Who has the biggest AM signal in Georgia

[Art Sutton]

Another post mentions that WDUN, 10KW on 550, has a larger coverage area than WSB, 50KW on 750.

Actually, comparing 0.5 mV/m contours, WSB is still larger.

Here is how the biggest AM signals in Georgia compare

1. WBMQ Savannah, 5KW on 630 has the largest at 272,732 sq kilometers...but a great deal of this is over salt water so it probably shouldn't count but it's 0.5 mVm foot print is the largest

Using standard comparisons over land, top honors go to

1. WGST, Atlanta, 50KW DA on 640- 57815.5 sq KM
2. WDAK, Columbus, 5KW 540-50,681.8 sq KM
3. WCNN, North Atlanta, 50KW DA-680-49,929.5 dq KM
4. WSB, Atlanta, 50KW 750-47158.8 sq KM
5. WMAC, Macon, 50KW 940-45018.3 sq KM
6. WDUN, Gainesville, 10KW 550-44773.7 sq KM
7. WGAC, Augusta, 5KW 580-41,652.8 sq KM

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Art, WBMQ some time ago sold its site on the island and moved to downtown Savannah at 4,800 watts. I guess there's little difference between 5,000 and 4,800, and I'm not sure which signal covered more land.

Does this have any effect on your figures?

 

[Sgeirk]

WSB can be heard in 1/2 the country, at night, that qualifies it as the biggest AM signal in Georgia.

Daytime? I'd say WGST may have a better daytime signal than WSB, but I have zero to back that up.

 

[taylorengineer]

Another post mentions that WDUN, 10KW on 550, has a larger coverage area than WSB, 50KW on 750.

Actually, comparing 0.5 mV/m contours, WSB is still larger.

Here is how the biggest AM signals in Georgia compare

1. WBMQ Savannah, 5KW on 630 has the largest at 272,732 sq kilometers...but a great deal of this is over salt water so it probably shouldn't count but it's 0.5 mVm foot print is the largest

Using standard comparisons over land, top honors go to

1. WGST, Atlanta, 50KW DA on 640- 57815.5 sq KM
2. WDAK, Columbus, 5KW 540-50,681.8 sq KM
3. WCNN, North Atlanta, 50KW DA-680-49,929.5 dq KM
4. WSB, Atlanta, 50KW 750-47158.8 sq KM
5. WMAC, Macon, 50KW 940-45018.3 sq KM
6. WDUN, Gainesville, 10KW 550-44773.7 sq KM
7. WGAC, Augusta, 5KW 580-41,652.8 sq KM

Where are your stats from Art? I'm not disputing your numbers.....I'm just curious.
Notice that WDAK, at 5000 watts/540Khz has a bigger signal than WSB. I wonder if the difference between WDUN/10,000 watts, and WDAK/5000 watts is ground conductivity differences. South Georgia does have better soil conductivity.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

WDAK has 4,000 watts according to the FCC database. It's had a few tower sites over the years so it might have been 5,000 at some point.

 

[Art Sutton]

These are daytime contours only and are based on the FCC M-3 conductivity map. These figures are based on the stations' current licensed facilities. The coverage area comes from the FCC data base and the study was conducted with Radiosoft AM frequency search software.

Also, the ground conductivity level on the M-3 is higher around the middle and south Georgia area which is how WDAK can have a larger 0.5 mVm daytime contour than WSB.

Needless to say, WSB has the largest nighttime interference free coverage area of any AM station in Georgia but it doesn't have the largest daytime signal.


Another post mentions that WDUN, 10KW on 550, has a larger coverage area than WSB, 50KW on 750.

Actually, comparing 0.5 mV/m contours, WSB is still larger.

Here is how the biggest AM signals in Georgia compare

1. WBMQ Savannah, 5KW on 630 has the largest at 272,732 sq kilometers...but a great deal of this is over salt water so it probably shouldn't count but it's 0.5 mVm foot print is the largest

Using standard comparisons over land, top honors go to

1. WGST, Atlanta, 50KW DA on 640- 57815.5 sq KM
2. WDAK, Columbus, 5KW 540-50,681.8 sq KM
3. WCNN, North Atlanta, 50KW DA-680-49,929.5 dq KM
4. WSB, Atlanta, 50KW 750-47158.8 sq KM
5. WMAC, Macon, 50KW 940-45018.3 sq KM
6. WDUN, Gainesville, 10KW 550-44773.7 sq KM
7. WGAC, Augusta, 5KW 580-41,652.8 sq KM

Where are your stats from Art? I'm not disputing your numbers.....I'm just curious.
Notice that WDAK, at 5000 watts/540Khz has a bigger signal than WSB. I wonder if the difference between WDUN/10,000 watts, and WDAK/5000 watts is ground conductivity differences. South Georgia does have better soil conductivity.

 

[kyscott]

Something to consider is ground conductivity. Overall, Georgia's ground conductivity sucks compared to the rest of the nation. There are also major differences between north Georgia, Middle Georgia and South Georgia. North Georgia has the best overall in the state while the further south you go it gets worse. You will notice there are not any stations in South Georgia with a killer signal. And you will see that a 5kW station in Columbus has a slightly better signal than a 50kW signal in Atlanta.

 

[upstate29651]

^ You mean S. GA has the best & N. GA has the worst , right?

For a daytime signal, Savannah's WBMQ is the best, as it's able to be heard mostly static free down in Jacksonville, 140 miles away.

G

 

[8638]

Another post mentions that WDUN, 10KW on 550, has a larger coverage area than WSB, 50KW on 750.

Actually, comparing 0.5 mV/m contours, WSB is still larger.

Here is how the biggest AM signals in Georgia compare

1. WBMQ Savannah, 5KW on 630 has the largest at 272,732 sq kilometers...but a great deal of this is over salt water so it probably shouldn't count but it's 0.5 mVm foot print is the largest

Back in the 80's, from the old TX site, I heard WBMQ (daytime) well south of Daytona Beach, Fla. Solid signal all the way. I don't know how good the new site is, though.

 

[cyberdad]

WSB can be heard in 1/2 the country, at night, that qualifies it as the biggest AM signal in Georgia.

Daytime? I'd say WGST may have a better daytime signal than WSB, but I have zero to back that up.

This would have been my guess, based on actual experience in the state. WDUN certainly has an impressive daytime signal, but the fact that it's directional somewhat reduces the actual area covered. Both WSB and WCNN thus would both stand to do better.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

WDUN certainly has an impressive daytime signal, but the fact that it's directional somewhat reduces the actual area covered.

How does a directional array in A.M. radio reduce the actual area covered? In some directions the power output may be reduced some, but that power is then used to expand the power output in other directions

 

[cyberdad]

How does a directional array in A.M. radio reduce the actual area covered? In some directions the power output may be reduced some, but that power is then used to expand the power output in other directions

Its because you're nulling the signal in one or more directions. The resultant additional juice being directed to the main lobe(s) in most cases only marginally improves the coverage in that direction. The amount of coverage thus gained in the direction where the signal is beamed by the DA pattern isn't enough to offset what's lost by creating the null(s).

 

[Art Sutton]

How does a directional array in A.M. radio reduce the actual area covered? In some directions the power output may be reduced some, but that power is then used to expand the power output in other directions

Its because you're nulling the signal in one or more directions. The resultant additional juice being directed to the main lobe(s) in most cases only marginally improves the coverage in that direction. The amount of coverage thus gained in the direction where the signal is beamed by the DA pattern isn't enough to offset what's lost by creating the null(s).

Keep in mind that WDUN is not directional in the daytime. The station is licensed for non directional daytime power of 10,000 watts.

The reason you can hear WBMQ down the Florida coast well is because of salt water path. The signal is riding along the salt water coast which has a ground conductivity of 5000 compared to 8 along the marshes and 4 further inland. The ground conductivity around Atlanta is 0.5.

 

[kyscott]

^ You mean S. GA has the best & N. GA has the worst , right?
For a daytime signal, Savannah's WBMQ is the best, as it's able to be heard mostly static free down in Jacksonville, 140 miles away.

No, I meant what I said. Ground conductivity in South Georgia sucks big time. Stations over near the coast have the benefit of the salt water to help their signals. You don't hear any Albany or Columbus or Macon stations down near Jacksonville, correct? I doubt you'll hear any Augusta stations, either.

 

[SonoSational18]

There are lots of factors affecting the overall coverage of AM signals... even more affecting their relative desirability.

Affecting AM coverage is: transmitter power, ground conductivity, tower height (yes, this does matter in AM radio), man-made factors (i.e. power lines, structures, other junk on the tower, etc.), the type of tower, co-and adjacent channel interference, and of course, directional pattern. Of course, all bets are of if you have blowtorch daytime coverage but cover six city blocks south of the tranny site after sunset.

In terms of total daytime coverage WBWQ wins hands down, but as mentioned earlier, a lot of that coverage is over water. For land coverage, it's probably a horse race with maybe a slight edge to WDUN.

However, if you're asking who has the BEST signal, it has to be WSB. It's non directional day and night... with skywave coverage over most of the eastern US at night. Plus, it covers Atlanta. All things being equal, would you rather cover Atlanta's or Columbus' population? While WCNN and WGST might cover a few more square miles during the day, neither can hold a candle to WSB's blowtorch signal.

 

[trusty]

^ You mean S. GA has the best & N. GA has the worst , right?
For a daytime signal, Savannah's WBMQ is the best, as it's able to be heard mostly static free down in Jacksonville, 140 miles away.

No, I meant what I said. Ground conductivity in South Georgia sucks big time. Stations over near the coast have the benefit of the salt water to help their signals. You don't hear any Albany or Columbus or Macon stations down near Jacksonville, correct? I doubt you'll hear any Augusta stations, either.

Check the FCC'sGround Conductivity Map, and download a detailed version.

Looks like both of you are right: Middle Ga. has the best GC with extreme N.Ga. and extreme S.Ga. not as good. Atlanta has the worst GC with WSB's tower almost in the middle of the worst area.

 

[Art Sutton]

There are lots of factors affecting the overall coverage of AM signals... even more affecting their relative desirability.

Affecting AM coverage is: transmitter power, ground conductivity, tower height (yes, this does matter in AM radio), man-made factors (i.e. power lines, structures, other junk on the tower, etc.), the type of tower, co-and adjacent channel interference, and of course, directional pattern. Of course, all bets are of if you have blowtorch daytime coverage but cover six city blocks south of the tranny site after sunset.

In terms of total daytime coverage WBWQ wins hands down, but as mentioned earlier, a lot of that coverage is over water. For land coverage, it's probably a horse race with maybe a slight edge to WDUN.

However, if you're asking who has the BEST signal, it has to be WSB. It's non directional day and night... with skywave coverage over most of the eastern US at night. Plus, it covers Atlanta. All things being equal, would you rather cover Atlanta's or Columbus' population? While WCNN and WGST might cover a few more square miles during the day, neither can hold a candle to WSB's blowtorch signal.

My information has nothing to do with nighttime, directional or non directional signals, etc. All it has to do is using the same standard which is the FCC figures and the same signal strength...when you compare each of these AM stations to each other....the ranking I provided is how many square kilometers each station covers in the daytime.

As far as ground conductivity is concerned, we have taken measurements throughout Georgia, the Carolinas, eastern Tennessee and southwest Virginia.

The worst ground conductivity in the southeast is in and through the Appalachian mountains and north of Interstate 85 and east of I-75...the conductivity is a 0.1. When you go west of 75, it picks up to about a 1 and some areas have a 1.5. From the west side of Atlanta to about Athens, it's a 0.1 then it picks up to about 1.5 south of 85 and north of 20. From 20 south to about 16, it runs 1.5 to 2. Throughout South Georgia...except right along the coast, it runs from 1.5 to 2...maybe a 4 in some areas where there is deep top soil.

 

[cyberdad]

How does a directional array in A.M. radio reduce the actual area covered? In some directions the power output may be reduced some, but that power is then used to expand the power output in other directions

Its because you're nulling the signal in one or more directions. The resultant additional juice being directed to the main lobe(s) in most cases only marginally improves the coverage in that direction. The amount of coverage thus gained in the direction where the signal is beamed by the DA pattern isn't enough to offset what's lost by creating the null(s).

Keep in mind that WDUN is not directional in the daytime. The station is licensed for non directional daytime power of 10,000 watts.

I stand corrected regarding WDUN. Thanks, Art.

But I stand by my answer to the question regarding the use of a DA. Essentially, the laws of physics are such that you're typically taking away more coverage area than you're gaining overall. That said, you can certainly improve your coverage in one or more directions. Same principle as raising power from 500 watts to 1,000 watts. You get a better signal with more coverage, but you still don't double your coverage by doubling your power.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

But I stand by my answer to the question regarding the use of a DA. Essentially, the laws of physics are such that you're typically taking away more coverage area than you're gaining overall. That said, you can certainly improve your coverage in one or more directions. Same principle as raising power from 500 watts to 1,000 watts. You get a better signal with more coverage, but you still don't double your coverage by doubling your power.

What do you define as "double your coverage"? Would you expect doubling power from 500 to 1000 watts to double the distance the signal travels? We know it doesn't. If you double the radius of a circle, what happens to the area of the circle? It QUADRUPLES! I am not trained as a Consulting Engineer but I would wager that when you double the transmitter power, the area of coverage in square miles, kilometers or whatever will double, which creates a new circle that is nowhere near being double the diameter of the original circle.

I will also wager that if you take a circle of coverage from a non-directional antenna and then notch out some nulls in that original circle and distribute that power in increasing the lobe areas of the new coverager pattern outside the original circle, the number of square miles covered will be the same in the directional pattern as it was in the original non-directional pattern. What I don't know is whether an allowance is made for the losses that take place in the components of the phasor network.

 

[Rogue]

Given their vast resources and engineering talent, it amazes me that Cox hasn't seen fit to research and secure a new, optimized transmission site and plant for WSB 750 in all this time.