A day in the life of a lamptimer

[DrAkbar]

Akbar, you must be psycho psychic. <grin>

Lumberyard 1440 was already on at 6:15 AM with reduced power--either the
52-watt lowtorch or whatever they have in their PSRA. I'm guessing 52 watts.

Actually, the Nurse and I are psych-o-delic with our '76 Gremlin and The Buoys blastin' on the 8 track!

Lumberyard 14~Forty has pre-sunrise authorization for September to run 500 watts between 6a and 6:30am. Full power after that.
Their post sunset is kinda complicated: between 6:30 and 7pm they can run with 490 watts. Between 7 and 7:30pm - 49 watts. And between 7:30 and 8pm - 29 watts.

Nurse Jeff and I don't know how pre and post authorizations work when the FCC has given an Ancient Modulation station nightime authorization. An expert in the field would have to be consulted: we'll ask the order taker at the Buckeye Jack In The Box if they know...if not, then we'll have to call in a favor from the Old Gringo.

Now the $14.40 question is: does Gumpdusky have a canal side xmttr on the FCC approved list capable of running at less than 5kw?

 

[fybush]

It's my understanding that stations can use both PSSA/PSRA powers or their nighttime authorizations, whichever is higher at any given time. The catch is that they have to have retained paper copies of the 1980s-era PSSA/PSRA authorizations, since the FCC doesn't have them in their own files.

Want fries with that?

 

[oldiesfan6479]

The catch is that they have to have retained paper copies of the 1980s-era PSSA/PSRA authorizations, since the FCC doesn't have them in their own files.

Well we know KAZG still has the letter from the FCC showing their monthly
sunrise/sunset times on a bulletin board in the XMTR shack--this from one
of the pics on the Lumberyard 1440 page on KLL's Phoenix Airchecks site.
Of course that assumes the lamptimer can read. <grin>

Lumberyard 14~Forty has pre-sunrise authorization for September to run 500 watts between 6a and 6:30am. Full power after that.

Doc, is "6-6:30" a typo? If the PSRA states that, then we know the FCC is out
to lunch, since KAZG can go to 5 kw (day power) at 6:15 AM during September.

BTW, Lumberyard 1440 was not on the air this morning until their version of the
monthly sign-on at 6:18:39, with 5 kw from the (ID-less, of course) get go.

Most seem to forget that almost every engineer in this market and every other market takes care of several stations and if a pattern change does not happen to the second it is not a priority, when it's out 10 minutes or more now that's a problem.

Here's an example of a problem--while KFNN 1510 powered down last night to specs
(at 6:29:25 for a 6:30), this morning they were already on daytime power at 5:57
(September power up is 6:15). I had the same signal strength reading on the old
Sangean 909 meter here in the 'Tuke at 5:57, at 6:15, and at 6:30. In fact, the
meter reads the same now at noon as on those three earlier checks.

I'd speculate that's not an engineering glitch, but rather a management/programming
decision to power up early on the sly (can we say "illegal power alien"?) so they don't
lose any of their morning drive audience from 6 AM on. Unless KayFuNN has some
PSRA that we don't know about--previous posts in KFNN threads have asked that
same question and there has never been a response from the station.

 

[DrAkbar]

Doc, is "6-6:30" a typo? If the PSRA states that, then we know the FCC is out
to lunch, since KAZG can go to 5 kw (day power) at 6:15 AM during September.

Lunch is on the Buckeye Boyz*. The authorization is for 500 watts at 6am. Gumpdusky then has to set the lamptimer to bring up 5kw at 6:15am. (*offer good at participating Roy Rogers locations in Buckeye)

Here's an example of a problem--while KFNN 1510 powered down last night to specs
(at 6:29:25 for a 6:30), this morning they were already on daytime power at 5:57
(September power up is 6:15). I had the same signal strength reading on the old
Sangean 909 meter here in the 'Tuke at 5:57, at 6:15, and at 6:30. In fact, the
meter reads the same now at noon as on those three earlier checks.

The notorious Power Grabbers at 15~Ten are at it again. Their pre-sunrise authorization is for 7 watts (which is lamer: 7 watts thru 2 sticks or 100 watts thru 4?). Someone should tip off Sheriff Ego so he can perform a crime surpression sweep at 4800 N Central Av!

 

[asugeorge1]

Tonight, the Bandwagon got done at 6:30 P.M., followed by a legal ID and then three minutes of dead-air before the lamptimer kicked in. There was no Goldmine music tonight.

Can't wait for the Bandwagon to be gone so that the Goldmine can pump out those oldies all evening long!

 

[oldiesfan6479]

asugeo,

Should we give the Gumpsters at least a little bit of credit for tonight's
sign-off adventure?

"When automation fails you, bring in some live assist." Pretty decent, other
than the 3:37 of dead air before the carrier was cut. I mean, that sounds
so......lamptimerish. <grin>

 

[Tom Wells]

I maintain that the little itty-bitty induction motor in the lamp timer labors and slows down at the instant it is throwing the lever
on the timer. Those little motors have oilite bronze bearings, but they DO eventually wear out. Has anyone ever oiled the timer to see
if the daily drop-back becomes less. That's what I'd try if I were CE.

Doc, I need to know what color the Gremlin is... I imagine it as the "pale metallic green".
I need more data for proper visualization. Please link us a picture of YOUR Grem or give me a word picture, please.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

I maintain that the little itty-bitty induction motor in the lamp timer labors and slows down at the instant it is throwing the lever on the timer. Those little motors have oilite bronze bearings, but they DO eventually wear out. Has anyone ever oiled the timer to see if the daily drop-back becomes less. That's what I'd try if I were CE.

Ah Tom, but is it really a lamptimer? <grin> While some of us like to think it is,
our good buddy catfish with a "C" (not Katfish with a "K") has mentioned that
it could be a Burk remote control tied to an old DOS PC. While I think catfish
(with a "C") may be acquainted with some of the Gumpdusky folks, he's not yet
been able to convince them to come on the board and tell us all the mysteries
about our beloved Lumberyard 1440...there are so many. <smile>

 

[asugeorge1]

asugeo,

Should we give the Gumpsters at least a little bit of credit for tonight's
sign-off adventure?

"When automation fails you, bring in some live assist." Pretty decent, other
than the 3:37 of dead air before the carrier was cut. I mean, that sounds
so......lamptimerish. <grin>

Actually, thanks to all that dead-air, this might be the closest Gumpdusky has come to having a legal ID at sign-off. Bravo boys!

Would it be asking too much for a legal ID at sign-on tomorrow morning? :

 

[landtuna]

Doc, I need to know what color the Gremlin is... I imagine it as the "pale metallic green".
I need more data for proper visualization. Please link us a picture of YOUR Grem or give me a word picture, please.

So did I, however, turns out it was originally a light magenta with a purple & puce interior. The sun has turned the once beautiful exterior to a dull yellow and the interior is now been reupholstered with several genuine Mexican zarape's.

 

[DrAkbar]

The color is Specimen Yellow with a red stripe down each sides. Interior is Denim Blue. Because it's a Levi's Special edition, those brass buttons took a while to get used down whenever Nurse Jeff and I planted our rear ends into the car. Snap, Crackle & Pop! YIKES!!

Back to topic: because we are not two of the five people with HD radios, is Lumberyard 14~Forty hi-def? We can only imagine how great Edd "Kookie" Byrnes must sound!

 

[landtuna]

... is Lumberyard 14~Forty hi-def?

It must be. That background hiss is unmistakable (down here in Fashionable South Tempe anyhoo).

Wonder how the 'Yard ponied up for HD when they seemingly can't afford a new lamptimer?

 

[boiseengineer]

Bet it's just a noisy 946 MHz STL. Would sound like a weak FM station with hiss in the background.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Back to topic: because we are not two of the five people with HD radios, is Lumberyard 14~Forty hi-def? We can only imagine how great Edd "Kookie" Byrnes must sound!

I-CRAP does not spew out of the Harris Five at KAZG. It's strictly analog and mono.

Listen to the first adjacent freqs on either side of a given station--if there's the
loud annoying digital hash sound (and not just splatter from the music or voice),
then it's what Booble Struble at iCRAPuity and his brainwashed minions like to call
"IBOC" or "AM HD." On many radios you can even hear it on the second adjacent.

PHX market AMs doing this dirty deed include 550, 620, 860, 910 and 1230. 1580
had been one of the I-CRAPpers but it appears to be turned off presently.

So if you want to hear Kookie in stereo you'll have to watch Lauren's Lumberyard
video on www.phoenixairchecks.com. For stereo My Way, I guess you'll just have
to buy a Sinatra CD. <grin>

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Would it be asking too much for a legal ID at sign-on tomorrow morning? :

I guess it was (asking too much). The carrier popped on at 6:18:50 this morning
with the Goldmine JIP, and no ID.

As for the just-concluded sign-off...jock talk ended at 6:29:55 and the board op
wisely(?) hit a legal ID. Well maybe not, because while dead air followed at
6:30:09, it was then replaced by a mysterious sports PBP broadcast at 6:30:22.
The announcer kept referrring to "Warner" so I'm sure it was from one of the
AZ/DEN exhibition game feeds, which in turn was replaced at 6:31:09 by music
(JIP), then the lamptimer pulled the plug at 6:33:56, leaving no identifiable clue
as to what station was leaving the air, aka "the usual M.O." <wink>

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Here's another in the "what in the wide, wide world of lamptimers is
going on?" episodes...

At 6:15:50 this morning, Lumberyard 1440 was on, but with 52 watts
(or some other lower than daytime setting).

The power up to 5 kw did not occur until 6:19:45 which was over a
minute late based on the current lamptimer M.O.

 

[landtuna]

SRP wanted to make sure the check was good before sending more juice down the line?

 

[DrAkbar]

Nurse Jeff tells me it's a work slowdown by the Goldminers over at Lumberyard 14~Forty. Seems they don't like all those talk shows and feel Edd "Kookie" Byrnes might soon be replaced as shop foreman. YIKES!

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Wednesday 09/09/09:

It appears the lamptimer was doing double duty today (and may have been
the case yesterday too).

The Lumberyard popped on at 6:04:55 AM with 52 watts--or perhaps their
PSRA. With "popped on" you may also correctly infer there was no legal ID.

At 6:19:55 the signal spooled up to daytime power.

In both cases the M.O. (a 6:00 sign-on and a 6:15 "sunrise") was 4:55 late,
which corresponds with the lamptimer's daily drift.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Thursday September 10:

Same "subject to lamptimer drift" as yesterday, with the 52-watt carrier
popping on at 6:05:06 AM and powering up to 5 kw at 6:20:06.

Note to Gumpdusky, especially regarding sign off (last night 6:35:01 PM),
have you noticed you're now over five minutes late? Well beyond the +/-
2:00 of reasonable tolerance off of the monthly times. Time to take a
trip down the Lumberyard's scenic canal path and reset the lamptimer!