[IRCA] WPEN Testing

["Rene F. Tetro" <rene@xxxxxxxx>]

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.

73,
Rene'

Rene' F. Tetro,
Chief Engineer
Salem Communications - Philadelphia
WNTP-AM/WFIL-AM
117 Ridge Pike
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444
Voice:  610-941-9560   Extension 41
Fax:  610-828-8879
Email:  rtetro@xxxxxxxxx




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