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Remember this as a very classy operation whether a simulcast, The Rhythm Of The City or Beautiful Music. It used to have a great signal until the move to the university. I'm told the tower sits in an unfavorable location resulting in a bad signal from poor soil conductivity? Wonder if a grad would donate a few acres of that river bottom land located southwest of town enabling it to achieve a rich, robust signal again? Sounds like a pretty good little college station. Too bad you can't hear it that well.
The soil conductivity is excellent in these parts unless somebody forgot to bury a ground system, which could be the case. Since I've lived in these parts, 820 has always had horrible audio.
For those playing the home game, 820 was the former WIKY-AM. South Central had purchased 1400 AM, then Country WROZ. Since this was before consolation had to spin off 820. Either for lack of buyer or to help out SWI (now USI) have a radio station it was donated.
My understanding is the tower sits up on a hill with rocky terrain, unsuitable for good conductivity resulting in a poor signal. Back in the day, pre-1982 and going way back to the late 50's and early 60's, it seemed like that signal went on forever, in a manner of speaking. WBAP 820 in Dallas shouldn't be much of a factor during the daylight hours except for maybe an a short time after sunrise sign-on and before sign-off at dusk.
As mentioned, there is no 820 in Detroit and the Evansville 820 signs off at sundown.
The footings of the original self supporting tower still exist down the hill from the mansion. Anyone know or remember how tall it was and why it was replaced? Assuming it was half wave for 820 then it was around 570 feet.
The reason for the poor signal might have to do with other factors beyond ground issues, such as processing.
The current WSWI tower is on the USI campus. It sure isn't 570 feet tall. It might be a quarter-wave. Seems too short for that, even. There is no top-loading either, so I wouldn't be surprised if the tower is too electrically short to produce a quality signal.
As far as 820 in Detroit, I'm not sure where I dreamed that up (I suspect I was thinking of WWJ). Looks like the 820 in Chicago (WCPT) has received authorization for 1.5 kw directional nights.
The current WSWI tower is on the USI campus. It sure isn't 570 feet tall. It might be a quarter-wave. Seems too short for that, even. There is no top-loading either, so I wouldn't be surprised if the tower is too electrically short to produce a quality signal.
I was asking about the height of the original WIKY tower, it might have been that tall. A short tower is able to produce a signal, check out the electrical height of many low dial AM's that appeared after WWII. Again, the problem lies with other things like processing or a transmitter issue. The audio on the station has always sounded like they are using a wide band limiter driven too hard.
I was asking about the height of the original WIKY tower, it might have been that tall. A short tower is able to produce a signal, check out the electrical height of many low dial AM's that appeared after WWII. Again, the problem lies with other things like processing or a transmitter issue. The audio on the station has always sounded like they are using a wide band limiter driven too hard.
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John Sr put the old tower up after WW2. 400 feet is the height I recall. Lee Thompson could tell you for sure. He was in the building when the tornado took it down. His comment was that there was a green sky, heavy wind, and he headed for the area of the safe. (see note) Someone asked him if he was okay on the 2 way. he said yes and they said the tower was down. Lee, always the statesman and very direct with his memorable comments, was many times noted to have said 'the hell you say!"
In construction costs it would have cost more to take up the old moorings than to leave them. They had a single bay on what was left of the old tower while the new tower was being built also.
The Safe
The Engelbrecht family had a distrust of banks being from the depression era. They kept an old 1800's looking safe 5 or 6 feet tall in the concrete block transmitter building. Every week I would watch Betty's father come to the safe and rumble around then leave. I had the combination if it were ever needed but I never looked. After his death they decided to look and discovered nearly a million dollars in the safe. Good news is they didn't have to pay inheritance tax because the money wasn't in a bank.
Status
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