The Albany-based owner of WRUN/Utica has received permission from the FCC to make some major changes at the station's transmitter site in Oriskany.
Scott Fybush broke the story in today's edition of NorthEast Radio Watch. Northeast Public Radio, headquartered at WAMC in Albany, has been granted a construction permit to make the following changes:
- WRUN's city of license will change from Utica to New Hartford;
- The old five-tower array in the swamp at the end of Thomas Road in Oriskany (Google Map) will be replaced with a new array consisting of four towers;
- Daytime power decreases from 5kW to 4.6kW; and
- Nighttime power decreases from 1kW to 370 watts.
Fybush explains that WRUN originally requested 480 watts at night, but Canadian officials denied the request. As a result, WRUN's nighttime signal will no longer cover all of Utica -- that's the reason for the city of license change.
WAMC's
Engineering News webpage notes that WRUN has been on low power since November 13, due to "an undetermined problem with our ability to transmit." No word on whether that is the reason for these changes, or if they were already being planned anyway. And no word on when the new towers will be installed and activated.
Related Link:
(Doesn't show towers, but there are two pictures of the transmitter building, which formerly was also the location of studios and offices for WRUN, WFRG and WODZ.)
