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Good-Bye Oldies Somerset County

H

Harold

The stories below are true. In another couple
of weeks oldies will disappear from WWTR, 1170 kHz,
in Somerset County and will be replaced by
your favorite Hindi songs and talk. I am sure
that the citzens of Manville, Raritan, and
Somerville will be pleased to have this change.

For verification, see:

http://www.ebcmusic.com/
 
1170 Comment and Question

Unless EBC is buying 1170 outright (I seriously doubt it), no doubt it is cheaper for EBC to lease time on 1170 since it's a daytime only station with 243 watts. Somewhere I heard EBC was paying Multi-Cultural Broadcasting in the neighborhood of $40,000/month to buy time on 1680.

In the FCC's database WWTR 1170 is listed as a 243 watt daytime only station. I thought the minimum daytime wattage for a licensed AM Radio station was 250 watts. Am I wrong here?
 
Re: 1170 Comment and Question

It was confirmed to me, thru reliable sources that EBC Radio was, in fact paying Multicultural Radio broadcasting, Incorporated $40,000 a month for the lease on WTTM-1680.

And yes, the minimum for AM radio stations is 250 Watts. However, if a tower is taller then it needs to be, it is then more efficent and doesn't need to run as much power.

I can think of two examples....

The application by God Radio Group, Incorporated for a 3 tower array on 1040Khz in West Simsbury, CT with 200 Watts. The towers are a bit taller then need be.

WKIQ 1240 in Eustis, Florida runs 760 Fulltime due to the fact the tower is about 30 feet taller then it needs to be.
 
Re: 1170 Comment and Question

> It was confirmed to me, thru reliable sources that EBC Radio
> was, in fact paying Multicultural Radio broadcasting,
> Incorporated $40,000 a month for the lease on WTTM-1680.
>
> And yes, the minimum for AM radio stations is 250 Watts.
> However, if a tower is taller then it needs to be, it is
> then more efficent and doesn't need to run as much power.
>
> I can think of two examples....
>
> The application by God Radio Group, Incorporated for a 3
> tower array on 1040Khz in West Simsbury, CT with 200 Watts.
> The towers are a bit taller then need be.
>
> WKIQ 1240 in Eustis, Florida runs 760 Fulltime due to the
> fact the tower is about 30 feet taller then it needs to be.
>

Tower height is related to a variety of things, not least of
which is the frequency of the transmitter feeding it. In
general, the lower the wavelength the taller the tower.

The actual height of a tower can be adjusted with varying
effects on the amount of signal that gets radiated to the
listener as well as the amount that does not and is reflected
back toward the final output device of the tranmitter, be it
tube or transistor. Compromise antennas, those that are not
the ideal size for the desired pattern, can be used if an
impedance-matching device is employed to couple the transmitter
to the antenna. Simply added additional height to a tower
will not necessarily make it more efficient or improve signal
coverage. Phil is the expert here. Perhaps he can add.
 
Re: 1170 Comment and Question

The usual rule of thumb is towers being 90 electrical degrees high...a quarter wavelength at the operating frequency. A tower's radiational efficiency will rise if it's taller. The efficiency also rises if the width of the tower face(the side)is high. This make sthe tower look electrically taller than it physically is. The WWTR tower is only 60 deg. high at 1170, so I'm betting on a wide tower face. Neal Newman, can you help us here?


Dave Gardiner

WVCH 740 Chester/Philadelphia

New World Radio WNWR 1540 Philadelphia
 
Re: 1170 Comment and Question

> In the FCC's database WWTR 1170 is listed as a 243 watt
> daytime only station. I thought the minimum daytime wattage
> for a licensed AM Radio station was 250 watts. Am I wrong
> here?

1170 was originally WBRW in Somerville, with a 500-watt directional signal, first on the air in 1970. This original WBRW went off the air in December 1990, and a few years later the towers and studio building were torn down. However, WBRW's license was bought by a NYC radio engineer named either Dan or Don Lohse (I forgot which) who finally put it back on the air in February 1997, just hours before the license would've been permanently cancelled.

Since the original WBRW transmitter site no longer existed, he constructed a "temporary" single tower (a short folded unipole) and a trailer used as a small studio and transmitter shack, and since WBRW was being switched from a directional to a non-directional signal, it got downgraded from 500 to 243 watts by the FCC. However, this actually gives 1170 better coverage of Central Jersey than they did with the old 500-watt directional signal, which aimed most of its power out towards Pennsylvania. And today, 1170 (now WWTR) is still transmitting from that "temporary" tower and trailer in Bridgewater!
<P ID="signature">______________
noiboc.jpg

"This is the New York Emergency Broadcast System satellite channel. They took the crosstown bus."</P>
 
Question

> In another couple
> of weeks oldies will disappear from WWTR, 1170 kHz,
> in Somerset County and will be replaced by
> your favorite Hindi songs and talk.

Somerset County is less than 50 miles from Philadelphia, can't most of them pick up WOGL & WSNI?

50 miles shouldn't be a challenge for a full power Class B FM.

Heck, most of the NYC Class B stations make the 65 miles into Central Ocean County without a problem and even pull decent ratings!
 
Re: 1170 Comment and Question

> > In the FCC's database WWTR 1170 is listed as a 243 watt
> > daytime only station. I thought the minimum daytime
> wattage
> > for a licensed AM Radio station was 250 watts. Am I wrong
> > here?
>
> 1170 was originally WBRW in Somerville, with a 500-watt
> directional signal, first on the air in 1970. This original
> WBRW went off the air in December 1990, and a few years
> later the towers and studio building were torn down.
> However, WBRW's license was bought by a NYC radio engineer
> named either Dan or Don Lohse (I forgot which) who finally
> put it back on the air in February 1997, just hours before
> the license would've been permanently cancelled.
>
> Since the original WBRW transmitter site no longer existed,
> he constructed a "temporary" single tower (a short folded
> unipole) and a trailer used as a small studio and
> transmitter shack, and since WBRW was being switched from a
> directional to a non-directional signal, it got downgraded
> from 500 to 243 watts by the FCC. However, this actually
> gives 1170 better coverage of Central Jersey than they did
> with the old 500-watt directional signal, which aimed most
> of its power out towards Pennsylvania. And today, 1170 (now
> WWTR) is still transmitting from that "temporary" tower and
> trailer in Bridgewater!
>
IIRC, WBRW's signal was excellent in Morris County and like he said, to the west; so it really didn't serve Somerset, but then, it wasn't supposed to (shades of 1310 in Parsippany!!).
WBRW had to protect WOBM in Toms River which at the time was also on 1170 now on 1160, so the circular pattern at 243 watts is an excellent signal for WWTR.<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]</P>
 
Re: Question

> Somerset County is less than 50 miles from Philadelphia,
> can't most of them pick up WOGL & WSNI?
>
> 50 miles shouldn't be a challenge for a full power Class B
> FM.
>
> Heck, most of the NYC Class B stations make the 65 miles
> into Central Ocean County without a problem and even pull
> decent ratings!

Not with WAXQ and a full powered fm from NYC @ 97.9<P ID="signature">______________

AOL IM: wnjoldies or jamminoldies105
CBS-FM lives at http://67.83.125.155:8010
Oldies Board co-moderator</P>
 
Re: Question

> > Somerset County is less than 50 miles from Philadelphia,
> > can't most of them pick up WOGL & WSNI?
> >
> > 50 miles shouldn't be a challenge for a full power Class B
>
> > FM.
> >
> > Heck, most of the NYC Class B stations make the 65 miles
> > into Central Ocean County without a problem and even pull
> > decent ratings!
>
> Not with WAXQ and a full powered fm from NYC @ 97.9
>
Somerset County, especially Bridgewater, has weird radio reception. In one part of town, the New York stations completely drown out the Philly stations. In the other part of town, Philly stations drown out the New York stations. WOGL 98.1 from 50 miles away even splatters onto WMGQ 98.3 from 10 miles away. Someone even got WWPH 107.9, a 10 watt station from about 20 miles away, all the way in Bridgewater.

EBC radio on 1680 covered almost half the country at night, and a 100 mile radius during the day. Now, it will be relocated to a 250 watt station on a crowded frequency.<P ID="signature">______________
17-year-old radio geek
Location: Princeton Junction, NJ
AIM: KewlDude471</P>
 
Re: Question

> > > Somerset County is less than 50 miles from Philadelphia,
>
> > > can't most of them pick up WOGL & WSNI?
> > >
> > > 50 miles shouldn't be a challenge for a full power Class
> B
> >
> > > FM.
> > >
> > > Heck, most of the NYC Class B stations make the 65 miles
>
> > > into Central Ocean County without a problem and even
> pull
> > > decent ratings!
> >
> > Not with WAXQ and a full powered fm from NYC @ 97.9
> >
> Somerset County, especially Bridgewater, has weird radio
> reception. In one part of town, the New York stations
> completely drown out the Philly stations. In the other part
> of town, Philly stations drown out the New York stations.
> WOGL 98.1 from 50 miles away even splatters onto WMGQ 98.3
> from 10 miles away. Someone even got WWPH 107.9, a 10 watt
> station from about 20 miles away, all the way in
> Bridgewater.
>
> EBC radio on 1680 covered almost half the country at night,
> and a 100 mile radius during the day. Now, it will be
> relocated to a 250 watt station on a crowded frequency.
>

You're being a little bit too generous. WTTM, 1680 kHz,
is just detectable in northwestern New Jersey. At night,
goodnight nurse. It's not a superstation.

The EBC format is targetted to a small minority in the
United States. Advertisers on that station aren't interested
in broadcasting to people who don't like the music, don't
understand the language, and who don't patronize their
businesses. Signal transmitted to areas where you don't
have listeners is wasted money. It does make the power
companies happy though. :)
 
Re: NYC vs. Philly FM signals in central NJ

> Somerset County is less than 50 miles from Philadelphia,
> can't most of them pick up WOGL & WSNI?

It depends on the local terrain. In the northeastern part of Somerset County, it's a struggle to pick up the Philly FM signals, even on very good radios, because the NYC signals are stronger and closer. In the northwestern part, the Watchung Mountains block out the NYC signals and the Philly FM signals come in more strongly. And in the southern half of the county, the terrain is more flat so you get a mixture of NYC and Philly FM signals, although the NYC signals are generally dominant since in that area you're closer to NYC than you are to Philly.

Here's a map I cut and pasted together which shows how the NYC and Philly FM signals collide in central NJ -- however, it does not take local terrain into consideration, which can make a big difference. For example, 101.1 WCBS-FM gets really beat up by Philly's B-101 all the way up in Morristown, even though that area is much closer to NYC than it is to Philly, just because of the mountains in the area which can easily block out the NYC signals if you're on the wrong side of them!

epoxsn.gif


<P ID="signature">______________
noiboc.jpg

"This is the New York Emergency Broadcast System satellite channel. They took the crosstown bus."</P>
 
Re: Question

> > > > Somerset County is less than 50 miles from
> Philadelphia,
> >
> > > > can't most of them pick up WOGL & WSNI?
> > > >
> > > > 50 miles shouldn't be a challenge for a full power
> Class
> > B
> > >
> > > > FM.
> > > >
> > > > Heck, most of the NYC Class B stations make the 65
> miles
> >
> > > > into Central Ocean County without a problem and even
> > pull
> > > > decent ratings!
> > >
> > > Not with WAXQ and a full powered fm from NYC @ 97.9
> > >
> > Somerset County, especially Bridgewater, has weird radio
> > reception. In one part of town, the New York stations
> > completely drown out the Philly stations. In the other
> part
> > of town, Philly stations drown out the New York stations.
>
> > WOGL 98.1 from 50 miles away even splatters onto WMGQ 98.3
>
> > from 10 miles away. Someone even got WWPH 107.9, a 10
> watt
> > station from about 20 miles away, all the way in
> > Bridgewater.
> >
> > EBC radio on 1680 covered almost half the country at
> night,
> > and a 100 mile radius during the day. Now, it will be
> > relocated to a 250 watt station on a crowded frequency.
> >
>
> You're being a little bit too generous. WTTM, 1680 kHz,
> is just detectable in northwestern New Jersey. At night,
> goodnight nurse. It's not a superstation.
>
> The EBC format is targetted to a small minority in the
> United States. Advertisers on that station aren't interested
>
> in broadcasting to people who don't like the music, don't
> understand the language, and who don't patronize their
> businesses. Signal transmitted to areas where you don't
> have listeners is wasted money. It does make the power
> companies happy though. :)
>
Eh......NO Harold. I live in NEPA near Scranton and 1660 is like a local at night and very listenable by day.
And you went to what Radio College?<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]</P>
 
Re: Question

Carl, are you referring to WWRU-1660 or WTTM-1680? WWRU is the only X-Bander that's directional day and night.I can see why they'd be listenable up there.
Would think that WTTM would also be listenable there on 10 kW day power.


Dave Gardiner

WVCH 740/WNWR 1540
 
Re: Question

> Eh......NO Harold. I live in NEPA near Scranton and 1660 is
> like a local at night and very listenable by day.
> And you went to what Radio College?
>


I'm glad you can hear 1660 kHz so well. But we're talking
about 1680 kHz here. And you learned to read...where?

I studied broadcasting in college and worked in the
industry for many years, in programming and engineering.
And WTTM is very weak in northwestern New Jersey during
the day and completely gone at night.
 
Re: Question

I was going to ask him the same question
1680 is a powerhouse of its own Right..
you may Not hear it at Night in Northern NJ
at night it seems to skip a 50 mile area then the signal Booms in all over the place. I have listened to 1680 WTTM's Signal from Cleveland/Columbus Ohio
areas up through New England up into Toronto like a local station.
Even as far south as Brookneal ,VA like a local station at night..
But that will change at the New Site.



> > Eh......NO Harold. I live in NEPA near Scranton and 1660
> is
> > like a local at night and very listenable by day.
> > And you went to what Radio College?
> >
>
>
> I'm glad you can hear 1660 kHz so well. But we're talking
> about 1680 kHz here. And you learned to read...where?
>
> I studied broadcasting in college and worked in the
> industry for many years, in programming and engineering.
> And WTTM is very weak in northwestern New Jersey during
> the day and completely gone at night.
>
 
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