89.1

[badjef]

You can barely receive it in Tampa . If it doesn't get better, it would appear they are not serving Tampa

A couple of things:
1.) at reduced power, I wouldn't expect much coverage.
2.) 103.9 is designed to do exactly that.
3.) so is 89.7-2.

On a side note, there is no authorized channel "89.72". That is a "print guy" trying to show he "knows" radio.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[drt]

My reception of WSMR 89.1, near the bay in downtown St. Pete, has been variable as though the engineers are experimenting or testing with the temporary antenna they are using. Most of the time, on my inside radio (Sangean and a Grundig), I am getting reliable stereo and the RDS on the Sangean (which requires a slightly strong signal lever than the pilot light).......... but right now I am receiving a weaker signal with the stereo pilot light flickering on and off (and of course no RDS) and then there have some brief periods of time, when the engineers are either taking the station off the air temporarily or reducing the power to an even lower level than the 5,000 watts.

Here is a link to an article in today's St. Pete Times:

http://www.tampabay.com/features/me...wsmrs-classical-music-on-the-airwaves/1130342

Also, the time frame as to when the permanent antenna will be received and installed varies. On the air the WSMR staff is saying 2 to 3 weeks; on the website of WSMR/WUSF is says several weeks, but in the St. Pete Times article it indicates 8 weeks. Based on what has happened so far, I suppose the 8 week guesstimate is probably correct which means that probably (maybe) everything should be up to full power by Christmas Day.

drt,
st. pete

 

[TerryKay]

Had 'em last Saturday on the drive back from Sorrysota. Not grade A in north Bradenton, and WUFT was picking away at its' flesh once over the Sunshine Jumperway. No 103.9 noted, either (as already pointed out on this board as not active yet).

 

[drt]

Had 'em last Saturday on the drive back from Sorrysota. Not grade A in north Bradenton, and WUFT was picking away at its' flesh once over the Sunshine Jumperway. No 103.9 noted, either (as already pointed out on this board as not active yet).

This may sound like something out of the Twilight Zone, but Sunday around 1:30 in the afternoon, I was picking up WSMR as it was fading in and out with WUFT and this was at the Hernando/Sumter county line on US 301. Then it was lost, then on I-75 beginning at mile marker 288 heading southbound, I was again picking them up, obviously not very well and not in stereo; but I really didn't notice any significant signal improvement until just north of downtown St. Petersburg and of course if you want to hear them in s.e. St. Pete with their current reduced power, you need a decent car radio or a decent radio, if inside; I'm sure their signal wouldn't even register on the average clock radio etc.

drt,
st. petersburg,fl

 

[hdradioeng]

To be honest, the signal (via the reports here) is doing pretty well. 5KW (4.5 ish ERP) shouldn't do much. They are using the 92.1 ERI 3 bay auxillary antenna @ about 262 feet and a BE 5KW solid state transmitter. So, I would say it's doing pretty good coverage-wise. The new antenna being ordered, will of course, be optimized and should yield excellent results. What USF purchased would not have been ideal even if the antenna was at the old site, which was leg mounted but against a ridiculously large tower face and had its own coverage issues.

I think USF has a good handle and is taking the advantage to make the best out of the situation and all should (ducking now) be happy with the results. Of course YMMV and no warranty implied. Everyone have a great night!

 

[badjef]

To be honest, the signal (via the reports here) is doing pretty well. 5KW (4.5 ish ERP) shouldn't do much. They are using the 92.1 ERI 3 bay auxillary antenna @ about 262 feet and a BE 5KW solid state transmitter. So, I would say it's doing pretty good coverage-wise. The new antenna being ordered, will of course, be optimized and should yield excellent results. What USF purchased would not have been ideal even if the antenna was at the old site, which was leg mounted but against a ridiculously large tower face and had its own coverage issues.

I think USF has a good handle and is taking the advantage to make the best out of the situation and all should (ducking now) be happy with the results. Of course YMMV and no warranty implied. Everyone have a great night!

The height is the issue, here.
At 5kw, the signal would not be picketting as much at authorized height. At 262ft., yeah, the multipath is evident making the signal appear worse than it really is.

Remember, Empire signals are only 6kw.

Such is life, be patient.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[DToTheJ]

89.1 is finally on the air, albeit "at very low power," broadcasting classical music. The station's GM says "that will change over the next several weeks":
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/oct/27/MENEWSO12/

 

[Ai4i]

The height is the issue, here.
At 5kw, the signal would not be picketting as much at authorized height. At 262ft., yeah, the multipath is evident making the signal appear worse than it really is.
Remember, Empire signals are only 6kw.

Correct. Look at it this way:
To maintain a protected 70dbu contour at a chosen distance, power must be reduced by the square of the height increase.
For example, a C2 with 50kw at just under 500 feet would be reduced in power to 12½kw at a kilofoot and about 3kw at 2 kilofeet. Apples are not oranges, however. For most points within the line of site, the 50kw station will penetrate buildings better and sound stronger on inadequate receivers. More importantly though, the higher station will sound cleaner with less bouncing around. This is why stations always go for the highest perch in the centers of their markets, not to mention savings in equipment and the power bills.

Unfortunately, band openings discriminate harshly in favor of the higher powered stations. WQCS will get into WDNA's area much worse than the opposite and I expect WUFT (superior height and power) to hurt WSMR more on cold nights than the opposite.

 

[badjef]

The height is the issue, here.
At 5kw, the signal would not be picketting as much at authorized height. At 262ft., yeah, the multipath is evident making the signal appear worse than it really is.
Remember, Empire signals are only 6kw.

Correct. Look at it this way:
To maintain a protected 70dbu contour at a chosen distance, power must be reduced by the square of the height increase.
For example, a C2 with 50kw at just under 500 feet would be reduced in power to 12½kw at a kilofoot and about 3kw at 2 kilofeet. Apples are not oranges, however. For most points within the line of site, the 50kw station will penetrate buildings better and sound stronger on inadequate receivers. More importantly though, the higher station will sound cleaner with less bouncing around. This is why stations always go for the highest perch in the centers of their markets, not to mention savings in equipment and the power bills.

Unfortunately, band openings discriminate harshly in favor of the higher powered stations. WQCS will get into WDNA's area much worse than the opposite and I expect WUFT (superior height and power) to hurt WSMR more on cold nights than the opposite.

No doubt. Tampa will be the fighting ground for the signal.

But this station has had an increase in class. That is almost unheard of in this day and age. 55kw from 50kw is not just 5kw.

It is the difference in miles of protected coverage.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Ai4i]

But this station has had an increase in class. That is almost unheard of in this day and age. 55kw from 50kw is not just 5kw.
It is the difference in miles of protected coverage.

Wish we could agree, but that slight power increase is only to offset a drop in height. You do not have class spacings in the reserved (88-92) band as you do in the commercial band. We had suggested that when channel six in South Dade changed to a digital UHF channel, WKCP should downgrade from a full class C and move north. It was explained that their 70dbu contour borders that of a third adjacency (protectionist BS) in Fort Lauderdale and that would not change regardless of class C, C0, C1, C2, they would just lose coverage into the Florida Keys.

 

[Ai4i]

Just figured it out. They moved as far north as they could because the third channel up the dial allowed short spacing, but the third channel down the dial would not.
Complain to Tampa's "other" public station. They could allow WSMR into the Bay Area.

 

[badjef]

Just figured it out. They moved as far north as they could because the third channel up the dial allowed short spacing, but the third channel down the dial would not.
Complain to Tampa's "other" public station. They could allow WSMR into the Bay Area.

If 6Mhz. is a problem, it doesn’t seem to affect 106.5 in Palmetto. Maybe they could have reached for that stick, instead.

The 5kw is a big deal if you check the FCC website it is clearly an upgrade from a C2 to a C1 facility.

If protection is not an issue, then who cares about interference in Tampa from a station serving Gainseville running interference from one now serving Tampa.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Ai4i]

We do not think you understood our point.
Third adjacencies are protected.
WSMR's signal went as fare north as it could have without overlapping WUSF, three channels up.
After the aquisition, WUSF allowed the short spacing, they have the option to do so.
This is why WSMR moved a few miles north, forget about everything else.
Now, we have to work on getting approval from the station three channels down the dial.
It is not in WMNF's interest to grant such approval.

Again, forget about classes (C, C0, C1, C2, etc) below 92 MHz.They mean nothing.
The rules are completely different from the commercial part of the band.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

Meanwhile from the technologically ignorant section---------why is 103.9 at least up and running if WUSF now officially owns WSMR?

 

[Ai4i]

Meanwhile from the technologically ignorant section---------why is 103.9 at least up and running if WUSF now officially owns WSMR?

WSMR will never cover Tampa as well as they could because of third adjacent channel spacing requirements.
These rules were valid before world war two, but only serve to protect the economic interests of existing stations today by suppressing competition. Receivers today do not need even second adjacent channel protection.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

Meanwhile from the technologically ignorant section---------why is 103.9 at least up and running if WUSF now officially owns WSMR?

WSMR will never cover Tampa as well as they could because of third adjacent channel spacing requirements.
These rules were valid before world war two, but only serve to protect the economic interests of existing stations today by suppressing competition. Receivers today do not need even second adjacent channel protection.

Do they have to have 89.1 on at full power before they could go on the air on 103.9?

 

[Ai4i]

Do they have to have 89.1 on at full power before they could go on the air on 103.9?

No, as long as W280DW translates WUSF-HD2, WSMR would not even need to exist.

 

[badjef]

Do they have to have 89.1 on at full power before they could go on the air on 103.9?

No, as long as W280DW translates WUSF-HD2, WSMR would not even need to exist.

So, why hasn't that channel been on fron Day 1?

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[MsMusicRadio]

Do they have to have 89.1 on at full power before they could go on the air on 103.9?

No, as long as W280DW translates WUSF-HD2, WSMR would not even need to exist.

So, why hasn't that channel been on fron Day 1?

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!





Good question

 

[drt]

I have a hunch, that the engineers at WUSF/WSMR have their hands full right now with 89.1, not to mention the point that I don't even see a CP to move the 103.9 antenna from Brandon to the USF campus on the FCC site as of yesterday morning.

If WUSF were to just turn on the existing antenna in Brandon (if it's even that simple) eventually there would probably be an uproar in the Brandon,Valrico and Riverview area once the antenna move is made and the people in the Brandon area would once again be stuck w/o a decent signal. (and did the real estate in Brandon come with the sale of 103.9?)

As previously posted, it certainly is not in WMNF's interest to allow a short space third adjacent in reference to moving WSMR's antenna to Palmetto's Snead Island. If WSMR could move further north, I think they may have considered the old WSRQ antenna site on City Island across from Mote Marine near St. Armands and downtown Sarasota (where they once shared an antenna with 1450), that would be about 13 miles closer to Tampa and St. Petersburg.

drt.