AM ground systems (Was Re: WEZE/WTAG)

[mwaters@mail.wesleyan.edu (Martin J. Waters)]

>John Andrews wrote:
>What has changed, IMHO, is the integrity of the ground system.  Those
>interference areas have definitely moved closer to the station.

        Amen to that! I'm not an engineer (not at all), but various things
I've seen and heard over the years have convinced me that many AM stations
have lost a lot of signal from their ground systems deteriorating with age
and nothing or not much being done.  I have a theory that WEEI /850 has
this problem. And now, with AMs relegated to secondary status by most
owners, even less $$ is being invested.
        I was told last year that the engineers at WHYN AM & FM in
Springfield have been trying to get a new ground system put in, but
whatever money is being spent on engineering improvements these days is
going to try to fix the FM's weak spots down among the high-rise buildings
in downtown Springfield.
        On the other side, a story I like about this question is from WICC
in Bridgeport. I once was told that the CE in the early '70s convinced
management to spend what was considered a lot of money to completely redo
the ground system (two towers). When it was about ready to go, he worried
that he may have over-promised how much better the signal would be. When it
went on the air, he was amazed at what a difference it made. It far
exceeded what he thought it would do. The bosses were happy and WICC still
has a great signal, although maybe it's time to order some new copper by
now <g>.

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