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WREK Signal

R

RadioFreeAtlanta

I have noticed that within the last month that the WREK (91.1) signal has degraded substantially. It used to be crystal clear in the mornings but over the last few weeks there has been much static and bleedover from another station.

I noticed on radio-locator.com that they have applied for an upgrade; hopefully that will help in the future.
 
It looks like they are in the final stages of installing the new Antenna. I would guess they will be on the "new" signal in the near future.

They have been operating with greatly reduced power for a number of weeks while the old antenna was taken down, and the new one went up. They also had to do so structural work to the tower as well.
 
They were operating from a backup antenna with low power. The new antenna is now installed, and they are operating with 50kW ERP. They will be turning it up to 100kW when they get FCC authorization shortly.
 
ssnake said:
They were operating from a backup antenna with low power. The new antenna is now installed, and they are operating with 50kW ERP. They will be turning it up to 100kW when they get FCC authorization shortly.
Click to expand...

The application with supporting documents was filed yesterday. Program test authority should be granted usually within a week.
 
Signal is solid in North Cobb county, about 600 ft from Cherokee County, and 900 ft from Bartow.
 
I'd be interested to know if the new signal is better multipath-wise. One of my biggest issues with the old signal was all the multipath... The new antenna is higher than the old one... it's an 8 bay, so the center of radiation is a bit higher on the tower. Also, the directionality may come into play... at least on the west/nw side, the reflected signal from the downtown buildings ought to be less powerful due to the directionality?
 
Multipath is much improved on the westside going out I-20 to Douglasville. The signal is very smooth now - there used to be areas on I-20 where the signal suffered from severe multipath. Those areas are now gone.
Good job to all you Tech engineering guys who made this happen! WREK has a much improved signal - your hard work will be appreciated by the REK audience for years to come.
 
Both HD channels one and two are now coming in much stronger in the Emory area now that REK has made the needed improvements. So glad that the necessary down time is over.
 
The signal is coming in loud and strong on the northside.

They have the best classical music show in Atlanta in the morning and really enjoy how it comes through crystal clear now.
 
The license to cover was granted yesterday.

As of 6pm tonight, WREK is now 100,000 Watts! I was at the transmitter shack tonight when the current chief engineer raised the power up to 100%.

I'm still in shock that this happened. We initially got the CP as a placeholder to protect our contour. Then we got the 25kW transmitter, and now the new directional antenna that most manufacturers said couldn't be built (other than as a panel, which wouldn't fit on our tower).
 
ssnake said:
The license to cover was granted yesterday.

As of 6pm tonight, WREK is now 100,000 Watts! I was at the transmitter shack tonight when the current chief engineer raised the power up to 100%.

I'm still in shock that this happened. We initially got the CP as a placeholder to protect our contour. Then we got the 25kW transmitter, and now the new directional antenna that most manufacturers said couldn't be built (other than as a panel, which wouldn't fit on our tower).
Click to expand...

When I toured WREK in 2008 with Scott Fybush, the engineer was a brilliant guy named Thomas. He probably graduated and left. Did he, Ssnake?

It was not so much the technical stuff about the station that threw me. It was when he told me the (non-broadcast) things he wanted to do in his career. It might have had something to do with geology, but after he said it, I wondered what in the world I had just heard.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
When I toured WREK in 2008 with Scott Fybush, the engineer was a brilliant guy named Thomas. He probably graduated and left. Did he, Ssnake?

It was not so much the technical stuff about the station that threw me. It was when he told me the (non-broadcast) things he wanted to do in his career. It might have had something to do with geology, but after he said it, I wondered what in the world I had just heard.
Click to expand...

I think Thomas S. may be working on a grad degree, but he hasn't been that involved with WREK lately. He's the one who got the new transmitter installed and got started on evaluating antenna possibilities. Daniel, the current CE, picked up the antenna project and saw it to completion. My own project was the studio move in 2004, so I'm very satisfied that WREK has continued to progress.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
ssnake said:
The license to cover was granted yesterday.

As of 6pm tonight, WREK is now 100,000 Watts! I was at the transmitter shack tonight when the current chief engineer raised the power up to 100%.

I'm still in shock that this happened. We initially got the CP as a placeholder to protect our contour. Then we got the 25kW transmitter, and now the new directional antenna that most manufacturers said couldn't be built (other than as a panel, which wouldn't fit on our tower).
Click to expand...

When I toured WREK in 2008 with Scott Fybush, the engineer was a brilliant guy named Thomas. He probably graduated and left. Did he, Ssnake?

It was not so much the technical stuff about the station that threw me. It was when he told me the (non-broadcast) things he wanted to do in his career. It might have had something to do with geology, but after he said it, I wondered what in the world I had just heard.
Click to expand...

SSnake has a graduate degree in computer sciences......but still decided to get a J.D.(law) from UGA. People who know, and speak of him also use the word "brilliant" quite often.
The current chief has a EE already - I think he said he was working on a Masters in EE.
All these WREK engineering people are really smart guys and will be the technical future of radio....... and all the other "magic" stuff that will come along.
I was in Newnan this morning and WREK was crystal clear.
Any reports from the eastside? Coverage should be somewhat less on that side of the circle.....
 
WREK is about the same as 100.5 WNNX in northern Gwinnett on a small portable radio. This is your weakest area (protecting WWEV). I think WREK is now the best college signal in the market. WRAS' signal strength up here is about the same as Journey 97.9. I see a CP to improve the WRAS coverage area. Anyone have an update on this CP?
 
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