WTAM coverage problem

[Footsteps of Fessenden]

Is anyone else having problem with WTAM at night?

 

[gr8oldies]

The station in Fargo has been on full power the last several nights due to the flooding

 

[kaysguy]

Is anyone else having problem with WTAM at night?

I don't know where you are located, but reception in Willoughby has been awful at night for a few weeks now.

 

[Footsteps of Fessenden]

Is the station in Fargo that is causing the problem the only one providing coverage in Fargo or something? On the Web I hear the 2 big Fargo NT stations, WDAY and KFGO providing wall to wall coverage of the dropping water levels. Are they off the air?

 

[gr8oldies]

as long as the emergency lasts, KZFG can operate day power at night. They cannot run commercials.

 

[Footsteps of Fessenden]

Now this is interesting!

What kind/type/size of emergency qualifies? Who decides? What happens to the people who are relying upon the station that is being stepped on? If there is an emergency in Cleveland does WTAM get to increase power so it can overcome WZFG and reach everybody it used to reach?

 

[gr8oldies]

Generally when life or property is threatened, as it is in Fargo. Maybe someone can quote the FCC reg

 

[gr8oldies]

When Hurricane Hugo threatened Charleston SC a Jacksonville FL station stayed at 50k to cover the area since all local media was off the air

 

[gabigley1]

I was listening to WTAM AM radio last night at 10:35 PM when I heard the host made the following announcement about the WTAM signal.
The WTAM nighttime host said "Some of you may be having problems hearing us due to the emergency in Fargo/Minot, North Dakota." He said, "WZFG, 1100 in Fargo, North Dakota is operating out of standards normally not allowed by the FCC" he said. "So, if that station is bleeding in under us, we're sorry. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the people affected buy the flooding in North Dakota. A similar announcement was repeated at 11:35 PM.

Unrelated OR related to this, is WTAM is operating at lower power?

Here is the website to WZFG in case any of you are interesting in listening in to their audio stream:

http://www.am1100.tv/

This is the official announcement from the WZFG CE about WZFG's emergency operation:

http://www.hard-core-dx.com/article.php?story=20090329051628834&mode=print

WZFG
Sunday, March 29 2009

"WZFG is operating at 25KW ND ch/nightime as of 3/27/09. 3/28/09 was at 50kw
ND. Operating under FCC Rules Part 73 section 1250. Will continue at 25kw as
long as broadcasting under emergency conditions. Probably 5 to 7 days. May
go back to 50kw if there are any new major flood related emergencies."

email me your QSLs
jim@
Jim Offerdahl
Chief Engineer
WZFG 1100 AM

 

[radioman148]

How close to Cleveland is this nighttime interference?

 

[aguyinradio]

Last night here in Youngstown i could hear the North Dakota station bleeding in over WTAM's programming.

 

[GR]

Same thing in Columbus.

 

[aguyinradio]

I just saw on the North Dakota board that there is a station KFGO 790 also in Fargo ND and it's running daytime power at night and there have been many reports of it coming in clear at night in the North east i'll have to check tonight and see if it is causing any problems for nearby WPIC 790 in Sharon, Pennsylvania.

 

[swfl]

While I fully understand the reason why KFGO is running at full power at night time right now it does point to a problem to me that the FCC has created. I would not think that they would allow two 50,000 watt stations on the same frequency no matter what. I understand that the Fargo station normally powers down at night but there still should not be two stations of that power at the same spot in my opinion.

The happenings of the past few nights points out just why. If gentleman from Willoughby is having reception troubles then there is something wrong. Willoughby is only about 25 miles or so from WTAM's transmitter. There should be no excuse for reception problems at that distance for a 50,000 watt station.

I remember when WTAM/WKYC was a clear channel station with no other stations on that frequency at night. The FCC in their rush to make room for more station has made a mess of the AM band in my opinion.

 

[radioman148]

>>I remember when WTAM/WKYC was a clear channel station with no other stations on that frequency at night. The FCC in their rush to make room for more station has made a mess of the AM band in my opinion.>>

There used to be alot of clear channel stations. The FCC has really messed up the AM band.

 

[gabigley1]

The happenings of the past few nights points out just why. If gentleman from Willoughby is having reception troubles then there is something wrong. Willoughby is only about 25 miles or so from WTAM's transmitter. There should be no excuse for reception problems at that distance for a 50,000 watt station.

According to this article here: http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=1246695&spid=24698

CC Cleveland told the FCC they have no objections to KZFG 1100 running 25-50 KW during the flooding emergency in N.D. Also, that means that WTAM will accept any and all potential skywave interference
to it's signal at night. That is WHY the WTAM host told it's listeners last night that they are sorry for any
reception problems they may encounter listening to WTAM due to the station KZFG in Fargo, N.D.

 

[gabigley1]

Now, if would have been bad PR for CC Cleveland if they said "no" to WZFG* running of 25-50KW of power
during the emergency flooding situation, not they could have stopped WZFG* if they had wanted to.

Normally, it looks like WZFG is radiating about forty watts towards WTAM and Cleveland at night. They use
440 watts at night into a directional antenna system.

*WZFG is the correct call letters of the station.

 

[franksandhotdogs]

While I fully understand the reason why KFGO is running at full power at night time right now it does point to a problem to me that the FCC has created. I would not think that they would allow two 50,000 watt stations on the same frequency no matter what. I understand that the Fargo station normally powers down at night but there still should not be two stations of that power at the same spot in my opinion.

The happenings of the past few nights points out just why. If gentleman from Willoughby is having reception troubles then there is something wrong. Willoughby is only about 25 miles or so from WTAM's transmitter. There should be no excuse for reception problems at that distance for a 50,000 watt station.

I remember when WTAM/WKYC was a clear channel station with no other stations on that frequency at night. The FCC in their rush to make room for more station has made a mess of the AM band in my opinion.

KFGO and WDAY run 5kW full time, with a directional pattern at night.  I believe KFGO and WDAY are running their daytime pattern at night along with WZFG (which is 50kw).

 

[radioman148]

The happenings of the past few nights points out just why. If gentleman from Willoughby is having reception troubles then there is something wrong. Willoughby is only about 25 miles or so from WTAM's transmitter. There should be no excuse for reception problems at that distance for a 50,000 watt station.

According to this article here: http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=1246695&spid=24698

CC Cleveland told the FCC they have no objections to KZFG 1100 running 25-50 KW during the flooding emergency in N.D. Also, that means that WTAM will accept any and all potential skywave interference
to it's signal at night. That is WHY the WTAM host told it's listeners last night that they are sorry for any
reception problems they may encounter listening to WTAM due to the station KZFG in Fargo, N.D.

It's a standoff in the Chicago area between KZFG & WTAM they both pretty much beat each other up.

 

[swfl]

Thanks for the correction gabigley. I'm afraid that I had the call letters mixed up from the stations in Fargo.