Being smart takes a long time, especially when information remains hidden for so long. Just two years ago, after 40-years in broadcasting, I finally heard about “the critical hours,” a well known AM broadcast term referring to hours before sunrise and after sunset.
Now, while reading an article on R.F.I., radio frequency interference, comes the term “the fading wall.” You probably know all about it, but I didn’t.
The fading wall is the area where the AM signal reflected from the ionosphere reaches to ground.
Of course Part 15 transmitters aren’t powerful enough to reach the ionosphere, but we are affected by fading wall syndrome coming from distant stations.
What else is there to know? I don’t have the slightest idea.
The Critical Hours Operation Power
The Critical Hours Opeartion was put into place around the late 70’s its purpose was 2 hours after local sunrise and 2 hours before local sunset was to reduce power and change the antennas’ pattern during that critical time line before reducing power or rasing power The Dallas AM Gospel Station AM 1040 KGGR In North Dallas has that autorasation because of the clear channel station in Saint Louis Missouri or somewhere around there.
Some Clear Channel Daytimer Station Like AM 1500 KJIM The Local Nostalgia Station In My Neck of the woods can use their daytime power at 6AM and can stay on the air past local sunset if theyre in “emergency operations” for Grayson County
I thought you knew about that
I thought you knew about that … there’s been a lot of chatter on the forum about it.
The signal doesn’t actually fade much after sunset, it just get a ton of skip RFI. That’s what happens here too. Our little flea-powered TX’ get buried in a combination of skip from adjacent channels as well as on-channel skip, and also bunches of static from other sources.
Here my signal is still readable after sunset close to the transmitter, depending on where you are. Instead of strong ground wave (well, as strong as 100mw final input can do with a loading coil antenna), it seems to require more line-of-site. Add to that the nighttime lighting (especially neon beer and “OPEN” signs) and the skip RFI mentioned above, and you have a recipe for lots of nighttime noise.
That Beer Sign
So you’re saying you’re near a beer sign?
We’ll all stop by some night.
RE: That Beer Sign
Well, the beer signs are about 4-5 blocks away inside the windows of … you guessed it … a beer bar! But go ahead and come … I’ll buy you one 😉
They don’t bother the signal noticeably of themselves during the day, unless you park right in front of them. But at night, they just add to the din of noise from all other sources, including (mostly) skip noise.
In the Night
The sound of beer in the night.
beer/night life in north central
im only 16 but i been to a bar/restraunt… the new fresh smell of beer does smell very good in the nightlife here in north central texas i can guarantee ya that for sure! my favorite thing to get at the bar is sprite with cherry flavoring in the drink i am an ace at mixing that (the bartender had a son my age me and her got along and she taught me how to mix the sprite and cherry flavoring)
Fading Wall
That fading wall was kicking my butt last night, My signal was getting trashed, The biggest offender is KCNZ in Iowa, which used to be a no show till recently.
Wow! The Fading Wall!
I have NEVER heard of that!
One day a couple of months ago,
my son accidentally knocked over
a bottle of Sprite (that’s his favorite
soda) next to one of my radios.
That radio fell over (it was a portable)
and the signal did fade. Fortunately,
the cap was on the bottle of Sprite.
Come to think of it, cherry flavoring in
Sprite sounds good. We’ll have to try
that.
Best Wishes,
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
Understanding This
So, Bruce, what you’re saying is there is a connection between radio fading out and bottled soda.
I think I understand.
got carried away
Carl man, we started talking about one thing you put on here, then got carried away in another comment someone put on here.. we just got carried away a little bit. but speaking of sprite bottles that can happen if the radio electrical board is sensitive to the bang from the bottle, the radio would have to be old or poor circuitary! from what im thinking cus’ i have a 1959 VINTAGE motorola tube Clock/radio the radio only get AM and the Conelrad Stations and thats it nothing special or fancy, just a type of radio to go into your bedroom next to the bed i have knocked it pretty good but still sensitive and works in mint condish!