AM frequency of the week - 790 KHZ

[drt]

The Cuban interference issue also affects stations in the St. Petersburg/Tampa market as well. 620 WDAE St. Petersburg also has been granted power increases as well, both day and night to combat the Cuban interference, here is the latest letter I could find:

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=20387

Also 570 WTBN has specail authority during nighttime hours only to operate with 10,000 watts, instead of 5,000 to combat Radio Reloj.

WDAE's special authority is both day and night.

From my location near downtown St. Petersburg, I can hear the Cuban stations on both 570 and 620 from time to time during the day.

drt,
st. petersburg,fl

 

[jd]

I wonder what the revised directional antenna specifications are. Anyone know the history on that?

No, but I recall that they had plans to move to 780 about thirty years ago with 50kW day and 10kW night. As I understood it a construction permit was issued but they elected not to pursue it. As it turned out it looks like that made sense, because the original STA for increased power on 790 was approved back in 1981.

The Cuban interference issue also affects stations in the St. Petersburg/Tampa market as well.

It also has been an issue in places further away. Complaints about high-powered Cuban AM prompted the issuance of what amounted to the first FM repeater for an AM station, WAMB (now WCRT) 1160 Donelson TN back in 1990. WJNT 1180 in Pearl (Jackson) MS received authorization for one in 1999. Both are still around, and interestingly they're not classified as translators but as FM "boosters" that are only allowed to operate from sunset to sunrise.

 

[purpledevil]

I do think it's possible, but I will say they don't shoot too much signal to the east. During the times I had to drive east of Houston for work, KBME's signal (as well as that of Sports Radio 610 ... KILT) were noticeably worse as close as Mont Belvieu, about 30 miles east of downtown. Their Radio Locator maps are generous, I'll say that.

gar fla, I am right with schmave on this one. KBME is great going north, northwest, or even to the west as far as say Columbus, Tx. but is quick to disappear as you move east. If you are looking for the KBME ID, it is almost impossible to get. Airs at :10 to the top of the hour and is really quick. KBME-Houston. I doubt you'll ever be able to confirm it by calls, but it's moniker is "Sports Talk 790". Also might help you to listen for names such as Matt Thomas, Charlie Pallilo, or the "Mighty" Dylan Guinn during commercial breaks. You would be able to confirm your catch is from Houston right there.

Of course, KBME is our local so that is the only game in town on 790 in North Houston. Where I differ from schmave is that I am near enough the transmitter site that I have not been able to hear the radio reloj ticking from Cuba. I have caught Lubbock's KFYO at 790 underneath our KBME more often than not, specifically at night. During the day however it is all KBME.

 

[gar hi]

Here's why I think I was probably hearing KBME in the mix of chatter from all the different stations on 790 at the beach.

This is the FCC daytime pattern map. My location was to the ESE at about the 105 degree azimuth.

http://www.fcc.gov/ftp/Bureaus/MB/Databases/AM_DA_patterns/305421-2719.pdf

One day, I hope to be lucky enough to ID them.

It seemed unlikely I should be able to hear KTRH there in the daytime until I finally got their ID.

 

[schmave]

I do think it's possible, but I will say they don't shoot too much signal to the east. During the times I had to drive east of Houston for work, KBME's signal (as well as that of Sports Radio 610 ... KILT) were noticeably worse as close as Mont Belvieu, about 30 miles east of downtown. Their Radio Locator maps are generous, I'll say that.

gar fla, I am right with schmave on this one. KBME is great going north, northwest, or even to the west as far as say Columbus, Tx. but is quick to disappear as you move east. If you are looking for the KBME ID, it is almost impossible to get. Airs at :10 to the top of the hour and is really quick. KBME-Houston. I doubt you'll ever be able to confirm it by calls, but it's moniker is "Sports Talk 790". Also might help you to listen for names such as Matt Thomas, Charlie Pallilo, or the "Mighty" Dylan Guinn during commercial breaks. You would be able to confirm your catch is from Houston right there.

Of course, KBME is our local so that is the only game in town on 790 in North Houston. Where I differ from schmave is that I am near enough the transmitter site that I have not been able to hear the radio reloj ticking from Cuba. I have caught Lubbock's KFYO at 790 underneath our KBME more often than not, specifically at night. During the day however it is all KBME.

Agreed ... I couldn't hear the ticks until I was way down in League City. When I picked up my ex's brother from work at Spec's at 45 and 518, sometimes I'd be listening to 790 and could hear the ticks. They weren't the loudest, but they were unmistakable. I never heard them closer in than that; not even at my home a few miles west of there.

 

[Tincap]

NIGHT
Mostly CIGM (Sudbury, ON) when WBBM's IBOC is nulled.

Are they still operating on AM? I used to get them, here in eastern Ontario, although I don't think they where thrown in our direction. I'll have to check out the frequency tonight. Radio Reloj is usually there.

Daytime: WTNY Watertown NY

~BG

 

[fybush]

CIGM signed off AM for good Aug. 23, 2009.

http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2009/090824/nerw.html#can

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

CIGM is gone, but it is still required to be protected, as a 50 kW Class A, unless a new "equivalent" frequency is proposed. An equivalent frequency, certainly not a 50 kW Class A, is not likely to be found.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?stat...&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9

 

[kenrayc]

In Clovis Ca 790 is local KFPT Fresno, I have heard KABC under it before, years ago when KFPT(KXTC then) was a Daytimer, KABC came in frequently at night.