WIP (AM) 610 former transmitter site

[DanStrassberg]

Does anybody have any information about the transmitter site that WIP used before it moved to its present two-tower DA-1 site (sometime in the 1960s, I'm told). I'm talking here about a site that would have been decomissioned nearly 50 years ago (or maybe even a little more than 50 years ago). How many towers were there? Approximately where was the site located? How tall were the towers? Were they, perhaps, top-loaded like the present towers? Did the towers perhaps support a long-wire? My understanding is that long-wires did not essentially disappear until the sometime in the '60s--although even by the mid '50s, they had become relatively rare. I believe I saw this site during the summer of 1955 but that was a long time ago and I could be imagining the experience. If WIP was directional back in that day, can anybody supply any information on what the pattern looked like?

The first-adjacent station on 620 in northern NJ signed on in late 1947 (it was WVNJ Newark back then and ran 5 kW-U DA-2 in those days). WVNJ's patterns were both five-tower teardrops directed to the east. So WVNJ was protecting WIP. However, since WIP predated WVNJ by many years, it would not be surprising to discover that WIP did not originally protect WVNJ. OTOH, if WIP did not protect WVNJ, there would have been substantial prohibited overlap between WIP and WVNJ. That suggests that well before 1947. WIP was directional with a pattern at least somewhat similar to its current pattern. Anyone know the story?

 

[tom]

From the Radio Pioneer's site ...

In 1935, the studios were moved to 35 South Ninth Street and two years later the transmitter was moved to 21st and Hamilton Streets.

In 1938, the station began a full 24 hour a day broadcast schedule and used the slogan "Philadelphia's Pioneer Station." In 1940, the station was granted a power increase to 5,000 watts and the transmitter site was moved to Bellmawr, NJ. The previous tower at 21st and Hamilton was dismantled and the property sold.

*** The date could probably be verified by checking public tax records with Bellmawr.

 

[DanStrassberg]

In 1938, the station began a full 24 hour a day broadcast schedule and used the slogan "Philadelphia's Pioneer Station." In 1940, the station was granted a power increase to 5,000 watts and the transmitter site was moved to Bellmawr, NJ. The previous tower at 21st and Hamilton was dismantled and the property sold.

Thanks! But is Bellmawr the current site? I believe that the current site is in New Jersey.

 

[Irishfl]

yes 610's is in Bellmawr, next to 295 just south of rt42/76. You can see from rt42 too when driving over the NJ turnpike overpass.

 

[Bill_W]

In 1938, the station began a full 24 hour a day broadcast schedule and used the slogan "Philadelphia's Pioneer Station." In 1940, the station was granted a power increase to 5,000 watts and the transmitter site was moved to Bellmawr, NJ. The previous tower at 21st and Hamilton was dismantled and the property sold.

Thanks! But is Bellmawr the current site? I believe that the current site is in New Jersey.

Look above, Bellmawr, NJ. When the letters NJ is after a town or a city it means New Jersey. And that is the current site, right next to 295, just South of 42/76.

 

[rtetro]

two years later the transmitter was moved to 21st and Hamilton Streets.

Very interesting. That's just a few blocks from the new studio site of sister station KYW-TV, at 15th & Hamilton.