Even in parts of the world where extremely high transmitter power is employed on AM (between 100 and 2,000kw) the band is in steep decline. That says a lot.
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Could FCC Commissioner's AM Revitalization Proposal Work in the NYC Area?
- Thread starter Barry
- Start date
Even in parts of the world where extremely high transmitter power is employed on AM (between 100 and 2,000kw) the band is in steep decline. That says a lot.
I'm talking about the creation of the II-A's and the 1980 decision to limit protection of the 25 clear channel stations. It would be interesting to look at all the new stations created by these decisions, and see if those stations are currently successful.
The breakdown of the original 25 clears happened in the 70's, about two decades after night radio had descended into the range of being perhaps a third of the level of daytime listening. The locations where many of the new secondary stations were located were places where the dominant clear had no useful coverage.
WCBS had no listening in and about Lexington, NE, and KRVN's night pattern throws very little power towards New York. Similarly, Guymon, OK and Grand Junction, CO, and Eugene, OR, and Cheyenne, WY and and Roswell, NM and Kalispell, MT and Boise, ID and Window Rock, AZ and St. George, UT all served gray areas and put nearly no signal towards Rochester or or St. Louis or Boston or Philly or Chicago or Cleveland or New York.
Most of the primary clears already had more interference from stations outside the US than the tightly directional US additions presented. As an example, in the West and Southwest, 1030 had more presence from XERC in Mexico City than the WY station later contributed. Almost all the other 1-A clears had significant interference from stations to the south of the US.
The addition of those secondary stations in areas unserved by the primary clear actually benefited many listeners and offered good service in the era before the FM band built out.
But now, those stations are dinosaurs, no longer providing any useful service. So why keep them? The rules establishing them are obsolete.
Many countries have virtually or at least partially eliminated AM, ranging from Austria to South Africa to Canada and Mexico.
Mexico, to the south, did not try to save AM. Instead, their congress passed legislation declaring AM no longer viable and instructing the equivalent of the FCC to allow as many AMs as possible to migrate to new FM assignments to "save jobs and investments". The result was that 85% of all Mexican AMs are moving to FM and the abandoned AM channels will not be relicensed.
I don't think the farmers (who own it in a cooperative) who depend on KRVN would agree. Or the residents of the Four Corners area. Some of those stations have failed, like Roswell, while others are reasonably successful and still others are "iffy". Just like all AMs today.
Any "solution" will be painful for some. But to call this an "AM revitalization" is a poor choice of words. Based on her speech, the Commissioner herself recognizes the folly of attempting to fix AM. But furthering the overcrowding of FM isn't a good solution either.
Since the primary technical issue working against AM listening is the greatly increased noise floor (hash) contributed by incidental radiators, CFL, etc. The sound technical solution is enforcement of the current rules regarding electronic noise generation. However since that horse left the barn years ago I don't expect to see that happen.
It would be very interesting to see any valid study that shows the dramatic increase in the noise floor of MW over the last 40 or 50 years. While I semi-applaud the efforts of the commissioners to "save" AM, scrapping the power restrictions will lead to nothing more than a super-size mess at night.
It would be very interesting to see any valid study that shows the dramatic increase in the noise floor of MW over the last 40 or 50 years. While I semi-applaud the efforts of the commissioners to "save" AM, scrapping the power restrictions will lead to nothing more than a super-size mess at night.
I DX'ed the nighttime AM band extensively in the 1960's and 70's. The useful range for comfortable reception of the 50kw clear channel stations was about 1,000 to 1,200 miles. Past that you were in pure DX territory with weak signals that a normal listener would ignore. In Austin, Texas pre-KRVN, I was more likely to hear Guatemala City on 880 in the evening than WCBS, which was a weak signal in the wee hours of the morning.
Likewise I could only hear WBZ by nulling out XERC, or trying late at night when XERC was off.
Agreed, and in many cases DX'ers could still null out the fill-in stations in order to receive the original clear channel signal.
Both KRVN and KTNN have awesome daytime coverage, and the nighttime service area is pretty impressive as well. Both in parts of the country where there are few FM options. KTNN includes programming in the Navajo language, a useful service for the demographics of the Four Corners area.
The Roswell station on 1020 has taken a huge tumble since the KSWS days. Now brokered religion, and running low power as the 50kw transmitter has died and the station has no backup or funds for replacement.
Am synchronous....
Definitely I would love the Commission to change our AM for FM's but as you well know it's not possible unless a new part of the spectrum is dedicated for AM's turning into FM's.
I believe instead of fighting each other ideas the AM revitalization program could have several opportunities for AM to improve, if changing everyone to FM is not possible.
If AM synchronous boosters work as fill-in boosters or to expand the signal of an AM as much as protection to other channels permit it should be made available by the FCC to those who can use them.
If some (hopefully many can get FM translators) that possibility should be available to AM broadcasters.
If the eliminating the ratchet rule could help many broadcasters it shall be included.. and so on.
The point is let the FCC include all possible alternatives so each AM broadcaster examining their own circumstances decides which ones are good for them.
It has been a pleasure blogging with you.
Definitely I would love the Commission to change our AM for FM's but as you well know it's not possible unless a new part of the spectrum is dedicated for AM's turning into FM's.
I believe instead of fighting each other ideas the AM revitalization program could have several opportunities for AM to improve, if changing everyone to FM is not possible.
If AM synchronous boosters work as fill-in boosters or to expand the signal of an AM as much as protection to other channels permit it should be made available by the FCC to those who can use them.
If some (hopefully many can get FM translators) that possibility should be available to AM broadcasters.
If the eliminating the ratchet rule could help many broadcasters it shall be included.. and so on.
The point is let the FCC include all possible alternatives so each AM broadcaster examining their own circumstances decides which ones are good for them.
It has been a pleasure blogging with you.
In Puerto Rico you have an unusual geographic situation that makes synchronous boosters useful. What you're doing there mostly won't work on the mainland.
The thing is, most Puerto Rican stations don't use directional antennas. You don't have to install an antenna that has a deep null across the population you're trying to reach. You need the boosters because mountainous terrain on the island blocks the signals, but you can place the boosters anywhere you want on the island without interfering with any other stations.
Here on the mainland, for many stations the problem is that they have had to install highly directional antennas to avoid interfering with other stations. And as populations shifted, stations often found many of the people they'd like to have for an audience live in areas these directional antennas don't favor. They can't receive the station.
And the station can't put a booster there, because the booster would interfere with the same station the directional antenna is being used to protect.
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That doesn't mean there is no use for boosters whatsoever on the mainland, but they're a lot less useful here than they are in Puerto Rico.
The thing is, most Puerto Rican stations don't use directional antennas. You don't have to install an antenna that has a deep null across the population you're trying to reach. You need the boosters because mountainous terrain on the island blocks the signals, but you can place the boosters anywhere you want on the island without interfering with any other stations.
Here on the mainland, for many stations the problem is that they have had to install highly directional antennas to avoid interfering with other stations. And as populations shifted, stations often found many of the people they'd like to have for an audience live in areas these directional antennas don't favor. They can't receive the station.
And the station can't put a booster there, because the booster would interfere with the same station the directional antenna is being used to protect.
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That doesn't mean there is no use for boosters whatsoever on the mainland, but they're a lot less useful here than they are in Puerto Rico.
In the San Juan metro we have 580, 630, 680, 740, 810, 870, 940, 1030, 1140, 1190, 1320, 1400, 1520, 1560 and 1600.
680, 1400, 1320 and 1560 are non-directional. 1400 is a suburban license and a typical Class IV under the old classification. 1320 and 1560 cut power severely at night to avoid having to go directional.
There is also an X bander at the eastern edge of the SJ metro, but like most X-bands, it has no traction and also has to reduce power severely at night.
In general, in PR remaining non-directional at night but with a severe power cutback has been the solution for many stations in the 5 kw to 10 kw range. Those that wanted to be higher powered at night have used directionals such as the case of 600 AM and 760 AM in Mayagüez.
However, land is very expensive in locations suitable for AMs... just like Oahu. So stations prefer cutting power and not going directional there.
Mr. Blanco's WAPA with 10 kw on 680 is about the best facility on the island, rivaled only by the minimally directional WKAQ and non-directional WPAB.
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All of the AM Boosters in the world won't help the Class D Daytimers. An FM Translator, in markets where they can fit, would help many of these stations.
Isn't Radio Martí 100 kW on 1180 kHz?
It is not licensed by the FCC.
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