Local AM Station Owner Recognized for Storm Sandy Operation

[AJ1G]

Was happy to see the following article in our local newspaper:

http://www.thewesterlysun.com/news/radio-station-gets-a-pat-on-the-back/article_41a52178-4538-11e2-92a0-0019bb2963f4.html

As I noted during  the Storm Sandy threads on here at the time, Chris kept his station on the air getting out storm related information to local residents reading text messages received on his cell phone, and taking and patching his personal cell phone calls from local emergency and town representatives and residents reporting on problems into the WBLQ AM 1230 transmitter at the transmitter site after he lost all connectivity from his downtown studio.  He remained on the air at the transmitter site all night throughout the worst of the storm, with the sound of his emergency generator roaring away in the background.  At the worst of the storm surge, the base of the antenna was under water. I am amazed the transmitter building itself didn't flood out, as it's only a few feet more above the the Pawcatuck River location on the Westerly side.

We are really lucky to have his community oriented small town station here in our area, they are a dying breed.

[WA3VJB]

I enjoyed this story , Chris.

1230Kc is a "graveyard" AM channel, so this guy really has to be present in his local community.

It's good his efforts were recognized, and I bet his grandfather would be proud.

[AJ1G]

Like many of us, Chris got bit by the radio bug in his early teens.  Rather than going into ham radio though, he went right into commercial broadcasting.  WBLQ 1230 is a 24 hour 1KW station that gives good local daytime coverage out about 15 miles. Skywave interference cuts into the fringes of that coverage at night. Like most stations, they also have an internet stream. Their internet stream and over the air audio is in stereo, not sure why they would maintain the AM stereo over the air, are there any receivers that support that mode around any more?  Their transmit audio quality, except for being somewhat restricted on the high end because they are on AM, is much better than many of the local FM outlets.