540's signal

[tanner]

What is up with 540's signal. I drove to Ocala yesterday and their signal sounded like 660's signal does on SR46 in Sanford and like 640's signal from Palm Beach in Stuart. It sounds like a very directional gap. Also, the signal was completely gone by the time I reached Ocala whereas WDBO and even 1080 were still coming in strong enough for my scanner to still stop on them. 540 used to boom into Ocala. If that is what going to 740's tower array does then that is pretty stupid. But I guess that's what cheap channel does.

 

[redneckriviera]

Ocala has always been in one of 540's DA nulls (toward Canada, really), day & night. But it looks like the new night pattern in particular makes that null toward the northwest more severe. Daytime doesn't look much different than the old pattern, but with directionals just a scoche here and a scoche there (no, I'm not sure "scoche" is a real word, but you know what I'm sayin') can make it unlistenable.

Hey, at least CC is keeping the thing on the air instead of just sending the license back to DC and improving the bottom line. In today's world any AM that hasn't been on the ad buyer's speed-dial for 50 years (WDBO) is just a place to put bonus spots for the FMs in the cluster...

 

[tanner]

What I am talking about is during the day. I have been in Ocala many times and this paricular day it was definetely different

 

[tanner]

I was traveling on 192 today between Melbourne and Orlando, was 12 miles east of St Cloud at 6:15pm and when 540 changed their patter I think somebody pulled the plug for about 15 min. That should be a grade a area for them. at that time WDAK 540 out of Columbus Ga started to come in. at 6:30 WFLF powered back up. Way to go Cheap Channel

 

[MN Maniac]

What I am talking about is during the day. I have been in Ocala many times and this paricular day it was definetely different

They null NNW during the daytime also, protecting WDAK-Columbus, GA.

However, they could be heard in Biloxi, MS during the daytime when I lived there (2004-2005.) Not sure if this is still the case with their new facilities (?)

 

[tanner]

WDAK is only a 4000 watt station many miles from Orlando

 

[smedge2006]

WDAK is only a 4000 watt station many miles from Orlando

Yes, but its coverage area goes all the way out to I-75 in Georgia so a 540 in Orlando could conceivably interfere. I suspect a bigger problem is 550 in Jacksonville, with a protected contour that begins in Gainesville.

 

[MN Maniac]

WDAK is only a 4000 watt station many miles from Orlando

Yes, but its coverage area goes all the way out to I-75 in Georgia so a 540 in Orlando could conceivably interfere. I suspect a bigger problem is 550 in Jacksonville, with a protected contour that begins in Gainesville.

I interviewed with WGTO when they were getting ready to hit the airwaves from their new facilities in Ocoee. This was back in December, 1989. I asked about the pattern and was told it had to protect Columbus by day and San Luis Potosi, Mexico plus Watrous, Saskatchewan at night. I think there was also a station in the Caribbean which received protection (?) But it stands to reason that 550 in Jacksonville (actually Orange Park) would have to be afforded some level of protection also.

 

[cceng1]

That null to the North is to protect 550 in Jax...

cceng (I built the 540 tx site in the Green Swamp that is now history....oh well)

 

[tanner]

was that the array they had until cheap channel combined it with 740's array?

 

[cceng1]

Yes, that is that same array that Clear Channel used until they combined it with the 740 array.

 

[tanner]

amazing most stations change tower locations to improve their signal. That move made their signal worse.

 

[amfmxm]

amazing most stations change tower locations to improve their signal. That move made their signal worse.

But they didn't do this to improve their signal. They did it to eliminate a tower site, translating into immediate & long term $$$.

The other thing to remember is that Ocala means nothing to them (same as every other Orlando operator). As long as the signal burns up the Orlando metro area, they couldn't care less about whether people can hear it in the sticks.

 

[tanner]

Good Point, however something that someone else brought up was 540 has to protect a station in Mexico. Give me a break, do they protect our stations? What is the spanish interference on WLS for instance. I can agree 540 does not need to worry about Ocala but they could have a daytime grade a signal all over Tampa Bay, I would be concerned about that. Who cares about a Mexican sinal during the day

 

[davideduardo]

Good Point, however something that someone else brought up was 540 has to protect a station in Mexico. Give me a break, do they protect our stations?

Yes, they do protect US (and Canadian) stations. The AM assignments, clear channels, regional and local channels, etc., were all set up initially under the NARBA (North American Radio Treaty) dating to 1941 and ammended several times since then.

What is the spanish interference on WLS for instance.

I don't know... it could be anything, but in the midwest it is usually KVOZ in Laredo, TX, which is a frequent "forgetter" about dropping to night power. In Florida, it's generally the Bogotá station which runs high power. It could also be the lower powered Panameñan, or the Honduran or the Salvadoran sttion. In any case, if in Florida, you are way outside the WLS night protected contour.

I can agree 540 does not need to worry about Ocala but they could have a daytime grade a signal all over Tampa Bay, I would be concerned about that. Who cares about a Mexican sinal during the day

Tampa is a separate market, and an Orlando station is not going to get numbers there without a big city grade signal and advertisers will buy Tampa Bay stations to reach Tampa Bay residents.