RadioBanter - View Single Post - Getting local AM station engineering aware of harmonic problems

D Peter Maus · July 11th 06, 02:19 PM posted to rec.radio.shortwave

wrote:
I have a local MW station (630 WMAL) that is radiating harmonics (1260,
1.890, etc.) on up the spectrum.

The harmonics are strong enough that 1260 AM (also a local station) is
unlistenable for about a mile surrounding WMAL's towers. It's also an
irritation throughout the SW bands.

I am rather certain that the harmonics are coming out of the
transmitter and not the result of local rectification (near or in the
receiver) because building a trap for 630kHz has no effect on the
harmonic and the harmonic is present over a very wide area.

My first attempts (calling the station, writing a letter) have been met
with no acknowledgment that there is a problem (it is not even obvious
that anyone understands that there MIGHT be a technical issue to pass
on to engineering.)

Any advice?

Tim.

We had a similar circumstance with a new tower in Algonquin shared by
three stations, the mix products of which completely wiped out our
station in a very hot zipcode for us.

We started by getting listener complaints from the stations being
interfered with, us and one other on the tower.

That would be you.

Then they sent me out to record some audio in the area of
interference, and that was followed by the Cheap Engineer doing some
field strength readings.

Phone calls to the offending stations were not returned, or acknowledged.

The package was then sent to our corporate lawyers, who sent it to
FCC for resolution.

Things jumped pretty quickly from there.

The key was that we were a local station, and this was pretty
significant interference to the local audience.

So...you need to gather your facts. And tapes would be good, if you
can get them, (especially during a spot break...get the tail end of the
programming, capturing the calls, and then a string of spots that are
difficult to hear with all the trash, then back into programming again
capturing the calls,) and contact the station being interfered with.
They can take the complaint to the FCC a lot quicker and with more
certainty than you can. Explain to them (and you may need to talk to two
or three people inside to get the right attention) that you're a local
listener, and that you cannot listen to their station because of
interference from the offending station. I'd contact the Cheap Engineer,
first. Then the General Mangler. And if you get nowhere there, go to
over his head to the real power in the building: the Sales Mangler.

You tell a Sales Mangler that his prime inventory isn't being heard
in a local area, and he'll have the National Guard on the property
within the hour.

If you STILL don't get satisfaction, then take it to the next level.
Talk to someone at the home office. Or better still, start talking to
advertisers on the station being interfered with....Start with
Coca-Cola. Coke will get their attention, but quick. Just make sure
you're out of the way. You don't want to get any on you.

After you've made your noise with the station, contact the district
office of FCC, and make your complaint to them, as well. That will
reinforce the station's action.