Large Antenna Arrays

[acosell]

Hello,

I've seen a few groups of antennas around the Niagara Region. There is one at the QEW/Paramount area. Does anybody know what these are all about?

 

[125]

QEW and "Paramount" ????? in what town?

 

[EJB]

Hello,

I've seen a few groups of antennas around the Niagara Region. There is one at the QEW/Paramount area. Does anybody know what these are all about?

In Grimsby?
They might be Corus radio.
During th eblackout of '03 640 was crowing that they were lucky, they had this transmitter in Grimssby, a municipality that was not really blacked out.

E

 

[acosell]

Yeah, it's just inside Grimsby. I'll see if I can't get a picture on my next day off.

 

[acosell]

I have attached some photos of what I am referring to. Anybody know what these are for?

 

[mbstone99]

Corus

I have attached some photos of what I am referring to. Anybody know what these are for?

By the looks from the pictures I think that is the antenna farm for Corus Radio. If I am not mistaken isn't a few of the Toronto stations using this farm?

Matt

 

[polkaroo]

Definately an AM radio site.

 

[acosell]

I have recently come across quite a few more arrays very similar to this one in the area. I've never seen them anywhere else. Any ideas why?

 

[Heterodyne]

I have recently come across quite a few more arrays very similar to this one in the area. I've never seen them anywhere else. Any ideas why?

I have recently come across quite a few more arrays very similar to this one in the area. I've never seen them anywhere else. Any ideas why?

Because of the nature of how AM is broadcast.

Unlike an FM transmitter, which can be located within the area that it is targeting, AM radio transmitters must be located away from the target area (in this case, Toronto) due to propagation.

As well, mediumwave transmitters are normally mast radiators (the antenna mast itself is the radiating element, instead of merely supporting the element) and are also rather tall (usually a quarter wavelength, which can be pretty high in the lower frequencies)... you can't put a 100 meter-tall antenna on top of a 80 storey high-rise. As well, the surrounding area must be clear in order to not interfere with the radiation pattern.

Also.. since mast radiators can have a pretty high voltage against ground, they need to be well fenced in case some idiot decides to go for a climb.

There are other factors too (Ground wave propigation, mush zone, etc.) that other more learned members of the board can add to my very layman explaination.

That's why you see AM radio antenna farms in Grimsby, Oakville, etc. instead of on the top of First Canadian Place, the CN Tower, etc.

 

[Heterodyne]

On a side note, I once saw a circuit hobby kit that, once built, will recharge nicad batteries when placed in close proximity to an AM broadcast transmitter. Reminds me of those electrical voodoo experiments like holding fluorescent lighting tubes underneath high voltage hydro lines or something

 

[petergriffin]

I have attached some photos of what I am referring to. Anybody know what these are for?

97.5% sure it is CBC if you ever have a chance to go to Sackville New brunswick by the Nova scotia boarder you will see the very same thing (however there is much much larger in area) http://www.hawkins.pair.com/rci/rci03.jpg

hope that cures your curiosity

 

[acosell]

Because of the nature of how AM is broadcast. etc etc

Thanks for all of that info, it really shed some light. I appreciate it.

 

[Jammin_Jay]

Here's an idea. I have tired this and it works. When you drive by an AM antenna farm and u suspect the station could be what you think it is, tune the am dial in your car radio to that. So if it is 640 am, tune your car to 640 am, you should get heavy rf bleeding about 40 khz on either side of 640, so from 600 to 680, u will here the same station very loud, when you are parked right beside the antenna farm. I did this with on am station that i knew where the antenna array was , and it actually bled from 50 khz below to 70 khz above the actuall broadcast frequency

 

[acosell]

Sounds like fun. I didn't have any plans for tonight. I'm off to listen to some AM radio. Who doesn't like George Noory?

 

[Jammin_Jay]

I forgot to mention in my recent post reply. Also you can use a website called radio-locator.com. You can type in the exact frequency and call letters for the frequency, and it will map out the exact location of the transmitter, right down to the Long and Lat of where it is...




Here is a 640am CFMJ . I typed it in and this is the results....
Link below...

Also, when u view this link and on the website it will have the co-ordinate of the long and lat of that transmitter, all u have to do is click on it, and it will give u a google map, zoomed right in the exact street level block of where the transmitter is. Look beside the heading Transmitter Location

And when u get the map, click on Satellite view, and u can actually zoom in and see the antenna's themselves, its pretty kool.



www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=CFMJ&service=AM


I would seem Rogers - 680 news transmitter is also in grimsby, but on the opposite side of the QEW, beside the dept of national defense building.

 

[acosell]

That's interesting... I just happened to scroll over to the radio array that I was initially talking about in this thread. The land is marked as "Dept. Of National Defense"

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=....621632&spn=0.006771,0.018797&z=16&iwloc=addr

What's that about?

 

[acosell]

And: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=CFTR&service=AM

Veeery interesting...

 

[Jammin_Jay]

It's beside the national defense property. Not on it.

Also, what i like about this site, is you can click on the daytime, and night time radiation pattern, for those of you who are into am radio.

But like i said, if u can click on satellite view, zoom in, and u can see the antenna array on some of the maps.

some show 6 towers, some show 8,

 

[acosell]

Ahh yes, you are correct. That map confused me a little. Well I'm going for a drive. That's a pretty cool site. I had no idea that AM transmitters had to be so far from their target markets.

 

[Jammin_Jay]

Here is a satellite close up of 680 news am, 8 tower array on winston Road , beside national defense.

U can see the 8 towers with the circles around the base to indicate them

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/Grimsb...2:43.214117:-79.611969:0::/io:0:::::f:EN:M:/e