WCKY-AM Interference??

[Tri-State Media]

I posted this on the Kentucky board, but decided to post it here too...

I tuned into WCKY-AM 1530/Cincinnati tonight to catch the Wildcats game while out of the house. Coming back, I noticed that at certain spots, I would catch some interference from another channel, and wasn't sure if it was on-channel or an adjacent. But, whatever was there, was definitely NOT supposed to be. Did anybody else catch this?

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

After seeing your post, I tuned to WCKY which is now airing the New Orleans Bowl (Ohio U. -vs- Troy). It's coming right in, but I'm just eleven miles outside of downtown Cincinnati here. In tuning just up the dial, I heard some kind of talk show - a man and woman who both sound oriental are talking back and forth on health issues - at about 1540 or 1550 k.c. Not sure where that is coming from. Riding in right alongside that sounds like some kind of religous program with a man addressing a congregation. Not sure of the origin of that broadcast either. Haven't heard a station I.D. on either one. Just past 12-midnight E.D.T. Now hearing two women discussing matters involving food and health.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Just picked up an I.D. It is KXEL - 1540 k.c. - Waterloo, Iowa. That appears to be the station that was broadcasting the talk shows with food & health information. Now shortly past 12:30 A.M. Eastern Time, the station is broadcasting in Spanish.

 

[Bengalsfan]

They are 50k ND daytime/50k with a two tower directional at night. The null is to the south. Interesting they are not protecting CKY which is their first adjacent.

 

[Limp73]

A few years ago I heard a little bit of KXEL bleedover to WCKY's frequency. Only heard it once....seems to me that KX in John Deere-town has a kick-butt tower array or something for its skywave night signal...also used to air brokered religious programs from 8pm local time until the wee hours of pre-sunrise...the kind of programs that WFCJ and WEEC would never want to air.

 

[Tri-State Media]

And KXEL is a clear channel station...that makes a whole lot of sense. But yes, UK came in loud and clear 90 percent of the time while I was out. Just a couple spots, I would have to deal with that interference. I can cope, I just wondered...

Oh, and Cincinnati Kid, I'm 12 miles SOUTH of downtown. Down in Florence off KY 18...

A few years ago I heard a little bit of KXEL bleedover to WCKY's frequency. Only heard it once....seems to me that KX in John Deere-town has a kick-butt tower array or something for its skywave night signal...also used to air brokered religious programs from 8pm local time until the wee hours of pre-sunrise...the kind of programs that WFCJ and WEEC would never want to air.

That's what I heard, though I never got an ID on it. It just bled over a little bit...a nuisance, though.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I'm eleven miles northeast of the downtown area - not far from the Kenwood Towne Centre. Aren't WCKY's tower(s) still located in Northern Kentucky? If so, that makes them much closer to you than what I am. I remember that Waterloo station from years ago, but didn't remember it at 1540 k.c. and so close to 'CKY. In fact, during the coverage of the first walk on the moon - July 20, 1969 - it was only one of two AM stations that I picked up that night who was not airing it.

 

[del_griffith]

I'm in Central Ohio. WCKY has always been week here with few exceptions in my life time.

KXEL used to blow in up here around sunset and be strong through the night. Used to listen to Bruce Williams frequently on the station when it carried him (when Talknet was still alive). Now it seems KXEL only blows in this way once in a while. Don't know if it's my radio or their tower system or both, but I no longer can count on hearing them.

 

[KR4BD]

Years ago, KXEL-1540 from Waterloo, IA was quite strong and clear into the Midwest at night but now their signal has been severely compromised as a result of CHIN-1540 in Toronto coming on the air several years ago. CHIN is an "International Station" broadcasting in various languages and often dominates 1540 here in Central KY at night. They operate with 50,000 watts day and 30,000 watts at night. One of their main night-time lobes is toward the SW, meaning Ohio and KY will usually hear it quite well. Here in Lexington, KXEL and CHIN have a battle for the frequency every night...

 

[jry]

Usually first adjacent interference sounds like chatter and not distinguishable.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I'm in Central Ohio. WCKY has always been week here with few exceptions in my life time.

For many years, even in the Greater Cincinnati area, complaints have been made about WCKY's night-time signal fading in and out. Interesting that the station can be heard in distant points of the U.S.A. as well as Cuba, etc. with understood fading but that it should also occur closeby. I've always thought it was WCKY's AM frequency setting (at 1530 k.c.). For example, you don't hear about WLW's night-time signal fading in and out in the immediate area.

 

[jry]

I'm in Central Ohio. WCKY has always been week here with few exceptions in my life time.

For many years, even in the Greater Cincinnati area, complaints have been made about WCKY's night-time signal fading in and out. Interesting that the station can be heard in distant points of the U.S.A. as well as Cuba, etc. with understood fading but that it should also occur closeby. I've always thought it was WCKY's AM frequency setting (at 1530 k.c.). For example, you don't hear about WLW's night-time signal fading in and out in the immediate area.

You're talking apples and oranges, here.

 

[schmave]

I'm in Central Ohio. WCKY has always been week here with few exceptions in my life time.

For many years, even in the Greater Cincinnati area, complaints have been made about WCKY's night-time signal fading in and out. Interesting that the station can be heard in distant points of the U.S.A. as well as Cuba, etc. with understood fading but that it should also occur closeby. I've always thought it was WCKY's AM frequency setting (at 1530 k.c.). For example, you don't hear about WLW's night-time signal fading in and out in the immediate area.

All that boils down to is dial position. But I agree you can't get out of the metro area without fading. As close as Kings Island, 1530 is almost unlistenable, and in this part of the country with our ground conductivity (which granted is middle of the road but nonetheless) that's surprising. I would think the night signal 120 miles or so away up here, beyond the reach of 1530's groundwave, would be much, much better than it is. Alas, it's a tough listen many nights.

 

[almaniac27]

I'm in Central Ohio. WCKY has always been week here with few exceptions in my life time.

For many years, even in the Greater Cincinnati area, complaints have been made about WCKY's night-time signal fading in and out. Interesting that the station can be heard in distant points of the U.S.A. as well as Cuba, etc. with understood fading but that it should also occur closeby. I've always thought it was WCKY's AM frequency setting (at 1530 k.c.). For example, you don't hear about WLW's night-time signal fading in and out in the immediate area.

All that boils down to is dial position. But I agree you can't get out of the metro area without fading. As close as Kings Island, 1530 is almost unlistenable, and in this part of the country with our ground conductivity (which granted is middle of the road but nonetheless) that's surprising. I would think the night signal 120 miles or so away up here, beyond the reach of 1530's groundwave, would be much, much better than it is. Alas, it's a tough listen many nights.

Hell, in Sharonville at night WCKY is riddled with deep fades because of the groundwave/skywave cancellation. There is some point out there in WLW's massive coverage where groundwave/skywave cancellation happens to them, but I don't know where it is, probably outside Columbus somewhere. In Kent and the Cleveland/Akron area, WCKY usually blasts in pretty well.

 

[KR4BD]

WLW is often very distorted due to the conflict between skywave and groundwave here in Lexington, KY many nights. WCKY is very much a victim of this here in Lexington, too.

 

[Tri-State Media]

I'm eleven miles northeast of the downtown area - not far from the Kenwood Towne Centre. Aren't WCKY's tower(s) still located in Northern Kentucky? If so, that makes them much closer to you than what I am.

Yep, their towers are in Villa Hills. They use either 2 or 4 towers (four if you believe RadioLocator), directional, at night, and its local-grade signal cuts off just west of the Indiana border. I'm only 4 and a half miles south-southwest of the stick as the crow flies.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Reception can be a strange thing. I had WCKY on late last night while driving from Oxford back to Cincinnati while listening to the Louisville-S.Miss. bowl football game. In Oxford, the signal was not the clearest - maybe a little flutter - but as I drove closer and closer, down Rt. 732, onto Rt. 129 on in on Rt. 27 and then the Ronald Regan Hgwy. it got better and better; never lost the signal at any point.

 

[schmave]

I'm in Central Ohio. WCKY has always been week here with few exceptions in my life time.

For many years, even in the Greater Cincinnati area, complaints have been made about WCKY's night-time signal fading in and out. Interesting that the station can be heard in distant points of the U.S.A. as well as Cuba, etc. with understood fading but that it should also occur closeby. I've always thought it was WCKY's AM frequency setting (at 1530 k.c.). For example, you don't hear about WLW's night-time signal fading in and out in the immediate area.

All that boils down to is dial position. But I agree you can't get out of the metro area without fading. As close as Kings Island, 1530 is almost unlistenable, and in this part of the country with our ground conductivity (which granted is middle of the road but nonetheless) that's surprising. I would think the night signal 120 miles or so away up here, beyond the reach of 1530's groundwave, would be much, much better than it is. Alas, it's a tough listen many nights.

Hell, in Sharonville at night WCKY is riddled with deep fades because of the groundwave/skywave cancellation. There is some point out there in WLW's massive coverage where groundwave/skywave cancellation happens to them, but I don't know where it is, probably outside Columbus somewhere. In Kent and the Cleveland/Akron area, WCKY usually blasts in pretty well.

You nailed it on WLW's cancellation zone. When I lived in Columbus you'd hear a very little bit of cancellation, but it was to the point a novice listener (if you will) might not notice it. It usually was only during the summer at that. Out here in Thornville, about 30 miles east of Columbus, WLW is much more susceptible to fading as well as WOR's IBOC inteference. There are nights in Newark, where I work, WLW is very difficult to hear.

 

[davideduardo]

They are 50k ND daytime/50k with a two tower directional at night. The null is to the south. Interesting they are not protecting CKY which is their first adjacent.

1540 is a Bahamian clear, per international agreement. KXEL protects Nassau first.

 

[davideduardo]

Yep, their towers are in Villa Hills. They use either 2 or 4 towers (four if you believe RadioLocator), directional, at night, and its local-grade signal cuts off just west of the Indiana border. I'm only 4 and a half miles south-southwest of the stick as the crow flies.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=51722 has the FCC record. 4 towers at night, one in daytime.