{"id":9075,"date":"2016-06-29T09:05:13","date_gmt":"2016-06-29T13:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/?p=9075"},"modified":"2023-03-19T12:05:38","modified_gmt":"2023-03-19T16:05:38","slug":"downgrading-an-am-radio-station","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/2016\/06\/downgrading-an-am-radio-station\/","title":{"rendered":"Downgrading an AM radio station"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/WGHQ\">WGHQ<\/a> in Kingston, NY has been downgraded from a 5KW DA-1 to a 1KW non-DA system.\u00a0 This was done because two of the three towers in the directional antenna array dated from 1960, were in very rough condition and needed to be replaced.\u00a0 The remaining tower (furthest from the transmitter building) had been replaced in 1994, is in good condition, and is being kept as the non-directional radiator.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few pictures:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9080\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9080\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-towers.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-9080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-towers-650x488.jpg\" alt=\"WGHQ 3 tower directional antenna array, Port Ewen, NY\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-towers-650x488.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-towers-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-towers-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-towers-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-towers-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-towers.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9080\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">WGHQ 3 tower directional antenna array, Port Ewen, NY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9081\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9081\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/overgrown_tower.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-9081\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/overgrown_tower-650x488.jpg\" alt=\"More deferred maintenance\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/overgrown_tower-650x488.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/overgrown_tower-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/overgrown_tower-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/overgrown_tower-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/overgrown_tower-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/overgrown_tower.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9081\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">More deferred maintenance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9082\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9082\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-9082\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected-650x488.jpg\" alt=\"RF and tower light feed disconnected from tower base\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected-650x488.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9082\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">RF and tower light feed disconnected from tower base<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9083\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9083\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-9083\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected1-650x488.jpg\" alt=\"Second tower base vegetation not as bad, tower disconnected\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected1-650x488.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected1-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected1-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/disconnected1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9083\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Second tower base vegetation not as bad, tower disconnected<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9085\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9085\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-transmitter.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-9085\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-transmitter-650x488.jpg\" alt=\"WGHQ transmitter and original Collins phasing cabinet\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-transmitter-650x488.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-transmitter-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-transmitter-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-transmitter-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-transmitter-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/WGHQ-transmitter.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9085\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">WGHQ transmitter and original Collins phasing cabinet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>First tower video (sorry, I appear to have no idea what I am doing with the camera):<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hF6IyoYcxqo\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Second tower video, this one is better:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SEMCWrB1EYw\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Towers on the ground:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_7nHhBnn4m4\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/N3qz0BAnXDA\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I made measurements on the third tower and constructed a temporary ATU with parts on hand to get the station back on the air. They are now running 1 KW day, 38 watts night, as per their CP. I will be going back up to finish the job once the brush has been removed from around the existing tower and the ATU building has been repaired.\u00a0 The coverage with 1 KW is not bad, actually:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9087\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9087\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Screenshot-from-2016-06-29-085936.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-9087\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Screenshot-from-2016-06-29-085936-650x366.png\" alt=\"Predicted coverage map from FCC website\" width=\"650\" height=\"366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Screenshot-from-2016-06-29-085936-650x366.png 650w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Screenshot-from-2016-06-29-085936-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Screenshot-from-2016-06-29-085936-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Screenshot-from-2016-06-29-085936-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Screenshot-from-2016-06-29-085936-400x225.png 400w, https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Screenshot-from-2016-06-29-085936.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9087\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Predicted coverage map from FCC website<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The translator is on the way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WGHQ in Kingston, NY has been downgraded from a 5KW DA-1 to a 1KW non-DA system.\u00a0 This was done because two of the three towers in the directional antenna array dated from 1960, were in very rough condition and needed to be replaced.\u00a0 The remaining tower (furthest from the transmitter building) had been replaced in &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/2016\/06\/downgrading-an-am-radio-station\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Downgrading an AM radio station<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[87,284,18,19],"class_list":["post-9075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tech-stuff","tag-am","tag-am-tower","tag-am-transmitter-site","tag-tower"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9075","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9075"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9075\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11122,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9075\/revisions\/11122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}