WSB-AM Debuts On FM Today at Noon

[Wildstyle K]

So why would a non-radio geek care to seek out the Beat on HD2 (again, with no local content to speak of?)

It makes less sense than the available options online. I seriously doubt many people follow these versions of formerly favorite mainstream stations online or to HD.

I don't even follow anyone to online or HD, so I could only imagine what the average person doesn't do. Just getting the average person (like some in my family in their early 20's or mid 50's) to memorize the frequency is challenging enough. They just remember the preset or the proximity on the dial, or if it's something easy like 99.9 or catchy call letters.

 

[HGR1290]

Moving the WSB site would have little impact on the signal. Its the ground conductivity between you and the transmitter site that sucks. The midwest stations get out better because that whole area has many many many times the ground conductivity vs Atlanta/North Georgia.

While placing an am in a "swamp" serves as a good launching point forAM--its really impacted more by far field conductivity---or lack thereof.

 

[RonRoberts]

Looks to me, anyhow, 105.7's playlist is pretty darned "current pop" to me. Has it not BEEN like this?

http://1057thegroove.com/iplaylist/playlist.html

 

[rodneyho]

When the Groove began last fall, it played a lot more recurrents and oldies from the disco era into the early 2000s. It played very currents and even when it did, it added them late. That changed in the spring. They have been as fast as Q100 and the Beat in adding many songs by the likes of Katy Perry, Drake and Taio Cruz.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I'm not an engineer, but I wonder has Cox's engineering team ever given any thought to moving the AM 750 transmitter out of the strip shopping center across from Northlake to a marshy or swampy area somewhere in the general vicinity that would be a lot more conducive for the ground conductivity that a 50K watt AM signal needs. With the right ground conductivity, WSB's daytime ground signal could easily cover a 250 - 300 mile radius much like WGN in Chicago, or WLW in Cincinnati does now. WSB's nighttime signal isn't an issue, considering that it covers 38 states and parts of Canada.

yes, and no. Soil conductivity all over north Georgia sucks, but it's particularly bad in and around Atlanta. And since there are no swamps near Atlanta, they would have to build the swamp. Conductivity Around Atlanta including WSB's Dekalb county transmitter site is a 1. Maybe 1.5 milliohms per meter. This includes Gwinnett, Dekalb, Henry, parts of Walton, Newton and Spalding counties. It improves east of Atlanta but you have to get out in far eastern Walton & Newton, Morgan and Jasper counties. That's too far away from Atlanta.

For comparison, the stations you mentioned. The conductivity for WLW and WGN are 8 milliohms per meter and seawater is 5000 milliohms per meter.

And the reason for the bad soil, you need to look no further than Stone Mountain for the tip of the answer. Atlanta sits on a big ole piece of granite.

 

[only1moore]

Looks to me, anyhow, 105.7's playlist is pretty darned "current pop" to me. Has it not BEEN like this?

http://1057thegroove.com/iplaylist/playlist.html

When the Groove began last fall, it played a lot more recurrents and oldies from the disco era into the early 2000s. It played very currents and even when it did, it added them late. That changed in the spring. They have been as fast as Q100 and the Beat in adding many songs by the likes of Katy Perry, Drake and Taio Cruz.

It might have to do with the hiring of Dennis Martinez as their new PD. He does have credentials in Mainstream and Rhythmic radio.

 

[BIGSTICK]

I'm not an engineer, but I wonder has Cox's engineering team ever given any thought to moving the AM 750 transmitter out of the strip shopping center across from Northlake to a marshy or swampy area somewhere in the general vicinity that would be a lot more conducive for the ground conductivity that a 50K watt AM signal needs. With the right ground conductivity, WSB's daytime ground signal could easily cover a 250 - 300 mile radius much like WGN in Chicago, or WLW in Cincinnati does now. WSB's nighttime signal isn't an issue, considering that it covers 38 states and parts of Canada.

yes, and no. Soil conductivity all over north Georgia sucks, but it's particularly bad in and around Atlanta. And since there are no swamps near Atlanta, they would have to build the swamp. Conductivity Around Atlanta including WSB's Dekalb county transmitter site is a 1. Maybe 1.5 milliohms per meter. This includes Gwinnett, Dekalb, Henry, parts of Walton, Newton and Spalding counties. It improves east of Atlanta but you have to get out in far eastern Walton & Newton, Morgan and Jasper counties. That's too far away from Atlanta.

For comparison, the stations you mentioned. The conductivity for WLW and WGN are 8 milliohms per meter and seawater is 5000 milliohms per meter.

And the reason for the bad soil, you need to look no further than Stone Mountain for the tip of the answer. Atlanta sits on a big ole piece of granite.

Awesome explanation, but isn't WLW in Mason, OH pretty far from Cincy proper?

 

[Bengalsfan]

Awesome explanation, but isn't WLW in Mason, OH pretty far from Cincy proper?

From the geographic center of Cincinnati, it's 20 miles to the WLW tower near Mason. While WSB's tower is presently 10 miles from the geographic center of Atlanta. To get into the higher soil conductivity, the closest you would get to the center of Atlanta is out in Newton county, roughly 40 miles away from the center of Atlanta. Cox is going best by keeping it where it is. And that's not even taking into account the process of moving a tower. Can you imagine the uproar out in the 'burbs when they find out a 50kW AM tower is about to move in next door? I would be worse than the Ground Zero mosque bru-ha-ha.

 

[BIGSTICK]

Awesome explanation, but isn't WLW in Mason, OH pretty far from Cincy proper?

From the geographic center of Cincinnati, it's 20 miles to the WLW tower near Mason. While WSB's tower is presently 10 miles from the geographic center of Atlanta. To get into the higher soil conductivity, the closest you would get to the center of Atlanta is out in Newton county, roughly 40 miles away from the center of Atlanta. Cox is going best by keeping it where it is. And that's not even taking into account the process of moving a tower. Can you imagine the uproar out in the 'burbs when they find out a 50kW AM tower is about to move in next door? I would be worse than the Ground Zero mosque bru-ha-ha.

LOL< you are right about that,,,,thanks...Put it in the middle of Lake Alatoona

 

[davideduardo]

I'm not an engineer, but I wonder has Cox's engineering team ever given any thought to moving the AM 750 transmitter out of the strip shopping center across from Northlake to a marshy or swampy area somewhere in the general vicinity that would be a lot more conducive for the ground conductivity that a 50K watt AM signal needs.

This is not about coverage, it's about the age of listeners and sales.

With the right ground conductivity, WSB's daytime ground signal could easily cover a 250 - 300 mile radius much like WGN in Chicago, or WLW in Cincinnati does now.

The conductiviy of N. Ga. is terrible. No matter how damp the site itself is, the ground conductivity, like that around WSM, will not permit the same kind of coverage that a station like WGN gets in the high conductivity area that surrounds it.

WSB's nighttime signal isn't an issue, considering that it covers 38 states and parts of Canada.

Most AM listening is in the daytime hours, and most ad sales are in that time period. And with the interference on 750, and the protection now in effect, the reliable skywave coverage is perhaps 400-500 miles around. Of course, the 100 kw station in Venezuela does not help, nor does all the junk on 740 from the Caribbean, Mexico, etc.

Since radio is bought locally, the local Atlanta metro is what matters. There is really no significant revenue to be gotten from outside that area.

 

[BIGSTICK]

I'm not an engineer, but I wonder has Cox's engineering team ever given any thought to moving the AM 750 transmitter out of the strip shopping center across from Northlake to a marshy or swampy area somewhere in the general vicinity that would be a lot more conducive for the ground conductivity that a 50K watt AM signal needs.

This is not about coverage, it's about the age of listeners and sales.

With the right ground conductivity, WSB's daytime ground signal could easily cover a 250 - 300 mile radius much like WGN in Chicago, or WLW in Cincinnati does now.

The conductiviy of N. Ga. is terrible. No matter how damp the site itself is, the ground conductivity, like that around WSM, will not permit the same kind of coverage that a station like WGN gets in the high conductivity area that surrounds it.

WSB's nighttime signal isn't an issue, considering that it covers 38 states and parts of Canada.

Most AM listening is in the daytime hours, and most ad sales are in that time period. And with the interference on 750, and the protection now in effect, the reliable skywave coverage is perhaps 400-500 miles around. Of course, the 100 kw station in Venezuela does not help, nor does all the junk on 740 from the Caribbean, Mexico, etc.

Since radio is bought locally, the local Atlanta metro is what matters. There is really no significant revenue to be gotten from outside that area.

Even so, I have a lot of the GE Superadios that were phenomenal, and the selectivity is amazing during the daytime, I can usually get 1510 WLAC in Nash, and small signals over 70 miles away in the Virginia Highland area where I live, not far from the overload of the Cheshire Bridge tower farm even.

 

[amlover]

will clear channel blow up 105.7 and do talk agian ?


real radio 105.7 or rush radio 105.7 ?

If Clear Channel does not do something about 640's night signal soon they are toast. I can hear it on one of their hd-2 channels but the masses don't have HD radio's.

 

[amlover]

95.5/The Beat is going to be on w/no jocks at 97.1/HD-2 as well as online.

97.1 HD 2 is dead air. Just carrier!

 

[davideduardo]

If Clear Channel does not do something about 640's night signal soon they are toast. I can hear it on one of their hd-2 channels but the masses don't have HD radio's.

At this time, when AM news/talkers are moving to FM or FM simulcasts, it's doubtful that any major money would be invested in an AM... particularly since there is not a whole lot they can do on 640 due to protection requirements.

 

[lilburncommunityradio]

will clear channel blow up 105.7 and do talk agian ?


real radio 105.7 or rush radio 105.7 ?

If Clear Channel does not do something about 640's night signal soon they are toast. I can hear it on one of their hd-2 channels but the masses don't have HD radio's.

640 's Signal in all reality isnt that great, considering that they are 50kw and I agree with Am lover they either have to fix the am and stop all of the national syndicated shows, and fix signal issues, or its over for them! WSB has always beaten CC to the punch and killed em.. Except for way back in the 80s and WGST was ruling.. Someone needs to grow a brain

 

[Rick Rose 2.0]

it wasn't clear channel that owned WGST when they were competive in the 80s and early 90s. Jacor actually invested in the station but CC has not. Cox had News Talk and AC handed to them by CC, Jacor would have never destroyed WGST and we would have had Peach 94.9 keeping B 98.5 on its toes. I know jacor got tricked into planet radio but they killed it pretty quick.

 

[nightmanager]

Personally, I'm waiting for the WSB-AM app (or, even better, a Cox version of CC's iheartradio) for Android.

Why wait? Android 1.5 and up already has the free "Cherry Rplayer" app, which despite being tied into CBS stations, also allows you to add Shoutcast and MP3 streams such as WSB's. It sounds fantastic and doesn't use a lot of data or battery. Lately I had been running that app for WSB and feeding the sound into an FM modulator in my car, just to avoid the random AM static.

It sounds so good, I was just about to pull the trigger and get an HD radio installed in my car. But not now. Not with 95.5. I will instead focus on spending more for a car radio with Bluetooth to connect to my phone and feed in out of market stuff on iheartradio or 24/7 feeds like Twitlive. That in the car kicks butt for me.

Speaking of which, radio geeks might enjoy the Twitlive show This Week in Radio Tech every Wednesday at 8PM ET. This is the sort of radio radio talk show most of us probably wish we could hear ON the radio.

 

[Talk_Dude]

So why would a non-radio geek care to seek out the Beat on HD2 (again, with no local content to speak of?)

It makes less sense than the available options online. I seriously doubt many people follow these versions of formerly favorite mainstream stations online or to HD.

Duh!!!! People tune in music stations BECUASE THEY LIKE THE MUSIC!

Nobody really gives a damn about DJ's and jingles, except radio geeks. What draws the audience is the music.

If you work in radio as a "personality", you need to make a real big sign that says "It's the music they tune in for. it's not for you". Put that where you see it every minute you're on the air.

 

[top16]

Any chance the Groove moves to the stronger signal at 94.9 and the Bull goes up the dial to 105.7???

 

[musicfan101]

How were The Beat's ratings in their demos? I would imagine them doing well, since it being Atlanta and all. Wasn't 97.1 doing worse?