What did 99.1 WDEN do to its signal?

[GRS86]

I mean their signal has been really booming along the Hwy 124/Scenic Hwy Corridor in Snellville and Central Gwinnett County recently. Not only that, I was DXing in the La Grange/West Point area on Wednesday. Signal was booming down there. Historically, it's signal has been strong for roughly a 50-60 mile radius, as far north as McDonough, then moderately strong up for another 20 miles or so to the I-285 and I-20 on the south side, but would then lose its punch from that point north of there. Now, it's strong almost to I-285 and I-20 on the south side, and moderate in parts of Metro Atlanta where it was previously weak or non-existent. It's almost like their Grade B contour has been increased by 20 miles or so.

Since they are already a 100kw signal and can't increase the wattage anymore, have they gone with a bigger stick, similar to what 102.9 in Columbus has?

 

[kenglish]

According to the FCC's Mapping, they are on the WGNM tower....I always thought they stayed on the WMAZ tower when they swapped.
Who is way up north, on the one by the old Grey Highway? Is that one the former WDEN antenna?

 

[w9wi]

I mean their signal has been really booming along the Hwy 124/Scenic Hwy Corridor in Snellville and Central Gwinnett County recently. Not only that, I was DXing in the La Grange/West Point area on Wednesday. Signal was booming down there. Historically, it's signal has been strong for roughly a 50-60 mile radius, as far north as McDonough, then moderately strong up for another 20 miles or so to the I-285 and I-20 on the south side, but would then lose its punch from that point north of there. Now, it's strong almost to I-285 and I-20 on the south side, and moderate in parts of Metro Atlanta where it was previously weak or non-existent. It's almost like their Grade B contour has been increased by 20 miles or so.

Since they are already a 100kw signal and can't increase the wattage anymore, have they gone with a bigger stick, similar to what 102.9 in Columbus has?

There aren't any technical changes pending... The last technical change was authorized in 2001, to move from the channel 13 TV tower, reduce antenna height 25m (about 80 feet), and increase power from 92,000 watts. They received the license-to-cover in May 2001, and the only activity for WDEN on the FCC website since then is a license renewal in 2003.

I wonder if something was broken (they weren't operating at full power) and they fixed it?

 

[Bengalsfan]

According to the FCC's Mapping, they are on the WGNM tower....I always thought they stayed on the WMAZ tower when they swapped.
Who is way up north, on the one by the old Grey Highway? Is that one the former WDEN antenna?

Ken, they had to take the 99.1 antenna off 13's tower because the loading would have been too much with 13's digital antenna. 105.3's old tower off of highway 49 is now the home to 105.5.

 

[kenglish]

How is their signal to the east and south? And, I wonder if anybody has looked at their VSWR lately?
Could they have some antenna damage, and all the power is going north and west?

 

[Diamondtwo]

105.3's old tower off of highway 49 is now the home to 105.5.

Minor correction, Bengalsfan - The 105.5 tower is on the same SITE as the former 105.3 signal, but a new tower was erected in late 2000-early 2001 for the 105.5 antenna. The old WDEN tower stood side-by-side with the new one (separated by the transmitter building, which remained from the previous incarnation) for a few months, until it was dismantled.

105.5 was delayed in going on the air for several weeks because of weather delays in putting up the new stick. Something about concrete not curing as quickly in cold, rainy weather and winter winds on that hill in Jones County slowing down the steel-stacking process. Who knew?!?

TDO

 

[Bengalsfan]

105.3's old tower off of highway 49 is now the home to 105.5.

Minor correction, Bengalsfan - The 105.5 tower is on the same SITE as the former 105.3 signal, but a new tower was erected in late 2000-early 2001 for the 105.5 antenna. The old WDEN tower stood side-by-side with the new one (separated by the transmitter building, which remained from the previous incarnation) for a few months, until it was dismantled.

Why did they need a new tower? I thought the old 105.3 tower was in pretty good shape.

 

[kenglish]

Interesting...
I wonder why they would erect a new tower for an additional antenna. Was the old tower pretty skinny? Or, much shorter?
And, with tower space at a premium, a second one would have been a money maker.

BTW, Google Maps still shows WDEN-FM at the old site. Of course, I remember it when it was on South Street, which is north of North Street (I'd love to know how that naming came about). Probably had very limited coverage there on FM, but I guess the AM still gets out well.

 

[Diamondtwo]

Why did they need a new tower? I thought the old 105.3 tower was in pretty good shape.

The new tower is exactly the same height as the old one (500ft?).

If I recall, the powers-that-were at US Broadcasting already knew that 99.1 would have to come down from WMAZ's tower because of their DTV going up, and I believe there was initial discussion of moving 99.1 to the Hwy 49 tower. Ultimately, I don't think the engineering supported the plan, so they ended up putting 99 just down the road from 'MAZ's tower on WGNM's stick on Ocmulgee East Boulevard.

At any rate, there was also a plan to make the 105.5 tower available to other clients as well, and there was some concern that the old stick might have issues (didn't it date from the late 60's/early 70's?). You have to remember, there was a flurry of activity going on with USBLP at this time, with the 99.1/105.3/105.5 rearranging, then shortly after that the 107.9 move to Hampton, 93.7/Jeffersonville upgrading to 100K from WMGT-41's tower (where 107.9 had been) and the build-out of 95.1/Montezuma, and ultimately (within 2 years) the sale of the "Frankenstein-ed" US Broadcasting group to Cumulus.

But, hey... it's been 11 years; my memory ain't what it used to be.

TDO (David Nolin)