Re: WMEX 5p

["Dan Strassberg" <Dan.Strassberg@worldnet.att.net>]

I've been trying to figure out whether they go ND or remain directional from
4:45 to 5:00 PM and after 5:00 PM and whether they run ND or directional
from 6:00 AM to 7:15 AM. I'm not sure. I think they may switch back to the
day pattern at the 4:45 power cut and stay with it till signoff (6:45 in
January), and I think they may sign on using the day pattern, then switch to
the CH pattern and power at 7:15, and then switch to the day pattern with
still higher power at 9:15. The reason I think that's what goes on is when
they were running 500W ND-D, they obviously were ND post sunset and
pre-sunrise. Using either pattern at night should allow higher power now
than would running ND, and at my QTH, the gain from the DA has the effect
of a further 2.5-times power increase. I did expect, therefore, that after
Philadelphia sunset and before local sunrise, the signal here would be quite
a bit stronger than it was last evening and this morning.

Prior to the power increase, even on my Super Radio III, they were inaudible
before local sunrise and after Philadelphia sunset and quite week during the
15 minutes immediately following local sunset. Now during that 15-minute
peiod, they are audible though much weaker than at any time during the day.
They are barely audible afterward and before local sunrise. Also, at 7:15
this morning, the power first increased to what I think was the 4:45 to 5:00
PM level with no audible break in the carrier. Then a minute of so later,
they dropped the carrier twice in quick succession and then came back at
what must have been CH power. I theorize that all post-sunset and
pre-sunrise operations use the old TX, which is probably either a 500W or 1
kW unit that is also capable of very low-power operation. The first power
increase that I heard this morning must have taken place without a pattern
change. The pair of carrier drops that I then heard were probably a switch
to the main TX (at CH power) and a pattern change (from D to CH).

As for the signal due east, it should be significantly stronger than what
came out of the Ashland site in the same direction--assuming that they are
now running the full power specified in the CP. That may not be the case. As
I've said in earlier postings, the FCC often requires high-power directional
AMs to operate at half power under program-test authority, and only allows
full power after the issuance of a license to cover. If they are running
full power,
even the CH signal should be stronger then was the Ashland day signal. The
signal to the east from Ashland was 2140 mV/m @1 km, asssuming that the
station ever ran the daytime power authorized in its CP--something that I do
not think happened. With 40 kW and the new D pattern, the signal to the east
is well over 3000 mVm. Even with the CH pattern and power, the signal is
close
to 2400 mV/m. It is this greater signal strength that makes me question
whether
there isn't prohibited overlap with WBZ.

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill O'Neill <billo@erols.com>
To: Boston Radio Interest <bri@bostonradio.org>
Date: Saturday, January 22, 2000 5:12 PM
Subject: WMEX 5p


>Just re-read Dan S's post on the different power conditions of the
>new 1060 license.  It would make sense that after 15 minutes they
>went to flea pwr. and were gone.  I guess Upton Bell well keep it
>VERY local when the sun goes away.