Re: [IRCA] WPEN Testing

["Dennis Gibson" <wb6tnb@xxxxxxx>]

Rest up Rene - I've got lotsa questions for you. Don't feel obligated to 
answer them all at once. A little at a time would be great.

I read up on the WPEN move. WWDB is a daytimer, and one of the engineering 
studies said the two stations would never be on the same towers at the same 
time. WPEN must be going to use a different day site. I've been reading lots 
of the engineering studies (not just WPEN's) and they sure can get 
complicated. In a situation like this how does testing work? How can they 
test their night pattern during the day with WWDB on? That must effect 
WWDB's pattern. We have so few daytimers out here in California that I tend 
to forget they are still somewhat common in other parts of the country.

It's taken me quite awhile but I think I understand the basics of 
directional arrays. Diplexing is something I'd very much like to learn more 
about. Can you recommend any sources that I can look at that would cover the 
basics? About a mile from here I have one graveyarder (KIST-1340) operating 
on another one's tower (KBKO-1490; formerly KDB), and a third station 
(KZSB-1290; 500 watts days; 122 watts nights) moved in later on. They're all 
ND so I'm sure that simplifies things somewhat. 1490's CE is an acquaintance 
and he gave me the nickel tour about 15 years ago, not long after 1340 moved 
in back in the early 1990's. 1290 wasn't there yet. For awhile both 1340 and 
1490 were in stereo; I know that diplexing effects bandwidth and neither of 
them ever sounded decent in stereo. Both are now owned by Clear Channel so 
that took care of that.

DX wise both KIST and KDB were commonly logged in California until they 
moved in together. KIST had a tower on top of a seven story office building 
with relatively few ground straps connecting to railing; the transmitter was 
on the top floor so it was off limits to the public. Despite that they got 
out quite well. They had to move when the bank on the bottom floor starting 
using computers extensively and the RF problems couldn't be solved. That was 
about when RF exposure became a hot topic. Now both are rarely logged 
anymore even though the local/regional coverage (24/7) is about the same.

When KIST moved in with KDB they had to drop to 650 watts fulltime. I've 
often seen graveyarders moving in with someone else having to drop power. 
Why? Sorry for all the questions. I just want to learn about diplexing 
(triplexing here); with the dollar value of many tower sites on the rise and 
the NIMBY factor it's becoming so much more common.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rene F. Tetro" <rene@xxxxxxxx>
To: "NRC List" <am@xxxxxxxxxxx>; "IRCA List" <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 10:54 AM
Subject: [IRCA] WPEN Testing


>I confirmed this morning that WPEN, 950, Philadelphia, has definitely
> begun testing/adjustment of their new 21KW night array that is being
> diplexed with WWDB.
>
> Tuesday afternoon I had WPEN on and drove through a null about 1 mile
> north of the new site.  Thinking that it just might be some local
> phenomenon, I went out with my field strength meter today to confirm it.
> I stood in a location in which their normal day site in Philly is about
> 90 degrees removed from the new site, and sure enough, the maximum field
> strength was being measured directly from the WWDB towers.
>
> All I can say is that they have some wicked nulls.  Listening between
> Norristown and Souderton, you travel though null after null.  Tight
> pattern --- VERY tight.  Everything is being shot SE towards Philly.
> Signal in Souderton, Hatfield, and Lansdale is poor....probably not a
> lot better than their current 5KW DA signal from west Philly.
>
> I was looking at their pattern a few moments ago, and beginning at about
> 220 degrees true and continuing through north to about 20 degrees, the
> signal is minimal when compared to the main lobe.  It looks like the max
> signal in that arc is about 220 mV/m @ 1km (about 750 watts).  Most
> places in the arc are more like 50-100 mV/m, (160 to 300 watts).
>
> So unless you are in their major lobe, don't expect a lot of signal from
> them.  So, at least we now know that testing has definitely begun.


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