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670 AM signal disappears at dusk...why?

C

CheeseGirl

Guest
I'm probably the only one listening to 670 AM, but I like to catch Smerconish at 6 PM while I cook dinner, and lately I've noticed that the signal abruptly disappears right about sunset. The other night, it cut out in the middle of an Ingraham show promo and never returned. My husband, a former Coast Guard radioman, says it may be an atmospheric effect, and while I get what he's saying, I disagree because it's so pronounced a change, like a switch has been flipped. He also suggested that they're switching to a lower power for evening broadcast, which seems more likely to me. Whatever the case, it kind of bums me out that I lose the show while I'm working in the kitchen, since there is no other talk worth listening to on Vegas radio from 6 PM on. Can anyone explain what is happening?
 
CheeseGirl said:
I'm probably the only one listening to 670 AM, but I like to catch Smerconish at 6 PM while I cook dinner, and lately I've noticed that the signal abruptly disappears right about sunset...
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Cutting their power from 30,000 watts daytime to 600 watts at night probably has a lot to do with it.
 
CheeseGirl said:
I'm probably the only one listening to 670 AM, but I like to catch Smerconish at 6 PM while I cook dinner, and lately I've noticed that the signal abruptly disappears right about sunset. The other night, it cut out in the middle of an Ingraham show promo and never returned. My husband, a former Coast Guard radioman, says it may be an atmospheric effect, and while I get what he's saying, I disagree because it's so pronounced a change, like a switch has been flipped. He also suggested that they're switching to a lower power for evening broadcast, which seems more likely to me. Whatever the case, it kind of bums me out that I lose the show while I'm working in the kitchen, since there is no other talk worth listening to on Vegas radio from 6 PM on. Can anyone explain what is happening?
Click to expand...

Your husband is right on both counts.

Because of atmospheric effects, AM stations "get out" better at night. "The Score" sports radio in Chicago was on 670 first and has priority on the frequency. During the day there's no way a Vegas station could cause interference in Chicago -- but at night it's a very different story. (next time 670 disappears, try some other frequencies not occupied by local Vegas stations. Chances are you'll hear something well outside Nevada. ) Because of that interference potential, at sunset the Vegas station must reduce power from 30,000 watts to 600 watts.

It must also switch to a different directional antenna pattern. (it "gets out" better in some directions than others) I don't know what part of Vegas you're in, nor do I know what part the AM 670 transmitter is in, but if you live east of the transmitter -- between the transmitter and Chicago -- that's right in the "null" -- where the Vegas station's signal is weakest.
 
I wish it *would* disappear at night--I live in central Vegas and 670's night signal makes it difficult to hear what I really want to listen to, KTNN on 660.
 
Pebble said:
I wish it *would* disappear at night--I live in central Vegas and 670's night signal makes it difficult to hear what I really want to listen to, KTNN on 660.
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I like KTNN as well. Great variety of country including lot's of 90s county that I haven't heard in years. Of course it's the Navajo music that really makes this station special, perhaps the most unique programming I have ever heard on any radio station. Plus I like their jingles.

They seem to come in either really strong (better than most local AMs) or they fade to nothing. This was the case even before 670 hit the air. I would say listen to them online but I don't think they stream.
 
Thanks everybody for all the input -- my husband was glad to hear he was right, but graceful enough not to get too excited about it :) I keep tuning Smerconish in at 6PM on 670, and every night it's different. Some nights the signal stays clear and reasonably strong throughout the show, and others it just cuts off and KTNN comes in. Some nights it'll cut out abruptly only to reappear a few minutes later. Thanks, Buzz, for suggesting the stream, which I'll hit tonight -- I guess I'm just so old school (or stubborn) that I don't think about that and I'll sit and fiddle with my radio instead of just going online, which is weird because here I sit streaming KSTE from Sacramento, listening to Armstrong & Getty, as I do every morning after 9. I just can't take 3 hours of Rush or Laura Ingraham, and Stock doesn't come on until 10 or 11.
 
Are you aware, that if you have a smart phone (Android is what I have) you can download the IN TUNE APP. You will find that this app has radio stations in all kinds of genres. MUSIC, SPORTS, TALK and etc. that you can listen to over your phone.
Talk radio stations AM 670 and 720 are available there along with many other stations. You'll be able to listen to these stations, loud and clear, wherever you go.
Another way of using the IN TUNE app is to look under TALK RADIO SHOW HOSTS... Look for Michael Smerconish. You may have to keep going thru the lists for all talk shows. You'll of course start out with RUSH and go down the pecking order by popularity of show hosts. I listen to Roger Hedgecock, this way. He used to be on AM 1280 KDOX in the afternoons, when they were FOX radio. The app usually has hour #1, hour #2, hour #3. Sometimes, you can find a station that the show host is on in another city or state and listen live.
Try it and Enjoy!
 
I'm just replying to myself... I guess I was tired the other day when I posted IN TUNE. I meant to say TUNE IN. After I sent the reply, I thought it looked funny to me.
I haven't been listening to TUNE IN on my phone as much as I used to, because CBS and other broadcasters have blocked streams available to listeners. Too bad, it was a great service when the app first appeared.
 
CheeseGirl said:
We stay in Las Vegas west of 215 near Charleston & many AM stations in Vegas are shaky at night due to power cuts. I recommend radio locator site which shows predicted coverage areas of any station day or nite, it shows very irregular patterns for Vegas metro area. KNBR 680 San Francisco booms some nites better than local freq
Thanks everybody for all the input -- my husband was glad to hear he was right, but graceful enough not to get too excited about it :) I keep tuning Smerconish in at 6PM on 670, and every night it's different. Some nights the signal stays clear and reasonably strong throughout the show, and others it just cuts off and KTNN comes in. Some nights it'll cut out abruptly only to reappear a few minutes later. Thanks, Buzz, for suggesting the stream, which I'll hit tonight -- I guess I'm just so old school (or stubborn) that I don't think about that and I'll sit and fiddle with my radio instead of just going online, which is weird because here I sit streaming KSTE from Sacramento, listening to Armstrong & Getty, as I do every morning after 9. I just can't take 3 hours of Rush or Laura Ingraham, and Stock doesn't come on until 10 or 11.
Click to expand...
 
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