WLAP 630

[chrisalcorn]

Has anyone noticed what happens to this station when traveling towards the Bluegrass Parkway. It was about 2 this afternoon and 630 began to act strange around the airport but I thought nothing of it except the farther I went the worse it got. The sound was "turning over" and fading up and down. I had just left downtown headed toward Danville on the parkway listening to some talk radio and this happened. When I mounted the parkway, all hell broke loose with this station so I flipped to 1580 for a while until WVKO 1580 from Columbus Ohio wiped them out of my Sony. I then went back to 630 and it got better further from Lexington. What gives? AM is no good in the winter months. Is 630 using a directional array like 1580. If so, it works well!!

 

[radiorob2.0]

Has anyone noticed what happens to this station when traveling towards the Bluegrass Parkway. It was about 2 this afternoon and 630 began to act strange around the airport but I thought nothing of it except the farther I went the worse it got. The sound was "turning over" and fading up and down. I had just left downtown headed toward Danville on the parkway listening to some talk radio and this happened. When I mounted the parkway, all hell broke loose with this station so I flipped to 1580 for a while until WVKO 1580 from Columbus Ohio wiped them out of my Sony. I then went back to 630 and it got better further from Lexington. What gives? AM is no good in the winter months. Is 630 using a directional array like 1580. If so, it works well!!

Welcome to directional AM 101. Here is a visual aid that is much too kind

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

WLAP signal is very directional to the west, you were driving through the nastiest part. WLAP has a better signal in Covington than Versailles.

1580 throws everything to the South southeast so there isn't much going down the BG.

 

[timespentnotlistening]

The signal is just as bad even worse going south as the 'null' seems to follow the Interstate 75 corridor almost perfectly into Madison County. You start getting the 'donald duck' phasing problem just after the 104 exit and the signal remains unlistenable to way past Richmond.

That's a pretty serious liability since Madison County is by far the second largest county in the Lexington market (second to Fayette). Once you move east or west of the interstate you can hear it again in Madison County (during the day at least), but since Richmond is becoming more and more concentrated around the interstate with the new exit and all the new retail development at the 87 exit, that's not much consolation. That's not to mention all the commuters they miss.

It puts them at a huge disadvantage down there. I did enjoy listening to them driving through Columbus, Ohio one day though.

 

[radiorob2.0]

The signal is just as bad even worse going south as the 'null' seems to follow the Interstate 75 corridor almost perfectly into Madison County. You start getting the 'donald duck' phasing problem just after the 104 exit and the signal remains unlistenable to way past Richmond.

That's a pretty serious liability since Madison County is by far the second largest county in the Lexington market (second to Fayette). Once you move east or west of the interstate you can hear it again in Madison County (during the day at least), but since Richmond is becoming more and more concentrated around the interstate with the new exit and all the new retail development at the 87 exit, that's not much consolation. That's not to mention all the commuters they miss.

It puts them at a huge disadvantage down there. I did enjoy listening to them driving through Columbus, Ohio one day though.

The solution is simple, put the format on a FM signal.

 

[KyDXIn]

Has anyone noticed what happens to this station when traveling towards the Bluegrass Parkway. It was about 2 this afternoon and 630 began to act strange around the airport but I thought nothing of it except the farther I went the worse it got. The sound was "turning over" and fading up and down. I had just left downtown headed toward Danville on the parkway listening to some talk radio and this happened. When I mounted the parkway, all hell broke loose with this station so I flipped to 1580 for a while until WVKO 1580 from Columbus Ohio wiped them out of my Sony. I then went back to 630 and it got better further from Lexington. What gives? AM is no good in the winter months. Is 630 using a directional array like 1580. If so, it works well!!

Welcome to directional AM 101. Here is a visual aid that is much too kind

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

WLAP signal is very directional to the west, you were driving through the nastiest part. WLAP has a better signal in Covington than Versailles.

1580 throws everything to the South southeast so there isn't much going down the BG.

Has the signal always been directional or did that happen when the old WTMT 620 (now WTUV) signed on in Louisville. I think they signed on in 1958. I can't believe that a Spanish language station can make enough money here to operate. Am I overlooking the ratings for this station or are they that low?

 

[kyscott]

There are TWO Spanish stations operating here now and yes, there is money in the format since Shelby, Henry and Oldham counties have an average Spanish population of 5%.

 

[KyDXIn]

There are TWO Spanish stations operating here now and yes, there is money in the format since Shelby, Henry and Oldham counties have an average Spanish population of 5%.

Isn't the second station just a simulcast of the AM signal on 105.7?

 

[radiorob2.0]

WLAP moved to 630 in the early 50's, they were at 1450.

If you notice 630's day and night patterns are almost identical. An urban legend around Lexington claimed WLAP could have had a better signal during the day. But for some reason they didn't create a day pattern to cover Versailles and Frankfort. A null would have had to exist to the west for St Louis but it could cover that direction. Instead they opened up the night pattern a bit and applied 5kw. Once 620 hit the air in 1958 it locked WLAP to that day pattern.

How about a TM jingle: News Talk and You and...News Talk Ninety Four and a Half, WLAP-FM. I'm kidding about the jingle but not about the concept. News Talk on 94.5 and spin off 630 to sports but simulcast UK.

 

[KyDXIn]

WLAP moved to 630 in the early 50's, they were at 1450.

If you notice 630's day and night patterns are almost identical. An urban legend around Lexington claimed WLAP could have had a better signal during the day. But for some reason they didn't create a day pattern to cover Versailles and Frankfort. A null would have had to exist to the west for St Louis but it could cover that direction. Instead they opened up the night pattern a bit and applied 5kw. Once 620 hit the air in 1958 it locked WLAP to that day pattern.

How about a TM jingle: News Talk and You and...News Talk Ninety Four and a Half, WLAP-FM. I'm kidding about the jingle but not about the concept. News Talk on 94.5 and spin off 630 to sports but simulcast UK.

When I've been in Lexington and listened to the station, it reminds me of a Mini-Me of its Dr. Evil (WHAS). Seems like what I've read here, the signal is not very viable if the commuters can't listen to the signal on their way home to say Shelbyville or Richmond.

 

[kyscott]

There are TWO Spanish stations operating here now and yes, there is money in the format since Shelby, Henry and Oldham counties have an average Spanish population of 5%.

Isn't the second station just a simulcast of the AM signal on 105.7?

105.7 and 620 simulcast. I was referring to Latina 1600 AM. The Eminence AM flipped to Spanish back in August totally independent of the other Spanish programmer.

 

[oxford777]

WLAP moved to 630 in the early 50's, they were at 1450.

If you notice 630's day and night patterns are almost identical. An urban legend around Lexington claimed WLAP could have had a better signal during the day. But for some reason they didn't create a day pattern to cover Versailles and Frankfort. A null would have had to exist to the west for St Louis but it could cover that direction. Instead they opened up the night pattern a bit and applied 5kw. Once 620 hit the air in 1958 it locked WLAP to that day pattern.

How about a TM jingle: News Talk and You and...News Talk Ninety Four and a Half, WLAP-FM. I'm kidding about the jingle but not about the concept. News Talk on 94.5 and spin off 630 to sports but simulcast UK.

I agree. I don't listen to 630AM (1) because I'm in that western null, and (2) the programming isn't my cup of tea. But, MIX is messed up. CC isn't going to mess with 98.1 or 100.1, and probably not 104.5. And (apparently) they have to ditch 105.5. But moving 630 content to 94.5 makes a lot of sense.

Rob, thanks for the background on 630's pattern. Always wondered why they couldn't go out a little further to the west. KXOK (or whatever these days) in Saint Louis didn't need to be protected in Versailles.

 

[KyDXIn]

There are TWO Spanish stations operating here now and yes, there is money in the format since Shelby, Henry and Oldham counties have an average Spanish population of 5%.

Isn't the second station just a simulcast of the AM signal on 105.7?

105.7 and 620 simulcast. I was referring to Latina 1600 AM. The Eminence AM flipped to Spanish back in August totally independent of the other Spanish programmer.

Wow-- I thought they were doing sports.

 

[oxford777]

WLAP moved to 630 in the early 50's, they were at 1450.

If you notice 630's day and night patterns are almost identical. An urban legend around Lexington claimed WLAP could have had a better signal during the day. But for some reason they didn't create a day pattern to cover Versailles and Frankfort. A null would have had to exist to the west for St Louis but it could cover that direction. Instead they opened up the night pattern a bit and applied 5kw. Once 620 hit the air in 1958 it locked WLAP to that day pattern.

How about a TM jingle: News Talk and You and...News Talk Ninety Four and a Half, WLAP-FM. I'm kidding about the jingle but not about the concept. News Talk on 94.5 and spin off 630 to sports but simulcast UK.

I agree. I don't listen to 630AM (1) because I'm in that western null, and (2) the programming isn't my cup of tea. But, MIX is messed up. CC isn't going to mess with 98.1 or 100.1, and probably not 104.5. And (apparently) they have to ditch 105.5. But moving 630 content to 94.5 makes a lot of sense.

Rob, thanks for the background on 630's pattern. Always wondered why they couldn't go out a little further to the west. KXOK (or whatever these days) in Saint Louis didn't need to be protected in Versailles.

I meant to add that it might be a good time to do this because I think 'VLK is vulnerable right now. Somebody at Cumulus apprently thinks that either (a) somebody can program 590 better than RL, or (b) it can run on auto-pilot. "A" might be true, but I'd have to be convinced. And "B" won't work long term. And having 'VLK on 101.5 isn't a bad idea, but 94.5's signal is far superior to 101.5.

 

[kyscott]

There are TWO Spanish stations operating here now and yes, there is money in the format since Shelby, Henry and Oldham counties have an average Spanish population of 5%.

Isn't the second station just a simulcast of the AM signal on 105.7?

105.7 and 620 simulcast. I was referring to Latina 1600 AM. The Eminence AM flipped to Spanish back in August totally independent of the other Spanish programmer.

Wow-- I thought they were doing sports.

That was three formats ago.

 

[radioville]

There are TWO Spanish stations operating here now and yes, there is money in the format since Shelby, Henry and Oldham counties have an average Spanish population of 5%.

Isn't the second station just a simulcast of the AM signal on 105.7?

105.7 and 620 simulcast. I was referring to Latina 1600 AM. The Eminence AM flipped to Spanish back in August totally independent of the other Spanish programmer.

I remember reading about Latina 1600 in the CJ. Does Pete still own 1570 and 1600?

 

[kyscott]

There are TWO Spanish stations operating here now and yes, there is money in the format since Shelby, Henry and Oldham counties have an average Spanish population of 5%.

Isn't the second station just a simulcast of the AM signal on 105.7?

105.7 and 620 simulcast. I was referring to Latina 1600 AM. The Eminence AM flipped to Spanish back in August totally independent of the other Spanish programmer.

I remember reading about Latina 1600 in the CJ. Does Pete still own 1570 and 1600?

Yep. For now.