTKX]

Adolph needs a nice dangly earing. Maybe a handlebar 'stache like "Snidley Whiplash". ;)

[W3WN]

I'd heard of two stations (AM & FM) in different markets with the same "primary" 4 character call before, but in all of those cases, both stations had the same corporate owner. This is the first time that I've heard of an AM & FM that "share" a primary call, but not a common owner.

Even though, technically, Wxxx and Wxxx-FM or Wxxx-TV (or DT or AM) aren't exactly the same call.

But that's the FCC for you.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

Just think if a case came to court?
If I were one of the hams with all of the legal issues what I would do is get an Nxxx call that matches that of an aircraft call.
But first, apply for a reserved N call as a government contractor, or find an aircraft owned by a government contractor, whatever it takes.
I would select from the government contractors the 'right kind'.
The FCC would at one point make you change your call, but you would get one free pass.
The trouble is that anyone dumb enough to get into trouble to begin with would just keep it up.

[w6tmi]

Worse then all that....


I'm out of peanut butter.

[KA5PIU]

Worse then all that....


I'm out of peanut butter.

Hello.

But I have plenty of tortillas and beef, and salsa, and lettuce, and cheese, and refried beans, and guacamole.
I can make at least 20 tacos if I wanted to. ;)

[w2amr]

Hello.

To add to the confusion.
WBEN is in Buffalo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBEN_%28AM%29
WBEN is in Philly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBEN-FM

And the FAA now issues tail numbers that do not start with N. ;)
I listen to WBEN Philly every day.
http://www.ilikebenfm.com/

[W3MIV]

I have fallen in love with XM Radio, which I never thot I would like or be willing to pay for. They are clever enough to install them in new cars and give a three-month free intro to snag the suckers. I R snagged. No matta where I go in the forty-eight, I can get what I want without suffering scan crazy or dipshit talk. Also, I love the data feed to the GPS system that gives you chance to reroute well in advance of traffic or weather issues.

Free at last, free at last, thank God...

[suddenseer]

I have fallen in love with XM Radio, which I never thot I would like or be willing to pay for. They are clever enough to install them in new cars and give a three-month free intro to snag the suckers. I R snagged. No matta where I go in the forty-eight, I can get what I want without suffering scan crazy or dipshit talk. Also, I love the data feed to the GPS system that gives you chance to reroute well in advance of traffic or weather issues.

Free at last, free at last, thank God...I was starting to enjoy the free sat radio, and ONSTAR, but alas I was forced to trim all luxury 'wants' out of the budget. I agree, it is the way to travel. I rarely travel more than an hour at a time these days, so my local NPR station serves all of my needs. If I traveled more, I could see myself turning it back on.

[W3MIV]

I fear OnStar. I don't like the idea of my auto broadcasting my daily travels to anyone for any purpose. Call me paranoid, but having once been "in the bidness," I know the ropes. The XM system is bad enough in that it knows where I am, and even who I am, in order to actuate the system for billing. Enhancing that capability is beyond my tolerance.

[KC2UGV]

Well, just another Enternuts station I'll be ignoring. I'm so glad I have a smart phone + Pandora + Unlimited Data.... Or, TuneIn Radio :)

The FCC really needs to limit ownership to 2-3 stations per market. *sigh*

[W3WN]

< snip >The FCC really needs to limit ownership to 2-3 stations per market. *sigh*That's one jinni that won't be stuffed back into the bottle.

[NQ6U]

I don't believe that the XM system can find your location, Albi. The billing et al is done by sending an authorization code to your receiver through a sub-channel on the satellite, a one-way process very similar to the over-the-air subscription TV service I once worked for. Give them the serial number of the receiver and the code goes out. When the receiver "sees" the packet with it's address on it, it turns on or off, allows access to the premium services or whatever. CATV converters do the same thing, although these days those can talk back to the system. That wasn't the case in my day in that industry.

[W3MIV]

TU for the explanation, Carl. I wish you had mentioned this before I wrapped the entire auto in aluminum foil; it would have saved me a lot of money. Maybe I can recycle that ball I now have?


I don't believe that the XM system can find your location, Albi. The billing et al is done by sending an authorization code to your receiver through a sub-channel on the satellite, a one-way process very similar to the over-the-air subscription TV service I once worked for. Give them the serial number of the receiver and the code goes out. When the receiver "sees" the packet with it's address on it, it turns on or off, allows access to the premium services or whatever. CATV converters do the same thing, although these days those can talk back to the system. That wasn't the case in my day in that industry.

[KC2UGV]

TU for the explanation, Carl. I wish you had mentioned this before I wrapped the entire auto in aluminum foil; it would have saved me a lot of money. Maybe I can recycle that ball I now have?

But, on the bright side, you have a car that looks kinda like this one:
http://www.mazeforge.com/Words/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/image-3.jpg

[N2CHX]

I don't believe that the XM system can find your location, Albi. The billing et al is done by sending an authorization code to your receiver through a sub-channel on the satellite, a one-way process very similar to the over-the-air subscription TV service I once worked for. Give them the serial number of the receiver and the code goes out. When the receiver "sees" the packet with it's address on it, it turns on or off, allows access to the premium services or whatever. CATV converters do the same thing, although these days those can talk back to the system. That wasn't the case in my day in that industry.

Heh, reminds me of around 1998 or so when an engineer at AP accidentally sent out a firmware upgrade that wasn't tested yet. Every single AP Wire downlink -- over 3,000 -- had to be taken apart and have new EPROM's installed because the "upgrade" trashed every receiver.

[NQ6U]

Heh, reminds me of around 1998 or so when an engineer at AP accidentally sent out a firmware upgrade that wasn't tested yet. Every single AP Wire downlink -- over 3,000 -- had to be taken apart and have new EPROM's installed because the "upgrade" trashed every receiver.

That could conceivably happen with Sirius/XM as well. They do send periodic firmware updates via the satellite feed.

[W4RLR]

I have fallen in love with XM Radio, which I never thot I would like or be willing to pay for. They are clever enough to install them in new cars and give a three-month free intro to snag the suckers. I R snagged. No matta where I go in the forty-eight, I can get what I want without suffering scan crazy or dipshit talk. Also, I love the data feed to the GPS system that gives you chance to reroute well in advance of traffic or weather issues.

Free at last, free at last, thank God...Another item we agree on, Albi. Get away from the partisan politics, and we probably agree on a lot of things. I love the smooth jazz channel, it was great having my favorite music all the way to Atlanta and back yesterday. Pressing the preset for Atlanta traffic and weather helped me avoid a bad slowdown, and gave me an excuse to eat at The Varsity downtown.

Yes, the week started out crappy, but has improved immensely.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

Politics are Religion tend to be the big dividers, even of people in the same political party and same Religion.

[NQ6U]

Politics are Religion tend to be the big dividers

No they don't—you dirt-worshipping heathen! ;)