I keep reading all this speculation about improving 1540 WABQ's signal so
I thought it was time to post here and put an end to all these "what if"
scenarios. As WABQ's Chief Engineer, I have been involved in extensive
signal improvement studies. The fact remains that no matter what is done
with the daytime signal, WABQ will never be a 24/7 operation. That is because the protected 50% nighttime skywave signal contour of KXEL 1540
in Waterloo, Iowa, falls on the east side of Cuyahoga County at the Lake
County line. WABQ's transmitter would have to be located even further east
for night operation at micro (1-5 watts) power level. At that point, there is
NO way that WABQ would cover its city of license (CLE) with that signal.
While not totally impossible, I do not see KXEL being willing to negotiate to
go to a lower power level than their 50 KW blowtorch just so WABQ could
stay on with a few negligable nighttime watts at their current location.
Now the daytime situation. AM stations have to worry about co-channel
(same frequency) stations, and both lower and upper 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
adjacent channel stations. This means 1510, 1520, 1530, 1540, 1550, 1560, and 1570 all have to be taken into account protection wise.
Co-channel stations on 1540 to be considered are WRTK Niles, WBTC Uhrichsville, and WBCO Bucyrus, all in Ohio. WECZ in Punxsutawney, PA, and CHIN Toronto are both far enough away as not not be a problem. For
co-channel stations WABQ's 0.5 mV level cannot touch their 0.025 mV level
and vice versa. There is already negotiated interference overlap between WABQ and WRTK and WBTC. NO additional interference would be allowed.
WBCO is directional and has a null towards Cleveland so they are not a
major problem. To move WABQ's transmitter south from where it is now,
you would have to 1) buy both WRTK and WBTC and take them dark (which I doubt will happen) 2) find a reasonably sized piece of property
(probably 6-12 acres) not hampered by zoning restrictions, and 3) design
and build a directional antenna system which will fill all protection requirements. This would be an EXTREMELY expensive project. On both
1510 and 1570, WABQ's 25mV signal contour cannot touch the same signal
level on those stations. The closest 1510 is WLKR in Norwalk and 1570 is
WANR in Warren. Both are far enough away as not to be a problem. 1520
and 1560 cannot have their 5mV contour touched by WABQ's 5mV signal.
Any transmitter move would have to consider WJMP 1520 in Kent because
their main lobe beams slightly west of north up towards Cleveland. Since
WATJ in Chardon went silent a few years ago, the closest 1560 is now WTOD in Toledo which would not be a problem. That leaves 1530 and 1550. WABQ's 0.25mV contour cannot touch those stations 0.5 mV signal
and vice versa. On 1530 stations to be considered are WYNE Mercyhurst,PA,
WLSP Lapeer, MI, and WCKY Cincinnati. While these stations don't present
a problem currently, any move of WABQ's transmitter would require a
re-analysis of signal contour levels. Finally, and probably the biggest daytime problem for WABQ is CBE 1550 from Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
The same signal levels apply to 1550 as to 1530. There is already a signal
overlap with 1550 over Lake Erie and a very small amount over Ontario land
east of Windsor and north from Cleveland. Any improvement to WABQ
would require NO further land interference in Canada. Over the water, it's
acceptable. So you can see from all this, that ANY type of improvement
to WABQ's signal would not only be extremely costly, it'd be a damn miracle!!! I hope this answers everybody's questions once and for all.
Chris Quinn, Chief Engineer
WABQ 1540
Cleveland
member & former Vice-Chairman & Secretary of NE Ohio Chapter 70
Society of Broadcast Engineers
