The Remaining Class A AMs In The 48 Contiguous United States

[davideduardo]

It took some explaining to persuade him that there were no protections that needed to be met, and that the DA was entirely voluntary, with no monitor points on file with the FCC.

In Puerto Rico, for decades we had one FCC inspector. When a station changed hands or got a new manager, you'd find him there about a year later. If he liked you and found that you had a clean station and understood the rules, you'd never be inspected again.

I had one inspection in 1971. For the next twenty or so years, wherever I was never, ever got inspected.

 

[gr8oldies]

They are grandfathered with their existing facilities, which have been in place since probably circa 1940, when DAs started to become more widespread. They really can't increase interference to other stations without fancy footwork. Even KFI couldn't when they replaced their tower with a shorter one after it was collapsed by a plane. WMVP (WCFL) had to design a pattern which closely matched or slightly reduced in each critical direction. They were able to replace two symmetrical nulls with an asymmetrical set which allowed one null to be let out a little toward KOMO.

Is it urban legend that under Amway/Mutual ownership that the WCFL pattern was modified so Van Andel and DeVos could hear the station in Grand Rapids better?

 

[asugeorge1]

But with a properly selected transmitter site, it can be an advantage. Look at how many coastal stations locate farther inland and dump huge intensity over the intended market. It may be making lemonade out of a lemon, but when done right it can be very productive.

Very true. I think a good example of this is KCBS. Their signal is consistently the strongest San Francisco 50,000 watt station up and down the West Coast. It is the strongest, in my opinion, in San Diego. When I was in Cabo San Lucas a few years back, KCBS was the winner (along with KNX and KFI) as the strongest US stations.

 

[radioman148]

Very true. I think a good example of this is KCBS. Their signal is consistently the strongest San Francisco 50,000 watt station up and down the West Coast. It is the strongest, in my opinion, in San Diego. When I was in Cabo San Lucas a few years back, KCBS was the winner (along with KNX and KFI) as the strongest US stations.

Is KCBS stronger than KGO up and down the coast? I've found that KGO is strong from Alaska deep into Mexico.

 

[Gregg.]

Originally the stations that are now Class A in Alaska were only Class II's when the classifications were first set up. There are also a number of similar stations in the Maritime provinces that have been elevated to Class A that had also been Class II stations originally.

I had a list somewhere I should look for. There are about six or seven Class A stations in Alaska, and a similar number in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. I don't think there are any in New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island, which have almost no AM stations at this point. I believe a few of these Maritime Class As are commercial stations and a few that are CBC affiliates.

Of course, the original Class I in the Maritimes, CBA 1070 Moncton, New Brunswick, was switched to FM around 2000. I used to hear CBA occasionally in New Jersey at night. Interesting to note that it shared 1070 with KNX Los Angeles. Both were considered I-B stations and yet operated with 50,000 watts non-directional at all times. Moncton and Los Angeles are so far from each other that neither station needed to use a directional antenna.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Is it urban legend that under Amway/Mutual ownership that the WCFL pattern was modified so Van Andel and DeVos could hear the station in Grand Rapids better?

They might have made sure everything was in tip top shape, but beyond that, it would be a legend.

It was in the late 2000s when Glen Clark designed and built the new array for ABC/Disney.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Originally the stations that are now Class A in Alaska were only Class II's when the classifications were first set up. There are also a number of similar stations in the Maritime provinces that have been elevated to Class A that had also been Class II stations originally.

I had a list somewhere I should look for. There are about six or seven Class A stations in Alaska, and a similar number in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. I don't think there are any in New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island, which have almost no AM stations at this point. I believe a few of these Maritime Class As are commercial stations and a few that are CBC affiliates.

Of course, the original Class I in the Maritimes, CBA 1070 Moncton, New Brunswick, was switched to FM around 2000. I used to hear CBA occasionally in New Jersey at night. Interesting to note that it shared 1070 with KNX Los Angeles. Both were considered I-B stations and yet operated with 50,000 watts non-directional at all times. Moncton and Los Angeles are so far from each other that neither station needed to use a directional antenna.

You can generate your own list any way you want at this link. You can come up with just about any list of this type by entering the right information. And print it out.

AM Query Broadcast Station Search

www.fcc.gov

 

[RadioFan2J3]

But with a properly selected transmitter site, it can be an advantage. Look at how many coastal stations locate farther inland and dump huge intensity over the intended market. It may be making lemonade out of a lemon, but when done right it can be very productive.

WOKV's nighttime transmitter site, near Baldwin, is one good example. The due east pattern covers Jacksonville.

WOKV's day transmitter site is between Orange Park and Fleming Island.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

WBZ applied for a DA in August, 1939, and it was officially licensed in January, 1941, on 990 kHz.

The tower spacing increased from 90 to 93.6 degrees when they moved from 990 kHz to 1030 kHz on March 29, 1941, and the phasing went from 90 to 86.4 degrees, giving single cardioid null. The parameters exist to this day!

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=50795

 

[davideduardo]

Is KCBS stronger than KGO up and down the coast? I've found that KGO is strong from Alaska deep into Mexico.

KGO goes both up and down, while the KCBS pattern throws most of the signal to the south, protecting Canada (whose clear channel 740 truly is). That is why KCBS is located at the northern side of the market, too.

 

[Deleted User]

ahhh Canada 740..... Bittners WJIB-A in Cambridge Ma has some flea powered night power, and 20 miles line of sight from his stick I get the 740 out of IIRC Toronto loud and clear on the MA/NH border.

Before I head back north to NH I need to try some DXing here in Florida

 

[radioman148]

KGO goes both up and down, while the KCBS pattern throws most of the signal to the south, protecting Canada (whose clear channel 740 truly is). That is why KCBS is located at the northern side of the market, too.

I thought so.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

At the time KCBS was authorized, the Treaty required that no US station could be authorized that put more than 5 uV/m Daytime or 25 uV/m Nighttime 10% Skywave at any point on the Canadian Border. Later it was modified to protecting the actual Class A contours, 0.1 mV/m Day ground wave and 0.5 mV/m 50% Nighttime Old Treaty Skywave Curve Contour of the Class A station on Canadian soil.

It caused some unsustainable stations to be authorized who had to protect the Canadian Border to 5 uV/m like 990 in Clare, MI, which beamed West and completely missed the areas with more population nearby. To the other directions, the real conductivity limited it to a very small area. Odd that it was beamed West, TOWARD CBW Winnipeg, MB, away from the nearby border. It got something like 6 watts PSSA authorized TOWARD CBW. Eventually, the license was turned in to upgrade WDEO Ypsilanti which got 9200 Watts Day beamed right at much of Ontario Daytime, and 250 watts Night beamed away from CBW. WITL 1010 Lansing was limited by this still, because CFRB put 0.1 mV/m ground wave to the Canadian Border, and 0.5 mV/m 50% Skywave also. WITL 1010 also turned in its license because to couldn't upgrade to a sufficient level, particularly the 13 watts PSSA.

 

[boiseengineer]

KGO is kind of weak in the Stockton/Modesto area. Made the suggestion they put it on one of there Stockton/Modesto Cumulus FM HD-2s but that didn't happen.

 

[davideduardo]

KGO is kind of weak in the Stockton/Modesto area. Made the suggestion they put it on one of there Stockton/Modesto Cumulus FM HD-2s but that didn't happen.

That's because there is no revenue to be had from adding listeners in a totally separate and very much smaller market.

 

[cyberdad]

Is KCBS stronger than KGO up and down the coast? I've found that KGO is strong from Alaska deep into Mexico.

I can only speak from the small sample size of places where I've spent time in Nor-Cal. At my sister in law's place in Santa Rosa, KCBS and KGO are about equal. In Napa Valley, which has been one of our favorite spots since 1968, KGO seems to have the better of it, but not by much.