WKTU Crippled Coverage in New Jersey thanks to WPRB digital

[WNTIRadio]

WKCR may have a problem moving back to WTC at the same power level... I was involved in an upgrade of a first adjacent (89.7) that was possible due to them being licensed farther north at 4TS.

They may be able to move back, but not with the same contours as before.

 

[rain9613]

that brings up an interest question will most of tv and radio stations move back to new wtc?? i heard that port authority wants one millon per sation to get on the new spire also the transmitters are not going to be enclosed to to budget restrictions if you anyone has ever been in the CN tower in Toronto thats a masterpeice of transmitters all enclosed at the very top of the structure..

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Usually the FCC can be convinced to allow things it wouldn't ordinarily consider if the loss of a transmitter site was involuntary, which it clearly was on 9-11-01. They would probably have to grant a waiver to particilar rules, but in this case it would certainly be worth asking.

 

[badjef]

Usually the FCC can be convinced to allow things it wouldn't ordinarily consider if the loss of a transmitter site was involuntary, which it clearly was on 9-11-01. They would probably have to grant a waiver to particilar rules, but in this case it would certainly be worth asking.

That was done in September 2001. A lot of the stations were working off of an STA from Alpine, ESB, and the CBS building following the attacks. Even though some of the STAs were turned into licensed operations, that was in the days of analogue and those licensed were turned in in 2009. Most of the Digital TVs had licensed to ESB, so they never saw 1WTC.

For FM, there were only 3 licensed for 1WTC on September 11th. WKCR, WPAT, and WKTU.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[stewie]

The two stations were on the air prior to any real spacing rules, which came about in 1963. They're grandfathered in that way. They would never be allowed on the air now.

WPRB's HD also blows out the 103.1 translator in the Newark area, when the pirate isn't on the air.

It'd be great if one station simulcasted the other, just analog.

 

[Murcury Vapor]

Here's the real deal behind WKTU's problems in New Jersey: WKTU is licensed to Lake Success, NY. Since its inception it has moved west several times to get a better crack at the lucrative NYC market. Over the years (whatever call letters it has had) it has been on the Chrysler Building and then directional (aimed back towards L.I.) from the south tower of the WTC. With the bulk of its signal heading east it always had problems with NJ coverage. 103.5's first adjacents: 103.3 in Princeton and 103.7 WNNJ in Newton also had to remain at less than full facilities in order to protect 103.5 towards NY. These problems devalued all three properties. The (then) owner of 103.5, Westwood One, really wanted to reach a deal with Princeton and Newton to allow 103.5 to go ND. There was a lot of legal bickering and proposed payments to get consent from Princeton and Newton to allow 103.5 to be able to have a better signal in NJ. In the late 80's a deal was struck, money changed hands and the FCC begrudgingly blessed this arrangement: All three stations in question could up power and go to full facilities and they all had to accept whatever interference resulted. For the most part it worked. 103.5 got better coverage in the Jersey parts of the NY metro market, WNNJ got better coverage and the terrain prevented much of its energy from causing problems with 103.5 and WPRB could also raise power. WPRB's signal was most problematic. One look at a topo map will show you that the general trend of the mountain ridges in Northern NJ is SW to NE. WPRB's signal emanating from the south goes right up the valleys between and 103.5's has to cross over them, coming from the east, creating lots of shadows and nulls. After the WTC went down, the 103.5 signal remained ND from Four Times Square. There you go... Jim Huste, CE during 103.5's move to ND with the WTC tower # 1 master antenna during late 1989.

Actually, WPRB went from 30kW to their current power of 14kW in the mid 80s. I recall the signoff giving their ERP as 30kW in the early 80s, and then at the lower level. There was mention of a 'payoff' by a caller to one of the talk shows, but the host demurred and said they weren't really supposed to discuss it on-air. So no increase, but a big decrease.

 

[JBraddock]

WPRB 1991-2 Facilities Changes

Actually, WPRB went from 30kW to their current power of 14kW in the mid 80s. I recall the signoff giving their ERP as 30kW in the early 80s, and then at the lower level. There was mention of a 'payoff' by a caller to one of the talk shows, but the host demurred and said they weren't really supposed to discuss it on-air. So no increase, but a big decrease.

Actually, the WPRB facilities went from 17kW @ 195 feet to 14kW @ 728 ft in either 1991 or 1992 significantly broadening their coverage area. They went from being a fringe signal to a local in the Philadelphia area, and sound good to just north of Wilmington DE.

 

[DOB]

I live in an area where WPRB has the red circle over in those for entertainment purposes only radio-locator maps, I've been told by an engineer that for the most part those maps are good for flat land areas, they don't take into account how buildings and mountains block signals so for Jersey they are good. Anyway, WPRB has never done any damage to WKTU, KTU is clean as just the other Empire sigs are.

What's up with 105.9? I live in an area where that is in the purple and they are perfectly clear like a local, I really don't notice that much of a difference than the other Empires, in fact the others off empire seem to only have about a 7 mile advantage when you head south.