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WGN New aux site CP

Posted by JJSPC1372 User icon on August 19, 2026, 11:09 am

An application was submitted today for a construction permit to construct an auxiliary antenna at the 1110 WXES transmitter site with a power of 31,000 watts day and night. Interesting. Perhaps planning for the future abandonment of the current site?

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f919fddbc7a019fec80704f01b2&id=25076f919fddbc7a019fec80704f01b2&goBack=N

Re: WGN New aux site CP

Posted by detectivetom User icon on August 19, 2026, 11:50 am, in reply to "WGN New aux site CP"

Spanish language Catholic programming was previously broadcast on 1240 AM out of Gary, as part of Relevant Radio. This Spanish language Catholic programming is part of EWTN I believe. It may have also been on 750 AM always back, until EWTN English programming was on 750.

Re: WGN New aux site CP

Posted by Jeremy Andrews User icon on August 19, 2026, 1:17 pm, in reply to "Re: WGN New aux site CP"

The Spanish language Catholic on 1110 is El Sembrador Ministries. They leased most of the weekday schedule on WNDZ for years.

WSFI in Antioch runs EWTN, they are owned by the McCaskey family and wanted better coverage in Chicago. They leased airtime on WNDZ for a few years for that purpose.

Relevant Radio used to have a Spanish feed that ran on some stations, like 1240 but it was shut down.

re: WGN New aux site CP

Posted by RadTech76 User icon on August 19, 2026, 9:27 pm, in reply to "Re: WGN New aux site CP"

well...auxiliary that eventually becomes main.
gotta ca$h in on selling the land so that Data Center gets built

it makes sense what they're doing...80 degree electrical height with a 310 ft. tower vs. what would have been 64 deg. at the Schaumburg site. with the 250 ft. tower

so their NIF was "grandfathered" at the existing site, so they had to lower Night power to 31kW but daytime power couldn't be 50kW? Coverage of the metro would be okay, somewhat weaker signal in the loop, a bit more centrally located in the metro and a little bit closer to the city of license, Chicago.

Wonder why they wouldn't/couldn't diplex on the WXES tower... it would have been a somewhat higher electrical height and a higher field strength -
frequencies are certainly far enough apart to diplex...

Thought it was WWCA 1270 Gary, IN that Relevant Radio tried out their Spanish network in the Chicago area, which is now English along with 930, 950 and the 99.1 translator

Re: re: WGN New aux site CP

Posted by PhilJSmith User icon on August 19, 2026, 10:35 pm, in reply to "re: WGN New aux site CP"

I could swear the original plan was to shove that tower (dismantle and reconstruct it) into the very NE corner of their current parcel. Assuming that has any validity, maybe the aux site is to bridge the time for the move?

I could be completely misinformed on this, just tell me so and I won’t be offended 😬

Re: re: WGN New aux site CP

Posted by CADXer User icon on August 20, 2026, 7:12 am, in reply to "Re: re: WGN New aux site CP"

Yes, WGN had a CP to slightly move the towers to make room for the data center. That CP was cancelled. Maybe removing the aux tower at the current site now makes room for the data center without having to move the main tower, although I believe that eventually the main tower will move as well. I would hope they don't move it to the Addison site as that would place it literally in my backyard.

Re: re: WGN New aux site CP

Posted by WYTZZ95FM User icon on August 20, 2026, 7:46 am, in reply to "Re: re: WGN New aux site CP"

I would hope they don't move it to the Addison site as that would place it literally in my backyard.

.... WBBM-AM, WSCR-AM, WMBI-FM, WXES-AM, and possibly add on WGN-AM.

That current WGN-AM tower is a goner. Elk Grove government won't be content until there are 100 data centers in town and the residents are in the dark and dying of thirst. That tower is standing in the way of it. Nexstar can make 💲💲💲 off of this while winding it down to sunset eventually.

I really am surprised all these towns allow this. I know the residents are not happy. They were not in Downers for eons over the AM 1000/94.7 towers. Chicago has a healthy AM BCB existence, because of the topology, rich ground characteristics and (for now) the audience still consuming it. I wish someone had the foresight to move these stick out West like Campton Hills, NWI undeveloped areas, etc, year ago. Where they would not be an eyesore, still have city coverage and allow the band to survive

Z

Re: re: WGN New aux site CP

Posted by CADXer User icon on August 20, 2026, 9:56 am, in reply to "Re: re: WGN New aux site CP"

WXES/WMBI are the closest radio stations to my location at 2.5 miles away. Good thing is WXES goes off at night opening the 1110 frequency for DX opportunities. The current WGN tower is 5 miles away, so moving it to Addison will bring it closer. WBBM AM used to be close too, but they moved to Bloomingdale going farther away. Now WBBM and WSCR will move to Des Plaines. Hopefully this will somewhat clean up the AM band at my location.

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