This morning before sunrise.
On 1030 AM I was hearing WSPY-FM from Plano, IL. Very distorted bad sounding audio. From about 55 miles to the south-southwest.
1030 is WNVR. Their stick is about two miles to my northwest. 107.1 is WNVR's translator....about three miles to my northeast.
The only thing I could think of is that the translator feeds the AM transmitter, but the translator for some reason was off the air. If the feed from the translator involved a directional outdoor antenna, it would have been aimed more or less perpendicular to WSPY. Perhaps that explains the badly distorted audio.
Maybe also worth noting is that WNVR has a CP to upgrade their AM facility. Adding two towers for a total of six. Day power going from 10KW to 25KW, Night goes from 120 watts to 150 (with a slightly less severe null towards WBZ). I'm not sure where they are (if anywhere) in the process. Or if the upgrade might have anything to do with what I was hearing.
As for WSPY-FM, they do pretty well for a standard-issue class A FM. Before the translator came on, They were pretty reliable for me around town on a good car radio.
So there you have it. Any thoughts?
On 1030 AM I was hearing WSPY-FM from Plano, IL. Very distorted bad sounding audio. From about 55 miles to the south-southwest.
1030 is WNVR. Their stick is about two miles to my northwest. 107.1 is WNVR's translator....about three miles to my northeast.
The only thing I could think of is that the translator feeds the AM transmitter, but the translator for some reason was off the air. If the feed from the translator involved a directional outdoor antenna, it would have been aimed more or less perpendicular to WSPY. Perhaps that explains the badly distorted audio.
Maybe also worth noting is that WNVR has a CP to upgrade their AM facility. Adding two towers for a total of six. Day power going from 10KW to 25KW, Night goes from 120 watts to 150 (with a slightly less severe null towards WBZ). I'm not sure where they are (if anywhere) in the process. Or if the upgrade might have anything to do with what I was hearing.
As for WSPY-FM, they do pretty well for a standard-issue class A FM. Before the translator came on, They were pretty reliable for me around town on a good car radio.
So there you have it. Any thoughts?