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WLS transmitter question.

Of course, all of this could have been avoided if ABC had decided to keep the old WENR site in Downers Grove and dump the WLS Tinley Park site many years ago.

Also, it would have a five minute drive for the engineers!

;D
 
skippertthomas said:
At 50kw, the more recent technology from the last few decades give a pretty equal performance if the station has a 1/4 or 1/2 wavelength tower... In the early days, they always wanted that taller configuration, when the newer systems make 1/4 wavelengths very effecient...

I had the good fortune to drop by the WLS transmitter on the way back from our recent vacation in Chicago, and caught the engineer there (see my blurb on the Memphis page). The WLS tower, built in the 30's, is actually a half-wave at 870 (the frequency they occupied at that time).
 
That answers some of the problems.... 1/2 @ 870 and retuned for 890.. Grounding can really screw it up when new construction surrounds the once 'open field' site... WSM has suffered some with all that's gone around their Franklin, TN farm site...
 
skippertthomas said:
That answers some of the problems.... 1/2 @ 870 and retuned for 890..

It didn't seem to hurt them "back in the day"... but, as we have noted, increased interference from any number of sources has taken it's toll.
 
Other considerations... Changes in the Ion and Ozone layers and increased use on the co-channel by low powered locals (after local sunset)....
 
EDwalker said:
Gilbert said:
WMVP's coverage, despite a massive null to the west to protect the 890 in Omaha, has improved here since their tower rebuild--they are actually somewhat listenable now

You have your facts wrong. WMVP is on 1000, not 890.

WLS - on 890 protects nobody....its non-directional 50kw day and night.

And there is no 890 within 100 kilometers of Omaha. Likewise there's no station on 1000 within 100 kilometers of Omaha.

WMVP - on 1000 - has a directional null to the west primarily to protect KOMO/Seattle


Gilbert said:
Also, 94.7 FM's backup antenna is also on one of the WMVP towers, look and you'll see it. It's significantly nulled to the west to protect 94.9 here in DeKalb.

Well no, not really. It is directional only to extent that it prevents the 60dbu coverage of the backup site from exceeding the 60dbu contour of the main site. It would be directional at that site whether the signal in DeKalb existed or not. It cannot exceed the 60dbu coverage of the main transmitter site located downtown.

See the auxilary applicaton:


http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101181054&formid=301&fac_num=73228

Hi Ed,

Wow! What was I breathing when I wrote that? Sorry for the misinformation (and been too busy to read the thread until tonight)...

I had meant AM 1000 out of Omaha. Don't they have one there they have to protect as well?

As for the backup site, thanks for clearing that up, too. I had through they had to protect WDKB in DeKalb at 94.9. Thanks for straightening me out!
 
Gilbert said:
I had meant AM 1000 out of Omaha. Don't they have one there they have to protect as well?

The big AM in Omaha is KFAB 1110--they and WBT Charlotte protect each other
at night. IIRC, WBT does not have to go directional until Omaha sunset.
 
oldiesfan6479 said:
Gilbert said:
I had meant AM 1000 out of Omaha. Don't they have one there they have to protect as well?

The big AM in Omaha is KFAB 1110--they and WBT Charlotte protect each other
at night. IIRC, WBT does not have to go directional until Omaha sunset.

Gotcha. I know there is an AM 1000 in Oklahoma City. BTW, since the new towers went up, AM 1000 is still weak but comes in better in DeKalb, and decent into Kane county, where it didn't before.
 
Here in Arkansas, WBBM and WGN are always regulars, especially during the winter. 670 has seemed a little weaker than it used to be, but still fair. But, I will agree with most of the other posters. The Big 89-WLS isn't what it used to be, far from it. It used to be THE dominate of the 4 big Chicago AMs here. Now, it's the weakest. It seems to be suffering from a border blaster somewhere in Mexico. 850 KOA comes in better than it used to here also.
 
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