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1590 WCGO Modification

Posted by JJSPC1372 <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=JJSPC1372' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on February 13, 2026, 2:22 pm

Application below has them requesting a downgrade to 8700 watts daytime and 240 nighttime.

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f919bdbd050019be25ee60004a8&id=25076f919bdbd050019be25ee60004a8&goBack=N

Re: 1590 WCGO Modification

Posted by detectivetom <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=detectivetom' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on February 13, 2026, 2:38 pm, in reply to "1590 WCGO Modification"

What would be the reason be for the downgrade?

I recall more than 20 years ago they purchased the original WCGO at 1600AM, a Chicago Heights station I loved, as not to interfere with the 1590 signal. That station started in the 50s (?) by Anthony Santucci who first broadcast the station from his Chicago Heights home.

Re: 1590 WCGO Modification

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on February 13, 2026, 2:42 pm, in reply to "Re: 1590 WCGO Modification"

The FCC filing indicates they are moving back to their old tower when they were WONX. Honestly they have 0 listenership at night on the AM stick and will rely on the translator. The AM is there to simply follow the rules to actually "translate" to FM.

Question is, in what condition is that old WONX tower? Are they just pushing time on the old tower hoping they can shut off or sell the AM to the next entity some years down the path?

Z

Re: 1590 WCGO Modification

Considering in 2023 they paid $825,000 for the station and land I wonder what they could get today?

Re: 1590 WCGO Modification

They bought the original WCGO Chicago Heights @ 1600AM years ago to shut it off and increase the power of AM 1590. But with the addition of the FM translator, the AM is becoming less relevant.

Value? 2017 @ 3million, 2024 @ 675K. The devaluation is insane in 6 years time. It also is not a daytimer or a slouch on coverage area and it is nosediving. But, they are willingly dropping the wattage on it further pushing the value down! 🤷🏻‍♂️

Word was the FCC request to lower wattage was so they could rebuild the tower they are moving off of and move it back. Any validity to that?

Z

24 watts at nighttime?

Posted by detectivetom <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=detectivetom' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on February 14, 2026, 8:58 am, in reply to "Re: 1590 WCGO Modification"

While scrolling through the Antenna Summary data of application noticed 8.7 for daytime and .024 for nighttime.

Now I spent many a summer repeating math classes I flunked.

Does that not mean 24 nighttime and not 240?

Second question. How far could 24 watts reach?