WWJ 950 broadcasting at reduced power?

[Marcus]

The nighttime interference from multiple radio stations on 1310 has always been bad. They also have to protect CIWW Ottawa at night.

[Ben Zonia]

When WDTW 1310 was off the air before being rebuilt, in the Winter, CIWW would roll in by 3:00 PM, and sometimes, most of the Day. When the pattern changed, it was much weaker. The WKNR/WDTW NIF is quite high, like 11-12 mV/m, and one major contributor is WTLC Indianapolis, even though it's just 1000 watts Night.

[MWmetalhead]

WWJ is broadcasting at much reduced power right now.

[Colonel Flagg]

WWJ is broadcasting at much reduced power right now.

I'm hearing the same thing, just north and west of you. WWJ audio and the noise floor mush are about 50/50.

[Colonel Flagg]

Just a guess, but when WWJ is at reduced power, the news anchors probably have to monitor in program mode, as opposed to "off air"

[Ben Zonia]

Well, tonight, at 9:00 PM, there was a carrier interruption and pattern change that would correspond to the Day Night patterns, the signal pretty much straight North increased slightly, since the power is in a narrower major lobe Nights, compared to the wider major lobe Days. It's still not as strong as I usually hear and measure at Night in Northern Michigan with the FIM-41. Not sure if that is from propagation conditions, or from using reduced power Day and Night with the licensed patterns. Starting next Tuesday, August 1, 2023, the change should occur at 8:30 PM for the next month.

There have been times, usually in the Winter months, that the signal has reached a maximum of 10 mV/m. The last few Nights, it has only reached around slightly more than 1 mV/m.

[Marcus]

950 WWJ was clearer than 980 CFPL where I live this morning. Are they back to normal?

[SolarMax]

Just a guess, but when WWJ is at reduced power, the news anchors probably have to monitor in program mode, as opposed to "off air"

They would not be monitoring "off air," it would drive them crazy. The 950AM signal heard at home or in-car is delayed 7 or more seconds from "real time." Monitoring their IFB on the UHF radio channel used to communicate with field units (able to be heard by those within range of the Audacy mothership in Southfield)will quickly demonstrate that.

[MWmetalhead]

Still at greatly reduced power.

[MWmetalhead]

They are at reduced power again. Sounded good yesterday late morning. I have no idea what's going on.

[Ben Zonia]

Every time I checked to the North, it increased in field strength about 10% at 8:30 PM, which is what it should be. If it's the DA Patterns, it's to reduce power to get within specified monitor points, otherwise, the transmitters are not operating at full power. They have two 50000 watt transmitters as I seem to recall. Not sure if there is room for another reduced power AUX transmitter, or if they have one.

This is probably the closest anyone paid attention to it since John Kraus did in the 1920s.

[Colonel Flagg]

Sitting at the intersection of Maple Rd & Middlebelt about 20 minutes ago, CFCO was louder and clearer than WWJ, which sounds very faint today. Here at home, as of this writing, WWJ is mired in the noise floor. Basically unlistenable.

Very little noise on CKLW, on the kitchen radio.

[MWmetalhead]

I agree that WWJ sounds terrible today.

[Colonel Flagg]

I agree that WWJ sounds terrible today.

Signal was strong, but just took a dump at 9:30AM sharp. Now very weak again.

[Ben Zonia]

I agree that WWJ sounds terrible today.

Signal was strong, but just took a dump at 9:30AM sharp. Now very weak again.

9:30 AM sounds like they are pretty much through drive time, and the engineers finish their coffee and start working on things down in Berlin Twp.