• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

WSAI Signal Quality

M

major

Growing up in the 1960s, I lived in Williamsburg, Ohio, and my brother was in high school. The big station for teens at the time was WSAI. I remember it having a booming signal at our house.

What has happened since then to make it so lousy? I live in Amelia, and it is still rather weak here. At my mom's house in Williamsburg, it is even worse. Any ideas of what has happened to this once powerful signal? I asked Paul Jellison this question years ago, and he told me there have been no changes in power/signal pattern since the station's beginning.
 
I recall there being some kind of transmitter event, around 1970, after which their signal was never the same. The event might have been a fire, or storm damage...can't recall exactly what it was but I do recall the signal degradation that followed that event and subsequent repair.
 
One factor might be processing. WSAI probably used very aggressive processing back then compared to today. You also have to think about all those Cell Towers and other vertical metal structures that have sprouted since the 1960's. Clear Channel techs in that neck of the woods are usually tip-tip when it comes to engineering so a bad ground system shouldn't be a factor.

Didn't WSAI move their antenna farm in the last 40 years?
 
I just talked with an old friend of mine who worked at WSAI around 1970. He confirmed that the "event" I was referring to was a fire in the old transmitter building containing a Western Electric/Crosley transmitter. The fire occurred just prior to completion of the new transmitter building containing a Gates transmitter. So although there has been no change to the power/signal pattern over the years, there was switchover to a new transmitter around 1970. If you want more info on the fire/transmitter switch, feel free to email mtpalmsprings 'at' yahoo 'dot' com.
 
I think you also should consider the general degradation of the AM band. Since the
1960's, the FCC crammed far more stations on the band than really needed to be there. The resultant interference from stations that were dropped in and short-
spaced had the effect of mucking up the band as a whole. Many 5 KW's that
"used" to have great signals are finding lots of holes now.

And, it's even worse for lower powered AM's. For instance, the old WCOL-AM in
Columbus used to have a pretty decent nighttime signal over most of the city. It's
difficult to receive them at night in Dublin, today.

Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better to shut off some of the lower powered stations, to allow ones with better signals to cover wider areas with more power.
Yes, I realize that limits ownership availabilities and choices. But, would it be better to own a station that could be healthy financially with a bigger signal, than it would to be to own a 1 KW Day, 50 watt night AM..(or worse, a 1 KW daytimer with 4 watt pre-sunrise authority) that virtually no one can hear?
 
KevinFodor said:
For instance, the old WCOL-AM in Columbus used to have a pretty decent nighttime signal over most of the city. It's difficult to receive them at night in Dublin, today.
Click to expand...

I don't know about their nightime signal in the past but WCOL's day time signal was a real powerhouse for 1230. Back in the 60's, it wasn't unusual to hear the "new" WCOL under WCPO/WUBE in the northern and eastern Cincinnati suburbs.
 
RadioBill said:
KevinFodor said:
For instance, the old WCOL-AM in Columbus used to have a pretty decent nighttime signal over most of the city. It's difficult to receive them at night in Dublin, today.
Click to expand...

I don't know about their nightime signal in the past but WCOL's day time signal was a real powerhouse for 1230. Back in the 60's, it wasn't unusual to hear the "new" WCOL under WCPO/WUBE in the northern and eastern Cincinnati suburbs.
Click to expand...

The former WCOL-AM's (now WTPG-AM) daytime signal these days is not too bad over the market. But at night, it does get spotty in places to say the very least.
 
I remember being told once by an engineer that the reason the 1230 Columbus signal is so much better than Cincinnati's 1230 is because they utilize a half wave tower versus a quarter wave for 1230 here in Cincy. I also think the WDBZ/WUBE/WCPO/etc. ground system is pretty bad. Any engineering types care to jump in?
 
The current 1230 site has been in use for less than 20 years. WDJO moved there around 1989-1990. It's the old police tower in Eden Park that you can look right up at when you're standing outside Krohn Conservatory. It's visible from the 471 bridge and Columbia Parkway, and stands out because the tower beacon flashes real fast. The old site was the tower on top of the Daylight Building (now home to Hixson Architects) at the foot of Mount Adams. They used to have a ground strap that ran the height of the building as a ground system. They were getting kicked off the building, and the Eden Park site was easy and was supposed to be a big improvement. It's hard to say, because it's such a lousy frequency in the first place, especially at night. I don't know how long they were on that old tower, but I think it was way before my time.
 
Agree with the comments on signal quality. Same is true in Gahanna/New Albany/Easton area as in Dublin. I await AM 1230 streaming live. The latest ratings indicate it won't be long now.
 
keys2 said:
I remember being told once by an engineer that the reason the 1230 Columbus signal is so much better than Cincinnati's 1230 is because they utilize a half wave tower versus a quarter wave for 1230 here in Cincy. I also think the WDBZ/WUBE/WCPO/etc. ground system is pretty bad. Any engineering types care to jump in?
Click to expand...

What kind of ground system could WCPO/WUBE possibly have had with their tower atop the Daylight Building? Interestingly, 550 WKRC had their tower(s) atop the Hotel Alms until the mid-60's.
 
keys2 said:
I remember being told once by an engineer that the reason the 1230 Columbus signal is so much better than Cincinnati's 1230 is because they utilize a half wave tower versus a quarter wave for 1230 here in Cincy. I also think the WDBZ/WUBE/WCPO/etc. ground system is pretty bad. Any engineering types care to jump in?
Click to expand...

I have an engineer friend here in town who confirms what you've suggested. Columbus is a half wave tower. Cinci is a quarter wave.

Also, apprently, according to my friend, many AM's in the area suffer from grounding problems.
Some stations don't make sufficent revenue to justify the ungodly expense of putting copper in the ground. Others are owned by company that just want to pump profit at the expense of signal. Either way, lots of AM's are not getting to their potential. Sad...but true.
 
Back in the latter part of the WNOP Jazz days, they leased tower space to AT&T. Supposedly, as the story goes, AT&T messed up a lot of the radials at WNOP. A lawsuit ensued. I don't remember the outcome for sure, but I think AT&T was to have paid to fix this. I've also been told that many if not all Cincinnati AMs have some sort of grounding problem (or at least room for improvement). Could anyone else comment on that?

By the way, I've noticed a different "sound" from WLW starting this week. Like maybe a new transmitter, different compression, something....

I haven't searched the rest of the forum, maybe it is adressed. Any comments to this?
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom