What's wrong with KGOW's formerly big-time signal?

[ThatVoice22]

KGOW AM 1560 (formerly Yahoo Sports Radio and now the first terrestrial outlet for SB Nation online) is a 46,000 watt powerhouse that now sounds consistently worse than the 250 watt lightbulb KIKK AM 650 no matter where I go. In Conroe, KGOW is unlistenable! In Spring, it's OK, but has interference in places. Even in Humble, where the KGOW directional lobe is aimed, the reception is sub-standard.

In past times, I could get KGOW well up past Huntsville into Madisonville on I-45, but now it's toast in Conroe? Meanwhile, KIKK sounds good all over Conroe. I realize AM signals go farther at the lower end of the dial, but the current micro-reach of the KGOW signal is a mystery. There is no CP or STA listed at fcc.gov, so maybe someone can explain how the Big Boomer became the Weaker Squeaker. It's as if 46,000 watts has become 46 watts. Here's the link for the daytime signal map which no longer represents reality . . . http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=KGOW-AM&h=D

 

[purpledevil]

You're right, but given that 0.0 it has commanded in the last half dozen books, has anyone else besides you and me really noticed?

Well, other than the Wilson family in Daingerfield. They must be ecstatic that KEGG isn't currently getting walloped by KGOW on a daily basis.

 

[ThatVoice22]

Thanks for the input, Joe - how long before the daytime boomer can return? When Verizon bought Yahoo and the deal was closed on August 1, changes were expected. Now, KGOW is noted as the first terrestrial signal for internet-based SB Nation Radio. Bloomberg News says that SB Nation will "go out to 500 terrestrial and satellite stations affiliated with Gow." YahooSportsRadio.com immediately takes you to sbnation.com while googling YSR only yields yahoosportsradio.tumblr.com - so I guess YSR still exists, but only online? I wasn't overly impressed with the few tune-ins to SB Nation on 1560, interested to know what others think, if there are any others who've heard the new alignment on the old station with, as Purple pointed out, no measurable listeners. Signal issues, aside, what's wrong with KGOW - and can anything be done to improve it?

 

[johndavis]

Gow licensed the Yahoo name for his radio network for a 5 year term. That deal expired August 1.
He's now licensed the SBNation name from Vox Media and rebranded.

As with Yahoo Sports, Gow produces the radio network, Vox provides its writers to appear as guests, but Gow maintains editorial control over the radio network. It wasn't a Yahoo property, it was just a naming deal.

 

[Mediafrog+]

All the flooding we had a few months ago destroyed the transmitter that is sited south of Houston at the Darrington State Prison Farm. They are now operating from the nighttime antenna site in Porter 24/7. And yes, there is an STA. http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1731630

The KGOW daytime site is in a flood prone area. Perhaps Gow is taking steps to elevate the transmitter building before putting the site, as well as any refurbished/replacement transmitter, back on the air.

 

[ThatVoice22]

From the STA: "(3) STA facilities must maintain, as closely as practicable, the licensed service area without extending it;" Since the day pattern is directed to the northeast and the night pattern is sharply directed to the south, I wonder why KGOW can't now exceed 15KW, perhaps up to the day limit of 46KW, as doing so would not appear to over-extend the existing day pattern allowance, except into the Gulf of Mexico. It doesn't make sense to deny Conroe and Huntsville the ability to receive the day signal with the night pattern in place, unless there's a separate night transmitter that's unable to produce above 15KW.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I wonder why KGOW can't now exceed 15KW, perhaps up to the day limit of 46KW, as doing so would not appear to over-extend the existing day pattern allowance, except into the Gulf of Mexico. It doesn't make sense to deny Conroe and Huntsville the ability to receive the day signal with the night pattern in place, unless there's a separate night transmitter that's unable to produce above 15KW.

They are operating full time from the night site. The night pattern completely misses the north side of the market, by design, to protect other stations. No way they could augment the day signal from the night site without completely reengineering it, which isn't worth the cost and hassle. Cranking up the power on the night pattern won't help Conroe or Huntsville, either, because of the characteristics of the night array. The night site is what it is. Hopefully they can get things repaired and refurbished at the day site in the near future.

 

[b-turner]

Yes, the costs to detail an engineering plan the FCC would approve would not be worth it and then it would have to be placed back to the original when the day site is ready to go. Plus, as is, the night site to be modified means now equipment that would be useless after the day site is up. When you are talking a day site repair it's not going to be cheap. Those transmitters are not cheap and whatever you replace has to be checked to offer the precise pattern you had been approved for. No matter the insurance policy, there will be a big expense there. It's not just replacing something, it is how it interacts with what already exists. Worst of all, you can correct the only known problem to find the initial problem showed stress at other spots in the transmission chain that can and many times do fail. At a couple of stations it almost felt you were cursed. The problem fixed caused another and another and another until weeks later it was humming along as it should and you try to do damage control with clients who think you're blowing smoke because you've told them it is fixed a few times already.

 

[ThatVoice22]

I wasn't suggesting re-engineering or operating the night-time signal beyond the licensed 15 KW - only increasing the daytime power from the night array. That makes too much sense, but would never be permitted. It's simply not worth the penalty exposure, even though it wouldn't interfere with anything.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I wasn't suggesting re-engineering or operating the night-time signal beyond the licensed 15 KW - only increasing the daytime power from the night array. That makes too much sense, but would never be permitted. It's simply not worth the penalty exposure, even though it wouldn't interfere with anything.

Once again, the night array is a directional design that deliberately misses the northern part of the market to protect other stations at night. Cranking up the power during the day from the night array will not restore coverage to Conroe or Huntsville. It's still a directional signal. And the night site may not be capable of running any higher than 15kw, anyway.

 

[ftballfan]

All the flooding we had a few months ago destroyed the transmitter that is sited south of Houston at the Darrington State Prison Farm. They are now operating from the nighttime antenna site in Porter 24/7. And yes, there is an STA. http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1731630

Glad to see they followed the rules and applied for an STA! Before the floods, I received it once in Manistee, MI in mid-morning (after sunrise; with several spots mentioning Houston)

 

[ContinuousWave]

They can operate from the night site before a STA under emergency conditions...rules allow such...but to keep legal, a STA is required for any length of time

 

[ContinuousWave]

And I thought their nite site is in Cypress not Porter

 

[purpledevil]

And I thought their nite site is in Cypress not Porter

It is, I guess. It's all called "Cypress" up there these days. The night array is on the outside of 99, northwest of Houston, beaming that 15kW right over us and on into the Gulf.

Unless something has recently changed, and David Gow loaded up some Mayflower trucks...

 

[robertsez]

That makes too much sense,

What makes even more sense it to operate the station from the daytime site, using the daytime pattern, at the full 46 kilowatts.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I remember them after Ike - their daytime power at night, incredible signal over Dallas. They were interesting during the day - half the time strong as a local, alternating with not even audible depending on time of day and day of the year.

 

[schmave]

It is, I guess. It's all called "Cypress" up there these days. The night array is on the outside of 99, northwest of Houston, beaming that 15kW right over us and on into the Gulf.

Unless something has recently changed, and David Gow loaded up some Mayflower trucks...

I haven't been in Houston in almost three years, and the last time I was I didn't get much of a chance to listen to the radio, but how effective is the groundwave at night given the high frequency and even with the solid ground conductivity? Just looking at the pattern, it seems like a good portion of the market that is not in nulls would see some cancellation.
I unfortunately have yet to snag KGOW here in central Ohio before they switch to day to night patterns under the usual setup. It's always New York here.

 

[DavidEduardo]

I haven't been in Houston in almost three years, and the last time I was I didn't get much of a chance to listen to the radio, but how effective is the groundwave at night given the high frequency and even with the solid ground conductivity? Just looking at the pattern, it seems like a good portion of the market that is not in nulls would see some cancellation.

The cancellation zone is going to be wherever the first skywave sets down. At night, interference free contour is relatively small, and far inside where any skywave would come down.

 

[ThatVoice22]

If memory serves me, the flood-related Special Temporary Authority for the daytime operation of the KGOW nighttime antenna array expired in mid-December. There's been no improvement in the daytime signal here in Spring, so maybe the Gow Media folks got an extension. I'm wondering why it's taking so long to return the 46KW daytime transmitter to operating status. It seems like their only prayer of going from 10 listeners to maybe 20 or 30 with the new format via "SB Nation."

 

[DavidEduardo]

If memory serves me, the flood-related Special Temporary Authority for the daytime operation of the KGOW nighttime antenna array expired in mid-December. There's been no improvement in the daytime signal here in Spring, so maybe the Gow Media folks got an extension. I'm wondering why it's taking so long to return the 46KW daytime transmitter to operating status. It seems like their only prayer of going from 10 listeners to maybe 20 or 30 with the new format via "SB Nation."

They filed for an extension two weeks ago.

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101747009&formid=911&fac_num=17389

The request for extension is based on the slow payment of insurance.