50,000 Watt Stations on Clear Channel Frequencies

[EJ204]

These are the full-time 50,000 watt radio stations of North America. Many of the stations on this list date from the earliest years of broadcasting: KDKA, WBZ, CJBC, XEW. I omit the Cuban stations since they don't follow the international rules or report their current power outputs. And I omit 50 kw stations on regional channels, such as 580 KMJ Fresno and 950 WWJ Detroit. I include the old I-A and I-B classifications, although the FCC now groups all these stations into Class A. I used a 1977 Broadcasting Yearbook, Radio-Locator.com, Wikipedia, RadioStationWorld.com and Fred Cantu's Mexican radio website, although some of these sources conflict. Since the last time I posted this list, we've had two American stations change call letters (KFNQ, WUFC), two Canadian stations signed off (CHRC, CBE), and one Montreal station changed dial position (CKGM).

NARBA, the 1941 North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, set-up 37 Class I-A frequencies on the AM dial. Nearly all U.S. and Canadian I-As operate at 50,000 watts non-directional. Mexico permits its Class I-A stations to run up to 150,000 watts non-directional, with 900 XEW Mexico City grandfathered at 250,000 watts, the highest-powered AM station in North America. Except for 540, each Class I-A frequency has only one station with that designation.

Originally Class I-A stations did not have to share their frequencies at night within a thousand miles or more. Some Class I-A stations, such as 650 WSM Nashville and 750 WSB Atlanta, had only one or two stations on their frequencies, restricted to Alaska, Hawaii or the Far West. WLW Cincinnati (which operated with 500,000 watts from 1934 to 1941) had no other stations on 700 except for one outlet in Anchorage. As late as 1977, WOAI San Antonio had no other U.S. or Canadian station on 1200, day or night. A few stations in Mexico and the Carribean operated on these frequencies but all were low-powered. The governments of the U.S., Canada and other nations in North America originally worked to keep the clear channel frequencies free of interference.

There are 23 Class I-B freqencies, including one station in the Bahamas. In most cases, two or three I-B stations share these dial positions. I-B stations usually operate after sunset with directional signals to protect the other I-B stations that share their frequency. Most Class I-Bs operate with 50,000 watts around the clock although a few run with less power. In Mexico, a few I-Bs operate at up to 100,000 watts by day but power down to 50,000 watts or less by night. Lesser class stations on I-B frequencies may run up to 50,000 watts but they had to use a directional antenna to protect the I-Bs.

When the FCC assigned 50 U.S. stations as Class I-A and I-B, some relatively small cities were home to these powerhouses. Stations in Rochester, Des Moines and Fort Worth got I-A assignments. Today Fort Worth is part of the Dallas market, #5. But it certainly was not a large metropolis then. Several stations in small cities got Class I-B status, including Waterloo, Wheeling, Fort Wayne and Shreveport. Even though it's located in Schenectady (pop 61,500), we know why 810 WGY is a non-directional I-B station. It was owned by General Electric, with major operations in Schenectady. Meanwhile cities that today are quite large, Houston, Miami, Phoenix, Kansas City, etc., had no I-A or I-B stations. In Tennessee, Nashville got both a I-A and a I-B assignment, while Memphis has none. The nation's capital got only 1500 as a I-B station. New York City got three I-As and three I-Bs, with upstate New York assigned a I-A and two I-Bs. Chicago was granted four I-As and one I-B. But on the West Coast, LA only got one I-A and one I-B. And San Francisco got two I-Bs. Tijuana has a I-B station, while next door, San Diego has none. By the 1980s, the FCC reduced protections for I-As and I-Bs, to allow additional stations on the AM dial.

The following stations operate with 50,000 watts fulltime unless otherwise noted.

540 CBK(1) Watrous-Regina I-A
XEWA(1) San Luis Potosi I-A (150 kw)
WFLF Pine Hills-Orlando (50 kw D/46 kw N)
640 KFI Los Angeles I-A
CFMJ Richmond Hill-Toronto
650 WSM Nashville I-A
KENI Anchorage
660 WFAN New York I-A
KTNN Window Rock, AZ
CFFR Calgary
670 WSCR Chicago I-A
KBOI Boise
680 KNBR(2) San Francisco I-B
WRKO Boston
WPTF Raleigh
CFTR Toronto
CJOB Winnipeg
690 CKGM(3) Montreal I-A
CBU Vancouver
XEWW Rosarito-Tijuana (77 kw D/50 kw N)
700 WLW Cincinnati I-A
710 WOR New York I-B
KIRO Seattle I-B
WAQI Miami
720 WGN Chicago I-A
KDWN Las Vegas
730 XEX Mexico City I-A (100 kw)
CKAC Montreal
CHMJ North Vancouver
740 CFZM Toronto I-A
WYGM Orlando
KTRH Houston
KCBS San Francisco
CBX Edmonton
750 WSB Atlanta I-A
KFQD Anchorage
760 WJR Detroit I-A
KFMB(4) San Diego (5 kw D/50 kw N)
770 WABC New York I-A
KKOA Albuquerque
CHQR Calgary
780 WBBM Chicago I-A
KKOH Reno
800 XEROK Ciudad Juarez I-A
CHRC(3) Quebec City
CKLW Windsor
810 WGY(2) Schenectady I-B
KGO San Francisco I-B
WKVM San Juan, PR
CHQR Calgary
XEFW Tampico
820 WBAP Fort Worth I-A
830 WCCO Minneapolis I-A
WCRN Worcester-Boston
840 WHAS Louisville I-A
850 KOA(2) Denver I-B
WEEI Boston
KICY Nome, AK
XEAC Ixhuatlancillo, Veracruz
860 CJBC Toronto I-A
KTRB San Francisco
HILR Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.
870 WWL(5) New Orleans I-A
880 WCBS New York I-A
KRVN Lexington, NE
CHQT Edmonton
890 WLS Chicago I-A
900 XEW Mexico City I-A (250 kw)
CHML Hamilton, Ont.
940 CINW(2)(3) Montreal I-B
XEQ(2) Mexico City I-B
KYNO Fresno
990 CBW(6) Winnipeg I-A (50 kw D/46 kw N)
CKGM(3) Montreal
XET Monterrey
1000 WMVP Chicago I-B
KOMO Seattle I-B
XEOY Mexico City I-B (50 kw D/20 kw N)
1010 CFRB Toronto I-B
CBR Calgary I-B
WINS New York
1020 KDKA Pittsburgh I-A
KTNQ Los Angeles
KCKN Roswell, NM
1030 WBZ(5) Boston I-A
KTWO Casper, WY
1040 WHO Des Moines I-A
CKST Burnaby-Vancouver
1050 XEG Monterrey I-A (100 kw)
WEPN New York
CHUM Toronto
1060 KYW Phildelphia I-B
XEEP Mexico City I-B (100 kw D/20 kw N)
CKMX Calgary
1070 KNX(2) Los Angeles I-B
CBA(2)(3) Moncton I-B
1080 WTIC Hartford I-B
KRLD Dallas I-B
1090 WBAL Baltimore I-B
KAAY Little Rock I-B
XEPRS Rancho del Mar-Tijuana I-B
KFNQ Seattle
1100 WTAM Cleveland I-A
KFAX San Francisco
1110 WBT Charlotte I-B
KFAB Omaha I-B
XERED Mexico City (100 kw D/50 kw N)
1120 KMOX St. Louis I-A
KPNW Eugene
1130 WBBR New York I-B
KWKH Shreveport I-B
CKWX Vancouver I-B
1140 WRVA Richmond I-B
XEMR Monterrey I-B
KHTK Sacramento
1160 KSL Salt Lake City I-A
WYLL Chicago
1170 WWVA Wheeling I-B
KFAQ Tulsa I-B
XEQV Arciela
1180 WHAM Rochester I-A
Radio Marti(7) Marathon-Miami (100 kw)
1190 KEX Portland I-B
WOWO(8) Fort Wayne I-B (50 kw D/9.8 kw N)
XEWK Guadalajara I-B
1200 WOAI San Antonio I-A
WXKS Newton-Boston
CFGO Ottawa
1210 WPHT Philadelphia I-A
1220 XEB Mexico City I-A (100 kw)
WHKW Cleveland
1500 WFED Washington I-B
KSTP St. Paul I-B
1510 WLAC Nashville I-B
KGA(8) Spokane I-B
WUFC Boston
1520 WWKB Buffalo I-B
KOKC Oklahoma City I-B
1530 WCKY Cincinnatti I-B
KFRK Sacramento I-B
1540 KXEL Waterloo, Iowa I-B
ZNS-1 Nassau I-B
WDCD(3) Albany
1550 CBE(3)(6) Windsor I-B (10 kw)
XERUV Xalapa I-B
1560 WQEW New York I-B
KNZR(6) Bakersfield I-B (25 kw D/10 kw N)
1570 XERF Ciudad Acuna I-A (100 kw)
1580 CKDO(3)(6) Oshawa, Ont. I-A (10 kw)
KBLA Santa Monica-Los Angeles
KMIK Tempe-Phoenix
XEDM Hermosillo


1 - There are two Class I-A stations on 540. Originally, CBK Watrous-Regina was the only Class I-A occupant of 540, running 50,000 watts non-directional around the clock. But Mexico protested that it had been shortchanged when clear channel assignments were being decided. So 540 was re-designated as a Canadian-Mexican clear channel frequency, giving Class I-A status to XEWA San Luis Potosi, allowing it to run 150,000 watts non-directional fulltime. All other Class I-A frequencies have only one station with that designation, even if they have to share that frequency with lesser-class 50,000 watt directional stations that must protect them.

2 - 680 KNBR San Francisco, 810 WGY Schenectady, 850 KOA Denver, 940 CINW Montreal, 940 XEQ Mexico City, 1070 KNX Los Angeles and 1070 CBA Moncton were designated Class I-B stations, even though they operate(d) with non-directional 50,000 watt signals, the same as a I-A. KNBR and KOA have no other Class A stations on their frequencies but they do have to share their channels with other stations, including several 50,000 watt directional stations that must protect them. WGY operates with a non-directional antenna, although the other Class I-B on 810, KGO San Francisco, nulls to the east to protect WGY. Stations on 940 and 1070 operate(d) with 50,000 watts non-directional on the same channel. Apparently the distance between Montreal and Mexico City, and between Southern California and New Brunswick, are great enough that none of these stations had to null their nighttime signals. All other I-B stations use directional signals at night to protect other I-B stations on their frequencies.

3 - Several Canadian clear channel stations have left the air: 690 CINF (formerly CBF) and 940 CINW (formerly CBM) Montreal signed off due to financial reasons. 990 CKGM Montreal, an English-language Sports station, recently moved to 690. New French-language stations may soon operate on 940 and 990. 800 CHRC, the last AM station in Quebec City, left the air in Sept. 2012 but other groups are seeking the frequency. 1070 CBA Moncton and 1550 CBE Windsor are now on the FM band. And CBJ Chicoutimi, Quebec, also switched to the FM dial, but CKDO Oshawa, Ontario, took the 1580 frequency and inherited its protections. In the U.S., 1540 WDCD Albany left the air in April of 2012, but the owner says the station will return.

4 - 760 KFMB San Diego operates with a non-directional antenna by day but only at 5000 watts due to its proximity to KBRT Avalon, a daytime station on 740, 70 miles away. When KBRT signs off at sunset, KFMB goes to 50,000 watts but with a directional pattern to protect WJR Detroit.

5 - 870 WWL New Orleans and 1030 WBZ Boston are the only Class I-A stations that operate with directional patterns, not to protect other stations, but to put a stronger signal over the largest population centers in their markets. These patterns are now grandfathered so it's unlikely they could return to non-directional operation. All other I-A stations are non-directional.

6 - 990 CBW Winnipeg, 1550 CBE Windsor, 1560 KNZR Bakersfield and 1580 CKDO Oshawa are the only Class A stations in the U.S. and Canada that operate(d) with less than 50,000 watts full-time. Several Mexican Class A stations broadcast with less than 50,000 watts and a few run with more.

7 - 1180 Radio Marti, owned and operated by the U.S. State Department, has no call letters and is outside the jurisdiction of the FCC. It reportedly runs 100,000 watts full-time, in a very directional pattern toward Cuba, from its transmitter in Marathon in the Florida Keys. Its signal can barely be heard in the Miami area, where its studios are. WAVS in Davie, just north of Miami, broadcasts day and night, one channel away on 1170, because Radio Marti's signal is so highly directional away from the mainland.

8 - WOWO gave up its status as a Class A station, reducing power to 9,800 watts at night, to allow 1190 WLIB New York to operate full-time. KGA has done the same, reducing its nighttime power to 15,000 watts and giving up its Class A status, allowing 1510 KSFN Piedmont CA to operate with increased power at night to better cover the Bay Area.

 

[benale]

Thank you for that very informative list. I was curious to see how many non directional I A stations that existed. I always thought KNX was one of those. From 1230 to 1490 there are no 50,000 watters. I never knew WBZ and WWL were directional. Nice read.

 

[w9wi]

From 1230 to 1490 there are no 50,000 watters.

There are 50,000-watt stations in that range, but EJ said he wasn't going to list them. (for good reason: Class A stations are not allowed in that band*, and before the reclassification Class B stations weren't allowed up there. They're designated as "regional", not "clear", channels.)

* Strangely, two Canadian stations in this band *are* listed as Class A. (CFUN-1410 Vancouver & CFRN-1260 Edmonton) Why I don't know. Maybe their nighttime skywave coverages are protected within Canada?, not that that would be difficult with the AM band rapidly thinning out north of the border!)

 

[audioguy]

I also found this list very informative, although I was aware of some of it. I looked up the patterns of WWL and WBZ and it does not appear that there would ever be any need for them to consider going non-directional unless they were interested in broadcasting to the ships at sea.

A lot of these so-called clear channels are now blocked by local and regional stations operating at low power during the nighttime, such that they are unlistenable. For example, WAIT signed on at night and ruined reception of WBAP, such that over a significant part of the Chicago metro, neither station is listenable any more.

The policies of the FCC have permitted so much more interference that the band has become almost a complete wasteland at night. In my area, every channel above 1200 kHz is just noise except for 3 local signals. The lower part of the band is marred by noise from stations transmitting IBOC signals so that you can't really enjoy listening to a station for any length of time. For example, where I live, the following frequencies are trashed by interference from IBOC hiss at night: 600, 610, 630, 640, 760, 770, 790, 800, 840, 870, 910, 930, 970, 1020, 1040, 1050, 1060, 1070, 1080, 1090, 1100, 1110, 1130, 1150, 1170, and 1190.

I think that unfortunately, the best years for AM radio are past. Perhaps in the future another band will become available, such as the low VHF TV channels, that will cater to the desires of broadcasters to serve only people living within 30 miles or so of their antennas.

 

[EJ204]

>>>* Strangely, two Canadian stations in this band *are* listed as Class A. (CFUN-1410 Vancouver & CFRN-1260 Edmonton) Why I don't know.<<<

I've never seen these stations listed as Class A. Maybe this is a recent change? My 1977 Broadcasting Yearbook lists each channel on the AM dial as Clear (with an extra notation if it's Canadian, Mexican, Cuban or Bahamian), Regional and Local. 1260 and 1410 are listed as Regional. CFRN and CFUN (now CFTE) have been running 50,000 watts on their regional channels for decades, along with more than a dozen other Canadian AM stations. But I didn't think the U.S. recognized them as Class A stations.

And one change that I remembered since I posted the list: 940 in Fresno is now KFIG.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

In the Region II Database, under treaty, now sometimes just called "agreements", countries can designate cetain frequencies to be protected as Class A from interference from foreign stations. They're a nightmare for consulting engineers, and stations that want to upgrade facilities from Class D to Class B, or increase power. Many are now vacant in Canada, but remain for years of until a substitution is proposed and accepted, which is freqeuntly not possible.

 

[w9wi]

...and before the reclassification Class B stations weren't allowed up there.)

Darn. I meant:

...and before the reclassification Class I stations weren't allowed up there.)

 

[w9wi]

In the Region II Database, under treaty, now sometimes just called "agreements", countries can designate cetain frequencies to be protected as Class A from interference from foreign stations. They're a nightmare for consulting engineers, and stations that want to upgrade facilities from Class D to Class B, or increase power. Many are now vacant in Canada, but remain for years of until a substitution is proposed and accepted, which is freqeuntly not possible.

Can they designate stations on *regional* channels as Class A though? (apparently they can, as two have!)

There used to be two Class C stations operating on regional channels -- 570 in Marinette, Wis. and 1350 somewhere in Oklahoma. I can't find the Oklahoma station anymore; the Wisconsin station seems to have been reclassified Class B. (I guess with the I/II/III/IV=>A/B/C thing, 250 watts became a valid daytime power for a Class B station)

EJ: I was surprised to see that as well, and have no idea how long those stations have been designated as Class A. Obviously there are plenty of 50,000-watt stations on regional channels in Canada but the rest of them are all Class B. I almost wonder if it's a typo?

If you go to the FCC's CDBS and search for Class A stations between 1250-1480KHz inclusive, you get about a dozen hits. All the rest are in non-NARBA countries, mostly south of Panama.

 

[davideduardo]

These are the full-time 50,000 watt radio stations of North America. Many of the stations on this list date from the earliest years of broadcasting: KDKA, WBZ, CJBC, XEW.

XEW did not go on the air until 1930. It was a late-comer to the radio party. The first Mexican AM was in Monterrey in 1922, followed by what is now XEB in Mexico City.

860 CJBC Toronto I-A
KTRB San Francisco
HILR Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.

HILR never ran 50 kw, and may be silent.

1170 WWVA Wheeling I-B
KFAQ Tulsa I-B
XEQV Arciela

Mexican 50 kw never built; there is, in fact, no station in Arcelia, Gro., on 1170 now. Mexico is moving about 80% of it's AM stations to FM, and no new AMs will be allowed on those former allocations.

1550 CBE(3)(6) Windsor I-B (10 kw)
XERUV Xalapa I-B

Mexican 50 kw never built. They are, like Bakersfield, a 10 kw operation.

1570 XERF Ciudad Acuna I-A (100 kw)

Running 50 kw now, and apparently moving to FM as XHRF; AM is in "sunset" period.

It's fascinating to review your list... a lot of work went into preparing it, I am sure.

 

[frankberry]

770 is KKOB ... not KKOA

 

[davideduardo]

There used to be two Class C stations operating on regional channels -- 570 in Marinette, Wis. and 1350 somewhere in Oklahoma.

Wasn't it the 910 AM in Piqua, OH?

If you go to the FCC's CDBS and search for Class A stations between 1250-1480KHz inclusive, you get about a dozen hits. All the rest are in non-NARBA countries, mostly south of Panama.

Actually, south of Mexico. None of the 7 Central American countries signed NARBA and none even protected each other. Thus, for a while you had 10 kw on 1170 in Guatemala City and 50 kw on 1170 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Or you had 50 kw on 834 in Belize.

Both Venezuela and Colombia regulated AM channels in the late 50's so that the 50 to 100 kw stations were below 1000 kcs, 5 to 20 kw from 1010 to 1250 (1200 in Venezuela) and 1 to 5 kw at the top of the dial. In later years, some exceptions were made for major city stations in the lower power parts of the band to go to a bit higher power. Ecuador loosely followed the Colombian plan.

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, CHile and Uruguay have a plan not unlike the NARBA one, but with totally different channels for their pseudo-clears, regionals and local channels.

The FCC database for stations outside the US and Canada is very inaccurate, out of date or incomplete.

 

[jd]

There used to be two Class C stations operating on regional channels -- 570 in Marinette, Wis. and 1350 somewhere in Oklahoma.

Wasn't it the 910 AM in Piqua, OH?

WMAM Marinette still runs 250 day, 100 night; KPNS (heritage calls KRHD) Duncan OK ran 250 day, 100 night (now reduced to 180 day, 70 night); WPFB 910 Middletown OH still runs 1000 day/100 night. In addition KFYN 1420 Bonham TX ran 250 watts as a daytimer for many years before receiving nighttime authorization at lower power.

There may have been more, but that's all I remember right now. Of course the ones mentioned were all reclassified as Class B's.

 

[jd]

Correct and clarify on that last paragraph to reflect changes to Domestic class D, Region 2 Class B for the stations mentioned. Sorry for the confusion.

Also add KSOK 1280 Arkansas City KS to the list, 1000 watts day and 100 nights for decades.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

WPFB 1000/100 ND 910 Middletown, OH and WMAM 250/100 570 ND Marinette, WI are considered Class D now.

CIGM 50000 790 Sudbury, ON is considered Class A to the US. Here's a list of Ontario Class As. Similar lists can be generated for other provinces.

http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/a...&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9

CKX 1150, CFRN 1260, and CFUN 1410 are others I found before the editing time limit.

 

[KB1OKL]

I got KSL Utah on 1160 here in Ma the first night I ever DXed in 1977. I went up the dial on my RCA 811K console with a 400' LW, started at about 7 pm with an AM radio list in (I think) pop Communications which was a LOT smaller than there are now. I got to 1160 and parked there gradually something faded up from the background at about 1pm after listening for about 15 minutes to noise. It came up for about 5 minutes, long enough for an ID then gradually faded back down to nothing. That was the first and only time I got that far across the USA. WBAP 820 Fort Worth TX used to be a semi-regular here in Ma back then. Those were great days to DX.

 

[jd]

WPFB 1000/100 ND 910 Middletown, OH and WMAM 250/100 570 ND Marinette, WI are considered Class D now.

Yes, that's the point I was making in the correction to my initial posting.