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WWJ signal problems? (+ WJR audio distortion)

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Deleted User 3751

Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by Deleted User 3751 » Thu Sep 26, 2019 5:01 pm

WWJ is on reduced power.



CK-722
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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by CK-722 » Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:37 am

What power are they running?

There are also Daytime Skywave and fading issues, unusually early this year.


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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by MWmetalhead » Fri Sep 27, 2019 6:01 pm

This station seems to be on reduced power fairly often. What the heck is their problem?



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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by CK-722 » Sat Sep 28, 2019 6:07 am

They need to go back to 8 Mile Rd. with 5 kW Nondirectional with a transmitter and antenna system that's not so finicky. As much fun as it's been with the DXing. As Coleman Young said, "hit 8 mile". There was twice the signal out my way. Probably even more times the signal out MW's way.


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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by bmw » Sat Sep 28, 2019 10:28 pm

Today in Oscoda I was flipping through the radio station on the AM dial and heard the Michigan game on both WWJ 950 and WSGW 790. Signal strengths were virtually identical so I was able to make a comparison of audio quality.

HOLY MOLEY DOES WWJ'S AUDIO SOUND LIKE CRAP!. WSGW had a nice, clean sound. Modulation was perfect. No unnecessary compression. Sounded great. WWJ, on the other hand, was extremely compressed (and not mp3-type compression, I'm talking about volume equalization) and borderline overmodulated. I wish I had recordings from both because it was literally a night-and-day difference. And WWJ has that same over-compressed sound all day long. I don't know how people can listen to it....VERY fatiguing on the ears.



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun Sep 29, 2019 7:02 am

I agree that Michigan football audio on WWJ is substandard.

The volume equalization & loudness effects have also been noticeable on the FM simulcast, which for at least the past couple games has been found on 97.1 The Ticket. That said, the 97.1 broadcast certainly offers a better listening experience than the WWJ broadcast.

I remember similar issues for the first season or two when 104.3 WOMC served as flagship.

I miss the days when WUOM / WVGR / WFUM carried Michigan football. Wasn't a fan of their booth, but the audio was pristine.



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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by Colonel Flagg » Sun Sep 29, 2019 4:24 pm

There's no STA currently on file for WWJ to operate at reduced power. For a site that's only 20 or so years old, there sure do seem to be a lot of recurring issues there.


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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun Sep 29, 2019 7:24 pm

Listened to a tiny bit of the Lions game on WDVD-HD2 (same old Lions, btw), which rebroadcasts WJR.

The fidelity was downright impressive! Great dynamic range, and sound field virtually enveloped me!



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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by Deleted User 3751 » Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:12 am

As of yesterday they were at full power. When I posted earlier in this thread, they were on reduced power. With a six tower directional array, there is always the chance of problems compared to a non d station. If a station has an intermittent problem for short period of time I don't believe they have to file an STA. Correct me if I'm wrong.



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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by MWmetalhead » Fri Oct 04, 2019 6:56 pm

In the Midland and Bay City area this afternoon, 760 WJR was stronger in my car than both 910 WFDF and 950 WWJ (the latter two were roughly equal in signal strength to each other...910 seemed a tiny bit stronger in the Auburn area).

Also, WFDF and WWJ were only modestly stronger than Ann Arbor's 1050 WTKA.



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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by innate-in-you » Fri Oct 04, 2019 11:11 pm

MWmetalhead wrote:
Fri Oct 04, 2019 6:56 pm
In the Midland and Bay City area this afternoon, 760 WJR was stronger in my car than both 910 WFDF and 950 WWJ (the latter two were roughly equal in signal strength to each other...910 seemed a tiny bit stronger in the Auburn area).

Also, WFDF and WWJ were only modestly stronger than Ann Arbor's 1050 WTKA.
WWJ and WFDF both have TLs about ten miles further south than WJR's.



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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by CK-722 » Fri Oct 04, 2019 11:25 pm

My experience is that WFDF and WWJ are nearly exactly the same strength North of Bay City, when both are operating with full power. WJR is a little stronger by the time you get to West Branch. It's hard to believe WTKA is that strong up there. There have been some unusual skywave conditions in the early afternoon hours, but I have yet to see it affect 1050 or below until December. I was getting WWCK 1570 at about 3:00 PM near Topinabee, clear and alone last week. Conditions gradually moved down the band, and I was able to hear WLCO 1530, WFNT 1470 and WFLT 1420 a little later, with more interference. Later, I heard WGVU 1480 and WION 1430, but WFUR 1570 only came in for a few seconds, probably due to the vertical null of their 230 degree tower. Later still, I heard "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in the background, presumably on WIBD 1470 West Bend, WI, and WHBY 1150 Kimberly, WI. WGBW 1590 is heard more regularly. CHHA 1610 and CHTO 1690 Toronto are not that unusual, but were also heard.


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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat Oct 05, 2019 7:54 am

I couldn't get WWJ to lock in on seek mode until I made the turn from eastbound US-10 to southbound I-75.

Still wasn't getting an HD lock in the Birch Run area. Not a surprise, as I usually lose the HD signal around Genoa Twp. (between Brighton and Howell) when traveling westbound on I-96. The HD signal has much more limited range than the analog signal, which is not at all a surprise considering the differential in transmitted power (-20 dB for the HD signal, if I remember correctly).



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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by CK-722 » Sat Oct 05, 2019 10:15 am

Maybe someone could paste an audio file of this interference.

Interference does wipe out the digital signal, and lessens the effective service area.


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

Artificial Intelligence is a Child that needs a Parent to guide it through.

innate-in-you
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Re: WWJ signal problems?

Post by innate-in-you » Sun Oct 06, 2019 5:14 pm

1500 Was also compromised on the East Side.

I briefly changed my listening preferences from T40 to Country in the mid-70s.

WDEE was weak enough, and received enough interference, At night, that WSM almost always had a better signal.

This was in their city of license (East Side of Detroit - Cadieux and I-94).

FWIW, as WLQV circa 1990, their DAY pattern had a really deep null, right around where Lakeshore Drive actually meets Lake St. Clair in GP, the signal became very weak and its carrier would be suppressed by the DA.

Note that the same location is also most-clockwise azimuth the station serves on the US side (today as WLQV).



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