SBS Speeds Tower Move for Two Miami FMs

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Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) asked the FCC for Special Temporary Authority for two of its Florida FMs to operate at reduced power in preparation for moving their transmission operations to a different tower.

According to an engineering statement to the FCC from Cart T. Jones Corporation, SBA seeks permission to operate WRMA-FM, North Miami Beach, and WCMQ-FM, Hialeah, from a shared antenna at lower power. Their licensed main antennas are located on a shared tower atop One Biscayne Boulevard (ASR #1047672) in Miami. Neither station has an Aux facility.

The stations have been trying to vacate One Biscayne tower for some time. SBS’ lease is about to expire and the landlord has indicated power may be cut to the stations “at any time,” according to Carl T. Jones Corporation. That’s why the need to operate the stations from the site authorized in their CPs has accelerated.  

The stations share a dual input, two level, three-around panel antenna made by Shively Labs. It enables WRMA to use the structure as a directional antenna and WCMQ as an omnidirectional antenna. “Further complicating matters is the rooftop installation and the inherent RFR safety concerns,” states Carl T. Jones Corp.

The proposed operation at lower power “substantially satisfies” the station’s special operating conditions and will enable the FMs to remain on-air while they test the shared antenna and make any needed modifications.

Ultimately three FMs — WRMA, WCMQ and WXDJ — will share a tower-mounted wrap-around panel master antenna on the roof of the Panorama Building in Miami. The tower is ASR # 1309971. “Under normal circumstances, two stations will be in operation using the shared antenna: WRMA-FM and WCMQ-FM. Radio station WXDJ-FM will also operate from the shared antenna on an as-needed basis during times when its off-site main antenna is not operational,” according to the statement from Carl T. Jones Corp.

December 9, 2019

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