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WTVN tower crumples in storm

delgriffith said:
I was down Obetz Rd Thursday. There's a church with a great view of the fallen tower. It doesn't appear there have been any attempts to begin replacement or site prep. Someone told me Vertical Bridge only bought the tall tower. Can't verify one way to the other. As I underdtsnd it, Verticals long term interest is real estate. If they bought it all, it would seem replacement would fall on them, not iheart.

Again, the 1kw pattern looks to provide better metro coversge. It was done with the 3 mid sized self supporting towers back in time.
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Drove down that way today while I was on the south side and pulled into that church's parking lot. As best as I could tell, the fallen tower is gone but I saw nothing there in its place or any sign that construction has begun on a replacement tower.
Had I not had other places to go, I probably would have parked and walked out toward the tower to see more. The field is such that it looks like you could walk directly up to the towers if you wanted.
 
Coming in from Indy last night. Station was listenable at I75. At 475 it was mostly interference free. At Rt68 it was totally interference free. Bet they wish they had that as night pattern instead of the squeeze north.

Checked tower sight today. The lower section was gone and the fence repaired, but the upper section was still on the ground. Could have been removed for insurance testing? The lower section had a wide base. The upper 2/3rds was more of a standard antenna.

Grass is starting to grow, so the upper is difficult to see. Saw it from the street that dead ends into the site to the east.
 
Thanks for the report! That's pretty good for only 1,250 watts (better than I would expect, honestly, even with that dial position and the ground conductivity).
Not that it will happen, but is there any way WTVN would consider going to that pattern at night, or would they even be able to do so in this day and age?
 
schmave said:
Thanks for the report! That's pretty good for only 1,250 watts (better than I would expect, honestly, even with that dial position and the ground conductivity).
Not that it will happen, but is there any way WTVN would consider going to that pattern at night, or would they even be able to do so in this day and age?
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I've heard WKRC with a solid signal almost as far north as Lima. They sound like a local from a few miles inside the Ohio border through Dayton at night along I-70. Granted their directional squeezes them north to protect Buffalo and St. Louse, but still a solid signal for 1kw from NE Kentucky. I wonder if TVN would go for lower power with a relaxed pattern to give them better metro coverage. I guess time will tell.
 
Funny you mention WKRC because their 1,000-watt night signal is the exact one I thought of as far as a comparison to 1,250 at night for WTVN. As you said and as I've told gr8 before, I've heard a very listenable WKRC at night 100 miles north of Cincinnati in Auglaize County (likewise, that Buffalo null means it is completely gone in Columbus after dark).
But still, that's really good for 610 to be coming in that well that far west at night with a non-directional 1,250. You'd have heard it a lot farther away with 5,000 watts, but I still have a feeling they're running a little more than 1,250.
 
I used to listen to WKRC in Mercer/Auglaize in the late 70s at night, when they were mostly A/C with oldies. Good enough night signal. Another 550 that gets out is KTRS, St. Louis.
 
Station received an extension until spring to operate reduced power non directional. Tower was supposed to have shipped mid October, but haven't seen a delivery.
 
I was holding out hope that they'd just keep this 1,250 watts non-directional signal. It's nice to be able to hear 610 after dark no matter where you are in central Ohio and not have their ridiculous nulls to contend with.
I wonder if they've received any positive feedback from people who now get an improved signal?
 
Still no progress on physically replacing the tower. It was noted in the request for STA extension that the replacement tower was scheduled to ship mid October. It must be on a slow ship from China. And the time for construction weather wise is now fading quickly. Like others, I do enjoy listening where the station had no signal before at night in the central Ohio area.
 
I know this is about WTVN's tower, but I found interest in the references to how far WKRC's signal was heard in years past. For many years, WKRC had some good ratings with their on-air talent (Stan Matlock, Jerry Thomas, Bob Jones, Ted McKay) and in various years carried the play-by-play of the Reds, UC football & basketball and the Cincinnati Royals. I picked up the station in south-central Kentucky in the daytime in the 1960's. Interesting as well how the signal got out at night to the north in Ohio in more recent years.
 
Looks like WTVN applied for another STA extension. Looking at the application they had to go through Zoning to get the new tower put up, and it finally passed. Now they're waiting on a construction permit to start putting up the tower. Wish they would just stay at non-directional at night at quarter power. It's nice getting WTVN where you couldn't before at night.
 
How is their current signal being effected- especially at a distance? In tuning onto 610 kc recently I noticed their signal was not as strong as it has been in the past.
 
I haven't noticed any downgrade in the daytime signal. The night signal has a better metro area coverage, even with reduced power, because the directional has been eliminated. I noticed they are having tower lighting issues on the NW and SW towers (4&5) each with no mid section lighting.
 
That's likely a non-starter due to having to protect Kansas City.

schmave said:
Truth. I remember attending college in Toledo and at pattern change, WTVN would actually get stronger because it was now sending more power at me. Meanwhile, as close as parts of Pickerington, WTVN goes from a tremendous signal to absolutely unlistenable just like that. A few miles makes a huge difference with that pattern.
My parents in Thornville cannot listen at night unless they stream.
I would like to see that 1,000-watt night pattern. I don't think 610 would lose anything by serving more of its home market at night. I can't imagine they're monetizing that great northerly lobe at night once you leave the metro.
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I haven't missed the night pattern at all. Been great hearing 610 all over the metro and even outside.
Drove by the towers a few weeks ago and noticed the missing tower has yet to be replaced.
How long is this new STA for?
 
schmave said:
I haven't missed the night pattern at all. Been great hearing 610 all over the metro and even outside.
Drove by the towers a few weeks ago and noticed the missing tower has yet to be replaced.
How long is this new STA for?
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The current STA is good until sometime in early May. New request did not seek an end date.
 
My aunt and I drove down and back to Cincinnati for last night's Cubs-Reds game and on the way home we were getting WTVN pretty much crystal clear between the Wilmington and Washington C.H. exits. Between Kings Island and Wilmington, WTVN was there but fighting with Kansas City.
Going to hate to see this nighttime signal go if/when it does.
I wonder if any other stations on 610 have received substantial interference when otherwise they wouldn't have?
 
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