KAAY's signal deteoriation: Not "The Mighty 1090" anymore

[MN Maniac]

I was having this discussion with a few radio friends and decided to throw it out here: What's the reason for KAAY's significant signal deteoriation these days?

The 1090 signal used to be a monster. At night, it was of local strength in Minnesota. I spent many nights of my childhood listening to "Beaker Street" when I was supposed to be sleeping. Though I never had a chance to measure it, I've been told by others that the primary daytime signal extended out 75 miles in all directions. Nearly all of the state of Arkansas received at least a secondary daytime signal from KAAY.

My parents live in Conway. At their location, KAAY's daytime signal is only of moderate strength. At night, there is a significant noise floor underneath. This from a location roughly 40 miles NNW of the transmitter.

My guess is an aging transmitter and/or a rotting ground radial system. Does anyone know for sure? It's a shame to hear what was once such a strong signal (and with EXCELLENT audio quality) reduced to this.

 

[rgseark2009]

KAAY is yet another exhibit of the excesses of McOwnership in radio. Not only is the programming horrible, but the station is literally dry-rotting. It was the station my parents listened to back in the day. Pretty sad about the last 25 years.

Perhaps the bankruptcy of Citadel could be a silver lining in KAAY's future. Perhaps putting the sports programing over there or a simulcast of the KARN-FM format. But there's too much money to be made from the gospel huxters. KAAY these days is little more than a domestic shortwave station in AM Radio drag.

 

[Kent]

I'm not necessarily surprised by some signal problems around Conway. Signals in that frequency range will usually have issues with skywave and groundwave signals battering each other toward the edge of the groundwave signal contour. Once you get outside of the groundwave signal's range, it will sound better again as you'll just be getting the skywave signal. That would be why you could hear it just fine in Minnesota growing up; you were getting only the skywave. KMOX from St. Louis has similar issues starting about 25 miles away from the transmitter. It wasn't a problem until the St. Louis metro expanded to west of Chesterfield in St. Louis County and deep into St. Charles County.

So, the issues with the signal around Conway can be explained quite easily. There should also be similar issues in Pine Bluff. I'm not so sure about the skywave signal problems, though.

 

[rgseark2009]

Add to the issues is that down here below Pine Bluff during morning bandscans, KAAY is hammered by IBOC hiss from KRLD 1080 Dallas. Its worse between 7:30am and 8am. Of course no one is listening to KAAY so it doesn't make any difference.

 

[wpiv926]

When Citadel bought KAAY all those years ago, KARN was still broadcasting on 920 AM only and 102.9 was the country station KIX-103 I believe. I had always felt that the only reason why Citadel bought the station was to put 920 over on the much stronger 1090 signal. That never happened and, KAAY has been allowed to deteoriate ever since. The station is a shadow of it's former self. Sad. It could again be something if somebody would convinve the bean counters at corporate to (a.) replace the ground system and (b.) replace the transmitter. I think it's only running 5 KW right now, with a shoddy ground system. Go figure. But, with Citadel being in bankruptcy, the chances of that are slim to none.

I've been to several of the 50,000 watt clear channel non-directional stations transmitter sites in the country and, KAAY at Writesville ranks right near the top of interesting sites, if you like that sort of thing.

 

[jd]

I think it's only running 5 KW right now, with a shoddy ground system. Go figure.

I've wondered about KAAY for a while, but frankly I wasn't really concerned enough to look into it. Even with a null in my direction (about 80 miles southeast of Dallas) they could usually be heard at night a few years ago but for quite some time they've been completely gone. I often get a fair signal from KVOP Plainview TX instead.

It looks like the problem isn't necessarily the ground system, according to an STA request filed almost three years ago: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=6406 The latest on the STA is here: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=15422

So the re-radiation problem is why they've been running at reduced power, although I didn't see any mention of the actual power level. I'll take your word on it, though, since because of their total absence here 5kW (or less) sounds about right.

 

[bdcast_tech]

Last I knew, it was running around 17-18Kw at night. The standby transmitter is 5kw, which may be introducing some confusion. That said, I haven't had any info in about 5 years now.

Even at 5Kw, I have known of it reaching into Indiana at night.

 

[Lancer]

I've been to several of the 50,000 watt clear channel non-directional stations transmitter sites in the country and, KAAY at Writesville ranks right near the top of interesting sites, if you like that sort of thing.

I like that kind of thing. I've been to the KMOX, WSM, KRLD, WBAP & KWKH tower sites, in addition to KAAY. I agree the KAAY Wrightsville site is a nice one to see.

Hopefully someone will give it the TLC it deserves one of these days. So much potential (and history) there.

 

[OJP]

This was once a great Top 40's station,that also had a Midday Farm report,& a Blues show hosted by Buddy Guy.I remember the station being home to Wolfman jack, & a few other well known DJ's including Ray Lincoln among others.In the end,on weekends it would simulcast w/former sister station KLPQ,(now known as 94.1"The Point") It was sold to a religious group,& then to Citadel,which seems to be wasting a good powerful signal,but it probally makes more money as a religious Superstation.As for the future you can forget it about ever being anything else worthwhile................