WGR's Turn In the Pit

[Element9]

Last week, tech problems with WBEN. Today, WGR SLS. That would be "S"ludge, by the way: Bad audio, low modulation, lousy RF. They got the hat trick!

 

[SirRoxalot]

With the Sabres done, will anyone care?

 

[ThePickleReport]

Yeah WGR has problems at times. I didn't hear anything unusual today though.

 

[Savage]

I remember the days when if there was the slightest increase in noise or drop in modulation on an AM signal an engineer was dispatched to the TX site to fix it - within the HOUR.

I remember one day at KDWB when a filament supply tripped a breaker in the main TX and the station had to operate on the 1kw aux for about 20 minutes in midday. (This was 1974.) GM Gary Stevens was about ready to pop a major artery. When I found the problem and reset the breaker you'd have thought I had cured cancer, from the warm kudos I got from management - this was over a decrease in AM coverage amounting to probably 10% maximum, for less than a half-hour.

I know it sounds curmudgeonly but I routinely hear signals on the air nowadays - AM and FM - which would get the engineer fired ten years ago.

 

[kmac]

The OP is correct, there is indeed a problem in the WGR airchain. Hopefully, that will be corrected by this evening. I also believe that WGR is being plagued by IBOC interference at night -- something else that's being investigated.

I must say I do appreciate some of you and your golden ears. I don't always have time to listen to each station on a continual basis for sound quality and muddy audio doesn't exactly trip any alarms.

 

[AndrewLawson]

This board is very entertaining. The WECQ thread is like a soap opera. The WGR and WBEN tech threads are interesting. I often wonder who the people behind the monikers are, like Pickle, dustin, Roxalot, x13 and 9. They seem to have their sources. The names, inside tidbits and speculation add to the intrigue of the board.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I remember the days when if there was the slightest increase in noise or drop in modulation on an AM signal an engineer was dispatched to the TX site to fix it - within the HOUR.

I remember one day at KDWB when a filament supply tripped a breaker in the main TX and the station had to operate on the 1kw aux for about 20 minutes in midday. (This was 1974.) GM Gary Stevens was about ready to pop a major artery. When I found the problem and reset the breaker you'd have thought I had cured cancer, from the warm kudos I got from management - this was over a decrease in AM coverage amounting to probably 10% maximum, for less than a half-hour.

I know it sounds curmudgeonly but I routinely hear signals on the air nowadays - AM and FM - which would get the engineer fired ten years ago.

Yes very true Mr Savage most times most places....but.

I also recall working for Storer Broadcasting at WGBS Miami, Florida's only full time 50,000 watt station (with a tight night pattern aimed at Cuba). When I worked there in 1978 it was easy to tell when we were on the old 10KW RCA antique aux transmitter. Seems the station didn't want to buy a new modulation transformer and had the old transformer rewound...badly. It was so muffled sounding that it was painful to listen to.

For a large broadcast company I thought Storer was badly run. They didn't seem to have any idea what to do with their radio stations.

 

[Savage]

kmac, when you say WGR is being "plagued by IBOC interference at night," are you referring to adjacent-channel problems from distant stations or are you running IBOC at WGR and having array issues? (May I ask....you know, self-interference.....if you can comment.....)

 

[kmac]

kmac, when you say WGR is being "plagued by IBOC interference at night," are you referring to adjacent-channel problems from distant stations or are you running IBOC at WGR and having array issues? (May I ask....you know, self-interference.....if you can comment.....)

I'm not certain what it is at this point. The interference as it was described to me sounds like IBOC from an adjacent. I am familiar with the nature of the interference; WBEN is getting nailed by IBOC along the lakeshore to the south. WGR isn't running IBOC. I don't even know if the array would pass it without some major modifications. How many other stations that low on the band are running IBOC I don't know either. After I did some maintenance and got WGR sounding like its normal self last night (actually a little better I think), I went for a drive to the place where the interference has been reported, which is to the east in an area not well covered by the nighttime pattern. It was hard to tell because there was a lot of QRN from lightning last night. I am still looking into it and haven't ruled it out. I know you have had a lot of issues with interference to WYSL. I wish you all the best in getting that resolved. I think you have done a fantastic job with your station and it's a travesty that all that hard work to get the nighttime coverage you have has been partially for naught so it seems, at least for the time being.

I personally think AM IBOC is a bad idea as implemented.

BTW, the opinions expressed in my posts are my own and are not necessarily shared by my friends, family, pets, boyfriend, or my employer...

 

[Savage]

Thank you, kmac, for your very kind and generous comments about WYSL. We indeed have worked hard and try to do a good job with our standalone AM to benefit our listeners and advertisers, and most people seem to appreciate our efforts. We are very lucky and thankful to be able to enjoy our livelihood, render a valuable service and remain hopeful for a just and sane resolution of the IBOC situation.

I was going to offer to compare notes with you if you are experiencing nighttime adjacent-channel IBOC issues. Should you reach a point where you want to chat, you know how to contact me. Best of luck with WGR. I've always loved that historic transmitter site on Big Tree Road, and to this day I proudly display a panel meter rescued from WKBW's Westinghouse HG-50 before it was scrapped.

 

[kmac]

Thank you Bob,

I'll give you a call as soon as I have a chance to breathe. I also have something that you may be interested in. Yours for the taking if you want it. It's something I inherited a few years ago and has some WYSL history to it.

For the curious...

The trouble with WGR was a soft PA tube. The MW-5 is interesting in that when the tube goes soft, it not only loses positive modulation, but negative modulation also and the frequency response drops off. A new PA tube, some TLC, quick sweep of the airchain for my own conscience' sake and it was business as usual in less than an hour last night.

 

[dustintv]

Re: IBOC interference?

Interference from IBOC on adjancent frequencies? I actually looked this up on the AM Log Book. It seems over in Monroe Michigan AM 560 WRDT is running IBOC, according to the AM Log Book, and have quite a daytime coverage area for 500 watts.

As for WBEN? Well, the 50kw powerhouse WWJ 950 Detroit has IBOC, but also AM 930 WPAT in Patterson NJ is running IBOC as well.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I was going to offer to compare notes with you if you are experiencing nighttime adjacent-channel IBOC issues. Should you reach a point where you want to chat, you know how to contact me. Best of luck with WGR. I've always loved that historic transmitter site on Big Tree Road, and to this day I proudly display a panel meter rescued from WKBW's Westinghouse HG-50 before it was scrapped.

We've talked about it before but that's MY FAVORITE SITE and I have seen many over the years. As far back as my Elementary school days (a very long time ago) I used to pass the site daily and never failed to look at it with awe. The awe increased when I discovered that WGR was there too.

I was inside just once, shortly after the MW-50 went in and the Westinghouse was retired. Kmac working there wow, well that would be a dream come true for me. They don't build transmitter sites like that anymore.

 

[Len14043]

WRTD 560 in Monroe Michigan is running IBOC. That makes daytime reception of WGR difficult in Detroit and Toledo. I doubt that would affect WGR in the Buffalo area though.