FCC approves "major change" for KHCB

[jd]

From the FCC Daily Digest, actions of September 20th:

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AM STATION APPLICATIONS FOR MAJOR MODIFICATION TO A LICENSED FACILITY GRANTED

BMJP-20050118ACX KHCB HOUSTON CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS, INC. AM Auction 84 1400 KHZ GALVESTON, TX Major change in licensed facilities. Engineering Amendment filed 05/31/06
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The application had been filed during the Major Filing Window for AM stations and called for KHCB to move from Galveston to League City. As discussed here before this is a precedent setting move by the FCC, in that it allows a station on a "graveyard" channel to use a directional antenna system. This move by KHCB also necessitated the relocation of co-owned KHCH Huntsville from 1400 to 1410, a change which was previously approved.

 

[Mediafrog+]

As discussed here before this is a precedent setting move by the FCC, in that it allows a station on a "graveyard" channel to use a directional antenna system.

Perhaps a few graveyarders that are peripheral to major markets might try this, but the key to the KHCB move was their ownership of a station that stood in the way (KHCH.) The graveyard frequencies are geographically too tightly packed to have much wiggle room.

 

[jd]

There are currently six other graveyard stations licensed for directional operation: WEEX 1230 Easton PA, WEXL 1340 Royal Oak MI, WLEW 1340 Bad Axe MI, WOYL 1340 Oil City PA, WKIP 1450 Poughkeepsie NY and WOLF 1490 Syracuse NY. As it stands now only WEXL is adjacent to a much larger city (Detroit). But things could change in light of the news about KHCB.

The FCC has certainly handled all of these exceptions on a case by case basis, perhaps hoping to prevent an avalanche of applications. But quite a number of new station applications from the major filing window on graveyard channels have asked for directional patterns. Like you say, the frequencies are pretty tightly packed.

In the case of KHCB their argument was that it would reduce the grandfathered overlap with co-channel stations in Corpus Christi and Lake Charles, along with adjacent channel KULP 1390 in El Campo. Although I had predicted the application would be approved, I thought it might take even longer than it did, despite getting KHCH out of the way.

 

[purpledevil]

What type of coverage should we expect for the Houston metro? I am under the assumption that with KHCH moving up to 1410 it would be at least listenable as far north as say The Woodlands, maybe even Conroe? I doubt that there is a map readily available as of yet, but is the proposed coverage area enough to blanket the entire city?

 

[w9wi]

There are currently six other graveyard stations licensed for directional operation: WEEX 1230 Easton PA, WEXL 1340 Royal Oak MI, WLEW 1340 Bad Axe MI, WOYL 1340 Oil City PA, WKIP 1450 Poughkeepsie NY and WOLF 1490 Syracuse NY. As it stands now only WEXL is adjacent to a much larger city (Detroit). But things could change in light of the news about KHCB.

But KHCB is the only one that's directional at night. (I believe. It's very difficult to properly mine the FCC DB to know for sure!)

 

[jd]

(W9wi...I'll check again, but I believe you're correct about KHCB being the lone DA2 at this point.)

The daytime pattern is somewhat of a basic figure-8 directed NNW/SSE from a site a few miles WSW of League City. The city grade coverage will reach roughly north to I-10 and west to the South Freeway (288). The fringe contour would reach to around Humble, circling around through the Heights and a little west of Bellaire. So where Houston is concerned it's basically going to amount to decent coverage of the southeastern portion, and of course very good coverage of the Clear Lake area and Texas City/Galveston. At night, as with all graveyard channels, the interference free contours will be greatly reduced versus daytime coverage.

Here's the FCC link to KHCB's proposed pattern: http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=406997

 

[Mike O]

What type of coverage should we expect for the Houston metro? I am under the assumption that with KHCH moving up to 1410 it would be at least listenable as far north as say The Woodlands, maybe even Conroe? I doubt that there is a map readily available as of yet, but is the proposed coverage area enough to blanket the entire city?

There are coverage maps of KHCB in the application. The accepted application that will become a Construction Permit shows the 0.5mV/m signal north of The Woodlands. While not a strong signal it is still receivable on most radios and if you are not in an noisy RF environment a listenable signal. You would definitly be able to pick up KHCB to about half way to Huntsville before the signal fades out completely.

All of Houston will have coverage, downtown southeast towards Galveston will be the best. Missouri city to Jersey Village to Kingwood and then out Liberty/Dayton will be fair, but listenable. A usable but weak signal is from about 10km west of Lake jackson, Rosenberg, The Woodlands and then all the way out to Beaumont and south to Port Arthur. In a vehicle you will likely get another ten or fifteen miles, except in The Triangle you will likely have interference from KAOK in Lake Charles. On the the Lake Jackson side you might have interference from KUNO Corpus Christi due to the salt water path. They really pack the stations in on the "graveyard" frequencies and the FCC keeeps approving more stations.

To see the map go to AM QUERY enter in KHCB in CALL LETTERS, then go down to OUTPUT and click on AM QUERY (detailed output + CDBS links) and then click on SUBMIT DATA. You will get a new screen with KHCB data, scroll to the station information and click on APPLICATION LiST, you will get another screen and click on the application BMJP20050118ACX dated 07/10/2006. Another screen will come up with the application, scroll down to near the bottom of the page to Attachment 11 Figure 7 DAYTIME SERVICE CONTOURS and click on that and you will have a nice color map of the signal strength contours and the coverage area.

It can be kind of interesting. Beaumont will have a better signal than Conroe due to Galveston Bay.

Mike O