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BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power

raccoonradio

raccoonradio

Pending final approval next Wed., we may eventually be hearing WKOX, WUNR,
and WRCA more than a bit clearer. Details at http://www.bostonradiowatch.com

(when done, WKOX 50kW days, WRCA 25kW days, and WUNR up to 20kW.)

Also, no WONDER I was hearing talk instead of soccer on WRKO a Sunday or so
ago. I guess Entercom's deal with the Pats means that to carry Patriots
Monday (interview stuff), they must have the Revs on WEEI (not 'RKO)
on weekends (whenever possible...and 'EEI will carry the Revs vs. LA in
the MLS Cup this week).
 
> Pending final approval next Wed., we may eventually be
> hearing WKOX, WUNR,
> and WRCA more than a bit clearer. Details at
> http://www.bostonradiowatch.com
>
> (when done, WKOX 50kW days, WRCA 25kW days, and WUNR up to
> 20kW.)

WKOX 50 kW-U (three towers day and night); WRCA 25 kW-D/17 kW-N (five towers day/four towers night); WUNR 20 kW-U (five towers day and night). In one sense, there is less here than meets the eye. All three stations currently use towers that are more efficient than the short ones that will be built in Oak Hill. Both WKOX's and WRCA's towers are top loaded, so that, to a first order, WKOX currently runs the equivalent of 25 kW-D/2.5 kW-N, WRCA runs almost the equivalent of 10 kW-U and WUNR runs the equivalent of just about 10 kW-U. The location difference will also be important. With the WKOX move, MetroWest will lose a big AM signal, especially by day. WRCA's move will wreck its signal northwest of Boston, both because the new site is further south and because the new patterns reduce radiation to the north. WUNR's signal, which has never been very good where I live (northwest of Boston), will degrade further because of the pattern differences (signal is being reduced to the northwest to reduce overlap with WSMN, which currently is barely on the air under STA after losing its site).

However, after all these years--assuming there is no hitch on November 16th and nobody else files suit--this is a big deal (or as big a deal as I can imagine given the sorry state of AM in general). I don't remember exactly when WKOX filed its first application for 50 kW-U (not counting the one that it filed around 1980 before the FCC announced the rules for new full-time stations on the former Class IA clear channels, which--temporarily--made it impossible for WKOX to propose a 50-kW operation). I'm talking about applications filed on or after the point when WKOX's former owner, Fairbanks, acquired and agreed to take dark WNSW Brewer ME to allow for a WKOX power increase to 50 kW. I have lost track of all of the transmitter sites that WKOX proposed over what must be a period of AT LEAST 10 years. I think it must be more like 15 years.
 
> WKOX 50 kW-U (three towers day and night); WRCA 25 kW-D/17
> kW-N (five towers day/four towers night); WUNR 20 kW-U (five
> towers day and night). In one sense, there is less here than
> meets the eye. All three stations currently use towers that
> are more efficient than the short ones that will be built in
> Oak Hill. Both WKOX's and WRCA's towers are top loaded, so
> that, to a first order, WKOX currently runs the equivalent
> of 25 kW-D/2.5 kW-N, WRCA runs almost the equivalent of 10
> kW-U and WUNR runs the equivalent of just about 10 kW-U. The
> location difference will also be important. With the WKOX
> move, MetroWest will lose a big AM signal, especially by
> day.

Can't WKOX still kick 50 kW out to the west from Newton in the daytime? That should still be pretty good out to Route 495 anyway. Is there anything they have to protect to the west in the daytime?
 
There's a 1200 in N. Syracuse NY but that's a bit far away...not sure how it
would affect them (in daytime). Probably wouldn't affect them but who knows.

Under the CP, here is WKOX day:
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WKOX&service=AM&status=C&hours=D

and night
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WKOX&service=AM&status=C&hours=N

> Can't WKOX still kick 50 kW out to the west from Newton in
> the daytime? That should still be pretty good out to Route
> 495 anyway. Is there anything they have to protect to the
> west in the daytime?
>
 
The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

The big question for WKOX-1200 is going to be this:

Will they remain an Air America affiliate or change formats??

Although Air America has not done well ratings-wise for them, it should be noted that the signal of WKOX (especially at night in some parts of the market) and the night signal of simulcast partner WXKS-1430 (which misses much of the Boston area after sunset) leave much to be desired. A stronger signal, and Boston's traditional status as one of the most politically liberal areas of the country, could give WKOX's current format of Air America programming a new lease on life.

On the other hand, their new signal (especially during daytime hours) could lead Clear Channel to consider a format change.

If WKOX's format is changed, it may be to a talk format consisting mostly of shows syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks (also A Clear Channel Property). Clear Channel could probably pull Rush Limbaugh and George Noory (as well as Matt Drudge on weekends) off of WRKO-680 (which could badly wound 'RKO), perhaps as soon as the date CC dumps Air America from WKOX, and add Glenn Beck and Phil Hendrie (as far as I know, neither is heard at present in Boston).

Such a format change would likely also be accompanied by billboards, newspaper ads, and TV spots likely centering around (assuming Clear Channel can yank his show off of 'RKO and onto 'KOX) Rush Limbaugh moving to the "new radio station in town".

Were CC able to move Limbaugh to a more powerful WKOX, that move alone could put the station "on the map" and badly wound WRKO.

If CC does change WKOX's format, it could spell trouble for Air America in Boston, even if WXKS continues to broadcast Air America programming: WXKS' poor nighttime signal could cause problems, especially in the late Fall and Winter months, when WXKS is on it's night signal for part or much of the afternoon-drive period.
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

It wouldn't make sense for them to leave AA on both stations after the WKOX upgrade. The 50 kW WKOX will cover everywhere WXKS covers, even the north shore just as well, so it would be a duplicate.

The plan you speculate below of WKOX going conservative talk with Premiere Networks (Limbaugh, etc...) and competing with WRKO was reportedly the original plan that Clear Channel had for WKOX with the intended upgrade a few years ago. It wouldn't have been worth doing while they were stuck with the Framingham transmitter, and then AA and the idea of using it as a metro-west companion to WXKS came along.

If that happens, it would be a shame for AA to be left on only WXKS with that horrible night signal.

If they leave AA on WKOX, WXKS could pick up some other no-overhead canned format. Perhaps brokered or network Spanish (though it would barely hit Boston's Spanish neighborhoods in town at night) or other brokered ethnic, or satellite "Real Oldies" (with throwing Little Walter's syndicated show back on in Boston), or satellite country oldies, etc... hopefully not back to Standards because Bob Bittner is covering that well now...


> The big question for WKOX-1200 is going to be this:
>
> Will they remain an Air America affiliate or change
> formats??
>
> Although Air America has not done well ratings-wise for
> them, it should be noted that the signal of WKOX (especially
> at night in some parts of the market) and the night signal
> of simulcast partner WXKS-1430 (which misses much of the
> Boston area after sunset) leave much to be desired. A
> stronger signal, and Boston's traditional status as one of
> the most politically liberal areas of the country, could
> give WKOX's current format of Air America programming a new
> lease on life.
>
> On the other hand, their new signal (especially during
> daytime hours) could lead Clear Channel to consider a format
> change.
>
> If WKOX's format is changed, it may be to a talk format
> consisting mostly of shows syndicated by Premiere Radio
> Networks (also A Clear Channel Property). Clear Channel
> could probably pull Rush Limbaugh and George Noory (as well
> as Matt Drudge on weekends) off of WRKO-680 (which could
> badly wound 'RKO), perhaps as soon as the date CC dumps Air
> America from WKOX, and add Glenn Beck and Phil Hendrie (as
> far as I know, neither is heard at present in Boston).
>
> Such a format change would likely also be accompanied by
> billboards, newspaper ads, and TV spots likely centering
> around (assuming Clear Channel can yank his show off of 'RKO
> and onto 'KOX) Rush Limbaugh moving to the "new radio
> station in town".
>
> Were CC able to move Limbaugh to a more powerful WKOX, that
> move alone could put the station "on the map" and badly
> wound WRKO.
>
> If CC does change WKOX's format, it could spell trouble for
> Air America in Boston, even if WXKS continues to broadcast
> Air America programming: WXKS' poor nighttime signal could
> cause problems, especially in the late Fall and Winter
> months, when WXKS is on it's night signal for part or much
> of the afternoon-drive period.
>
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

The Premiere speculation is interesting and has been mentioned before, though are they happy with WRKO (Rush, Drudge, Coast to Coast)? Day power will be a big boost but night power for 1200 might not be much different (in the case of the latter 2 shows)


> Will they remain an Air America affiliate or change
> formats??

Well if 50 kW days is what they're heading for this will be a good test to
see if they can get ratings with Franken, etc.; I always thought the signal
was half-decent in the daytime (though WXKS, with a stick in Medford, would
probably be much better--closer to downtown Boston; Cambridge) but now it will do quite well.

Again, the signals at night may not be much improved except maybe for the fact that the stick for 'KOX will be closer to Boston. But I'd think day shows,
esp. morning and evening drive, are more important for ratings. Then again
this time of year, the signal would start "going down" at 4:30 pm!


> and add Glenn Beck and Phil Hendrie (as
> far as I know, neither is heard at present in Boston).

yes, neither are on here though they may be on in NH (the WGIR network).
As I mentioned in a diff. post, if WRKO is considered Premiere's Boston
"affiliate" WRKO could have been airing those shows, had it not been
for the fact that they run DePetro (local) and Savage (TalkRadioNetwork,
I think, is his syndicator)

> If CC does change WKOX's format, it could spell trouble for
> Air America in Boston

They could try 1510 if SNR pulls the plug. And they'd still have 1430,
unless they wanted to run the Premiere talk there, too.
 
> Can't WKOX still kick 50 kW out to the west from Newton in
> the daytime? That should still be pretty good out to Route
> 495 anyway. Is there anything they have to protect to the
> west in the daytime?
>
WKOX's 50-kW day standard pattern RMS will be 2345.5 mV/m @ 1 km. This is the inverse-distance field. The number will increase slightly when the pattern in augmented after proofs of performance are completed. The night number is just a skosh higher at 2401.1. Considering that the towers are less than 90 degrees high at 1200, these numbers are respectable--over 330 mV/m/kW--I imagine because of the extra area of the ground systems for the two towers that WKOX will not use. At 211 degrees (south-southwest), WKOX will be putting out 746 mV/m @ 1 km by day. This is equivalent to almost exactly 5 kW ND from an antenna with this efficiency. At 252 degrees (west-southwest) directly "behind" the array, the signal will be 920 mV/m @ 1 km, equivalent to 7.7 kW ND. Both figures are less than WEEI puts out in those directions. Considering that WKOX is on a higher frequency than WEEI and will be a couple of miles further than WEEI is from Framingham, Natick et al, the signal at the current WKOX transmitter site, while OK, will be only about half of WKOX's present daytime signal at the WUNR transmitter site. I think the objective of the array design was to send everything possible toward Boston and the limitation was no prohibited overlap with WESX, which must deliver 25 mV/m to the water's edge in Dorchester (and maybe a short distance inland). WKOX will almost surely deliver at least 0.5 mV/m as far west as 495, but that won't blow anyone's sox off.

One of the local DXers in the National Radio Club keeps writing about how the WUNR site is the BEST AM site in greater Boston (except for WBZ's site), And he has a long list of reasons why the WUNR site so good, but based on WUNR's signal where I live, I certainly can't concur. WBZ is unique and clearly has the best site. After WBZ, I'd probably rank WROL second, then WRKO, then all of the stations near Wellington Circle. WEEI's site really is not that great. For reasons that I can't explain, the current WKOX/WBIX (day)/WSRO site in Framingham is quite good--albeit too far from downtown Boston to deliver a signal on 1200 that meets Clear Channel's requirements and too small for a useful array on a lower frequency.

BTW, the FCC has just granted a station on 1200 in Highland NY, adjacent to Poughkeepsie. This station will run 4.7 kW-D/1 kW-N DA-2 from a five-tower array. Both the day and night patterns will send a major lobe to the north-northwest. The permittee is Sunrise Corp, which owns WGNY Newburgh. WGNY had a CP for 1200 and actually operated on 1200 for several years but had to return to 1220 when the State of New York refused the environmental approvals necessary to build the towers. Even though the Highland station was granted long after WKOX was granted the CP for 50 kW that it hopes to build, WKOX must protect this station, which is probably just about the same distance from WKOX's new site as WREF is from WEEI's site.
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

> The plan you speculate below of WKOX going conservative talk
> with Premiere Networks (Limbaugh, etc...) and competing with
> WRKO was reportedly the original plan that Clear Channel had
> for WKOX with the intended upgrade a few years ago. It
> wouldn't have been worth doing while they were stuck with
> the Framingham transmitter, and then AA and the idea of
> using it as a metro-west companion to WXKS came along.

Clear Channel's WKOX before progressive talk was basically wasting power while waiting for the Newton approval. As you said, Air America was a good use of the signal while waiting.

Now that the upgrade is most likely coming, I kind of doubt that Clear Channel will change the format to Conservative Talk. First, the plan was to do sports talk (presumably as Fox Sports), then it changed to the conservative talk idea, and now it's likely Air America.

CCU sees the future of conservative talk as the FM dial, from what I've seen. Minneapolis is losing smooth jazz to get a new FM talker. And they're planning another one. The Spanish Initiative is only occuring on FM stations (except for one "La Preciosa" affiliate). I'd guess that progressive talk will stay for the time being, but hopefully CC will add some local shows. They're putting the money into 1200's tower. Now, if they put the money into WKOX' format, they just might have a station.

I wonder what CC will do with the Framingham offices, as well? The majority of the place is leased to Langer, and CC is getting revenue from Langer's stations that lease the towers and the building. Yet there will be no reason for Clear Channel to own the place, as they won't own any stations that use the facility (or have a COL of Framingham, for that matter).

> If they leave AA on WKOX, WXKS could pick up some other
> no-overhead canned format. Perhaps brokered or network
> Spanish (though it would barely hit Boston's Spanish
> neighborhoods in town at night) or other brokered ethnic, or
> satellite "Real Oldies" (with throwing Little Walter's
> syndicated show back on in Boston), or satellite country
> oldies, etc... hopefully not back to Standards because Bob
> Bittner is covering that well now...

My guess? It'll probably just stay with progressive talk.

How about black gospel? WILD (the 1090 one) is going to be dropping it next year, though 1430 doesn't exactly have a great signal in the areas that would listen to a "Hallelujah 1430" either.
 
> With the WKOX
> move, MetroWest will lose a big AM signal, especially by
> day.

It's kind of a shame. All of the once-local stations out here in MetroWest are really running away toward Boston.

1. Framingham's 105.7 took advantage of the opportunity to become a big-city station and went with it.

2. Marlboro's 1470 relocated to Watertown, and changed hands to Multicultural.

3. Natick's 1060, which served the local area, powered up and tried to serve Boston (and failed, as we all know).

4. Now, Framingham's 1200 is heading to Newton to become a big-city station as well.

5. Ashland's 650, which was never a heritage local station (being the former 1050 WRPT in N.H.), has applied to change COL to Lexington in order to serve Boston.

It's a far cry from the top-notch local radio going on at 104.9 on the North Shore and 95.9 WATD on the South Shore.
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

> Again, the signals at night may not be much improved except
> maybe for the fact that the stick for 'KOX will be closer to
> Boston.

As I said in a post that you apparently didn't read, WKOX will run 50 kW 24/7 from the WUNR site. The primary difference between the day and night patterns is that the day pattern has a small lobe to the west. The night pattern has very severely suppressed radiation over almost 180 degrees to the west (centered at 252 degrees). The other nighttime problem that WKOX will have is the high QRM level on 1200 here in the northeast. One of the major interfering signals is WTLA, which you mentioned. Others are WAGE Leesbug VA, CFGO Ottawa, and first-adjacent WPHT. Even WOAI kicks in a contribution, although it must drop out of the 50%-exclusion NIF and may drop of the 25%-exclusion NIF. Anyhow, WKOX's 50% NIF is around 13.5 mV/m, which ought to take in all of Boston and probably all of WXKS (AM)'s tiny NIF contour. (1 kW at 1430 doesn't put the 42+ mV/m NIF contour very far from the transmitter.) WKOX should be audible, albeit not interference-free, well outside of its NIF contour. If all of the other stations on 1200 operate within the terms of their licenses, WKOX should deliver a listenable signal out to maybe 2 mV/m. For the last month or so, CFGO has not been operating legally due to a technical problem, which may or may not have been resolved within the past day. WKOX is normally listenable where I live at night, but has not been listenable since CFGO's problems began in early October. (According to the V-Soft signal-strength by Zip code Web site, WKOX's signal strength in my Zip, 02476, is 1.6 mV/m.)

As for whether CCU will continue progressive talk on 1200 after the power increase, that is an interesting question. It will be a miracle if the work on the new facilities is complete within a year. That would require construction during the winter and very little work (other than emergency repairs) is normally done on AM DAs in northern climates in the winter. Who knows what the AM landscape will look like two or three years down the road? Will AAR still exist? Will CCU still have a number of stations that carry progressive talk?

If WKOX were going to power up on December 1 of this year, my money would be on progressive talk continuing. CCU (and other companies) have quite a few major AM signals that run the format. CCU's KTLK in LA is the most prominent. KTLK runs 50 kW-D/44 kW-N on 1150 and has just about the strongest AM signal in the Los Angeles basin. But CCU also runs the format on WINZ Miami, which runs 50 kW-U on 940, KPOJ Portland OR, which runs 25 kW-D/10 kW-N on 620, and KKZN Thornton-Boulder-Denver, which runs 50 kW-D/1 kW-N on 760. Infinity has it on KPTK Seattle, which runs 50 kW-U on 1090. In Salt Lake City, Bonneville is running Ed Schultz on 50-kW Class A KSL 1160. The format has not invariably been successful ratings-wise in markets in which it is on strong signals, however.

I have to believe that the two programs on WKOX that don't come from AAR, Schultz and Stephanie Miller, have the greatest potential staying power. Franken will be out when his contract is up; he wants to run for the US Senate from his home state of Minnesota and he is moving back there imminently. However, it looks as if AAR has recruited a very able replacement in Thom Hartmann, whose show is heard mainly on the west coast, except for a weekend best-of show that is heard coast-to-coast--at least in a few markets.
 
>
> 3. Natick's 1060, which served the local area, powered up
> and tried to serve Boston (and failed, as we all know).

Well, WBIX is out of bankruptcy and back in the hands of Alex Langer, who at some point will probably sell it again.
>
> 5. Ashland's 650, which was never a heritage local station
> (being the former 1050 WRPT in N.H.), has applied to change
> COL to Lexington in order to serve Boston.
>
First off, 650's move to "Lexington" with six-tower array 30+ miles to the south (I can't remember the name of the town--it's along Route 1, south of Foxborough} will never take place. The land required (I think I figured out that 26 acres would be needed, but it may be even more than that) would cost at least $10 million--maybe more. Nobody in his right mind would spend that kind of money on a suburban daytimer, and that doesn't count the legal fees to fight the NIMBY suits against the construction of six towers, each more than 300' high. Secondly, if built, the station would not really cover Boston at all. The very narrow pattern would cover an area mainly between Route 128 and Route 495. The proposed pattern does include a small lobe to the east to cover Brockton.

Though technically workable, this has to be one of the most hare-brained applications I've ever seen. Alex Langer is nobody's fool. He must have something less grandiose up his sleeve.
 
> One of the local DXers in the National Radio Club keeps
> writing about how the WUNR site is the BEST AM site in
> greater Boston (except for WBZ's site), And he has a long
> list of reasons why the WUNR site so good, but based on
> WUNR's signal where I live, I certainly can't concur.

I guess he doesn't consider anything west of 128 to be greater Boston.

WUNR nulls to the west (I guess to protect co-channel E. Longmeadow MA by day, and New York City at night). It's weak by Wellesley, and pretty much gone by Natick, just two towns west of the transmitter site.
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

> How about black gospel? WILD (the 1090 one) is going to be
> dropping it next year, though 1430 doesn't exactly have a
> great signal in the areas that would listen to a "Hallelujah
> 1430" either.

Not at night, but 1430 covers the inner city pretty well in the daytime, with approximately the same power, from the same tower!

Since WILD 1090 is daytime only, the Gospel audience wouldn't lose anything if it switched to 1430.
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

I would venture to guess that there are a number of people on the left who would be happy to see WKOX/WXKS go to something else, myself included. They seem to have done a half arsed job with the progressive talk format. They play springer (at night) and delay Randi Rhodes so that we can hear Bidg Eddie, who is right of most of the listeners (of most Bostonians as well...)

These discussions of who is coming back to AM is a little funny. Spanish, country and Christian music are on their way (if not already there) to FM along with Conservative and/or Hot talk. That leaves a big vacuum in AM and nothing looks better than progressive talk at the moment. Radio Disney and Real Oldies are dead in the water. Business? WBIX has low ratings and a 40kW signal in Boston. New York's WBBR (the Mayor's radio station) trails WLIB and has a signal 5 times as strong. Sports has reached maximum saturation and could head to FM- with a selection of a half dozen sports channels on basic cable TV the competition is fierce. (WEPN- ESPN radio for gosh sake- in New York behind WLIB 12+ with a 50kW signal versus WLIB's 10) So what else could move in to take progressive talk out? Conservative talk is strong but it seems to lack the power to support more than 2 stations in a metro area, and Fox News Cable Channel is taking a bite out of that market as well. Some all news formats seem to be working across the country but the cost is too high for smaller players or where someone has already cornered the market.

Hello Libtalk and Blacktalk, AM needs a savior (once again...)


> It wouldn't make sense for them to leave AA on both stations
> after the WKOX upgrade. The 50 kW WKOX will cover everywhere
> WXKS covers, even the north shore just as well, so it would
> be a duplicate.
>
> The plan you speculate below of WKOX going conservative talk
> with Premiere Networks (Limbaugh, etc...) and competing with
> WRKO was reportedly the original plan that Clear Channel had
> for WKOX with the intended upgrade a few years ago. It
> wouldn't have been worth doing while they were stuck with
> the Framingham transmitter, and then AA and the idea of
> using it as a metro-west companion to WXKS came along.
>
> If that happens, it would be a shame for AA to be left on
> only WXKS with that horrible night signal.
>
> If they leave AA on WKOX, WXKS could pick up some other
> no-overhead canned format. Perhaps brokered or network
> Spanish (though it would barely hit Boston's Spanish
> neighborhoods in town at night) or other brokered ethnic, or
> satellite "Real Oldies" (with throwing Little Walter's
> syndicated show back on in Boston), or satellite country
> oldies, etc... hopefully not back to Standards because Bob
> Bittner is covering that well now...
>
>
> > The big question for WKOX-1200 is going to be this:
> >
> > Will they remain an Air America affiliate or change
> > formats??
> >
> > Although Air America has not done well ratings-wise for
> > them, it should be noted that the signal of WKOX
> (especially
> > at night in some parts of the market) and the night signal
>
> > of simulcast partner WXKS-1430 (which misses much of the
> > Boston area after sunset) leave much to be desired. A
> > stronger signal, and Boston's traditional status as one of
>
> > the most politically liberal areas of the country, could
> > give WKOX's current format of Air America programming a
> new
> > lease on life.
> >
> > On the other hand, their new signal (especially during
> > daytime hours) could lead Clear Channel to consider a
> format
> > change.
> >
> > If WKOX's format is changed, it may be to a talk format
> > consisting mostly of shows syndicated by Premiere Radio
> > Networks (also A Clear Channel Property). Clear Channel
> > could probably pull Rush Limbaugh and George Noory (as
> well
> > as Matt Drudge on weekends) off of WRKO-680 (which could
> > badly wound 'RKO), perhaps as soon as the date CC dumps
> Air
> > America from WKOX, and add Glenn Beck and Phil Hendrie (as
>
> > far as I know, neither is heard at present in Boston).
> >
> > Such a format change would likely also be accompanied by
> > billboards, newspaper ads, and TV spots likely centering
> > around (assuming Clear Channel can yank his show off of
> 'RKO
> > and onto 'KOX) Rush Limbaugh moving to the "new radio
> > station in town".
> >
> > Were CC able to move Limbaugh to a more powerful WKOX,
> that
> > move alone could put the station "on the map" and badly
> > wound WRKO.
> >
> > If CC does change WKOX's format, it could spell trouble
> for
> > Air America in Boston, even if WXKS continues to broadcast
>
> > Air America programming: WXKS' poor nighttime signal could
>
> > cause problems, especially in the late Fall and Winter
> > months, when WXKS is on it's night signal for part or much
>
> > of the afternoon-drive period.
> >
>
 
> > With the WKOX
> > move, MetroWest will lose a big AM signal, especially by
> > day.
>
> It's kind of a shame. All of the once-local stations out
> here in MetroWest are really running away toward Boston.

And in the Merrimack Valley, you have WMKK 93.7 serving Lawrence (licensed
to that city). Yeah, right; stick is in Peabody, studios in Boston, serving
Boston.

WKLB (softly) Lowell- (loudly) BOSTON
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

> > Again, the signals at night may not be much improved
> except
> > maybe for the fact that the stick for 'KOX will be closer
> to
> > Boston.
>
> As I said in a post that you apparently didn't read, WKOX
> will run 50 kW 24/7 from the WUNR site.

Oh Ok, I missed that part--somehow I thought it would be days only
at that power! After I posted it, I thought, maybe this _is_ 24/7 but
there's no way they can put out that power at night, can they? But if they can point the signal in a direction that doesn't
affect Syracuse, Ottawa, etc...Yes.

One of the major interfering
> signals is WTLA, which you mentioned.
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

> > As I said in a post that you apparently didn't read, WKOX
> > will run 50 kW 24/7 from the WUNR site.
>
> Oh Ok, I missed that part--somehow I thought it would be days only
> at that power! After I posted it, I thought, maybe this _is_ 24/7 but
> there's no way they can put out that power at night, can
> they? But if they can point the signal in a direction that doesn't
> affect Syracuse, Ottawa, etc...Yes.

Like other 50 kW AM stations with transmitters west of Boston (WRKO, WEEI, WWZN), the night pattern will boom 50 kW eastward over Boston, some will go up and down the north and south shores, and most of it will go out to sea. It will be broadly nulled to the west.

Here's Radio-Locator's predicted approximation of it:

<u>http://www.radio-locator.com/pats/WKOX_AM_CN.gif</u>
 
Dan, always appreciate your analysis....how will the signal due for south of Boston....with WHJJ wimping out, I depend more on WKOX, how will be on the 95 stretch into my area and also into Rhode Island....its important to get those left in the cold by WHJJ listening to WKOX until another Providence station becomes available.

Before the upgrade I am able to get the signal very well to Attleboro and it fades significally (or distorts) into RI..you can hear but its a tough listen.

Of course after sundown, we get to hear Canadian hockey and an indiana station....hopefully there will be some improvement...

Can you elaborate....


> WKOX 50 kW-U (three towers day and night); WRCA 25 kW-D/17
> kW-N (five towers day/four towers night); WUNR 20 kW-U (five
> towers day and night). In one sense, there is less here than
> meets the eye. All three stations currently use towers that
> are more efficient than the short ones that will be built in
> Oak Hill. Both WKOX's and WRCA's towers are top loaded, so
> that, to a first order, WKOX currently runs the equivalent
> of 25 kW-D/2.5 kW-N, WRCA runs almost the equivalent of 10
> kW-U and WUNR runs the equivalent of just about 10 kW-U. The
> location difference will also be important. With the WKOX
> move, MetroWest will lose a big AM signal, especially by
> day. WRCA's move will wreck its signal northwest of Boston,
> both because the new site is further south and because the
> new patterns reduce radiation to the north. WUNR's signal,
> which has never been very good where I live (northwest of
> Boston), will degrade further because of the pattern
> differences (signal is being reduced to the northwest to
> reduce overlap with WSMN, which currently is barely on the
> air under STA after losing its site).
>
> However, after all these years--assuming there is no hitch
> on November 16th and nobody else files suit--this is a big
> deal (or as big a deal as I can imagine given the sorry
> state of AM in general). I don't remember exactly when WKOX
> filed its first application for 50 kW-U (not counting the
> one that it filed around 1980 before the FCC announced the
> rules for new full-time stations on the former Class IA
> clear channels, which--temporarily--made it impossible for
> WKOX to propose a 50-kW operation). I'm talking about
> applications filed on or after the point when WKOX's former
> owner, Fairbanks, acquired and agreed to take dark WNSW
> Brewer ME to allow for a WKOX power increase to 50 kW. I
> have lost track of all of the transmitter sites that WKOX
> proposed over what must be a period of AT LEAST 10 years. I
> think it must be more like 15 years.
>
 
Re: The Future Of WKOX (Was: Re: BRW: WKOX, WUNR, WRCA might boost power)

I disagree, this is the time to use the improved signal to engender listeners.
With Morning Sedition phasing out, it is troubling that I can't think of a good local host (with liberal leanings) in the Boston area....but I can think of several hosts close by ....Arnie Arnesen being my favorite choice for the area. I could see her comfortably hosting a morning show that would be topical and of high quality. If local is not an option, im not sure what to place in that 6am slot...though in news/talk...there have been some "dream team" musings...

This is a serious issue but an opportunity for WKOX....the key is to take drivetime....and its now time to swap Ed and Randi Rhodes. I wish the goal was to take mornings.....and drivetime. Some quality marketing counterprogramming the moribund Carr and anything else WTKK throws up (literally) would be an interesting cat fight. Springer should be heard on late night or weekends.

I disagree strongly that this area needs another center-right host like Schultz (well maybe just slightly left of center..but just barely)....while I am not a big fan of Schultz, his show is best left in the evenings. If Severin is moved to 7pm on WBZ, then its a nutjob versus Schultz.
There will be many pre-emptions due to hockey for Severin....i hope.

My reaction to those who believe that CC would move another station in the area to more conservative talk is "Are you kidding". Rush, Hannity, Severin, Ingraham, Savage, Carr and possibly Graham....isnt that bloody enough. That is already too much for this blue state already.....

> I would venture to guess that there are a number of people
> on the left who would be happy to see WKOX/WXKS go to
> something else, myself included. They seem to have done a
> half arsed job with the progressive talk format. They play
> springer (at night) and delay Randi Rhodes so that we can
> hear Bidg Eddie, who is right of most of the listeners (of
> most Bostonians as well...)
>
>>
> Hello Libtalk and Blacktalk, AM needs a savior (once
> again...)
>
>
> > It wouldn't make sense for them to leave AA on both
> stations
> > after the WKOX upgrade. The 50 kW WKOX will cover
> everywhere
> > WXKS covers, even the north shore just as well, so it
> would
> > be a duplicate.
> >
> > The plan you speculate below of WKOX going conservative
> talk
> > with Premiere Networks (Limbaugh, etc...) and competing
> with
> > WRKO was reportedly the original plan that Clear Channel
> had
> > for WKOX with the intended upgrade a few years ago. It
> > wouldn't have been worth doing while they were stuck with
> > the Framingham transmitter, and then AA and the idea of
> > using it as a metro-west companion to WXKS came along.
> >
> > If that happens, it would be a shame for AA to be left on
> > only WXKS with that horrible night signal.
> >
> > If they leave AA on WKOX, WXKS could pick up some other
> > no-overhead canned format. Perhaps brokered or network
> > Spanish (though it would barely hit Boston's Spanish
> > neighborhoods in town at night) or other brokered ethnic,
> or
> > satellite "Real Oldies" (with throwing Little Walter's
> > syndicated show back on in Boston), or satellite country
> > oldies, etc... hopefully not back to Standards because Bob
>
> > Bittner is covering that well now...
> >
> >
> > > The big question for WKOX-1200 is going to be this:
> > >
> > > Will they remain an Air America affiliate or change
> > > formats??
> > >
> > > Although Air America has not done well ratings-wise for
> > > them, it should be noted that the signal of WKOX
> > (especially
> > > at night in some parts of the market) and the night
> signal
> >
> > > of simulcast partner WXKS-1430 (which misses much of the
>
> > > Boston area after sunset) leave much to be desired. A
> > > stronger signal, and Boston's traditional status as one
> of
> >
> > > the most politically liberal areas of the country, could
>
> > > give WKOX's current format of Air America programming a
> > new
> > > lease on life.
> > >
> > > On the other hand, their new signal (especially during
> > > daytime hours) could lead Clear Channel to consider a
> > format
> > > change.
> > >
> > > If WKOX's format is changed, it may be to a talk format
> > > consisting mostly of shows syndicated by Premiere Radio
> > > Networks (also A Clear Channel Property). Clear Channel
> > > could probably pull Rush Limbaugh and George Noory (as
> > well
> > > as Matt Drudge on weekends) off of WRKO-680 (which could
>
> > > badly wound 'RKO), perhaps as soon as the date CC dumps
> > Air
> > > America from WKOX, and add Glenn Beck and Phil Hendrie
> (as
> >
> > > far as I know, neither is heard at present in Boston).
> > >
> > > Such a format change would likely also be accompanied by
>
> > > billboards, newspaper ads, and TV spots likely centering
>
> > > around (assuming Clear Channel can yank his show off of
> > 'RKO
> > > and onto 'KOX) Rush Limbaugh moving to the "new radio
> > > station in town".
> > >
> > > Were CC able to move Limbaugh to a more powerful WKOX,
> > that
> > > move alone could put the station "on the map" and badly
> > > wound WRKO.
> > >
> > > If CC does change WKOX's format, it could spell trouble
> > for
> > > Air America in Boston, even if WXKS continues to
> broadcast
> >
> > > Air America programming: WXKS' poor nighttime signal
> could
> >
> > > cause problems, especially in the late Fall and Winter
> > > months, when WXKS is on it's night signal for part or
> much
> >
> > > of the afternoon-drive period.
> > >
> >
>
 
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