WAYV'S antenna

[KlassikKountry]

Just passed the tower today, I can remember a few years ago the four bay antenna under the mast being used for WAYV. Today, I noticed a 5 bay on the top mast, how long has this been in service, I do not notice any difference in the strength toward Philadelphia, if that is indeed the new WAYV antenna, the four bay is still in place. Both are directed and face the West. On another note, WMID is very weak at night, they do not make it to the Toll Plaza on the Xpressway, they also fade out on the WHP in Galloway Twnshp. I remember in the 60's, at night, they would go much further west.

 

[tom]

The 4 bay antenna on the side of the WAYV tower
is the (20kw) backup antenna (moved over from the Ritz
in the 80's) the main (50kw) antenna has always been on
the pole at the top of the tower. The original
antenna was replaced with a new ERI a few years ago
after being hit by lightning. I wouldn't expect
you'd notice an increase in strength - the power
is the same, and the field should be the same.

As far as WMID - are you listening with the same
radio you listened with in the 60's ? Seriously,
WMID's signal is better than ever - but things have
changed on the AM band ... noise, interference levels
are way up, and all of the stations staying at 1000 watts
at night has reduced coverage, not increased it.


> Just passed the tower today, I can remember a few years ago
> the four bay antenna under the mast being used for WAYV.
> Today, I noticed a 5 bay on the top mast, how long has this
> been in service, I do not notice any difference in the
> strength toward Philadelphia, if that is indeed the new WAYV
> antenna, the four bay is still in place. Both are directed
> and face the West. On another note, WMID is very weak at
> night, they do not make it to the Toll Plaza on the
> Xpressway, they also fade out on the WHP in Galloway Twnshp.
> I remember in the 60's, at night, they would go much
> further west.
>

 

[KlassikKountry]

Thanks for the info, I don't know why I never noticed the 5 bay on the mast a few years ago, were the bays smaller, I never saw anything on the mast, just the 4 bay under the mast. As for MID, in the 60's it was the car radio on a 64 Impala, last night it was the radio on a 2005 VW, I would think the radios are better nowadays.

 

[tom]

The old Jampro antenna on the pole was a 3 bay in radomes
that looked spectacular when they were on fire !

Todays radios aren't all that good - and if your VW is
like my Honda, it has a little rubber antenna about
4 inches long that is no match for the 4 foot steel
antenna on an older car. Just my opinion.

> Thanks for the info, I don't know why I never noticed the 5
> bay on the mast a few years ago, were the bays smaller, I
> never saw anything on the mast, just the 4 bay under the
> mast. As for MID, in the 60's it was the car radio on a 64
> Impala, last night it was the radio on a 2005 VW, I would
> think the radios are better nowadays.
>

 

[mcmannors]

>>...and all of the stations staying at 1000 watts
at night has reduced coverage, not increased it.<<

So why did broadcasters agree to the change? If it reduced the coverage, did the increase from 250 to 1000 improve the signal in their *primary* coverage area?

 

[tom]

I don't think they expected the results. It just
brought the noise level up higher and made a mess
of things. I'm sure some stations benefitted,
but not around here.


> >>...and all of the stations staying at 1000 watts
> at night has reduced coverage, not increased it.
>

 

[MikeF]

The 4-bay non-directional 20 KW Phelps-Dodge antenna was used as WAYV's main
antenna from 1976 to 1987, first on the Ritz, and then on the present tower in 86-87. It remains as an aux.

When WAYV went 50 KW directional in 1987, it used a Jampro 3-bay. The directional pattern pulled in from the west and northwest to protect WRBS and WZZO, but put 50 KW up & down the coast.

After more lightning induced failures than I want to remember, it was replaced in 2001 with an ERI 1/2-wave spaced 5-bay, with essentially the same directional pattern.

Mike



> Just passed the tower today, I can remember a few years ago
> the four bay antenna under the mast being used for WAYV.
> Today, I noticed a 5 bay on the top mast, how long has this
> been in service, I do not notice any difference in the
> strength toward Philadelphia, if that is indeed the new WAYV
> antenna, the four bay is still in place. Both are directed
> and face the West. On another note, WMID is very weak at
> night, they do not make it to the Toll Plaza on the
> Xpressway, they also fade out on the WHP in Galloway Twnshp.
> I remember in the 60's, at night, they would go much
> further west.
>

 

[KlassikKountry]

Believe it or not, when they used the 4 bay non-directional antenna from the small tower on the Ritz, they put a better signal into Philadelphia. They would always win the battle with WZZO, they would be listenable most of the time and on tropo's and at night they were like a local, go figure, more power less penetration into Philly.

 

[MikeF]

> Believe it or not, when they used the 4 bay non-directional
> antenna from the small tower on the Ritz, they put a better
> signal into Philadelphia. They would always win the battle
> with WZZO, they would be listenable most of the time and on
> tropo's and at night they were like a local, go figure, more
> power less penetration into Philly.
>

I remember that well. I've always felt that the 20 KW 4-bay non-directional on either of the towers, on both occasions mounted on the northwest leg and getting some extra push from that, probably was/is putting out a stronger signal towards Philly than the tightly restricted directional which puts about 28 KW in that direction.

The 4-bay is considerably lower though. And WZZO may have made their own improvements since that time. I'm not so sure the comparison would be vaild anymore.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by MikeF on 10/01/05 07:23 PM.</FONT></P>