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WMBI AM (now WXES) 1110 off the air

CADXER

CADXER

Yesterday I have seen a report that my local station WMBI AM 1110 was off the air. I checked this morning and it appears that they are still off. Don't know what the problem is, but I remember a while back reports that Moody Bible Institute was planning on selling their AM stations. For me this opens up the frequency as their transmitter is just 2.5 miles away from me.
 
Three days in a row for WMBI’s silence. Has to be a major technical problem. I’ve seen the sale report as well. I think Moody wants to concentrate on online outreach.
 
According to a post in the Chicago Media Chat the issue is a failed transmitter part that they are waiting for.

Nothing special heard so far in their absence. Just WGNZ Fairborn, Ohio and WBT Charlotte, North Carolina which is a common catch.
 
Back on the air since Monday.
 
tvnut said:
I think Moody wants to concentrate on online outreach.
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Moody had only 3 stations in their Spanish-language service, which they are discontinuing. Probably wasn't covering costs. The stations airing it are not very good facilities, with a combined 6200 watts day, and 51 watts at night.
 
WMBI dropped from 5,000 watts to 4.200 some years ago, but the signal is still adequate for most of the immediate Chicato area. At 5kw, WMBI made it all the way to the eastern counties of Iowa before eventually getting overtaken by KFAB. Given that the Chicago area is squarely in the nighttime nulls of both WBT and KFAB, I used to wonder why they never applied for nighttime service. Apparently, they decided instead to invest in their FM (90.1), which has an excellent signal. In hindsight, the right call.
 
Looks like WMBI has been off the air for couple days. They are still off as I am writing this. Perhaps they are doing some work on their transmitter in Addison, IL before the new owners take over the station, or they have more technical issues related to the March 2021 outage.
 
According to the Chicago Media Chat board the station sale was consummated last week and the new owners are making some modifications.
 
I wonder if they are installing their FM translator, which was part of the WMBI sale to El Sembrador Ministries. WMBI had a standing CP for a translator on 106.3 FM (W292GB), which is supposed to be located at the Addison, IL site.
 
CADXER said:
I wonder if they are installing their FM translator, which was part of the WMBI sale to El Sembrador Ministries. WMBI had a standing CP for a translator on 106.3 FM (W292GB), which is supposed to be located at the Addison, IL site.
Click to expand...
Somebody speculated that that was the case. We'll see.
 
WMBI is now WXES. Still no sign of them on 1110 kHz or their translator on 106.3 FM.
 
cyberdad said:
WMBI dropped from 5,000 watts to 4,200 some years ago, but the signal is still adequate for most of the immediate Chicato area. At 5kw, WMBI made it all the way to the eastern counties of Iowa before eventually getting overtaken by KFAB. Given that the Chicago area is squarely in the nighttime nulls of both WBT and KFAB, I used to wonder why they never applied for nighttime service. Apparently, they decided instead to invest in their FM (90.1), which has an excellent signal. In hindsight, the right call.
Click to expand...
I think it may have been in the 4200 range before. Lots of stations are still licensed with the nominal power level (5000) that used to have series limiting resistors, then they just reduced input. Did they move to a new taller towers at the same site? The new license would show the actual input power.

Not sure if this permit still reflects the nominal power or the input power.

 
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The web page shows 5,000 watts daytime/5,000 watts nighttime. Is that new? Are the new owners looking to add nighttime operatioon? Is the reason they're not on the air yet because they're building additional towers for a nighttime DA? i've often wondered why WMBI didn't opt for nighttime operation, especially given that 1110 is relatively open around here at night being in the nulls of both KFAB and WBT.
 
That's the record from 1978. At that time, even with reduced input, it was still licensed with the nominal power, 5000 watts. Look what CKJD/CKTY 1110 had to do to be 1 kW Nighttime. Nine towers, a 3 X 3. Also, WJML 1110 only got 10 watts PSSA even with the Critical Hours nulls.

WSBC 1240 is still licensed as 1000 watts, with minimum efficiency for Class IV, under rules when licensed, 241 mV/m @ 1 km (150 mV/m @ 1 mile). It looks like WJOB 1230 is the restriction. The 95.3 degree antenna should have the efficiency around 310 mV/m @ 1 km with 1 kW.
 
cyberdad said:
The web page shows 5,000 watts daytime/5,000 watts nighttime. Is that new? Are the new owners looking to add nighttime operatioon? Is the reason they're not on the air yet because they're building additional towers for a nighttime DA? i've often wondered why WMBI didn't opt for nighttime operation, especially given that 1110 is relatively open around here at night being in the nulls of both KFAB and WBT.
Click to expand...

It's an old record as pointed above. They are licensed for 4.2 kW daytime only these days and there are no construction permits or even applications for any changes to the antenna systems. I drive by their Addison antenna tower on almost daily basis and I don't see any work being done. They should be installing their FM translator antenna, but I don't see any indication of that yet. According to my calculations they have been silent since at least July 16, so they are quickly approaching the 30-day limit before they have to inform the FCC and ask for an STA. Considering that they changed their call letter it leads me to believe that they will return to the air any day.
 
CADXER said:
It's an old record as pointed above. They are licensed for 4.2 kW daytime only these days and there are no construction permits or even applications for any changes to the antenna systems. I drive by their Addison antenna tower on almost daily basis and I don't see any work being done. They should be installing their FM translator antenna, but I don't see any indication of that yet. According to my calculations they have been silent since at least July 16, so they are quickly approaching the 30-day limit before they have to inform the FCC and ask for an STA. Considering that they changed their call letter it leads me to believe that they will return to the air any day.
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10 days to notify, 30 days to ask for permission
 
After the first "energy crisis" in the1970s drove up energy prices, a bunch of engineers petitioned the FCC to allow them to not have to burn off extra power as heat to reduce efficiency with what was variously called a Series Limiting Resistor, a Linear Resistor, a Power Dissipating Resistor, Efficiency Resistor, etc. The were allowed to input like 3500 watts, 3800 watts, 4200 watts, etc., instead of converting 1500, 1200, or 800, etc., into heat, but still license it at the 5000 watt nominal power. If they had to move, or otherwise relicense, they were required to use the actual input power as the licensed power. I suspect that that is what happened with WMBI, that it actually was 4200 watts all along, or thereabouts. If the APP was online, we could verify this.
 
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