loeper
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« on: March 12, 2012, 07:29:43 PM » |
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this afternoon I happened to be driving from York to the Harrisburg area and for some reason decided to check out AM910. I hadn't listened to that frequency for a long time. I listened from just after 1:30 to a few minites after 2 (Rush Limbaughs time slot). First of all, what has happened to there signal? It was terrible. Also, during the time I listened I counted 5 PSAs, 3 local promos, just 1 local spot and only 2 network spots (one for Newt Gincrich and another for Lear Financial. All I could think of was "how the mighty 910 has fallen". Such a shame.
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epmark
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« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2012, 07:57:28 PM » |
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The problem is mostly that they gave up on "live and local" and went to whatever netted the most in syndication. Curt Hart had York-Lancaster-Harrisburg sports talk cornered before he was let go.
For a medium-sized market, the 5-6pm news was terrific in the 80s. You find a formerly dominant AM declining like this in most markets (WMAL in DC, WFIL in Philly, CKLW in Detroit, etc.). Sure FM has hurt the cume, but stations that have stuck to their 80s roots (it pains me to admit - WHP, WPHT, WBAL) have done OK. What's on "Newsradio 910" is pretty much whatever can be found in syndication everywhere (it sounds automated). They should take a page from WLBR in Lebanon.
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SteelRocker
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« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2012, 10:21:55 PM » |
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I live in Mt. Joy and work in Marietta. I noticed the 910 signal was terrible one day last week when I had it on in the a.m. on the way to work. Something just recently seems to have happened to the signal.
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DaveWilliams
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« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2012, 06:46:04 AM » |
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WSBA's signal fell apart when they rebuilt the system a few years ago, it certainly doesn't sound like its 5000 watts where I am 10 miles south of York, where 1350 sounds like a local and even 1250 is far stronger!
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bossjock 56
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« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2012, 07:47:30 PM » |
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It's happening everywhere. Growing up in Lancaster County in the mid 60's, it was all WLAN and WSBA...at least for the younger listener. When WFIL came along in '66 they really put a dent into these stations with a massive daytime signal that screamed into Lancaster County. Even though they did not have a usable night signal the day signal was great. That signal has pretty much gone down hill in that area. AM reception is not what it used to be thanks to computers and various other forms of interference. By the way, WSBA has no usable night signal anymore in much of Lancaster County. You almost have to be in Columbia before you can pick it up clearly.
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vetguy
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« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2012, 08:50:00 AM » |
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WSBA still has a temporary authorization to operate daytime with reduced power due to problems with the daytime antenna system. I am not sure if they are still operating in that manner but I expect they are. Cumulus probably will not spend the money to repair the system and will stretch things out with STA's as long as possible.
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bossjock 56
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« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2012, 09:01:35 AM » |
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As I recall....that's 1,000 watts day/250 watts night non-directional?
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trende
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« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2012, 06:07:32 PM » |
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Last time i was there, it was running 5,000 day, and 1,000 night. They multiplexed 1440 on tower 1 with ATU's on all 4 towers, and ever since then, they had nothing but trouble. As well, Dave spent 6 or so months tuning the tower phasing with a burnt up belar meter... Also, when they re-erected the towers, most of the ground radials were destroyed by the heavy equipment. Then they hired Sam. SO with all those problems combined, no wonder 910 has a horrible signal.
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vetguy
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« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2012, 09:02:03 PM » |
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Current STA states 2.5 KW daytime with the regular daytime pattern and 1 KW night with the normal night pattern. Night pattern does not get into Lancaster County at all on a good day. Daytime power reduced to keep things from burning up killing the directional entirely. They still could be operating with something other than that.
Bottom line, Cumulus has no money to make repairs in any timely fashion. Many of their markets have turned off the HD on their FM stations just to cut the electric bill at the transmitter sites.
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Tardis
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« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2012, 12:41:03 PM » |
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After the rebuild, the field strength readings compared favorably with the 1983 and 1961 proof of performance.
In fact at a distance (Havre de Grace, MD to be exact pretty much in the main lobe) I noted an improvement in the signal after the rebuild.
Probably due to the improved grounding we installed between the tuning houses and the new transmitter building.
The real problems began with combining 1440 onto tower 2.
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