Acceptable registrations in the queue through March 16 at 11:00a ET have now been activated. Enjoy! -M.W.

Terms of Use have been amended effective October 6, 2019. Make sure you are aware of the new rules! Please visit this thread for details: https://www.mibuzzboard.com/phpBB3/view ... 16&t=48619

WXLA 1170

Discussion pertaining to Lansing, Jackson, Owosso, and all areas from Alma to Hillsdale
Deleted User 15342

WXLA 1170

Post by Deleted User 15342 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 10:30 am

Just curious about when WXLA was on 1170, did they move to 1180 because of 1160 in Fenton? or was the move due to wanting to increase power and coverage area?



CK-722
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by CK-722 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:28 am

Although it has allowed both WCXI and WXLA to upgrade with less restrictions, I think it may have had more to do with the ground wave and Critical Hours restrictions to WWVA 1170 vs. WHAM 1180. Class Is/As are protected to the 0.1 mV/m ground wave contour. The path to the WWVA 0.1 mV/m ground wave contour is mainly over US land and water, while the path to WHAM crosses a large part of Canada. They are only required to protect WHAM within their 0.1 mV/m ground wave contour on land within the United States. On 1180, such CH restriction interference can go all the way to US land beyond Canada, which is near Buffalo, and surprisingly, across Lake Ontario to near Watertown, NY.

WXLA does have to reduce power during Critical Hours from 10000 watts to 2000 watts.

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.ex ... _num=16848


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.

User avatar
Calvert DeForest
Posts: 780
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: The corner of US-16 and M-78

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by Calvert DeForest » Tue Jul 14, 2020 1:22 pm

WXLA had a daytime-only ERP of 1KW on 1170. I believe it was a non-directional pattern, but don't quote me on that. The move to 1180 allowed for increased power with a directional pattern, 10KW daytime with 2KW during critical hours as was previously mentioned.

When I worked weekends at the station (then WDTB) in the early 80's, I would fire up the transmitter at local sunrise. WWVA was loud and clear on the studio air demod before I turned on the plates. Same if I signed off at sunset. As soon as I killed the plates, there was WWVA on 1170, clear as a bell.

The move to 1180 occurred sometime in the mid-late 80's, although I can't recall exactly when. It was prior to the launch of WQHH on 96.5, which I believe was 1990-91.


Shortwave is the ORIGINAL satellite radio.

CK-722
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by CK-722 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:05 pm

It was originally WDTB 1170, and was 1 kW DA-D. The DA pattern was a different orientation as I recall, from what it was when it moved to 1180. Between 1981 and the late 1990s, the information is sketchy on various websites, including the FCC website.

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/c ... r_id=51710


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.

User avatar
Calvert DeForest
Posts: 780
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: The corner of US-16 and M-78

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by Calvert DeForest » Sat Jul 18, 2020 11:29 am

I believe (although don't quote me on this) the frequency switch from 1170 to 1180 occurred prior to the format flip from News to Urban Contemporary and call switch from WDTB to WXLA. The latter occurred in the summer of 1984. WXLA was the only Urbab station in the market until WILS-AM 1320 launched an Urban format in 1987. Although WILS was mostly automated, using Drake-Chenault's Urban One format (mornings were live-assist), they had the advantage of 24/7 operation whereas WXLA was daytime-only. The competitive edge would reverse a few years later with the launch of WQHH on 96.5. WXLA tweaked their format to gold-based Urban AC while WQHH focused on mainstream Urban Contemporary. WILS-AM would eventually flip to Country in tandem with WILS-FM.


Shortwave is the ORIGINAL satellite radio.

CK-722
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by CK-722 » Sat Jul 18, 2020 6:06 pm

It seems that I had a 1170 WDTB Coverage Map, though I don't remember how I got it. As I recall, the nulls were pointed in the general direction WWVA and WFEN. It was two towers in a different orientation. I think they moved one tower.


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.

Trophyhead
Posts: 392
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 6:36 am

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by Trophyhead » Tue Jul 28, 2020 9:06 am

The format change and call letter switch took place on 6/29/84, according to the irrefutable Wikipedia.

That same source cites 2005 as the year that the signal went up a tick to 1180, and they billed themselves as “10,000 watt WXLA.” MacDonald got ahold of the signal a year later and programmed for the blue haired set, I remember hearing Peter Marshall as a satellite jock in those times of transition.

I, too worked at the former key shop on Logan, proud to have access to Jud Heathcote, Ron Mason and George Perles as a result. A great first job after getting my degree at State.



EdWalker
Posts: 125
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2018 2:51 pm

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by EdWalker » Wed Jul 29, 2020 12:31 pm

WXLA's FM translator is up on 93.3.....



User avatar
Musicrewired
Posts: 254
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Right here on the screen

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by Musicrewired » Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:36 am

WXLA is probably one of a very few stations that gives its' power in its' ID: "10,000 watt 1180, WXLA".



kc8yqq
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2018 6:15 am

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by kc8yqq » Thu Jul 30, 2020 5:45 am

WXLA sounded great when they were in stereo. It was shut off when they redid their transmitter site to make way for HD in case it was decided to go that route.



User avatar
Calvert DeForest
Posts: 780
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: The corner of US-16 and M-78

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by Calvert DeForest » Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:25 pm

kc8yqq wrote:
Thu Jul 30, 2020 5:45 am
WXLA sounded great when they were in stereo. It was shut off when they redid their transmitter site to make way for HD in case it was decided to go that route.
My first AM stereo set was a Sony portable that I picked up in the early 80's. Had another Sony receiver installed in my 1986 Chevy Cavalier. Both decoded the Kahn-Hazeltine and Harris systems with a selector for normal (5kHz) or wide (7kHz) bandwidth. Came in handy when I took a road trip to Montreal in the summer of '87. Back then most Canadian AM's still programmed primarily music formats, and almost all were broadcasting stereo. You could really tell the separation with wide-band setting. Worked great during the day, but not so good at night given the co-channel skip interference.

Haven't seen an AM stereo receiver marketed since the 90's. Do they even make 'em anymore?


Shortwave is the ORIGINAL satellite radio.

kc8yqq
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2018 6:15 am

Re: WXLA 1170

Post by kc8yqq » Mon Aug 03, 2020 6:21 am

Calvert DeForest wrote:
Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:25 pm
Haven't seen an AM stereo receiver marketed since the 90's. Do they even make 'em anymore?
To my knowledge, only in Japan. However, some HD receivers are capable of CQUAM AM stereo. Here is a link to the AM stereo website (click on Receivers to see the list): http://www.amstereo.org/. I have the Directed Electronics and it does. I also have the Accurian and it does not.



Post Reply Previous topicNext topic