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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: atrainradio on June 01, 2017, 1916 UTC

Title: WNJC 1360kHZ Washington TWP, NJ bit the dust
Post by: atrainradio on June 01, 2017, 1916 UTC
Seems that WNJC is dead. They have been off air for close to two weeks and have no internet stream, and no one answers their phone. From all accounts, they appear to have died.

The last records the FCC have of them is an application from 2015 that reads:
"Exhibit 34
Description: REASON FOR STA EXTENSION

DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE ANTENNA SITE VANDALIZATION, WE ARE UNABLE TO OPERATE THE FULL ARRAY BUT HAVE BEEN USING TOWER #4 AS A SINGLE RADIATOR. IN COMPLIANCE WITH FCC POWER LIMITATIONS, AS PER FCC 73.1680, WNJC IS OPERATING AT 25% LICENSED ALLOWANCE: DAYTIME= 1.25 KW NON-DA; NIGHTTIME= 0.2 KW NON-DA.

THE LICENSEE HAS MADE GOOD PROGRESS ON REPAIRS, HOWEVER, DUE TO BAD WEATHER AND TWO WEEKS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY, THE REPAIRS HAVE SLOWED DOWN. REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE BEEN ORDERED AND SHOULD ARRIVE SOON. AT THAT TIME, REPAIRS WILL RESUME IN ORDER TO RETURN THE STATION TO ITS FULL LICENSED PARAMETERS.

THE LICENSEE IS HOPEFUL, IN A FEW WEEKS, THE REPAIRS CAN BE MADE AND THE STATION WILL RESUME FULL POWER OPERATION. UNTIL THAT TIME, THE LICENSEE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS AN EXTENSION OF ITS SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE STATION AT VARIANCE OF ITS LICENSED PARAMETERS."

They are not the only AM station to be going down this path; that's for sure. Local WNWR 1540 has had more than their fair share of issues as well due to literally no one paying attention to it. And let's never forget that hysterical and sad night when WKDN 950kHZ in Philly was drifting off from their frequency to 974khz then they eventually signed off.
Title: Re: WNJC 1360kHZ Washington TWP, NJ bit the dust
Post by: redhat on June 01, 2017, 2022 UTC
Unfortunately this is becoming more common.  In some cases a station, now with an FM translator, chooses to allow the AM facility to degrade, or run at reduced power for extended periods simply because there is no longer any incentive to maintain the AM plant.

+-RH
Title: Re: WNJC 1360kHZ Washington TWP, NJ bit the dust
Post by: Josh on June 02, 2017, 1308 UTC
It'd be keen to dx from a defunct am site, using their grand aerial of course.
Title: Re: WNJC 1360kHZ Washington TWP, NJ bit the dust
Post by: redhat on June 02, 2017, 1923 UTC
A regional engineer for a company I worked for once was rumored to use the towers of a daytime AM he cared for on 160 meters after signoff.  That's about as good as it gets folks!

+-RH