Topic: 103.1 WHTR RIP (2002-2008)

[N1ZZN]

Due to several different factors, I have decided to stop running the 103.1 WHTR station. It's last broadcast was last spring's fest. Originally, I had planned on just taking the fall off, and returning this spring, but this will no longer be the case. The 103.1 frequency has since become occupied by a more powerful translator signal south of Concord, which I believe is sending a big signal in the direction of Deerfield.

It was a lot of fun running the first radio station that was promoted, and truly became a part of the hamfest, both at Deerfield and the previous location. I ran the station purely for fun, and not to make any kind of political statement. It was fun attempting to use production elements used by real stations including jingles, and professional sounding voiceovers. I always had compliments on my mix of mostly classic rock and oldies music from the 60s through the 80s, with always a few exceptions thrown in here and there. For the most part, the music leaned mainstream, but clearly seemed to be what those attending the fest wanted to hear. Hey, sometimes you gotta play the hits, right?

It was a good run, but due these and other factors, it was difficult to compete. Who knows, maybe someday I'll return on another frequency, with a new name or "call letters."

[ceMental]

 

Hi Jeff, 

I am sorry to hear about this.  I hope you get back on the air soon.  Your station for me is part of my favorite memories of the Fest.  I will miss stopping by the station to say hello.  I still can't get that plug out of my head for "NE Repeaters . com"   Great job!

[K1WIZ]

Jeff,

Sad news.  But why not just use another open frequency if 103.1 is occupied?  Last fest I scanned the band and did not hear any transmissions on 103.1, but just an empty channel.

Who says a good thing has to end?  Do consider coming back on the air - even if on another frequency.  Though "Ham" is what the fest is focused on, ideally, it is the pure magic of RADIO in all forms - which is what speaks to the heart of all who attend this wonderful event.  Even the "pirates" or should I say "Radio Patriots" are part of that envelope of excitement. 

Please do consider the audience that has been loyal in listening to you as a fixture of their fest enjoyment.  Your contribution adds to the flavor of why we all enjoy going in the first place.  Being that you are the first free running station to broadcast at these fests, I would emplore you to find a way to continue...


We all sure hope you reconsider.

See you at the fest.

Best,

[W1RC]

I tend to echo John's sentiments - you were the first station at Hosstraders and we were pleased to have you operating at NEAR-Fest.  We also hope you will reconsider.

See you at the 'Fester.

73,

MisterMike

[N1ZZN]

Thanks for the support guys. It certainly was a lot of fun running the station. Another reason that I decided to retire WHTR was because of not being able to make the station sound as good as I wanted to. Providing a good, clean, processed stereo broadcast was something that I always wanted to do with WHTR, and unfortunately this was very difficult to achieve. It wasn't worth it to me to spend all kinds of money on a professional grade exciter/stereo generator just for an event that happens 2 times per year. I did have a friend offer an Optimod 8100 processor, but I still would have needed a transmitter to make it sound right. Power is not the issue, all I want to do is cover the fairgrounds with a signal good enough to be picked up on radios on people's tables.

For those that don't know, I'm very much a broadcast radio buff even though I haven't worked in the business myself. Maybe if I'd been born about 20 years or more earlier, I would've had a chance to work in the business that I'm for some reason so fascinated with. There's so many good people out of work these days with so many companies letting talented people go in huge numbers, and it's a damn shame. Fortunately there are countless airchecks out there that allow me to relive some great radio that I wasn't able to hear over the air myself.

I will never rule out returning to set up a station again, but I will have to find some way to achieve good sounding audio. If somehow I'm able to come up with equipment to provide a low power signal with processed, stereo audio (maybe a little reverb? haha), with decent mics (including processing to be able to talk up songs, etc)... then maybe I'll do it again.

[K1WIZ]

Jeff,

There's so many good people out of work these days with so many companies letting talented people go in huge numbers, and it's a damn shame. Fortunately there are countless airchecks out there that allow me to relive some great radio that I wasn't able to hear over the air myself.

I wholeheartedly agree and sympathize with everything you've said.  Today's radio is not the radio that I grew up listening to back in 1978 - 1989.  I used to listen to the jocks on Kiss 108 religiously growing up and since much of their older talent is gone, the station just isn't and never will be the same anymore.  The flare that radio had back in these days of my life is totally gone for sure. 

This is precisely why I entered the Free Radio Movement.  To attempt to give something back to the public - even if in a limited form.  It is precisely the reasons you outlined that make community sponsored Free Radio by individuals very important as only individuals who love the medium can truly return it to it's former art form.  Free Radio also has an important role aside from entertainment; today, with so many newspapers going out of business, it is ever more important for people to have access to non-corporate public media (and I don't mean NPR) I'm talking about the people getting access to the airwaves.  Free media also has the ability to serve as the public's watchdog to better keep an eye on big (or not so big, but nonetheless important) changes that affect us all.  Governments the world over, recognize Radio's power and they are afraid of it.  Radio can be the best weapon against a corrupt government or special interest.  It is precisely this reason that it is so heavily regulated.

What this country needs is MORE Free Radio advocates, certainly not less.  Radio "Pirates" are truly the new Patriots of our increasingly technological society.  When our country was founded and people lived by community morals and standards, there was very little room for corruption to exist. 

At NearFest, we broadcast to try to put this concept into public view and to not just demonstrate the power of Free Radio, but moreso, we try to revive the magic that radio was all about since it's incarnation as a broadcast medium.  You see at NearFest how well our station is managed and the service it provides to the fest, and how it is a collaborative effort on the part of many individuals.  Each partner that participates makes it the success that it is.  Yes, we risk getting busted, but honestly, if I worried all the time of all the bad things that could happen in my life, I'd forever hide under my bed.  Does hiding under my bed serve me or the world any good?  Likely not.  Risk is all about life's great game.  Like captain Kirk once said in one of my favorite Star Trek episodes: "Risk is part of the game if you want to sit in that [the captain's] chair".  Will I die if the FCC busts me?  no, life goes on and the world still turns.  But I can rest in the comfort that I fought for something I believed in, and that I did my part to send out the message that I felt could do some good in such a bleak looking world.  In short: it's all about making a difference - hopefully more positive than negative.

I'll close by saying that if Radio is something you savor and want back in your life as a quality medium, I would hope that you would get back on the air and demonstrate your passion for it.  Whatever it takes, if we can help in any capacity we will gladly do it.  Only collectively in large numbers can we really save the memories of the medium we're so fond of.