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Question of Chicago AM radio....

Posted by John from Wisconsin <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=John+from+Wisconsin' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 9:31 am

I live in Milwaukee County.
Of late, quite noticeable how 930 WKBM Sandwich, 950 WSFS Chicago and 1160 WYLL Chicago have not been in or have been very weak of late. Are there any reasons for this?

Re: Question of Chicago AM radio....

Posted by detectivetom <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=detectivetom' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 12:25 pm, in reply to "Question of Chicago AM radio...."

Now that you mention it, I thought 950 AM was not as strong. I believed I was imagining it.

Re: Question of Chicago AM radio....

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 3:18 pm, in reply to "Question of Chicago AM radio...."

John, at your distance there are a few reasons.

#1 - Warmer weather is increasing so the ionosphere is shifting and not conducive for longer distance (non local) listening.

#2 - Massive noise from all the storms the US (not just local) have been experiencing.

#3 - When the AC goes on, along with fans and other "warmer" time stuff, you will notice more noise or lower Am signals.

If it was massively dry, it affects ground conductivity.. That DEF is not an issue for us recently!

Just curious John. Do you use a vertical antenna or horizontal wire or both?

Z

Re: Question of Chicago AM radio....

Posted by John from Wisconsin <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=John+from+Wisconsin' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 4:33 pm, in reply to "Re: Question of Chicago AM radio...."

Z,
Would be an AM loop, but to be honest, this is the same on a Ford Ranger factory radio.
Facilities would be on DAY power at 7:45AM local. WWJ Detroit and WXLW Indianapolis in of late, on 950. WWJ (Audacy) in loud this morning. "WWJ news time...."
1160 has been Bott Radio WCRT in Tennessee. Also, Religious, though others noted.
John
930 has been WBEN Buffalo and or WFAT in Battle Creek. "Kool FM" oldies.
Certainly, at least for me, this has been good dx-wise, but to NOT hear something 90 miles South seems a bit of a stretch here.
Have been to the Dakotas, where AM signals go hundreds of miles.
Upper Peninsula & Iron Range of MN are horrible for AM ground conductivity.
Never thought of recent rains. I've always heard different things. Interesting stuff.
Aside, at 9PM-ish, WBBM 780 is unlistenable going between skywave and groundwave. That settles down later.
In June-July, this won't be an issue....

Re: Question of Chicago AM radio....

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 16, 2026, 8:47 am, in reply to "Re: Question of Chicago AM radio...."

Aside, at 9PM-ish, WBBM 780 is unlistenable going between skywave and groundwave.

The WBBM-AM signal has been castrated. Supposedly there are plans to move it yet once again. The eventual fate for 780 and 670 is a sale or just shutting it down if it is not profitable to go through the motions to sell it. Even using the AM to clear a live sporting event when the FM is occupied will not be profitable at some point and will be ported over to the internet using IP.

You will see this much more moving sticks on the AM band going forward. WBBM, WSCR, WGN are candidates. Nexstar has not 0, but negative desire to own radio. They are TV. With this recent FCC approval to merge with Tegna, they own 3 radio stations. The other 2 are an AM/FM combo, they can be sold. WGN will be jettisoned or just turned off.

WLS-AM has not been upgraded for a long time in addition to the human sprawl around it. Their coverage has changed, for the worse, as years have gone on.

Z

Re: Question of Chicago AM radio....

Posted by CADXer <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=CADXer' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 5:29 pm, in reply to "Question of Chicago AM radio...."

John, daytime signals of all three at my location in the western suburbs are very good. Best of course is WYLL with their 50 kW from Des Planes 8 miles away from me. Next is WSFS with good signal 16 miles away. WKBM comes 3rd 35 miles away, but with good signal.

Nighttime is quite different. WKBM is easily nulled with a loop antenna. WSFS moves 31 miles southeast of me and in partial nulls I can hear WWJ Detroit and WAKM Franklin, TN. As for WYLL they also move away from me (26 miles) at night and their signal is weaker. Sometimes I am able to hear WCRT Donelson underneath WYLL. Gone are the days when they would go off at night during the WJJD days, making reception of KSL quite easy in Chicago area.

Speaking of WYLL, it has been reported by DXers that they were off the air during the night in recent months, so there might be transmitter issues at their Lockport site.

Re: Question of Chicago AM radio....

Posted by John from Wisconsin <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=John+from+Wisconsin' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 8:43 pm, in reply to "Re: Question of Chicago AM radio...."

https://www.rfcafe.com/references/electrical/images2/fcc-ground-conductivity-map-1975.gif

Look at 30 in North Dakota how the signals carry!
We are in pretty good shape here with 15 numbers.

Too, interesting with WWJ & WAKM bombing into your area. Neat stuff.

John

Re: Question of Chicago AM radio....

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 16, 2026, 8:29 am, in reply to "Re: Question of Chicago AM radio...."

CADXer and John.

For WSFS there is a major null at night to the W and NW. (image below) At night I can hear WWJ easily in Elgin, DeKalb, Huntley, Rockford. Chances are in most of Milwaukee county, you will not.

WYLL also uses that technology which cuts down power consumption even though they are @ 50KW. When there is little or no modulation, the power will vary and drop from its peak. I am not certain, but common sense dictates less carrier or modulation will allow other signals underneath it to pop in and be audible.

Z

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