An FCC inspector who shall go un-named was reading a base current meter where the normal reading was not in the upper 2/3 of the scale as required. I guess only he knows if he was just being nice or if he wasn't up on the rules when he said "these things aren't always easy to read"...
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FCC Visit to Lexington
- Thread starter jry
- Start date
It did not, nor was it in Kentucky, nor was it in this decade.
I guess it didn't cross his mind to check something like, oh, the power output of the transmitter?!
I worked at a station years ago that was paid a visit by a field inspector. The jock was doing a set of meter readings (AM directional) for the inspector when he asked, "Does this station use the direct or indirect method for meter readings?". The jock replied, "I look directly at the meters."
Bengalsfan said:I guess it didn't cross his mind to check something like, oh, the power output of the transmitter?!
No, base current readings are extremely important. Especially if there is something wrong with the antenna monitor.
You can operate at the correct power levels and have a pattern and/or efficiency, that is way out. Base currents is another way to see if the
station is operating in its license parameters.
Right. It takes a good antenna monitor and sample system.TheDr said:I forgot one thing................ Base Current Meter won't tell the phase of the tower (antenna) in a DA.
jry said:Bengalsfan said:I guess it didn't cross his mind to check something like, oh, the power output of the transmitter?!
No, base current readings are extremely important. Especially if there is something wrong with the antenna monitor.
You can operate at the correct power levels and have a pattern and/or efficiency, that is way out. Base currents is another way to see if the
station is operating in its license parameters.
I understand that, however if the base current meter on a nondirectional antenna is reading high, the FIRST thing I will check will be the power output of the transmitter. It would be very stupid to start tearing apart an antenna without first checking the source.
If one (or more) base currents are out of wack on a directional, then you check the antenna monitor to see what it says. If the ratios are off on it, then it's time to start digging into the antenna system to see what has changed. OTOH, if an antenna monitor is reading crazy, check the base currents to make sure the ratios are correct. If they are, the problem is with the antenna monitor is suspect.
All this is a moot point unless you take regular readings of base current, monitor points and antenna monitor readings. For my directional clients, I check them all every three months. That insures I get readings through out the year and all sorts of weather conditions. It also gives me a reference to be able to tell when an antenna is starting to drift and can catch it before it becomes a major issue.
Every 3 months?!?!? WOW!!!! My last DA was rock solid, never moved. But my first one was a real pain. A 3 tower Dog Leg, VERY CRITICAL ARRAY. Antenna # 3 was 70 feet higher than 1 and 2, the ground was higher but still each stick was 245 feet tall, on a hill side. A tall hill .75 miles away that was full of iron ore. Day time, Antenna 1 had two 5 KW transmitters on it, 820 K.Hz. and 1000 K. Hz., at night, the 1000 went off and the 820 went to 980 watts and DA. In the Fall, the ground would freeze and the pattern would take off over night, had to put it back on the numbers. In the Spring, the ground would thaw and off the pattern would go again and need to be put back. FCC DEMANDED a digital antenna monitor and all 7 points checked every 30 days. I installed the system, tuned it and set up the diplexer for each of the stations on the # 1 stick. A LOT can happen in 3 months time.
Sounds like the old nightmare at the former KMPL in Sikeston, MO... A town just under 20,000 with flat Mississippi basin conductivity (good stuff), but like three or four arrays in 24 hours! 12 towers with 10 on row one and 2 aligned behind the 10 in the middle (behind 5 and 6)... I could drive from Poplar Bluff and come over Crowley's Ridge at Dexter (20 plus air miles west and slightly NW azmuith to the towers south of US 60, off US 61, south of Sikeston's city limits about a mile and a half.... You could see those beautiful tower lights twinkling in the flats off that glacier ridge and not get any night signal, until you got about three to four miles west/northwest of the towers.. Yet, you could get that cigar shaped signal in Cape (30 miles up US 61/I-55) at night... It made this young DJ fathom and study AM directionals (though I am far more FM worthy).... I think they were 5kw day and 1kw in the night pattern and they were at 1520.... I know Chief Engineer (Marty) has a great sounding facility at 1520 he oversees in Shelbyville, IN with a tight four tower system... Love hearing it, when in the Indy area....
At the time we were 50 day and 5 night. Had an efficiency resistor in the night array as the original licensee had to see 10.4 amps into the common point. Then a resistor after that to reduce energy into the phasor/array.
We dropped 3 towers, had different patterns into the same 9 towers and got a real 10 KW at night.
1500 in Detroit.
We dropped 3 towers, had different patterns into the same 9 towers and got a real 10 KW at night.
1500 in Detroit.
Now I know why I was picking this station up here in front of the Wal-Mart in Corydon Indiana on a semi-regular basis. (I-64 at Exit 105, 18 miles west of Louisville).radiorob2.0 said:KR4BD said:There has been an "on and off" again spurious emission heard mainly around 1530 and 1070 for many years here in the Lexington area. Both of these frequencies are 230 khz up/down from 1300. It often completely wiped out 1530 out of Cincinnati and 1070 from Indianapolis during the day. It seemed to be related to WLXG as the very distorted audio often heard on the spur was that of the 1300 signal. I noticed it more during the day, but also it could be heard at night, at times. I live about 6-7 miles from their TX site but have noticed the problem on all radios, including my car radio where it could be detected many miles north of town toward Cincinnati. In recent days it seems to be gone, however. Maybe they finally figured out what the problem was ????
Not to dump on Lynn Martin but when he arrived the problems began. Before I left Lexington the field inspectors would address complaints of Nolan Kenner when his 97.1 Somerset was being creamed by 96.9's massive overmodulation. Lynn would turn it down. Once he felt the field inspector was out of the area modulation was cranked to PEAK modulation. Granted it was an over the air signal but we used to clock him peaking at 150 percent from our Yarnalton Pike vantage point.
TheDr said:NO! The FCC did NOT visit Lexington. I guess someone started this post with out getting all of the facts. The FCC DID NOT visit Lexington.
Do not mean to contradict you, doc. But, they did.
Well jry, the FCC did not come in August when you started this vendetta. They came today and WLXG passed inspection. Nah nah na nah nah. [EDIT]
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