I find it odd that as far as signal goes for this station, it sounds as good as Sam's Club on Blankenbaker as it does in Richmond. I know it has to protect WWAG but the signal is poor in lots of places in Lexington. 103.9 is strong and rock solid all over Lexington and the RDS has song titles and artists. It carries well into the distance for what it is but the main thing is that it well serves the community it's supposed to.
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Lexington/Frankfort WBTF 107.9 signal
- Thread starter toddalcorn
- Start date
WBTF will throw a full 6KW toward Louisville, but their antenna null cuts them down to less than 2KW, and that's the maximum. The way that plays out in real life is that there are several directions that the antenna radiates substantially less than the maximum, because whatever your pattern is, it can't go over the allowable radiation in ANY direction.
If it was non directional antenna, as a 6 KW station they could legally radiate 11 KW toward Lexington and 1.5 KW toward Louisville. You rob Peter in one direction to pay Paul in the other, and it all averages out to 6KW ERP and everyone is happy.
Using a directional takes away your ability to go over the limit. You have to run pattern tests on your tower, or a model of your tower, it's all tightly controlled, and nothing can go over the limit. Ideally, you get your full 6 KW in the direction of your city of license, and you throw a little something toward another community you want to do well in. And in one direction or another, it will be really bad.
In the worst case scenario, the antenna null is toward the population you really want to cover, like WGHL in Shepherdsville. Theirs is terrible. Their null is aimed right at St Matthews.
WBTF's null is at 150 degrees, which looks to be directly toward Nicholasville. Richmond will definitely be in the crappy area, and since they probably care less about Richmond than other places, it might be really ugly toward Richmond.
If it was non directional antenna, as a 6 KW station they could legally radiate 11 KW toward Lexington and 1.5 KW toward Louisville. You rob Peter in one direction to pay Paul in the other, and it all averages out to 6KW ERP and everyone is happy.
Using a directional takes away your ability to go over the limit. You have to run pattern tests on your tower, or a model of your tower, it's all tightly controlled, and nothing can go over the limit. Ideally, you get your full 6 KW in the direction of your city of license, and you throw a little something toward another community you want to do well in. And in one direction or another, it will be really bad.
In the worst case scenario, the antenna null is toward the population you really want to cover, like WGHL in Shepherdsville. Theirs is terrible. Their null is aimed right at St Matthews.
WBTF's null is at 150 degrees, which looks to be directly toward Nicholasville. Richmond will definitely be in the crappy area, and since they probably care less about Richmond than other places, it might be really ugly toward Richmond.
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