KGOW TESTING NEW SITE ??

[OldChicago]

I noticed that KGOW did not sound as strong this morning near Westpark/Hillcroft as they usually sound, and the audio was a little different. Also, this past weekend, they were running both the Bellaire and the Main/daytime xmtr at the same time. Friday night/Saturday morning. I wonder if there is actually a live operator at the station during these
xmtr changeovers? Some of the changeovers are very sloppy.



Old Chicago

 

[adguy]

I could not pick them up until 6:40 this morning. It was virtually off the air at my house until then. At 6:40 it was loud and clear.

 

[jd]

Also, this past weekend, they were running both the Bellaire and the Main/daytime xmtr at the same time. Friday night/Saturday morning.

You probably were hearing the signal from KGOW's new nighttime transmitter; they currently have "limited" program test authority for the 15kW rig. Of course, when they get it right they can get it licensed but due to the complexity of the array (nine towers) it's probably going take a while.

 

[schmave]

I've heard it here in the Friendswood/League City area the past several nights. It's subject to considerable cancellation, as I expected being 40-45 miles (if not 50) from the tower, but is listenable.

 

[jd]

There's more red tape to snip for KGOW. Their application for a license to cover the new nighttime facility hit another snag, with an illegible map and technical discrepancies: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=13946

 

[kudzooter]

Heard them S9R5 up here on the Arkansas/Missouri stateline as late as 10AM several days in a row early last November; also as early as 3:30PM. Haven't happened across them lately.

 

[johndavis]

Maybe their DC attorney can explain to them how to do a legal ID before they get fined. They weren't running any IDs during SNR tonight, and the ID they run during the day has too much junk between the call letters and city of license to be legal.

 

[purpledevil]

Yep, I've mentioned that before, John. Started off close enough, as "KGOW 1560 Bellaire Texas", now it's "KGOW AM 1560 The Game Bellaire Texas". A bit too much advertisement going on between that KGOW and Bellaire. Good luck getting the FCC to pay attention to it though. Bigger fish to fry in this region.

 

[gbranch]

Heard them S9R5 up here on the Arkansas/Missouri stateline as late as 10AM several days in a row early last November; also as early as 3:30PM. Haven't happened across them lately.

You will start hearing them more as we approach winter. The lower sun angle around the winter solstice improves skywave reception. Here in NE Texas during late fall and winter, 200 miles from Houston, 1560 is like a local all day. During the summer it is only listenable a couple of hours after sunrise and a couple of hours before sunset.

There is also less thunderstorm activity during the winter, so less lightning noise.

 

[OldChicago]

Also, this past weekend, they were running both the Bellaire and the Main/daytime xmtr at the same time. Friday night/Saturday morning.

You probably were hearing the signal from KGOW's new nighttime transmitter; they currently have "limited" program test authority for the 15kW rig. Of course, when they get it right they can get it licensed but due to the complexity of the array (nine towers) it's probably going take a while.

I wonder if they are have a license now for the new site. They have been using it now for several weeks at night now. It needs a little audio tweaking and is a little weak near the Hillcroft/Richmond. Also "spotty" on the s/w side of town, but not bad. I wonder if they will still use the 100-watt xmtr in Bellaire as a back up site.


Old Chicago

 

[kudzooter]

Tried them while driving Meals on Wheels this past Monday, but nothing strong enough to put up with til I heard some localization if not actual CL's. Getting ready to be in the car in a few minutes, and will see if they're coming in a little earlier than Monday's attempt.

 

[johndavis]

Also, this past weekend, they were running both the Bellaire and the Main/daytime xmtr at the same time. Friday night/Saturday morning.

You probably were hearing the signal from KGOW's new nighttime transmitter; they currently have "limited" program test authority for the 15kW rig. Of course, when they get it right they can get it licensed but due to the complexity of the array (nine towers) it's probably going take a while.

I wonder if they are have a license now for the new site. They have been using it now for several weeks at night now. It needs a little audio tweaking and is a little weak near the Hillcroft/Richmond. Also "spotty" on the s/w side of town, but not bad. I wonder if they will still use the 100-watt xmtr in Bellaire as a back up site.


Old Chicago

Yes, the signal has been much better at night the last few weeks. They still can't do a legal ID to save their lives and their automation is really sloppy on the nights and weekends, which is my only knock on an otherwise great sports station.

 

[wilcrestwaldo]

i don't know if its realated to a new site or not but i was in my car driving aroundnoon and it was clear as a whistle around the greenspoint area.

btw, was anyone else listening around that time? the two guys on were on and having a very private conversation and you might want to check if your mic is open when you do that lol! anyone else hear that?

 

[DeadElvis]

In the Winter, I hear them much of the day here in Memphis. Of course, I am inside the favorable lobe of the antenna array.

DE

 

[schmave]

Also, this past weekend, they were running both the Bellaire and the Main/daytime xmtr at the same time. Friday night/Saturday morning.

You probably were hearing the signal from KGOW's new nighttime transmitter; they currently have "limited" program test authority for the 15kW rig. Of course, when they get it right they can get it licensed but due to the complexity of the array (nine towers) it's probably going take a while.

I wonder if they are have a license now for the new site. They have been using it now for several weeks at night now. It needs a little audio tweaking and is a little weak near the Hillcroft/Richmond. Also "spotty" on the s/w side of town, but not bad. I wonder if they will still use the 100-watt xmtr in Bellaire as a back up site.


Old Chicago

Their nighttime signal the past several weeks in west Houston hasn't been nearly as potent as it was in September. One night I had to go to Cypress for work and drove Barker-Cypress Road down to I-10 and kept waiting for the reception to improve as I figured I'd be crossing into the main lobe of their pattern. It was terrible the entire way back to my office near Gessner and Westheimer ... guessing they were using the Bellaire site that evening.

 

[Media Mogul]

My radio has scanned and stopped on 1560 here in Fayetteville, AR and over toward Tulsa at 10:30 PM or after every night this week. They were blaring in better than most of the locals.

 

[schmave]

My radio has scanned and stopped on 1560 here in Fayetteville, AR and over toward Tulsa at 10:30 PM or after every night this week. They were blaring in better than most of the locals.

Arkansas? That's definitely in their daytime pattern but I thought it was not in the night pattern.

 

[kudzooter]

Haven't been in car at night lately, but did hear them loud and clear 8:45-9:10 this morning going from Diamond City toward Harrison, here on the Arkansas side of the state line right by Bull Shoals Lake (about 2 hours east of Media Mogul).

 

[Media Mogul]

My radio has scanned and stopped on 1560 here in Fayetteville, AR and over toward Tulsa at 10:30 PM or after every night this week. They were blaring in better than most of the locals.

Arkansas? That's definitely in their daytime pattern but I thought it was not in the night pattern.

I have checked every night and listened to them without fail. Switched back and forth between them and KFAY (1000 watts @ 1030 after dark; tower 2 miles west of me) and 1560 absolutely blew the doors down, coming in much better than the local. I was very, very surprised that 15kw on that high of a frequency would come in THAT well.

 

[schmave]

My radio has scanned and stopped on 1560 here in Fayetteville, AR and over toward Tulsa at 10:30 PM or after every night this week. They were blaring in better than most of the locals.

Arkansas? That's definitely in their daytime pattern but I thought it was not in the night pattern.

I have checked every night and listened to them without fail. Switched back and forth between them and KFAY (1000 watts @ 1030 after dark; tower 2 miles west of me) and 1560 absolutely blew the doors down, coming in much better than the local. I was very, very surprised that 15kw on that high of a frequency would come in THAT well.

I'm not saying I doubt you, but the last time I saw KGOW's new pattern it had some severe nulls to the north. The vast majority of its power goes east and southeast over Houston and beyond. Or at least it's supposed to!