97.1 The Ticket Reception Issue

[Just Dave]

Hi Ladies and Gents. First post here. I'm hoping someone can shed some light on the above issue for me.

Since about June 1st I have been having trouble getting reception of 97.1 The Ticket here in SW Ontario. Did they alter their single strength?

I have not changed my Wifi or any other thing. Like I said above, it was like someone threw a switch on June 1st and I cannot get reception as a result. Fixed FM Stereo equipment (Yamaha and Kenwood Receivers)? Fugget about it... Sony plug in "Boom box" type radios.... No chance. What I have to do is use a Ridgid battery operated job site radio and move it around until I find a sweet spot.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[MWmetalhead]

I think they are broadcasting at reduced power.

Reception was very poor 45 or 50 miles west of their Southfield, MI tower site a couple weeks back. Normally, the station comes in clearly in that locale.

[Just Dave]

Thanks MW. Could you think of any logical reason why?

[MWmetalhead]

Equipment failure. They're probably using a backup transmitter that feeds an auxiliary antenna, or they could be using their main transmitter at greatly reduced output power.

These types of issues can sometimes take nearly a year to fix. Hopefully that won't be the case here.

[cckadlec]

The station comes in regularly here in Fremont, about 160 miles to the northwest. As long as The Drive isn't in its way, I can at least hear it audibly, often almost strong enough to decode RDS with no recent changes this year in the signal. Perhaps whatever happened affects the signal close by as opposed to it travelling further. Much like WMYX Milwaukee which went down to 2kw on an STA this summer (perhaps still; I just can't tell) and had more of a poor signal in Wisconsin but still booming in here in West Michigan with just a minor change of a slightly weaker signal, but barely noticeable at all.

[MWmetalhead]

I took a ride this morning and can report 97.1's signal seemed pretty normal along the I-69 corridor.

WRIF, on the other hand, was utter trash. Reception was awful in the Lapeer area, a place where reception ought to be pretty good. WWBN's signal was exponentially stronger.

So, I'd have to say WRIF is almost certainly broadcasting at reduced power right now. I know WRIF's HD signal was doing weird things about a month ago; it was cutting in and out every minute or so in places where signal strength should be outstanding.

[Ben Zonia]

WXYT-FM AUX is at the legendary 8009 Lyndon St. location. 28 kW/103 meters.

https://www.fccdata.org/?lang=en&appid= ... facid=9618

WRIF AUX is on the Radio Plaza Multiplex tower. 11 kW/291 meters

https://www.fccdata.org/?lang=en&appid= ... acid=11278

The WRIF AUX should be better than that along I-69 if they are using full power and height.

In Genesee County, at my receiving location about 1 mile South of the eventual I-69 Corridor, WXYZ-FM/WRIF was one of the 10 strongest signals in the 1960s to 1980s, before the band got jammed up. The WWBN tower is a good site. Too bad WFBE gave it up. In my opinion, a snap decision was made with little analysis. It was much better at 50 kW for the short time WFBE was on their, than 1.8 kW as WWBN.

[MWmetalhead]

The Ticket seems to be at normal strength judging from reception near the I-75 / I-69 junction Friday afternoon.

WRIF, on the other hand, is definitely broadcasting at severely reduced power. Completely unusable reception in that same spot.

[Just Dave]

It is better but it still goes in and out for me. According to the FCC Website Ben Z posted above I'm way inside the broadcast radius. Oh well, I'll just keep on truckin'.

Thanks guys.

[MWmetalhead]

Lake Erie might be playing tricks. There is another station broadcasting on 97.1 just east of Cleveland, OH. It is not unheard of for that other station (WREO-FM) to interfere with 97.1 The Ticket in portions of SE Michigan during favorable tropo conditions.

It is also possible an authorized or unauthorized signal is screwing with reception of 97.1. United States radio stations are unprotected from interference on Canadian soil and vice versa.

When I was still a cable TV subscriber, the cable box in my living room - if plugged in - made reception of three local Detroit stations located at 92.3 to 93.1 on the FM dial difficult. It transmitted a carrier at 92.7 MHz.

I mention that to suggest something quirky could be the issue.

I also remember someone's car or building security alarm interfering with reception of either a radio or TV station (cannot recall if it was a Detroit or Windsor based station) in Windsor about 5 or 6 years ago. The issue made news headlines, in fact.