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FCC grants WBBM a CP to move transmitter site

I realize that WBBM doesn't care, but as a DXer I wonder if WBBM's nighttime signal which is pretty formidable will be effected?
On the Northern Ireland SDR WBBM has the best signal of any Chicago station and most other Midwest stations. I'm just guessing but I don't think this would help their skywave signal.
 
In my particular case as far as DXing is concerned it won't make any difference. WBBM's current stick is the second closest AM station to my home just 3.7 mile away. When they move to Bloomingdale, IL they will be 5.2 miles away. My only hope is that since both WBBM and WSCR will share facilities they will now turn off IBOC for good. I also hope that as part of the move there might be some silent periods for both stations providing us with some DX opportunities.
 
CADXER said:
My only hope is that since both WBBM and WSCR will share facilities they will now turn off IBOC for good. I also hope that as part of the move there might be some silent periods for both stations providing us with some DX opportunities.
Click to expand...

I think there could be a pretty good chance that the IBOC gets turned off for both. Would CFZM and CJBC be an example of whar happens with WBBM and WSCR? I don't know....Just askin'. I don't think either CFZM or CJBC runs IBOC, but here are two 50kw signals on the same stick 120khz apart (as opposed to 110khz for WBBM/WSCR). My experience is a DXer who travels is that CFZM usually has the better skywave signal....but not always.
 
It might not make a difference in nighttime reception.

WCBS and WFAN both broadcast from the same tower.


In Tampa, both WFLA and WHNZ share the same array of towers.
 
You'd be surprised how often WBBM can be heard behind KKOH here and if I listen long enough, the two battle it out with equal signal strength for brief periods.
 
hawaiigar said:
You'd be surprised how often WBBM can be heard behind KKOH here and if I listen long enough, the two battle it out with equal signal strength for brief periods.
Click to expand...

I'm not surprised at all. I know WBBM really gets out. I heard them in Hawaii many years ago and this year their signal was quite strong on the Northern Ireland receiver. It will be interesting to see what kind of effect the tower switch will have on this.
 
hawaiigar said:
It might not make a difference in nighttime reception.

WCBS and WFAN both broadcast from the same tower.


In Tampa, both WFLA and WHNZ share the same array of towers.
Click to expand...

In my travels, WCBS night skywave is typically stronger than WFAN. Here at home near Chicago, getting an accurate comparison at my location is a bit problematic. WSCR (first adjacent for WFAN) is considerably stronger than WLS (first adjacent for WCBS).
 
I know this is the DX board, but what's being overlooked is the huge pile of money they'll get for that land in Medinah. I bet at one time, that property was out in the boonies, with no homes or businesses anywhere near it. Now it's yanned in the middle of interstates and freeways, a few miles from O'Hare. Moving to Bloomingdale means a more efficient operation, and since they've moved the content to FM, no one's thinking about how it will affect night time signal. They can't wait to cash the check.
 
TheBigA said:
I know this is the DX board, but what's being overlooked is the huge pile of money they'll get for that land in Medinah. I bet at one time, that property was out in the boonies, with no homes or businesses anywhere near it. Now it's yanned in the middle of interstates and freeways, a few miles from O'Hare. Moving to Bloomingdale means a more efficient operation, and since they've moved the content to FM, no one's thinking about how it will affect night time signal. They can't wait to cash the check.
Click to expand...

Agreed, the land is the entire reason they are doing this. I was only speculating as a DXer.
 
hawaiigar said:
It might not make a difference in nighttime reception.

WCBS and WFAN both broadcast from the same tower.
Click to expand...

But the angles of radiation and system efficiency are different for the two frequencies, thus affecting skywave radiation in different manners.
 
radioman148 said:
Agreed, the land is the entire reason they are doing this. I was only speculating as a DXer.
Click to expand...

That land along Rohlwing Rd. has been prime real estate for many decades. I'll be absolutely shocked if it goes for any less than $100 million.

The folks who'll be taking over WGN, who's tower is about a mile and a half north of the WBBM site, have to be absolutely drooling over that. Too bad they probably can't move to cheaper land and sell their current site off.
 
KeithE4 said:
That land along Rohlwing Rd. has been prime real estate for many decades. I'll be absolutely shocked if it goes for any less than $100 million.

The folks who'll be taking over WGN, who's tower is about a mile and a half north of the WBBM site, have to be absolutely drooling over that. Too bad they probably can't move to cheaper land and sell their current site off.
Click to expand...

I wonder if WGN can diplex with someone? As you pointed out that is way too much $$ to turn down.
 
Just as many TV and FM stations share a common tower, maybe that will soon happen for AM? I know with directional antennas and multi tower arrays, AM is more complicated. But we keep hearing stories about KFNZ/KNIT Salt Lake City, KQV Pittsburgh and KLBB Stillwater-Minneapolis, where the land is worth more than the station itself.

In the case of WBBM, I hear the station will reduce its nighttime power. It may still be enough to cover the Chicago market. But it may hurt DXing... unless you live in the West and want to hear KKOH better.
 
It happened with two directional, fifty kilowatters in Miami recently on 710 and 1140.
 
Gregg. said:
Just as many TV and FM stations share a common tower, maybe that will soon happen for AM? I know with directional antennas and multi tower arrays, AM is more complicated. But we keep hearing stories about KFNZ/KNIT Salt Lake City, KQV Pittsburgh and KLBB Stillwater-Minneapolis, where the land is worth more than the station itself.
Click to expand...

It will become more common, although there are technical limits to diplexing.

Diplexing only has merits if the station is profitable. If it isn't, ownership might as well take the cash and turn in the license - avoids paying for engineering of the directional pattern at the new site, plus lease payments forever.
 
Gregg. said:
In the case of WBBM, I hear the station will reduce its nighttime power. It may still be enough to cover the Chicago market. But it may hurt DXing... unless you live in the West and want to hear KKOH better.
Click to expand...

The "new" tower for WBBM is more efficient. It produces the equivalent of 50 kw from the old tower.

Except for differences based on individual listener distances from the old and new sites, there should be no difference in signal strength in the service area.
 
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