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105.5 polarization?

L

Les

Guest
Salivating for Monday when Eric Hogue will again be audible in The Sierra
Foothills. Tried tuning 105.5 this morning and got a decent signal with
the extendable antenna on my wall-hung battery radio (about 20 years old)
vertical. But the signal much improved when I dropped it to horizontal.
Did not seem to be so for other stations of about the same signal strength;
they didn't seem to care H or V. Oddly, rotating the (horizontal) antenna
didn't seem to make much difference with the 105.5 signal but it did with
most other stations, even wiping some out.

I would expect 105.5 to be running a circularly polarized antenna but
might it be something unusual?

BTW, nice effort devoting the entire weekend to vectoring former "Fish"
105.5 listeners to 103.9. There'll still be complaints on Monday but
many fewer than had this not been done.

Overall signal from 105.5 beats the daylights out of the former KCEE
signal which was subject to all kinds of fading and cyclical interference
even about 3-miles from the transmitter site. No es importante no mas.
No comprende Espanol rapido.<P ID="signature">______________
Happiness is like beer....you don't really buy it, you just rent it.</P>
 
It's a circularly polarized Antenna Concepts (lot's like a Jampro)
Ya never know what will happen to polarity when it travels all the way across the valley, through tempurature inversions, etc.

By the way, did you notice it's in mono now? (slight improvement in coverage over stereo)

Transmitter is just west of Dunnigan on Bald mt. @ 1600 feet elevation...

Dave/fmnostatic


> Salivating for Monday when Eric Hogue will again be audible
> in The Sierra
> Foothills. Tried tuning 105.5 this morning and got a decent
> signal with
> the extendable antenna on my wall-hung battery radio (about
> 20 years old)
> vertical. But the signal much improved when I dropped it to
> horizontal.
> Did not seem to be so for other stations of about the same
> signal strength;
> they didn't seem to care H or V. Oddly, rotating the
> (horizontal) antenna
> didn't seem to make much difference with the 105.5 signal
> but it did with
> most other stations, even wiping some out.
>
> I would expect 105.5 to be running a circularly polarized
> antenna but
> might it be something unusual?
>
> BTW, nice effort devoting the entire weekend to vectoring
> former "Fish"
> 105.5 listeners to 103.9. There'll still be complaints on
> Monday but
> many fewer than had this not been done.
>
> Overall signal from 105.5 beats the daylights out of the
> former KCEE
> signal which was subject to all kinds of fading and cyclical
> interference
> even about 3-miles from the transmitter site. No es
> importante no mas.
> No comprende Espanol rapido.
>
 
> It's a circularly polarized Antenna Concepts (lot's like a
> Jampro)
> Ya never know what will happen to polarity when it travels
> all the way across the valley, through tempurature
> inversions, etc.
>
> By the way, did you notice it's in mono now? (slight
> improvement in coverage over stereo)
>
> Transmitter is just west of Dunnigan on Bald mt. @ 1600 feet
> elevation...
>
> Dave/fmnostatic

Aww.. nothing more depressing and counterintuitive than an FM Mono Station!

Bummer.
Oh ok... signal improved on a talk-only station... I can see it. But still...


<P ID="signature">______________
Perfection is overrated...
www.marinifamily.org</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by TimmyWA on 09/19/05 06:45 PM.</FONT></P>
 
KTKZ-FM In Mono

> Aww.. nothing more depressing and counterintuitive than an
> FM Mono Station!

Well, if they did it in stereo, KTKZ-FM would only be using the right channel, anyway. Except when they play clips of liberals.

(Hah! I make funny! :D)

Seriously, the flip to mono doesn't necessarily improve the station's transmitting range. But on the edges of the signal, it removes a large chunk of effect of FM stereo "fluttering"...so it's basically an effective signal increase.

On a rimshot like 105.5 Dunnigan, with the transmitter clear out in rural Yolo County, it's darn near necessary, and makes the station somewhat more viable in the parts of the Sacramento market that get it well.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
It's Still 105.5 The Fish Online...

> BTW, nice effort devoting the entire weekend to vectoring
> former "Fish"
> 105.5 listeners to 103.9. There'll still be complaints on
> Monday but
> many fewer than had this not been done.

They managed to change the KTKZ website to reflect the new 105.5 frequency this morning, but the "Fish" website still has it at 105.5. Unlike the last time, when 94.3 was thrown into the "Fish" mix, we know the change to 103.9 is permanent. ;)

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Re: KTKZ-FM In Mono

Ahhh, as usual, Mike understands.. a true radio guy!

dave


> > Aww.. nothing more depressing and counterintuitive than an
>
> > FM Mono Station!
>
> Well, if they did it in stereo, KTKZ-FM would only be using
> the right channel, anyway. Except when they play clips of
> liberals.
>
> (Hah! I make funny! :D)
>
> Seriously, the flip to mono doesn't necessarily improve the
> station's transmitting range. But on the edges of the
> signal, it removes a large chunk of effect of FM stereo
> "fluttering"...so it's basically an effective signal
> increase.
>
> On a rimshot like 105.5 Dunnigan, with the transmitter clear
> out in rural Yolo County, it's darn near necessary, and
> makes the station somewhat more viable in the parts of the
> Sacramento market that get it well.
>
> -OA
>
 
Re: KTKZ-FM In Mono

But the audio sound very tinny...and seems a bit low...

Bill H


> Ahhh, as usual, Mike understands.. a true radio guy!
>
> dave
>
>
> > > Aww.. nothing more depressing and counterintuitive than
> an
> >
> > > FM Mono Station!
> >
> > Well, if they did it in stereo, KTKZ-FM would only be
> using
> > the right channel, anyway. Except when they play clips of
>
> > liberals.
> >
> > (Hah! I make funny! :D)
> >
> > Seriously, the flip to mono doesn't necessarily improve
> the
> > station's transmitting range. But on the edges of the
> > signal, it removes a large chunk of effect of FM stereo
> > "fluttering"...so it's basically an effective signal
> > increase.
> >
> > On a rimshot like 105.5 Dunnigan, with the transmitter
> clear
> > out in rural Yolo County, it's darn near necessary, and
> > makes the station somewhat more viable in the parts of the
>
> > Sacramento market that get it well.
> >
> > -OA
> >
>
 
Re: KTKZ-FM In Mono

> But the audio sound very tinny...and seems a bit low...

But I'm sure Dave - a capable engineer I've had the pleasure of working with in the past - is still tweaking it. :D

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
> It's a circularly polarized Antenna Concepts (lot's like a
> Jampro)
> Ya never know what will happen to polarity when it travels
> all the way across the valley, through tempurature
> inversions, etc.
>
> By the way, did you notice it's in mono now? (slight
> improvement in coverage over stereo)
>
> Transmitter is just west of Dunnigan on Bald mt. @ 1600 feet
> elevation...

Never been to Dunnigan and probably won't. Any kind of tower
or tall enough pole to keep signal from bouncing back off the
ground?

I hadn't noticed the mono, being that the radio I use for
early-morning listening is mono only. But I do see the point
since talk is generally mono unless somebody producing wants
to play games. Callers, absolutely. Hogue, himself, didn't
sound quite right this morning but all the spots did. I
quit thinking about it when I realized he was on the road.

Overall, I'd say ya done good and I'll bet you're not heart-
broken over not having to make the drive up to Banner.<P ID="signature">______________
Happiness is like beer....you don't really buy it, you just rent it.</P>
 
Re: KTKZ-FM In Mono

I noticed this as well. It did make a noticable difference with fluttering.



> > Aww.. nothing more depressing and counterintuitive than an
>
> > FM Mono Station!
>
> Well, if they did it in stereo, KTKZ-FM would only be using
> the right channel, anyway. Except when they play clips of
> liberals.
>
> (Hah! I make funny! :D)
>
> Seriously, the flip to mono doesn't necessarily improve the
> station's transmitting range. But on the edges of the
> signal, it removes a large chunk of effect of FM stereo
> "fluttering"...so it's basically an effective signal
> increase.
>
> On a rimshot like 105.5 Dunnigan, with the transmitter clear
> out in rural Yolo County, it's darn near necessary, and
> makes the station somewhat more viable in the parts of the
> Sacramento market that get it well.
>
> -OA
>
 
Re: KTKZ-FM In Mono

I should be more clear about coverage in mono.
It takes less signal to fully "quiet" an fm receiver in mono than it does
in stereo. It "effectivley" increase signal, not actually.

FM receiver quieting is the amount of signal it takes to reduce the "hiss"
noise you might hear on a weaker signal. Also, multipath may be
reduced in mono.

Why waste a bunch of mono programming on a stereo signal when we
can improve reception is our theory. Save the stereo mode for music formats..

2 bits worth from a brain damaged (and tired) old engineer...

dave




> I noticed this as well. It did make a noticable difference
> with fluttering.
>
>
>
> > > Aww.. nothing more depressing and counterintuitive than
> an
> >
> > > FM Mono Station!
> >
> > Well, if they did it in stereo, KTKZ-FM would only be
> using
> > the right channel, anyway. Except when they play clips of
>
> > liberals.
> >
> > (Hah! I make funny! :D)
> >
> > Seriously, the flip to mono doesn't necessarily improve
> the
> > station's transmitting range. But on the edges of the
> > signal, it removes a large chunk of effect of FM stereo
> > "fluttering"...so it's basically an effective signal
> > increase.
> >
> > On a rimshot like 105.5 Dunnigan, with the transmitter
> clear
> > out in rural Yolo County, it's darn near necessary, and
> > makes the station somewhat more viable in the parts of the
>
> > Sacramento market that get it well.
> >
> > -OA
> >
>
 
Looks like ya won one!

happened to catch the top of the hour ID at 6 this morning..something
I usually miss or can't hear over running water...

It sure sounds like you convinced somebody in programming to do a proper,
legal station ID.

Not certain of the sequence, but it went something like this:

KTKZ-FM, Sacramento...Salem (etc.)...KTKZ, Sacramento!

That's the very first simulcast I've ever heard done properly. And,
I've repeatedly lost the battle to get a simulcast away from throwing
out the AM call then tacking on "...AM and FM"...in XXXXXXXXX.
Management acknowledges the rules but feels nobody really cares.
That belief has been bourne out by several decades of FCC visits
where nothing has even been mentioned.

You are to be congratulated!
<P ID="signature">______________
Happiness is like beer....you don't really buy it, you just rent it.</P>
 
Re: Looks like ya won one!

> Not certain of the sequence, but it went something like
> this:
>
> KTKZ-FM, Sacramento...Salem (etc.)...KTKZ, Sacramento!

Well, close...KTKZ-FM Dunnigan/Sacramento.

:D

(And yes, they do it that way in the on air ID, complete with the proper COL for the FM.)

For that matter, they also do it right on the Fish now as well, though after it's vacated the old frequency, 105.5 lives on...on the station's website:

http://www.thefish.cc/

(HEY! WEB PEOPLE! YOU MOVED OFFICIALLY TO 103.9! CHANGE IT! :D)

No, that yell wasn't at Dave, though if he wants to forward it down the hall, that'd be cool...

;)

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
> It's a circularly polarized Antenna Concepts (lot's like a
> Jampro)
> Ya never know what will happen to polarity when it travels
> all the way across the valley, through tempurature
> inversions, etc.
>
> By the way, did you notice it's in mono now? (slight
> improvement in coverage over stereo)
>
> Transmitter is just west of Dunnigan on Bald mt. @ 1600 feet
> elevation...
>
> Dave/fmnostatic

Dave,

Since 105.5 is now in mono, do you still have to protect the Pilot? Can you increase the high-end and make it sound clear and bright to "fight off" the dull-ish mono sound?

-Timmy<P ID="signature">______________
Perfection is overrated...
www.marinifamily.org</P>
 
The high end response is all there, it's just mono now.
Not a lot of "hi-fi"stuff with a talk format though.

df




> > It's a circularly polarized Antenna Concepts (lot's like a
>
> > Jampro)
> > Ya never know what will happen to polarity when it travels
>
> > all the way across the valley, through tempurature
> > inversions, etc.
> >
> > By the way, did you notice it's in mono now? (slight
> > improvement in coverage over stereo)
> >
> > Transmitter is just west of Dunnigan on Bald mt. @ 1600
> feet
> > elevation...
> >
> > Dave/fmnostatic
>
> Dave,
>
> Since 105.5 is now in mono, do you still have to protect the
> Pilot? Can you increase the high-end and make it sound clear
> and bright to "fight off" the dull-ish mono sound?
>
> -Timmy
>
 
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