Fw: More FMs for Albany

[Dan Strassberg]

The 1540 signal, though outstanding in Schenectady and Troy, is legendary
for being AWFUL in Albany. There is a problem with a small area of poor
soil conductivity between the 1540 site and downtown Albany. 1540 delivers
at least 75 mV/m to Schenectady and almost that much to Troy, but the signal
in Albany is generally well below 25 mV/m. Drive around Albany--even the
parts west of downtown--and tune between 1460 and 1540. 5000W 1460 is just
WAY louder than 50,000W 1540. The problem is reflected in poor reception
south and east of Albany as well. As it turns out, the transmitter should
have been sited in Glenmont or Delmar or someplace like that. Even though
the pattern throws a pretty deep null to the south to protect ZNS-1, a site
further southeast of the original would at least have provided a respectable
signal in pretty much the entire Capital District. The present site loses a
significant part of the market.

When WPTR first signed on in 1947 or 1948 it was 10 kW-U DA-1. The fact that
the signal in downtown Albany was in the neighborhood of 6 mV/m (FAR below
the then-required 25 mV/m in the "principal business district" of the  COL)
was instrumental in expediting a power increase to 50 kW. Under current
rules, 6 mV/m is OK, but it's still way worse than the signals from 590
(even at night), 980, 1300, 1460 and even 1400.

Dan Strassberg, Contributing Editor
EDN Magazine | Reed Electronics Group | www.edn.com
Fax 707-215-6367 | StrassbergEDN@att.net
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----- Original Message -----
From: Sven Franklyn Weil <sven@gordsven.com>
To: Rick Kelly <nuhuc@juno.com>
Cc: <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 1:38 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: More FMs for Albany


> On Tue, 24 Feb 2004, Rick Kelly wrote:
> > sticking their antenna on a WPTR tower. Also WPTR and WDCD (96.7) are
> > flipping formats...with the religon on 1540 and Legends on FM competing
>
> That's a bummer.  I occasionally am able to pick up Legends 1540 down here
> in New York City.
>
> Seems like there won't be anything worthwile listening
> on AM radio in the Capital District anymore....unless someone else decides
> to flip another one of the AM chatter-boxes to music (fat chance) :(
>
> Not only that but with 50,000 watts, AM 1540 has an excellent signal in
> Albany & Troy and beyond, while 96.7 FM  doesn't, unless they were to move
> the transmitter INTO the city itself.
>
> --
> Sven
>