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ESPN1000 WMVP Towers coming down?

F

FFPM571

Guest
Today there is helicopters removing the towers at the Downers grove transmitter site. Rumor is that the property is sold and being developed for residental housing...

Are they moving? The signal sounds like it may be on a back up transmitter..
 
> Today there is helicopters removing the towers at the
> Downers grove transmitter site. Rumor is that the property
> is sold and being developed for residental housing...
>
> Are they moving? The signal sounds like it may be on a back
> up transmitter..
>

Is this why I can't get the station on my radio at work as of 2 days ago?
It was even fading in and out in the car lastnight.
 
> Today there is helicopters removing the towers at the
> Downers grove transmitter site. Rumor is that the property
> is sold and being developed for residental housing...
>
> Are they moving? The signal sounds like it may be on a back
> up transmitter..
>
Seems the same as always here, just a tad bit weaker. Anybody know where their backup or new location is at?<P ID="signature">______________

AIM: JeremyA1069</P>
 
No, they are just rebuilding...They are diplexing off WLS until they are done.

<P ID="signature">______________
-Victor LaValle
-Producer, Bill and Marty
-KBBL, 102.5 FM</P>
 
> No, they are just rebuilding...They are diplexing off WLS
> until they are done.
>

I didn't know you could do that with AM transmitters?
 
> > Today there is helicopters removing the towers at the
> > Downers grove transmitter site. Rumor is that the
> property
> > is sold and being developed for residental housing...
> >
> > Are they moving? The signal sounds like it may be on a
> back
> > up transmitter..
> >
>
> Is this why I can't get the station on my radio at work as
> of 2 days ago?
> It was even fading in and out in the car lastnight.
>
> Let's just hope they leave the old 'CFL art deco building as it is.
 
For a few days during construction the WMVP signal is coming from the WLS Radio site in Tinley Park.



> > > Today there is helicopters removing the towers at the
> > > Downers grove transmitter site. Rumor is that the
> > property
> > > is sold and being developed for residental housing...
> > >
> > > Are they moving? The signal sounds like it may be on a
> > back
> > > up transmitter..
> > >
> >
> > Is this why I can't get the station on my radio at work as
>
> > of 2 days ago?
> > It was even fading in and out in the car lastnight.
> >
> > Let's just hope they leave the old 'CFL art deco building
> as it is.
>
 
> > No, they are just rebuilding...They are diplexing off WLS
> > until they are done.
> >
>
> I didn't know you could do that with AM transmitters?
>
WRLL is with WGRB I believe<P ID="signature">______________

AIM: JeremyA1069</P>
 
> For a few days during construction the WMVP signal is coming
> from the WLS Radio site in Tinley Park.
>

Tell them to hurry up!
I need something to listen to at work and for some reason the online feed doesn't work here either!
 
> > No, they are just rebuilding...They are diplexing off WLS
> > until they are done.
> >
>
> I didn't know you could do that with AM transmitters?

It is very common with non-directional staitons... many towers in Hawaii have 3 staitons on them due to land costs.

Even directional stations share. One is KTNQ 1020 and KTKN 1150 in LA, both 50 kw stations with different day and night patterns. Yet the same towers serve each.

The simple explanation is that each transmitter is tuned to the tower characteristics, separately... and each is tuned to reject the other station, so power from one does not simply go back and burn up the transmitter of the other. THis way, both signals go to the tower, and radiate.
>
 
> > > No, they are just rebuilding...They are diplexing off
> WLS
> > > until they are done.
> > >
> >
> > I didn't know you could do that with AM transmitters?
> >
> WRLL is with WGRB I believe
>

This is correct.
 
Local News Article on WMVP

Found this in todays Westmont paper.

Radio towers disappear, but will return

By Sarah Stone

Staff writer
Published: 11/4/05

A set of three radio towers near 39th Street and Cumnor Road in unincorporated Downers Grove Township got a makeover this week -- but the familiar nighttime sight of blinking red lights visible for miles will return next year.

The three towers are owned by ABC Radio Chicago and transmit the all-sports AM station WMVP-1000. They are being replaced because of safety issues and a need to upgrade their performance, ABC's assistant chief engineer Andy Weiss said Nov. 2.

According to Weiss, the towers' height exceeded the distance to adjacent property lines. This means that if there were any structural failure, the towers could fall onto nearby property, he said.

"They're going to be replaced in the spring by guyed towers," Weiss said.

The old towers ranged from 480 to 500 feet tall. The new guyed towers, which will be smaller in width and supported by guy wires rather than a large base, will be roughly the same height but will be erected about 75 feet to the west, he said.

More here:

http://www.chicagosuburbannews.com/story.php?sid=26272&pub=
 
> > > No, they are just rebuilding...They are diplexing off
> WLS
> > > until they are done.
> > >
> >
> > I didn't know you could do that with AM transmitters?
>
> It is very common with non-directional staitons... many
> towers in Hawaii have 3 staitons on them due to land costs.
>
>
> Even directional stations share. One is KTNQ 1020 and KTKN
> 1150 in LA, both 50 kw stations with different day and night
> patterns. Yet the same towers serve each.
>
> The simple explanation is that each transmitter is tuned to
> the tower characteristics, separately... and each is tuned
> to reject the other station, so power from one does not
> simply go back and burn up the transmitter of the other.
> THis way, both signals go to the tower, and radiate.
> >
>

Interesting, thanks.

I happened to be driving past the WLS tower in Tinley today, I was listening to WBBM-AM (780) at the time. 890 completely drowned out 780 about a half mile before and after the tower. That didn't used to happen, could it have something to do with this new set-up?
 
>
> I happened to be driving past the WLS tower in Tinley today,
> I was listening to WBBM-AM (780) at the time. 890
> completely drowned out 780 about a half mile before and
> after the tower. That didn't used to happen, could it have
> something to do with this new set-up?

Nope. You are in the blanketing zone, an area where the signal strength is so high that it swamps the front end of your receiver, making it esentially the only thing audible on every frequency. every transmitter, depending on power, has a blanketing zone.
>
 
> >
> > I happened to be driving past the WLS tower in Tinley
> today,
> > I was listening to WBBM-AM (780) at the time. 890
> > completely drowned out 780 about a half mile before and
> > after the tower. That didn't used to happen, could it
> have
> > something to do with this new set-up?
>
> Nope. You are in the blanketing zone, an area where the
> signal strength is so high that it swamps the front end of
> your receiver, making it esentially the only thing audible
> on every frequency. every transmitter, depending on power,
> has a blanketing zone.
> >
>

Except that I've driven past that transmitter a thousand other times listening to WBBM and that didn't happen.
 
> > >
> > > I happened to be driving past the WLS tower in Tinley
> > today,
> > > I was listening to WBBM-AM (780) at the time. 890
> > > completely drowned out 780 about a half mile before and
> > > after the tower. That didn't used to happen, could it
> > have
> > > something to do with this new set-up?
> >
> > Nope. You are in the blanketing zone, an area where the
> > signal strength is so high that it swamps the front end of
>
> > your receiver, making it esentially the only thing audible
>
> > on every frequency. every transmitter, depending on power,
>
> > has a blanketing zone.
> > >
> >
>
> Except that I've driven past that transmitter a thousand
> other times listening to WBBM and that didn't happen.
>

Maybe you are both right, the addition of 25kw at 1000khz to the 50kw of 890khz is bound to screw up a radio somewhere in the vicinity of all that. See what happens after they move AM 1000 back to primary site.
 
> >
> > I happened to be driving past the WLS tower in Tinley
> today,
> > I was listening to WBBM-AM (780) at the time. 890
> > completely drowned out 780 about a half mile before and
> > after the tower. That didn't used to happen, could it
> have
> > something to do with this new set-up?
>
> Nope. You are in the blanketing zone, an area where the
> signal strength is so high that it swamps the front end of
> your receiver, making it esentially the only thing audible
> on every frequency. every transmitter, depending on power,
> has a blanketing zone.
> >
>

Yes, It does have allot to do with diplexing 1000 KHz and 890 KHz off the same tower.

Simple math tells us:

1000 KHz - 890 KHz = 110 KHz
890 KHz - 110 KHz = 780 KHz

Thus you are here a product of both signals on 780 KHz. If this were properly diplexed, your should not here the resulting product since it should be filtered and appears not to be.
 
>
> Yes, It does have allot to do with diplexing 1000 KHz and
> 890 KHz off the same tower.

I've never had problems with mixing products on same tower installs. They occur with regularity on reasonably close staitons on different towers.
 
>
> Except that I've driven past that transmitter a thousand
> other times listening to WBBM and that didn't happen.
>

You are certainly in the blanketing zone for a 1A, though.
 
> Maybe you are both right, the addition of 25kw at 1000khz to
> the 50kw of 890khz is bound to screw up a radio somewhere in
> the vicinity of all that. See what happens after they move
> AM 1000 back to primary site.
>

Obviously, they changed the ATU for WLS, too. Had to add 1.0 mHz filter elements, and the bandwidth may have changed on the 890 tuner itself. If they revert to the old ATU when 1000 leaves, the problem should go away.
 
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