[IRCA] New HAR Station on 1380 in Smyrna DE

[John Cereghin <jcereghin@xxxxxxxxx>]

For months I've suspected that the Delaware Department of
Transportation had put up a new transmitter on 1380 in the Smyrna DE
area.  They run their main transmitter out of Wilmington, WTMC, with
HAR stations in Dover and Rehoboth Beach, all on 1380.

Recently, 1380 has been MUCH stronger, even at night.  No way the
Wilmington station is putting that strong into Smyrna (at 30 miles)
with 14 watts night power.  The Dover station probably runs 10 watts,
so it can't be them.  FCC searches and listening to WTMC fail to turn
up anything in Smyrna.  Even this morning, WTMC is still only
announcing transmitters in Wilmington, Dover and Rehoboth Beach.

On my commute this morning, I notice a new antenna at exit 104 off
Delaware Route 1, on the southbound ramp to Route 1.  It is about 25
feet tall, with a loop at the top and about a dozen radials.  I never
noticed it before.  I turned on 1380 and the WTMC programming was
simply overpowering.  As I drove south on Route 1 toward Dover, the
signal faded and I began betting the echo effect, as the Dover outlet
began to come in.

I'm convinced that DelDOT has put a transmitter in Smyrna on 1380,
with the transmitter at Exit 104 (South Smyrna exit) off Delaware
Route 1.  But I can't find it in the FCC database and DelDOT is not
mentioning it.  But that's not unusual.  I sniffed out the Dover
transmitter several weeks before it showed up in the FCC records and
before DelDOT confirmed it.

John Cereghin
Smyrna DE
_______________________________________________
IRCA mailing list
IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca

Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers

For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org

To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx