Did WLAC 1510 Used To Stay Nondirectional Until KGA 1510 Sunset?

[Schroedingers Cat]

WFNI 1070 continues to operate with an STA, with 200 watts, with a rooftop antenna.

 

[boiseengineer]

The KOB WABC Story

Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., Appellant, v. Federal Communications Commission, Appellee, Americanbroadcasting Companies, Inc., Intervenor, 663 F.2d 220 (D.C. Cir. 1980)

Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., Appellant, v. Federal Communications Commission, Appellee, Americanbroadcasting Companies, Inc., Intervenor, 663 F.2d 220 (D.C. Cir. 1980) case opinion from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

law.justia.com

 

[boiseengineer]

CONSOLIDATED TECHNICAL STATEMENT (Continued)
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
KFUO(AM) Clayton, Missouri
September 8, 2022 - Page 7
Protection of KOA during KFUO’s “Limited Time” mode of operation
KFUO has for many decades been licensed as a “Limited Time” facility pursuant to the provisions of FCC Rule
Section 73.1725(a) 6. As such, KFUO has long been authorized to operate at its authorized daytime power beyond
normal local daytime operating hours (specifically, from local sunrise until sunset at Denver, Colorado)7.
The following information will demonstrate that the operation proposed herein would not violate the proscriptions
of FCC Rule Section 73.1725(b) regarding modifications to existing Limited Time stations. Further, it will be
shown that the impact of KFUO on KOA during Limited Time operating hours will be lessened from the present
status quo. Accordingly, it is respectfully requested that KFUO’s Limited Time authority be continued under any
Construction Permit issued under this Minor Modification Application.

 

[briancraig]

"That's because, on 1510 and highly directional at night, that station did not cover its own market well enough to compete even with stations like WKDA and WMAK!"

I would disagree that WLAC does not cover the market better than the old WKDA or WMAK. My aunt lived in various parts of the Nashville area in the 1970s and I could always pick up WLAC with no problem, not always the case with WMAK and especially WKDA.

WLAC dominated Nashville in the late 1970s when they had double digit ratings. It wasn't until KIX 104 went CHR in late 1978, that WLAC started going down like most AM top 40s did.

WLAC started playing R & B in 1946 when CBS stopped providing programming late night.

The R&B programming eventually ran from 8 pm to 3 am. WLAC also had a country music overnight show from the 1950s until 1972 that ran from 3 am to 6 am, hosted by Bob Jennings. WSM didn't even stay on all night until the late 1950s, so WLAC was influential in both R&B and country in the 1950s.

 

[secondchoice]

I know this probably makes no economic sense but, since WMEX is downgraded to class D, could WLAC figure out how to do away with the Northeast null at night. Of course it would call for a FCC construction permit and the engineering would be not be cheap either but a two tower directional system should be easier and cheaper to maintain than a three tower system. It would be even cheaper to just reduce power a little bit at night. What amount of a power reduction required to protect a class B three quarter a continent away?

 

[Mark Roberts]

CONSOLIDATED TECHNICAL STATEMENT (Continued)
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
KFUO(AM) Clayton, Missouri
September 8, 2022 - Page 7
Protection of KOA during KFUO’s “Limited Time” mode of operation
KFUO has for many decades been licensed as a “Limited Time” facility pursuant to the provisions of FCC Rule
Section 73.1725(a) 6. As such, KFUO has long been authorized to operate at its authorized daytime power beyond
normal local daytime operating hours (specifically, from local sunrise until sunset at Denver, Colorado)

Since July 1940. KFUO originally shared time with KSD on 550, eventually getting somewhere from 26½ to 28 hours a week (reports vary), including most weekday morning hours. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, owner of KSD, wanted very much out of that arrangement. KFUO tried to get half-time operation in 1938 on 550 and was denied. The move to 830 (850 after NARBA) finally resolved that issue. There were other reallocations at the same time that moved KXOK to its modern 630 dial position and made it possible to put KHOW in Denver on that frequency, among other things.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Since July 1940. KFUO originally shared time with KSD on 550, eventually getting somewhere from 26½ to 28 hours a week (reports vary), including most weekday morning hours. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, owner of KSD, wanted very much out of that arrangement. KFUO tried to get half-time operation in 1938 on 550 and was denied. The move to 830 (850 after NARBA) finally resolved that issue. There were other reallocations at the same time that moved KXOK to its modern 630 dial position and made it possible to put KHOW in Denver on that frequency, among other things.

That's an unusual application. I don't know why it shows the facility as a Class B, and had a Nighttime section. They didn't have a Nighttime interference study that I could find. It's a facility change that made the observation that the power reduction reduced interference. The FCC probably told them what they needed to do to get it approved.

 

[anotherguyTN]

I tried to post this earlier but I never understood how Nashville could get two 50,000 watt nighttime stations but Memphis has never had any, especially since Memphis was larger at one time. Memphis has WCRV 640, which is 50,000 watts daytime now, but is flea power at night.

 

[Mark Roberts]

That's an unusual application. I don't know why it shows the facility as a Class B,

That's apparently that's how it's licensed: see https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&facid=39258

and had a Nighttime section. They didn't have a Nighttime interference study that I could find. It's a facility change that made the observation that the power reduction reduced interference. The FCC probably told them what they needed to do to get it approved.

It's also a little surprising because the grounds of the Concordia Seminary, where KFUO has been for decades, is not something that the Missouri Synod is likely to sell any time soon. Perhaps they just wanted to get that antenna out of there, even though it's right in the heart of the St. Louis metro and could hardly be more centrally located.

 

[briancraig]

I tried to post this earlier but I never understood how Nashville could get two 50,000 watt nighttime stations but Memphis has never had any, especially since Memphis was larger at one time. Memphis has WCRV 640, which is 50,000 watts daytime now, but is flea power at night.

I use to always wonder the same thing. But someone once said at least Memphis got 4 low end stations with good daytime signals, 560, 600, 680 and 790. The first three especially always had great range in the day.

 

[davideduardo]

I use to always wonder the same thing. But someone once said at least Memphis got 4 low end stations with good daytime signals, 560, 600, 680 and 790. The first three especially always had great range in the day.

But remember, in the 30's and 40's when most of those "decent" signals were first licensed, night time was prime time for radio.

 

[Gregg.]

If I recall correctly, WABC was also going to be required to directionalize with both stations having I-B status but WABC fought that and ultimately won. Hubbard later pursued getting I-A status for KOB but that was always going to be an uphill battle. Greedy New York City got its way.

Maybe Mark is saying this as a joke. Wouldn't you say the big three networks should have I-A flagships in NYC? 660 WNBC and 880 WCBS were non-directional I-A stations.

And Chicago was able to get four I-A outlets, 670 WMAQ, 720 WGN, 780 WBBM and 890 WLS. New York deserved three.

 

[davideduardo]

Maybe Mark is saying this as a joke. Wouldn't you say the big three networks should have I-A flagships in NYC? 660 WNBC and 880 WCBS were non-directional I-A stations.

And Chicago was able to get four I-A outlets, 670 WMAQ, 720 WGN, 780 WBBM and 890 WLS. New York deserved three.

But when those stations were originally assigned their enduring characteristics, there were only two networks: CBS and NBC. NBC ran both Red and Blue webs, but under the same RCA banner. ABC came about when duopolies and multiple network ownerships were banned in the WW II era. And there was a fourth network, Mutual.

In any case, the FRC/FCC did not assign stations based on network affiliation or ownership. If you look at the reasons why ownership was limited to just a few stations and the highest power allowed was really only a moderate power by world standards, you see that politicians did not want to 'permit the formation of large groups of co-owned stations or allow single stations to cover vast areas of the nation. The politicians were already afraid of large newspaper owners exerting great political influence and they wished to avoid that in radio.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Maybe Mark is saying this as a joke. Wouldn't you say the big three networks should have I-A flagships in NYC? 660 WNBC and 880 WCBS were non-directional I-A stations.

And Chicago was able to get four I-A outlets, 670 WMAQ, 720 WGN, 780 WBBM and 890 WLS. New York deserved three.

At the cost of one entire state, and a geographically large one at that, not having such an outlet...or actually having a I-B and then losing it. I'd rather be fair to the citizens of an entire state as compared to a company with plenty of outlets, both owned and affiliated.

When KOB was forced to directionalize in 1957, it cost the station coverage in Santa Fe, a significant population center. That's why the synchronous nighttime booster is there now, but that didn't come about until the 1990s. Having heard it in action, I can say that it works well, but never really should have been necessary.

 

[secondchoice]

I tried to post this earlier but I never understood how Nashville could get two 50,000 watt nighttime stations but Memphis has never had any, especially since Memphis was larger at one time. Memphis has WCRV 640, which is 50,000 watts daytime now, but is flea power at night.

The two big insurance companies in Nashville saw radio as a promotion tool. In fact WLAC's station ID usually had "a service of the Life and Casualty company of Tennessee " in the Station ID pre top 40 days. I believe Nationwide did the same thing a lot too.

Another simi weird fact in Nashville radio last century was WSIX. Probably one of the first "move ins". Originally licensed to Springfield TN in from 1927 by a gas and tire store "Where Service Is Excellent ". WSIX moved to Nashville in1935. They started an FM and Channel 8 too. They sold out the General Electric in 1966. So for a decade Nashville's 3 VHF commercial TV stations were owned by an Insurance companies or a fortune 50 company General Electric. Very Deep Pocket ownership.

 

[anotherguyTN]

I use to always wonder the same thing. But someone once said at least Memphis got 4 low end stations with good daytime signals, 560, 600, 680 and 790. The first three especially always had great range in the day.

I definitely listened to WHBQ (560) and WMPS (680) during their top 40 days in the 70's.

 

[boiseengineer]

Maybe Mark is saying this as a joke. Wouldn't you say the big three networks should have I-A flagships in NYC? 660 WNBC and 880 WCBS were non-directional I-A stations.

And Chicago was able to get four I-A outlets, 670 WMAQ, 720 WGN, 780 WBBM and 890 WLS. New York deserved three.

Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., Appellant, v. Federal Communications Commission, Appellee, Americanbroadcasting Companies, Inc., Intervenor, 663 F.2d 220 (D.C. Cir. 1980)

Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., Appellant, v. Federal Communications Commission, Appellee, Americanbroadcasting Companies, Inc., Intervenor, 663 F.2d 220 (D.C. Cir. 1980) case opinion from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

law.justia.com

 

[ftballfan]

Even in the 1930s, there were plenty of non-suburban top 50 cities (bigger than Nashville - which was #51 in 1930) that didn't have a clear channel AM: Birmingham, Columbus (OH), Dayton, Flint, Grand Rapids, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Memphis, Milwaukee, Providence, Toledo, Youngstown

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

That's an unusual application. I don't know why it shows the facility as a Class B, and had a Nighttime section. They didn't have a Nighttime interference study that I could find. It's a facility change that made the observation that the power reduction reduced interference. The FCC probably told them what they needed to do to get it approved.

even weirder of an application is KICY

50kw day, non directional
50kw night, non directional.
50kw 3 tower da critical hours

but that critical hours is more like their night/.. its for 11pm to 4am year round for them to go directional voluntarily into eastern russia.
since theyre a class A Clearm, it gives them protection 24/7 but having their licensed parameters show up that way

 

[secondchoice]

Even in the 1930s, there were plenty of non-suburban top 50 cities (bigger than Nashville - which was #51 in 1930) that didn't have a clear channel AM: Birmingham, Columbus (OH), Dayton, Flint, Grand Rapids, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Memphis, Milwaukee, Providence, Toledo, Youngstown

IIRC 990 in Knoxville is the oldest station in TN.