What format flips do you predict for Seattle?

[davideduardo]

I just don't predict much of a following for another station with the same programming as KBLE.

The 5 mV/m signals of the two do not overlap. And in noisy metros, 10 mV/m is likely to be the strength needed to overcome man made interference.

Perhaps the KBLE signal is weak for the Olympia area, but I just don't see a major conglomeration of people wanting to hear this kind of programming.

I'm pretty sure the buyer knows this, but they likely feel that the cost of the station is justified by the possibilities of furthering their goals.

I think its important to consider how much of the population is Catholic, and how many people belonging to the population would be interested in this type of station.

There is 2004 data about the Seattle Archdiocese:

Diocese rank 15
Catholics 904,000
Population 4,755,500
Percent Catholic 19.01%

 

[fordranger797]

The 5 mV/m signals of the two do not overlap. And in noisy metros, 10 mV/m is likely to be the strength needed to overcome man made interference.

Could you explain the 5mV/m thing to me? Is that sort of like a dbu coverage map?

I am assuming that 5 (something volts per meter?) is the city grade signal for Olympia.

 

[davideduardo]

Could you explain the 5mV/m thing to me? Is that sort of like a dbu coverage map?

I am assuming that 5 (something volts per meter?) is the city grade signal for Olympia.

Signal strength on AM is generally expressed in millivolts per meter. In the early days of radio, when there was little man made noise and interference, signals of 1 mV/m or less could get regular listening. Fast forward to the 70's and in populated areas, 5 mV/m became about the minimum. Today, based on ratings data, little "big city" listening takes place outside the 10 mV/m contour.

The radio-locator "for entertainment purposes only" maps show an inner, red contour for AM. Reduce that by about 20% and you have the effective coverage area of AM stations today.


Keep in mind that terms like "city grade" are FCC terms and come from a much earlier era of radio. And the terms have not been redefined by the FCC to today's reality.

 

[fordranger797]

Signal strength on AM is generally expressed in millivolts per meter. In the early days of radio, when there was little man made noise and interference, signals of 1 mV/m or less could get regular listening. Fast forward to the 70's and in populated areas, 5 mV/m became about the minimum. Today, based on ratings data, little "big city" listening takes place outside the 10 mV/m contour.

The radio-locator "for entertainment purposes only" maps show an inner, red contour for AM. Reduce that by about 20% and you have the effective coverage area of AM stations today.


Keep in mind that terms like "city grade" are FCC terms and come from a much earlier era of radio. And the terms have not been redefined by the FCC to today's reality.

That would make sense. I was listening to some out of town AM's while driving through downtown Seattle last night and the signal was destroyed by electrical interference. However, once I was out of the city, the signal was booming in. Can you still receive 5 mV/m (or maybe even the 10 mV/m) signal if you are picking up a long distance AM?

 

[semoochie]

That would make sense. I was listening to some out of town AM's while driving through downtown Seattle last night and the signal was destroyed by electrical interference. However, once I was out of the city, the signal was booming in. Can you still receive 5 mV/m (or maybe even the 10 mV/m) signal if you are picking up a long distance AM?

An AM station was licensed to a particular community, with the understanding that the entire community would fall within the 5mv/m contour. Coverage maps commonly showed out to the 0.5 contour, which is plenty, under the right circumstances.

 

[fordranger797]

An AM station was licensed to a particular community, with the understanding that the entire community would fall within the 5mv/m contour. Coverage maps commonly showed out to the 0.5 contour, which is plenty, under the right circumstances.

Okay. That would make sense. I get plenty of out of town AM's that still produce plenty (which is probably around 0.5)

 

[semoochie]

Okay. That would make sense. I get plenty of out of town AM's that still produce plenty (which is probably around 0.5)

I'm not really recommending this but the second ring on Radio-locator.com is supposed to represent 0.5mv/m. Incidentally, a 60dbu FM signal is equivalent to 1mv/m but you can't really compare it with AM.