WILL Technical Info
Here are technical details about our stations, and information about our Engineering Staff.
Our broadcast signals on WILL-TV and WILL-FM cover most of central Illinois. WILL-AM reaches most of Illinois and a significant portion of western Indiana.High-resolution WILL coverage map
WILL-AM
Frequency: 580 KHz
WILL operates at full power (5 KW) only during the hours of local sunrise to sunset. It is classified by the FCC as a Class D, DA-D (daytime, directional antenna), and has three other operating modes:
1. Pre-sunrise, which allows it to operate with a power of 335 watts between 6 AM, local time, and local sunrise, when local sunrise occurs after 6 AM; and
2. Post-sunset, which allows it to operate with gradually decreasing powers from 500 Watts to 100 Watts during the two hours which follow local sunset; and
3. Nighttime, which allows it to operate at a power level of 100 Watts after the post-sunset period ends and until pre-sunrise or daytime operation begins.
Get the detailed WILL-AM Transmitter Power Schedule here.
Directional Antenna
All power levels use the same directional antenna pattern, which is cardioid (heart-shaped), with a minimum toward WIBW in Topeka, Kansas, which is the primary station WILL is required to protect from interference.
The directional antenna consists of two guyed towers, 340 feet high (68 electrical degrees), spaced 636 feet (135 electrical degrees), on a line oriented 77.5 degrees with reference to true North. The base currents are equal, with the base current of the West tower leading by 32.7 degrees. The geographical coordinates of the antenna are:
40 deg, 04 min, 53 secs N
88 deg, 14 min, 18 secs W
which is located on the University of Illinois South Farms, about a mile south of the Assembly Hall in Champaign, IL.
Transmitter:
Main transmitter is a Gates Five (FET output devices). Backup transmitter is an RCA BTA-5U (5762 triode output tube). Audio processor/modulation controller is an Orban 9100A/1 monaural unit with NRSC filter.
WILL-FM
Frequency: 90.9 MHz
Power: 105 KW ERP
Antenna
Dielectric DCR-C12, 12 bays in radomes, circularly polarized, side-mounted at the 850 foot level of a 1047 foot tower. The WILL-TV antenna is the top 122 feet of the structure.
Antenna Location
Approximately 25 miles SW of Champaign-Urbana, IL, or 5 miles west of Monticello, IL. The geographical coordinates are:
40 deg, 02 min, 20 secs N
88 deg, 40 min, 10 secs W
Coverage area
The one millivolt coverage area is a circle of radius 43.1 miles around the antenna.
Transmitter
Main transmitter is a 20 KW Broadcast Electronics FM20B(4CX12000A output tube). Backup transmitter is a 20 KW RCA BTF-20E(4CX15000A output tube). Audio processor/modulation controller is an Orban 8100A.
Translators
WILL-FM operates two translators to improve the signal in the following metro areas: one in Danville, IL, with output on 106.5 MHz; and one in Urbana, IL, with output on 101.1 MHz.
The Danville antenna is located atop the WIAI Tower at 4 North Vermilion St., at a height of 210 feet, with an ERP of 55 Watts.
The Urbana antenna, which is located at 1108 Main, is 185 feet high with an ERP of 250 Watts.
WILL-TV
Our transmitters are RCA TTG-30/30H. They consist of two 30 KiloWatt transmitters capable of operating in parallel (both transmitters on air and each supplying half of our licensed operating power) or one transmitter on the air at a time supplying our full licensed power. In the parallel mode of operation should one transmitter fail, it would only take us 2 to 4 seconds to switch to the good transmitter at full power. The transmitters are all solid-state with the exception of the visual and aural final tubes.
Transmitter Location
5 miles West of Monticello Illinois and one mile North of Interstate 72 or 40 degrees 02 min 18 sec North Latitude and 88 degrees 40 min 10 sec West Longitude. Total tower and antenna height 1047 feet. Antenna is an RCA TW18A12-P. Class A coverage 43 mile radius from transmitter. Class B coverage 61 mile radius from transmitter.
