Question: To what extent, if any, are you guys hearing a het on 1290? I've been hearing a het on 1290 for several months. Pretty much nightly. I mentioned it shortly after it first surfaced, and a couple of you said you heard it as well. In my case, I hear it, when orient a radio southwest-northeast (towards WIRL). But it mostly or completely disappears when I aim northwest-southeast (towards WHIO). I'm wondering how widespread the het is being heard, along with "what the heck is it from"??? I'm normally not hearing any other hets of consequence anywhere else on the dial, but on 1290, I'm hearing it on every one of my radios.
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Het on 1290
- Thread starter cyberdad
- Start date
The het is generally gone by sunrise. My suspician is that it could be originating from across the pond. But I'm far from sure about that.
WNIL Niles, MI is 500 watts nondirectional with a 155 degree tower. WLBY Saline, MI is 500 watts directional with a maximum to the West. Both have PSSAs under 50 watts, and both have translators. I'm wondering if one of them cuts the modulation to them at LSS, but forgets to turn the transmitter off and it is left on Day power. When they turn the modulation back on, it's no longer a dead carrier. CJBK is highly directional North. I don't think it would be them. Could be in Ohio too away from WHIO. Similar situation with WLIE Bellaire, OH with 1000 watts nondirectional. The whole PSSA and translator rules lend themselves to this kind of thing, along with inexperienced operators. An experienced operator might forget once in a while. They might forget all the time or don't know how to turn it off.
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Could be WDZY Colonial Heights, VA 25000 watts nondirectional Days, <50 watts PSSA. Translator. The other thing is the high power stations that leave it on Day power.
Thanks for your insights, as well as your follow-up suggesting WDZY. Could it also be another 1290 operating slightly off frequency? The het has been there for several months now, and it's regular with little, if any fading. Have you heard it yourself?
And yes, I'm familiar with CJBK. London, Ontario for many years was a regular overnight stop for me on my runs between Detroit and Toronto. I've never heard CJBK in either of those two locations at night, let alone at my home. Very directional to the north. I actiually listened to them when they were oldies, and even the day pattern was pretty tight.
What is the frequency of the heterodyne? Remember that 1 kHz heterodyne that interfered with WLS? Seems like that went on a couple of years.
I remember that....along with a few others of shorter duration. I usually suspected the 891 flamethrower from Algeria (that typically sounded like a local in my room(s) at the London Marriott). Being 52 miles from the WLS stick means any "stray" signal out there had a shot at making it through. But I'm really not sure what this one on 1290 is.
K
kf4rca
Guest
Checked last night and could not hear a het on 1290.
Days it's WCHK Canton GA. about 45 miles from me and nights it's WHKY Hickory NC. distance unknown.
Days it's WCHK Canton GA. about 45 miles from me and nights it's WHKY Hickory NC. distance unknown.
The late Edgar Cantelon at Broadcast Measurement used to monitor these. He measured the frequencies for stations hundreds of miles away. Now the stations have frequency counters.
I have a vague idea or two, but given that they're both longshots. I'll stay quiet for now.
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