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WAHT 1560 Nighttime Signal?

KyleSmith1988

KyleSmith1988

Just after 11 PM in Gaffney SC and tuned into 1560 AM hoping I would hear a faint signal of WFME, instead I'm hearing a decently strong signal of WAHT which broadcasts from the Clifton/Glendale area of Eastern Spartanburg, licenced to Cowpens, which also has an FM translator (97.5 W248DD).

Never been that way before it night except during the day, its been on air for about a year now but they aren't supposed to broadcast at night, their signal is 15 KW day, and 870 watts at Critical Hours.

At night this is one of the strongest AM signals at the moment (Even stronger than 950 WORD Spartanburg) and only some slight background noise.

I dont think this station is even needed for the Spartanburg area, especially 97.5 which strongly interferes with WCOS in this area, their main signal is in and for the Clemson area at 105.5 (WCCP) Which kinda reaches the Spartanburg area as well.
 
Update: right after I posted this thread, the signal went to silent audio (carrier signal still on at a decently strong signal) and 97.5 is still broadcasting loud and clear audio (with background interference from WCOS of course).

How is this ok/legal if its supposed to be a full AM simulcast, but its not if it is silent and they aren't even authorized to broadcast on 1560 AM at night.

During the day the signal is
on or off sometimes as well.
 
KyleAndMelissa22 said:
How is this ok/legal if its supposed to be a full AM simulcast, but its not if it is silent and they aren't even authorized to broadcast on 1560 AM at night.
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FM translators of AM daytimers can operated 24/7, even if the AM is off at night.
 
DavidEduardo said:
FM translators of AM daytimers can operated 24/7, even if the AM is off at night.
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Yes I am aware of that, however this station is not authorized to operate its AM signal at night. I haven't seen it on at night before but it was last night, apparently at 15,000 watts which is it's daytime only allotted power.

Heard it clearly in Gaffney about 15 miles away from its signal source with a very strong signal at a time when its usually off.

The 97.5 signal is unaffected by this limitation, and this post is about the AM signal only, but I do have another post about the FM signal at 97.5 and its interference to WCOS which is a separate issue:

 
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KyleAndMelissa22 said:
Yes I am aware of that, however this station is not authorized to operate its AM signal at night. I haven't seen it on at night before but it was last night, apparently at 15,000 watts which is it's daytime only allotted power.

Heard it clearly in Gaffney about 15 miles away from its signal source with a very strong signal at a time when its usually off.

The 97.5 signal is unaffected by this limitation, and this post is about the AM signal only, but I do have another post about the FM signal at 97.5 and its interference to WCOS which is a separate issue:

Click to expand...

what one is licensed for and what one actually operates with are two different things sometimes for many factors.. human error, automation/computer/electronics error or willfull breaking of the law

The Beat said:
Not sure where you are located, but they seem to have some night power. 870 watts.

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No it doesnt.. critical hours is 870 watts.. and CH/.critical hours is sunrise to 2 horus after and from 2 hours before sunset to actual sunset
 
I live less than 3 miles from WAHT 1560. It's pretty clear that they don't check on the AM. They came back on the air about a month ago after being off (or at least not transmitting on a regular basis) for a year or so. Since then, they are often on after signoff and frequently lose their feed of WCCP in Clemson. Both are the case tonight.
 
I've seen the WAHT-AM site, its a former Cell Phone tower site in an open field kinda far from the city center. 15,000 watts doesn't go too far with poor ground conductivity. At night they are surely using the 15 KW power when its on, sometimes it does go silent, definitely not well maintained.

The FM site 97.5 is from the tall WRET-TV (SCETV) tower near Pacolet, that tower is over 1000 feet tall, and W248DD is about 800 feet up on that tower, that site is too close to where WCOS puts a decent signal especially towards Union SC, too much interference, I think they should move their site closer to Spartanburg if they wanna serve that better, any further south of their site, even with line of sight a few miles south WCOS starts to interfere near Jonesville SC.

Very bad operation, I would just stick with 105.5 which already reaches Clemson and Greenville and say thats enough and call it a day, Spartanburg already has 2 Fox Sports stations (98.3 and 104.9) and ESPN/FAN Upstate (97.1)
 
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KyleAndMelissa22 said:
I've seen the WAHT-AM site, its a former Cell Phone tower site in an open field kinda far from the city center. 15,000 watts doesn't go too far with poor ground conductivity. At night they are surely using the 15 KW power when its on, sometimes it does go silent, definitely not well maintained.

The FM site 97.5 is from the tall WRET-TV (SCETV) tower near Pacolet, that tower is over 1000 feet tall, and W248DD is about 800 feet up on that tower, that site is too close to where WCOS puts a decent signal especially towards Union SC, too much interference, I think they should move their site closer to Spartanburg if they wanna serve that better, any further south of their site, even with line of sight a few miles south WCOS starts to interfere near Jonesville SC.

Very bad operation, I would just stick with 105.5 which already reaches Clemson and Greenville and say thats enough and call it a day, Spartanburg already has 2 Fox Sports stations (98.3 and 104.9) and ESPN/FAN Upstate (97.1)
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Its also very possible they are reducing to 870 watts critical hourss and just not signing off, unless you can measure with some scientific relabiltiy, you cant prove otherwise

WAHT is owned by WCCP... so same company
 
I agree, it can be kinda easy to tell with signal strength at certain distances from the transmitter.

I wonder how many area listening to the Spartanburg station 97.5/1560...I would say few if any, way less than 105.5 (simulcast).
 
That transmission tower near Pacolet no longer broadcasts a signal for SCETV as WRET signed off RF43 with the spectrum repack sale and now simulcasts with WNTV on RF8 from Paris Mountain in Greenville. Virtual channels 29 and 49 now share the same signal for SCETV on channel 8, which recently built a new tower and increased power. Which means perhaps the Pacolet tower could be repurposed for another radio or TV signal to top mount their transmission antenna if it were to be permitted.
 
tylerSC said:
That transmission tower near Pacolet no longer broadcasts a signal for SCETV as WRET signed off RF43 with the spectrum repack sale and now simulcasts with WNTV on RF8 from Paris Mountain in Greenville. Virtual channels 29 and 49 now share the same signal for SCETV on channel 8, which recently built a new tower and increased power. Which means perhaps the Pacolet tower could be repurposed for another radio or TV signal to top mount their transmission antenna if it were to be permitted.
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I agree, I see no point in SCETV simulcasting twice on 29 and 49 from the same location. That tower (Former WRET-TV) is a good location for Spartanburg broadcasting, as well as reaching Gaffney and Union. would love to see others move there. 98.3 (WSPG Translator) had a CP to move there but thats no longer the case.

Perhaps others can move there, such as 103.3 WRTH as a complement to WLTE moving to 95.5 and maybe others as well.

However, I still say its too close to WCOS for 97.5 (W248DD / WAHT) to be there, as their null southeast isn't enough to prevent interference in the populated places of Union County which WCOS's 60 dbu signal easily would reach otherwise.

I remember driving thru the Pacolet area a few years ago, right past the WRET-TV tower on Johnson Lake Road / White Stone, before W248DD was on the air, WCOS had a great listenable signal there.
 
I wonder if 103.3 WRTH could ever move to the former WRET-TV tower near Pacolet, maybe an upgrade from Class A to C3, with directional antenna to the SW to protect WZSN, and the Union SC translator for WBCU would have to change as well (they had a CP not long ago to move to 106.7)

Earth FM would have 95.5 covering most of Greenville Anderson and Pickens / Oconee
And 103.3 would have a nice 60 dbu signal covering most of Spartanburg County, Gaffney and Union. Would love to see this happen. Only CraigD would know for sure and how/if to get the process going legally, hopefully 95.5 will be on soon as a big upgrade from 95.9 in the Anderson area.

Right now still only the 97.5 Translator for WAHT / WCCP is on the former WRET-TV Tower
 
KyleAndMelissa22 said:
I wonder if 103.3 WRTH could ever move to the former WRET-TV tower near Pacolet, maybe an upgrade from Class A to C3, with directional antenna to the SW to protect WZSN, and the Union SC translator for WBCU would have to change as well (they had a CP not long ago to move to 106.7)

Earth FM would have 95.5 covering most of Greenville Anderson and Pickens / Oconee
And 103.3 would have a nice 60 dbu signal covering most of Spartanburg County, Gaffney and Union. Would love to see this happen. Only CraigD would know for sure and how/if to get the process going legally, hopefully 95.5 will be on soon as a big upgrade from 95.9 in the Anderson area.

Right now still only the 97.5 Translator for WAHT / WCCP is on the former WRET-TV Tower
Click to expand...
Am I correct that 94.5 FM has the same owner as 103.3 WRTH? Given what they've done to WRTH, it seems it could be on a full-power FM and 94.5 FM would be the one.
 
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