does anybody have a pre-2005 WPEN-AM coverage map image?

[phils07]

does anybody have a pre-2005 WPEN-AM coverage map image?

 

[DanStrassberg]

does anybody have a pre-2005 WPEN-AM coverage map image?

Well, if you're talking about daytime coverage, the daytime contours to the west of the day site (it was THE site in 2005, I believe) are no different now with 25 kW and a new pattern fr4om what they were in the days of 5 kW-U DA-N. And in fact, if the CP 43 kW-D is ever built out, the same will be true of that power/pattern. The changes in the day coverage to the west of the day site have been (and with 43 kW-D, would be) so minor that they are completely inconsequential. To the east, the story is different, however; all of the increased day power goes that way. Compared with the existing 25 kW day pattern, the 43-kW day pattern would improve the coverage somewhat to the northeast and southeast of the site.

 

[phils07]

What about night coverage?

 

[DanStrassberg]

What about night coverage?

As far as the night coverage goes, everything changed when WPEN moved to E Norriton--site location, power, pattern, number of towers. The WWDB site, which WPEN uses at night, is quite a few miles west (and, IIRC, some distance south) of WPEN's old full-time site (now the WPEN day site). About all that did not change is that the night signal is aimed more-or-less eastward. Also, as a legacy signal, WPEN has a respectably low NIF (3.<something> mV/m, IIRC). The new night signal is not stronger over Center City Phildelphia than the old signal was because the higher power and narrower night pattern can't erase the fact that the old night site was many miles closer to Center City. Nevertheless, WPEN's NIF contour completely encloses Philadelphia. It's a very good AM facility--among Philadelphia's ex-Class III AMs, only WIP is better. WPEN's signal would be even better, however, if the CP for a daytime power increase were built out. Starting to look very unlikely that GM will spend the money, which would not be a huge amount.

I don't have the old coverage maps, however.

 

[qtpieislit]

The WWDB site, which WPEN uses at night, is quite a few miles west (and, IIRC, some distance south) of WPEN's old full-time site (now the WPEN day site). I don't have the old coverage maps, however.

North.

 

[DanStrassberg]

North.

You are correct, sir! The azimuth from the day site to the night site is 337 degrees, meaning that the night site is north-northwest of the day site--a lot more north than west. Interestingly, the radiation maximum of the day pattern lies at 114 degrees true, whereas that of the night pattern is at 120 degrees true, meaning that both patterns aim east-southeast. The two sites are 13.4 miles apart. Another interesting bit of trivia is that, even though the day operation runs 25 kW and the night operation runs 21 kW, the RMS inverse-distance fields are nearly identical. That's because WWDB's top-loaded towers are more efficient at 950 than are the towers at the day site. The fact that the ground system at the night site was designed for 860 and is therefore slightly oversize for 950 may also have something to do with it.