Annapolis Radio: WRNR Wary Of Translator Interference

The FCC has issued a license to a low-power FM station in Baltimore on the same frequency as
WRNR 103.1 FM.

W276DE 103.1 FM (100 watts)

Though low power — 100 watts compared to WRNR's 6,000 watts — station officials says the new signal could interfere with the Annapolis station's signal in northern Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard and Harford counties.

According to The Capital Gazette, the FCC did not notify the station, which plans to request reconsideration with the FCC. By the time the station was aware of the situation, the license had been issued.

Late last week, station staff put together public service announcements. They also put up a message online inviting listeners and advertisers to fill out a form that would become part of the station's FCC appeal.

"The reaction was overwhelming," according to the station. The reaction was so swift the station took down the announcements and the petition link online early this week.

The FCC issued the new 103.1 license under its AM Revitalization Act, which attempts to aid AM stations. The program allows AM stations to use weak translator FM signals to simulcast AM stations.

The license issued last week would rebroadcast the signal of WRBS 1230 AM, a religious talk radio station in Baltimore.

WRNR 103.1 FM (6 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

"We are fighting two big markets (Washington and Baltimore) and after all that entails, to have this thrown at you? We have no way to overcome it, no way to improve our signal. This could cripple our competitive reach," Kingston said.