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AM Frequency of the week: 1480

cyberdad

cyberdad

Far Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.....

Days: Not much of anything. 1480 used to produce a fair-good signal from 1kw WSPY from Geneva, IL. 25 miles south of me. But they've been operating on an STA with a long wire for several years, and the signal doesn't make it to my location. Not sure what the power is, but it can't be a very efficient setup. Then there's WLMV in Madison, WI. 5kw from 80 miles northwest of me. Normally, in our part of the world, which has good ground conductivity, that would be "enough to get the job done". But I'm in their null, so I never hear them. It wasn't for lack of trying back in their top-40 heyday as WISM.

When I was just out of college, I lived about 90 miles north-northwest of Madison, and WISM during the daytime was never a problem.

Nights: The main thing I hear on 1480 here at night is usually splatter from WMBD/1470 skywave. 1480 itself is basically a battle of weak signals, thanks to the fact that nearly everything within 500 miles is nulled in my direction. Before WSPY went to their longwire STA, they put in a signal nighttime here that was comparable to daytime. Thaat was enough to keep them reliably on top of the channel, although other stuff was audible underneath. This despite a drop to 500 watts. The oddity was that the day and night patterns were in opposite directions. Aimed southwest during daytime. Aimed northeast at night.
 
In the near north Chicago suburbs WSPY is very weak here during the day. At night a bunch of weak signals battle it out. Nothing in particular stands out.

Retro: Many years ago when the station in Geneva, Il was known as WGSB the station was for sale. Jack Brickhouse was the owner. I can't remember if he was buying or selling, but the station was getting rid of it's large record collection. Anyone who wanted could come by and pick up a bunch. I did just that in the early 70s. I ended up with a bunch of old 78s.
 
Here on the Cape: WSAR 1480, Fall River, days and nights.

Retro: From when I lived in St. Peters, MO: WJBM, Jerseyville, IL.
 
1480 has been pretty good for me here in NE PA, especially since semi-local WISL Shamokin stopped broadcasting.

There were two mid-winter-anomaly catches here, but I can only count one. WDJO Cincinnati was coming in one day on the barefoot GE SR 2 -- in a basement I was painting. I got a nice tape of 'em, with meteorologist Heather (sp?) Zayre supplying the wx for 'Oldies 1480'.
The one I can't count (since it was more than 10 miles from the base den) was WCFR from Vermont. That was in a snowy parking lot off the Grundig S450, or 270, whatever it was).

WCNS Latrobe PA, WADR from upstate NY, WQTM NC and WDAS Philly were the others, at SSS and the evening. That WCNS logging was at night. The Radio-Locator says they are 19 watts at night. I really believe that they were running those flamethrowing 19 watts that night, hi.

* * * * * * *

Bestest 1480 catches on 1480 from the DX den near JFK Airport were KBOX Dallas and KWIZ Santa Monica. When some of those NYC regional/locals went off Monday mornings, a lot was possible back when the dial was cleaner and clearer.
 
Wow Steve, KWIZ is a great catch from NYC! I tried hard to get them back in the day on Monday mornings in the Chicago area, but never succeeded.
 
radioman148 said:
In the near north Chicago suburbs WSPY is very weak here during the day. At night a bunch of weak signals battle it out. Nothing in particular stands out.

Retro: Many years ago when the station in Geneva, Il was known as WGSB the station was for sale. Jack Brickhouse was the owner. I can't remember if he was buying or selling, but the station was getting rid of it's large record collection. Anyone who wanted could come by and pick up a bunch. I did just that in the early 70s. I ended up with a bunch of old 78s.
Click to expand...

IIRC, Jack Brickhouse's first wife, Nelda, got WGSB in their divorce settlement. I'm not sure if I'm right about that. Perhaps someone else here could confirm or correct me. But in any event, that could have something to do with why they were getting rid of their record library.
 
cyberdad said:
IIRC, Jack Brickhouse's first wife, Nelda, got WGSB in their divorce settlement. I'm not sure if I'm right about that. Perhaps someone else here could confirm or correct me. But in any event, that could have something to do with why they were getting rid of their record library.
Click to expand...

Yes, I think you're right that seems to be the way I remember it also.
Regarding Brickhouse (sorry about veering even more off topic), I met him a few times in the 80s when he was living in the same building as some relatives.
He was a really nice guy.
 
Kenosha, WI: This is a really quiet frequency here. The Geneva, IL station used to put a weak signal up here, but hasn't been heard for many years. Madison sends their signal away from the southeast, so that's a no go (though I have heard it). So...with a REALLY good radio you can sporadically hear WGVU Kentwood, MI (Grand Rapids). Helps to be near the lake (Michigan).

Nights are nothing to write home about here either; KAUS Austin, MN and WRSW Warsaw, IN come to mind.
 
Days, its local WYZE out of Atlanta, a Black Gospel format station. Nights its a jumble but I have heard an Alabama station WABF in there in early evening.
 
Here in Wood Dale, IL in the near NW suburb of Chicago:

Daytime: weak WSPY. Used to be a solid signal as WFXW prior to 2002 with their 5-tower array in St. Charles, IL
Nightime: nothing dominant at night. WLMV Madison, WI and WGVU Kentwood, MI on occasions.

DX/RETRO: others heard include WTHI (Terre Haute, IN), WHBC (Canton, OH), WDJO (Cinconnati, OH), WMQM (Memphis, TN), WAME (Charlotte, NC), WNKY (N eon, KY), WRSW (Warsaw, IN)

Concerning WSPY. They have been on STA with 0.125 kW long wire antenna since 2002. Don't understand how FCC allows stations to run STA for such a long time. The T in STA stands for temporary after all. While back I was doing some search on the FCC site and came across an authorization for an SFTA (Special Field test Authority) station for the period of September 5 - November 5, 2007 using their antenna at their current location on the frequency of 1650 kHz with call letters WS9XPY. Does anybody in the Chicago area remember hearing this?
 
@CADXER....Thanks for the explanation of what's going on with WSPY. I didn't realize that it's been 14 years already that they've been running that STA. Wow! That certainly does seem to be rather ridiculous. As best I can determine, the signal is listenable (as opposed to audible) for about ten miles. Randall Road is a straight shot between Crystal Lake and Geneva (WSPY's COL). By the time I get past the Northwest Tollway (roughly the halfway point), they've pretty much vanished.
 
In my area I have WRSW AM and they are interesting because most AM news stations just air syndicated talk programs but this one is all news for Warsaw, IN. They recently have been affiliated with the Chicago Cubs so now they also have every game. They have a small FM translator in Warsaw but I can't listen because I live just a bit too far.
 
CADXER said:
While back I was doing some search on the FCC site and came across an authorization for an SFTA (Special Field test Authority) station for the period of September 5 - November 5, 2007 using their antenna at their current location on the frequency of 1650 kHz with call letters WS9XPY. Does anybody in the Chicago area remember hearing this?
Click to expand...

That type of SFTA is often not modulated except for an ID and are likely used to do precise conductivity tests where they believe that data will support more power or a more favorable directional system.
 
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It appears WSPY Geneva, IL has applied to move the station to Somonauk, IL and use 1 tower with 250 Watts daytime only. Could it be that the STA which has been effect since 2002 is coming to an end?
 
CADXER said:
It appears WSPY Geneva, IL has applied to move the station to Somonauk, IL and use 1 tower with 250 Watts daytime only. Could it be that the STA which has been effect since 2002 is coming to an end?
Click to expand...

I really don't know one way or the other about the STA. But what I DO know is that WSPY owner Larry Nelson owns WSPY-FM (107.1 3.1kw) which is licensed to Sandwich, IL. Somonauk is practically adjacent to Sandwich and a stone's throw from the WSPY-FM tower. So I think it's safe to assume the AM will also use that. Also, the house and longwire site that WSPY-AM has been using is also very expensive. Maybe Larry got an offer he couldn't refuse.

I'm not quite sure what the point is of keeping the AM going as a 250-watt daytimer. Although It's true that the area around the new site is growing rapidly. But I think it's too far from the core of the Chicago metro to be viable as a brokered ethnic or religious station for a 250-watt signal. Simulcasting the FM wouldn't seem to have any value. And keeping the adult standards format the station has been using would be out of sync with the entry-level home buyers moving into the area.

But what do I know. Other than Larry Nelson's reputation as a generally well-regarded operator.
 
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