I remember when a friend of mine loaned me his MR-78 for a while, and hearing KMCM 92.5 Miles City, MT in Southeast Michigan with an Archer/Antennacraft FM-10 Antenna more than once during a Sporadic E opening. I was surprised to see it is now on 92.3 as KYUS-FM. I looked at the History on CDBS, as there is no History Card for that new of a station. I was surprised that it was originally applied for as a Class A on 92.7. It was modified to Class C on 92.5 before going on the air, and then to 92.3 in an allotment drop in switch much later.
That used to be common, where smaller cities were assigned Class A allotments, and have upgraded one way or another, before and after Docket 80-90 and subsequent related changes. Then they allowed higher classes on the former Class A only frequencies. The sweet spot in regional allotments is Class C2, and I was involved in the upgrade plans and applications of three Class C2s that were originally Class As. In many more isolated areas, there really is no need for 100 kW facilities. Some stations are downgrading as Class C1 to 51 kW to save on power bills in these leaner times. Many stations have "downgraded" because Class C allotments put the stations 30 miles or more from smaller COLs, in remote locations, and Class As could outbill them in center city locations, and have lower operating costs. The isolated Class Cs "downgraded" to C1 or C2 and moved closer, and with a better signal, and more accessible TLs.
