WGVN Coverage

[chrisalcorn]

I am 35 miles south of Lex. and reception of this station is difficult at best. It is now 9:00 and WVKO and WPGC are KILLING the signal. If I rotate my "loop" antenna that came with my Pioneer receiver, it fades down WGVN and fades in WPGC. I should not be hearing a signal from Washington, DC in constant competition with a relative local. I prefer to get hip-hop from WBTF FM and not WPGC AM. WGVN is listed at 10kw. Why does this station come in worse than WVLK, WLAP, at 5kw. Is the transmitter operating at it's full potential? I would expect that WGVN should own Danville the way WVLK does especially with TWICE the power. Any ideas???

 

[KR4BD]

A couple of things come to mind here....

1. WGVN is directional to the Southeast. It's transmitter site (3 towers) is located NW of Lexington in Scott County. The main lobe of their signal goes toward downtown Lexington. Danville is just a bit off the "main lobe".

2. WGVN's frequency is high (1580) vs. WVLK (590). A 1000 watt signal on 590 will always outperform 10,000 watts on 1580 given the same conditions (non-directional antenna, etc.). An old engineer friend of mine once told me that 250 watts on 540 will cover more square miles than 50,000 watts on 1600. From my many years of DXing and being around radio, I can tell you this is true. And another factor, the higher frequencies tend to skip "better" than the lower ones on the AM band.

3. I imagine you heard WPGC within a couple of hours of sunrise. Lots of skip occurs on the AM band one to two hours around sunrise and sunset. This means that WPGC in DC had already lit up their daytime 50,000 watts which was skipping right into Danville. Also remember, sunrise comes earlier in DC than it does in Danville.

From about 10 to 3 PM, I would imagine WGVN should come in clearly for you as the skip from distant stations is virtually non-existant during the mid-daylight hours.

 

[KR4BD]

Here's a link to WGVN's coverage. You will see Danville is a bit "off" the main coverage:

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WGVN&service=AM&status=L&hours=D

 

[chrisalcorn]

Thanks for the quick reply. I wonder how the 45 watt night power covers Lexington if at all. Why not simply shut it down at night if it can't be heard? Also what is this station protecting by having a directional pattern? Is it adjacents or same frequncies?

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Thanks for the quick reply. I wonder how the 45 watt night power covers Lexington if at all. Why not simply shut it down at night if it can't be heard? Also what is this station protecting by having a directional pattern? Is it adjacents or same frequncies?

45 watts? WIFE 1580 Connersville,IN (less than 100 miles north) has 4.6 watts at night & they gladly use it (they protect something in Canada). With today's automation systems, the overhead of staying on air overnight is negligible. In this station's case, the 45 watts is focused on Lexington. While I don't ever recall being in Lexington at night, I'd suspect that this station has a better signal than it's minimal power would suggest.

 

[KR4BD]

I live in SW Lexington and can tell you that WGVN's night-time signal is buried in the mess on 1580 at my location. It is rather strong, however, in NW Lexington at night and barely gets into the downtown area on a car radio. By the way, I live in WVLK's (590) night-time directional null and can barely tell it's even on the air. A station in Omaha on 590 is considerably stronger at my house at night than WVLK is, due to their (WVLK's) very directional pattern at night. If you go just about 6 houses to the east of me, WVLK starts to come in again. That is why WVLK began simulcasting on 101.5 FM due to the fact that there are many areas of Lexington that are not covered by their pattern at night.

 

[radioguybroadcasting]

Thanks for the quick reply. I wonder how the 45 watt night power covers Lexington if at all. Why not simply shut it down at night if it can't be heard? Also what is this station protecting by having a directional pattern? Is it adjacents or same frequncies?

It puts less stress on the transmitter to turn it off at sunset and and back on at sunrise.... leaving it on, even at low power, will cost a TINY bit more in electricity.. but extend the life of the transmitter a bit more.

 

[chrisalcorn]

I can tell you that WVLK is very strong here in Danville at night. I just don't understand nulls and stuff. Now I know why 101.5 exists. I still miss ARROW though but that's a new topic.

 

[chrisalcorn]

Also, does ANYONE have information on WBTF's construction permit? It's like WBTF-WWAG-WBTF-WWAG ...... here.

 

[KR4BD]

At night, Danville is barely in a lobe of WVLK, so you can hear it. Here is a link to their night coverage map. I can tell you for fact, that this map is very optomistic, especially in the tucked in areas (nulls). Theoretically, the red circle indicates their primarly, interference-free, coverage. Outside the red, you will hear interference.

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WVLK&service=AM&status=L&hours=N

If you are ever driving on Man-o-War Blvd between Clays Mill Road and Just north of Dunbar High School at night, you will have difficulty receiving WVLK AM. Even on Versailles Road at night, just west of New Circle, it is somewhat distorted and if you look in the right direction, you can even see the towers!

 

[KR4BD]

Regarding WBTF relocation of transmitter...

For many years, I worked part-time at WCGW/WJMM. WBTF wanted to move to the old WJMM tower, just west of the Castle on U.S. 60. About a year ago, I talked to the Chief for WCGW/WJMM, and told me that was not going to happen. I will try to contact him to see if anything further has happened on that. There are some other factors involved regarding this that are too complicated to detail here. I will try to report back.

 

[radiorob2.0]

I live in SW Lexington and can tell you that WGVN's night-time signal is buried in the mess on 1580 at my location. It is rather strong, however, in NW Lexington at night and barely gets into the downtown area on a car radio. By the way, I live in WVLK's (590) night-time directional null and can barely tell it's even on the air. A station in Omaha on 590 is considerably stronger at my house at night than WVLK is, due to their (WVLK's) very directional pattern at night. If you go just about 6 houses to the east of me, WVLK starts to come in again. That is why WVLK began simulcasting on 101.5 FM due to the fact that there are many areas of Lexington that are not covered by their pattern at night.

You could hear 590 Omaha on the air monitor inside Kincaid Towers. A strange anomaly in Lexington was you could see the tower lights of WLAP from WVLK's site on Yarnalton Pike and not receive 630. Meanwhile, you could see 590's tower site from WLAP's site on Russell Cave Road and not hear 590. My parents live in Beaumont and in the last couple of years WVLK's night signal has decreased. I believe the night null towards Atlanta has moved a bit. It was the null that traveled through the intersection of New Circle and Versailles Road and along Man of War to Nicholasville Road and beyond. Since the original COL was Versailles the night pattern shoots everything that direction. The day signal is almost non-directional, there is a null to the north protecting Kalamazoo, MI.

1580 added night time service back in the mid eighties. Clear Channel rebuilt the system but before that the procedure to achieve 45 watts was unique. The 10kw rig was shut down and a 1kw rig fed into a dummy load. The modulation monitor sample from the 1kw transmitter produced the current to feed the common point and produce the 45 watts.

I'm surprised WLAP hasn't moved to FM since 630 has little signal west of Bluegrass Airport day or night. You can receive WLAP better in downtown Covington than you can in Versailles.

The best signal at night is 1300 since they throw everything over Lexington.

 

[chrisalcorn]

WBTF does not cover let's say south-east Lexington well at all, let alone downtown. They NEED to do something to get more signal in to these areas. I've had Sony portable cd player with a fm tuner an experienced poor reception of WBTF outside. This station does not get down to Richmond like they advertise. I hear WWAG swapping out with them. Traveling into Louisville, WBTF goes and goes into downtown until WSFR 107.7 finally gets the best of it. The signal needs "tweaking" like WLFX just did at 106.7. As I type this, WGVN is "shaking" up and down at 1pm and turning the antenna does nothing to improve it. There must be some optimum conditions in the D.C. area today.

 

[chrisalcorn]

Such a shame about WGVN. I think the audio is cleaner on WGVN than WBTF. The bass is heavy, but it is tight on WGVN. The highs are also crisp. They know how to do A.M. I just would like to be able to hear it better. The audio is "turning over" like those big stations do at night from a long distance. Is that "skywave" and "groundwave" cancellation? Too early in the afternoon for this!!

 

[radiorob2.0]

Such a shame about WGVN. I think the audio is cleaner on WGVN than WBTF. The bass is heavy, but it is tight on WGVN. The highs are also crisp. They know how to do A.M. I just would like to be able to hear it better. The audio is "turning over" like those big stations do at night from a long distance. Is that "skywave" and "groundwave" cancellation? Too early in the afternoon for this!!

It as much of cancellation but all of the other 1580's drifting in. Sometimes 1580 will forget to power down, a few days later come the QSL's from Florida and The Bahamas.

Regarding WBTF relocation of transmitter...

For many years, I worked part-time at WCGW/WJMM. WBTF wanted to move to the old WJMM tower, just west of the Castle on U.S. 60. About a year ago, I talked to the Chief for WCGW/WJMM, and told me that was not going to happen. I will try to contact him to see if anything further has happened on that. There are some other factors involved regarding this that are too complicated to detail here. I will try to report back.

WBTF might not be able to increase wattage or move the antenna. There are several 107.9 and 107.7 that need protection. This is the down side of 80/90 allocations. Speaking of the old WJMM tower, does 106.3 still have a back up facility at that site? I'm too lazy to look it up at fcc.org.

 

[KR4BD]

For Many years, the old WJMM 106.3 transmitter remained at the Versailles site. Jack Mortenson sold the 106.3 frequency to the folks at Kiss-96.9 etc. I'll refer to them as "The Greendale Road folks". Jack did this when he bought the old WHBN FM (99.3) out of Harrodsburg. The Greendale Road folks put 106.3 (WCDA) on the big blue buiding in downtown Lexington and have remained pretty much with the current format since that move (early 2000's). For a very brief time, WCDA did use the old WJMM transmitter and antenna on Versailles Rd while the new downtown Lexington site was prepared. They operated the old transmitter by remote control from Greendale Rd or wherever they put the WCDA studio. I was still there (WCGW/WJMM) when all this shuffling was going on.

Long story short, the old WJMM transmitter and tower was used as a backup facillity for WCDA for some time. Finally, the old 106.3 transmitter was moved out of the Versailles Rd site a couple of years ago. Don't know where it went. In all the shuffling, the Greendale Road boys got ownership of the old WJMM tower on Versailles Rd and had hoped to move their WBTF 107.9 there, with a directional antenna to protect WWAG and others on 107.9. Meanwhile, if you are still following me, WJMM was moved to a site on Brannon Rd in Northern Jessamine County. It was originally on 99.3, but shortly after they got there, they were able to get a small power increase and moved the frequency to 99.1. By the way, WJMM is now licensed to Keene, KY, not Versailles, but WCDA is licensed to Versailles despite having their transmitter being "smack dab" in downtown Lexington.

If you have followed all this, you are a real radio geek!!!

 

[radiorob2.0]

For Many years, the old WJMM 106.3 transmitter remained at the Versailles site. Jack Mortenson sold the 106.3 frequency to the folks at Kiss-96.9 etc. I'll refer to them as "The Greendale Road folks". Jack did this when he bought the old WHBN FM (99.3) out of Harrodsburg. The Greendale Road folks put 106.3 (WCDA) on the big blue buiding in downtown Lexington and have remained pretty much with the current format since that move (early 2000's). For a very brief time, WCDA did use the old WJMM transmitter and antenna on Versailles Rd while the new downtown Lexington site was prepared. They operated the old transmitter by remote control from Greendale Rd or wherever they put the WCDA studio. I was still there (WCGW/WJMM) when all this shuffling was going on.

Long story short, the old WJMM transmitter and tower was used as a backup facillity for WCDA for some time. Finally, the old 106.3 transmitter was moved out of the Versailles Rd site a couple of years ago. Don't know where it went. In all the shuffling, the Greendale Road boys got ownership of the old WJMM tower on Versailles Rd and had hoped to move their WBTF 107.9 there, with a directional antenna to protect WWAG and others on 107.9. Meanwhile, if you are still following me, WJMM was moved to a site on Brannon Rd in Northern Jessamine County. It was originally on 99.3, but shortly after they got there, they were able to get a small power increase and moved the frequency to 99.1. By the way, WJMM is now licensed to Keene, KY, not Versailles, but WCDA is licensed to Versailles despite having their transmitter being "smack dab" in downtown Lexington.

If you have followed all this, you are a real radio geek!!!

Why yes I did follow that, why do you ask ;D

You mentioned the transmitter location of 106.3, in a nutshell as long as the city service covers the COL then all is compliant. IIRC when Jacor acquired 103.3 they moved the antenna from the Fayette/Scott county line to WKQQ's tower on New Circle. I never saw a coverage map but I assume the city grade just barely covered Georgetown. When HMH purchased the frequency the antenna was moved to Channel 18's tower.

 

[KR4BD]

Regarding WBTF relocation of transmitter...

Just had contact with the CE at WJMM/WCGW and he says the CP to move the WBTF transmitter to the old WJMM tower site on Versailles Rd is still "active" but nothing is happening at this time. The answer to this question will have to come from someone who is on the "inside" at Lynn Martin Broadcasting (WLXG/WGKS/WBTF et al).

 

[radioguybroadcasting]

Regarding WBTF relocation of transmitter...

Just had contact with the CE at WJMM/WCGW and he says the CP to move the WBTF transmitter to the old WJMM tower site on Versailles Rd is still "active" but nothing is happening at this time. The answer to this question will have to come from someone who is on the "inside" at Lynn Martin Broadcasting (WLXG/WGKS/WBTF et al).

WBTF 107.9's move is nothing more then an application right now.