You can set aside much of the speculation of what WKOX-AM 1200 will do once they install the new 50K antenna system until this interference problem is cleared up. At the start of the Stephanie Miller replay today, over two hours after sunrise, WKOX was being jammed by Canada-based interference (how does that 1200 in Syracuse do?). Sure, in Boston, Brookline and Cambridge, they may get a city-grade signal, and that's no slouch of a reach...but outside the area of greatest signal strength, WKOX's nighttime signal may mirror that of WWZN, or even worse. There's only one solution: George, we must invade Canada!
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AM 1200 Interference Horrible This Morning
- Thread starter Shellanswerman
- Start date
> You can set aside much of the speculation of what WKOX-AM
> 1200 will do once they install the new 50K antenna system
> until this interference problem is cleared up. At the start
> of the Stephanie Miller replay today, over two hours after
> sunrise, WKOX was being jammed by Canada-based interference
> (how does that 1200 in Syracuse do?). Sure, in Boston,
> Brookline and Cambridge, they may get a city-grade signal,
> and that's no slouch of a reach...but outside the area of
> greatest signal strength, WKOX's nighttime signal may mirror
> that of WWZN, or even worse. There's only one solution:
> George, we must invade Canada!
>
I am pretty sure Canada has WMDs. As for the interference, there was a post not too long ago that WKOX has a new 10,000W HD transmitter that Marconi hadn't gotten around to installing. I wonder if that might help. A letter to our friends up north and, failing that, a call to the FCC might help.
The boards a WKOX have complaints about the current interference which appears to be a new problem (conspiracy theorists unite, it is a FOX Sports Channel that appears to be the most problematic) but no responses from anyone in charge at WXKS/WKOX (is there anyone in charge?).
> 1200 will do once they install the new 50K antenna system
> until this interference problem is cleared up. At the start
> of the Stephanie Miller replay today, over two hours after
> sunrise, WKOX was being jammed by Canada-based interference
> (how does that 1200 in Syracuse do?). Sure, in Boston,
> Brookline and Cambridge, they may get a city-grade signal,
> and that's no slouch of a reach...but outside the area of
> greatest signal strength, WKOX's nighttime signal may mirror
> that of WWZN, or even worse. There's only one solution:
> George, we must invade Canada!
>
I am pretty sure Canada has WMDs. As for the interference, there was a post not too long ago that WKOX has a new 10,000W HD transmitter that Marconi hadn't gotten around to installing. I wonder if that might help. A letter to our friends up north and, failing that, a call to the FCC might help.
The boards a WKOX have complaints about the current interference which appears to be a new problem (conspiracy theorists unite, it is a FOX Sports Channel that appears to be the most problematic) but no responses from anyone in charge at WXKS/WKOX (is there anyone in charge?).
> I am pretty sure Canada has WMDs. As for the interference,
> there was a post not too long ago that WKOX has a new
> 10,000W HD transmitter that Marconi hadn't gotten around to
> installing. I wonder if that might help. A letter to our
> friends up north and, failing that, a call to the FCC might
> help.
I think Marconi mentioned that he had contacted the Canadian station, as their antenna pattern is not functioning properly. Yet there are apparently limits to what he can do, can an American launch a complaint with the CTRC?
Perhaps Marconi would know this as well: Why is WKOX getting a new transmitter? Seeing that the upgrade is in the next year or two, upgrading the current site doesn't seem to make much sense.
> The boards a WKOX have complaints about the current
> interference which appears to be a new problem (conspiracy
> theorists unite, it is a FOX Sports Channel that appears to
> be the most problematic) but no responses from anyone in
> charge at WXKS/WKOX (is there anyone in charge?).
>
> there was a post not too long ago that WKOX has a new
> 10,000W HD transmitter that Marconi hadn't gotten around to
> installing. I wonder if that might help. A letter to our
> friends up north and, failing that, a call to the FCC might
> help.
I think Marconi mentioned that he had contacted the Canadian station, as their antenna pattern is not functioning properly. Yet there are apparently limits to what he can do, can an American launch a complaint with the CTRC?
Perhaps Marconi would know this as well: Why is WKOX getting a new transmitter? Seeing that the upgrade is in the next year or two, upgrading the current site doesn't seem to make much sense.
> The boards a WKOX have complaints about the current
> interference which appears to be a new problem (conspiracy
> theorists unite, it is a FOX Sports Channel that appears to
> be the most problematic) but no responses from anyone in
> charge at WXKS/WKOX (is there anyone in charge?).
>
> Perhaps Marconi would know this as well: Why is WKOX getting
> a new transmitter? Seeing that the upgrade is in the next
> year or two, upgrading the current site doesn't seem to make
> much sense.
I was wondering if it requires that much retrofitting. I thought it was just to make the station HD but was speculating that it might improve the signal.
> a new transmitter? Seeing that the upgrade is in the next
> year or two, upgrading the current site doesn't seem to make
> much sense.
I was wondering if it requires that much retrofitting. I thought it was just to make the station HD but was speculating that it might improve the signal.
> I am pretty sure Canada has WMDs. As for the interference,
> there was a post not too long ago that WKOX has a new
> 10,000W HD transmitter that Marconi hadn't gotten around to
> installing. I wonder if that might help. A letter to our
> friends up north and, failing that, a call to the FCC might
> help.
>
> The boards a WKOX have complaints about the current
> interference which appears to be a new problem (conspiracy
> theorists unite, it is a FOX Sports Channel that appears to
> be the most problematic) but no responses from anyone in
> charge at WXKS/WKOX (is there anyone in charge?).
>
The current problem is the result of CFGO (the Team 1200, Fox Sports, Ottawa, 50-kW-U DA-2, six towers nights, either three or four towers days--depending on whether CFGO has or hasn't yet moved to its new site) having lost a vacuum capacitor in its antenna system. I don't know whether the part is in the night phasor or in the ATU of one of the towers that is used day and night. I'd guess the latter because, based on the reports of new CH problems, both the day and night patterns seem to be affected. The failed part is not available from stock but had to be specially manufactured. Nevertheless, it has now been more than three months since the problem developed (early October). Still, despite the miserable history of Canadian AMs not operating in accordance with their licenses (in one notorious case, for a decade), CHUM Group, CFGO's owner, is reportedly a responsible operator. Therefore, Clear Channel is willing to give them plenty of slack. (WKOX is not the only CCU station being affected; I've seen CFGO reception reports from Oklahoma--on WOAI's home turf, so to speak). Still CCU probably has reasons to not rock the boat too much with Canada at this time. First off, going after Canadian offenders takes a lot of time and energy and often produces no results. Also, with the conversion to IBOC, several CCU AMs must now be causing first-adjacent interference to Canadians during CH and early-evening hours. Complaints to Canada could easily bring "you started it" replies.
As for the new 10-kW box, I assume that once the move to Newton takes place, the new 10-kW box will become WKOX's auxiliary. Modern solid-state AM TXs--even relatively high-power ones--are not that huge. If CCU is spared moving WKOX's 20-year-old 10-kW Tx from Framingham to Newton, the company could actually be money ahead. Maybe WBIX would be interested in buying the old unit for use as its aux. WBIX, which transmits from WKOX's Framingham site, recently brought in a new solid-state unit to replace its old Continental 50-kW main Tx (it used to be WRKO's before WBIX bought it). If the Continental has been sold--or can be, WBIX might buy WKOX's old box for use as ITS aux. Then, NO move of that old 10-kW unit would be necessary!
> there was a post not too long ago that WKOX has a new
> 10,000W HD transmitter that Marconi hadn't gotten around to
> installing. I wonder if that might help. A letter to our
> friends up north and, failing that, a call to the FCC might
> help.
>
> The boards a WKOX have complaints about the current
> interference which appears to be a new problem (conspiracy
> theorists unite, it is a FOX Sports Channel that appears to
> be the most problematic) but no responses from anyone in
> charge at WXKS/WKOX (is there anyone in charge?).
>
The current problem is the result of CFGO (the Team 1200, Fox Sports, Ottawa, 50-kW-U DA-2, six towers nights, either three or four towers days--depending on whether CFGO has or hasn't yet moved to its new site) having lost a vacuum capacitor in its antenna system. I don't know whether the part is in the night phasor or in the ATU of one of the towers that is used day and night. I'd guess the latter because, based on the reports of new CH problems, both the day and night patterns seem to be affected. The failed part is not available from stock but had to be specially manufactured. Nevertheless, it has now been more than three months since the problem developed (early October). Still, despite the miserable history of Canadian AMs not operating in accordance with their licenses (in one notorious case, for a decade), CHUM Group, CFGO's owner, is reportedly a responsible operator. Therefore, Clear Channel is willing to give them plenty of slack. (WKOX is not the only CCU station being affected; I've seen CFGO reception reports from Oklahoma--on WOAI's home turf, so to speak). Still CCU probably has reasons to not rock the boat too much with Canada at this time. First off, going after Canadian offenders takes a lot of time and energy and often produces no results. Also, with the conversion to IBOC, several CCU AMs must now be causing first-adjacent interference to Canadians during CH and early-evening hours. Complaints to Canada could easily bring "you started it" replies.
As for the new 10-kW box, I assume that once the move to Newton takes place, the new 10-kW box will become WKOX's auxiliary. Modern solid-state AM TXs--even relatively high-power ones--are not that huge. If CCU is spared moving WKOX's 20-year-old 10-kW Tx from Framingham to Newton, the company could actually be money ahead. Maybe WBIX would be interested in buying the old unit for use as its aux. WBIX, which transmits from WKOX's Framingham site, recently brought in a new solid-state unit to replace its old Continental 50-kW main Tx (it used to be WRKO's before WBIX bought it). If the Continental has been sold--or can be, WBIX might buy WKOX's old box for use as ITS aux. Then, NO move of that old 10-kW unit would be necessary!
K
k9ez
Guest
> > Perhaps Marconi would know this as well: Why is WKOX
> getting
> > a new transmitter? Seeing that the upgrade is in the next
> > year or two, upgrading the current site doesn't seem to
> make
> > much sense.
>
> I was wondering if it requires that much retrofitting. I
> thought it was just to make the station HD but was
> speculating that it might improve the signal.
>
On AM you **TYPICALLY** dont need a new transmitter. You get an HD exciter and may need to do some antenna work.
> getting
> > a new transmitter? Seeing that the upgrade is in the next
> > year or two, upgrading the current site doesn't seem to
> make
> > much sense.
>
> I was wondering if it requires that much retrofitting. I
> thought it was just to make the station HD but was
> speculating that it might improve the signal.
>
On AM you **TYPICALLY** dont need a new transmitter. You get an HD exciter and may need to do some antenna work.
T
TXengineer
Guest
> recently
> brought in a new solid-state unit to replace its old
> Continental 50-kW main Tx (it used to be WRKO's before WBIX
> bought it).
Actually they replaced a Harris MW50, according to the RW article and pictures on fybush.com. But who but us would even care about those details eh?
> brought in a new solid-state unit to replace its old
> Continental 50-kW main Tx (it used to be WRKO's before WBIX
> bought it).
Actually they replaced a Harris MW50, according to the RW article and pictures on fybush.com. But who but us would even care about those details eh?
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