Houston Expanded Band AM

[HoustonListener]

I was just wondering, as I was listening to the Texas Department of Transportation advisory on 1680 AM the other day, why Houston did not get an assignments in the Expanded Band of AM above 1610? Was there just a lack of interest from anyone in Houston to apply for one of these frequencies? Or did someone apply and was rejected? or was Houston just not allocated one of these frequencies and so no one could apply?

Just wondering and thought someone here could satisfy my curiosity.

 

[CW]

I was just wondering, as I was listening to the Texas Department of Transportation advisory on 1680 AM the other day, why Houston did not get an assignments in the Expanded Band of AM above 1610? Was there just a lack of interest from anyone in Houston to apply for one of these frequencies? Or did someone apply and was rejected? or was Houston just not allocated one of these frequencies and so no one could apply?

Just wondering and thought someone here could satisfy my curiosity.

IIRC, 850 KEYH did file for an expanded band allocation when 1st available but didnt get it.....I think there was one or two others who also filed and got nothing.....the closest is 1630 in Bryan College Station, the legendary WTAW who moved from 1150...now if the 1150 goes off the air as the plan was written, it will be a miracle (more and more operators dont want to return their old allocations..but rather sell them to "minority and women ops"...sure lets keep the band cluttered up!!!)

 

[thathoustonradiogeek]

If I remember correctly, someone, (David Eduardo I think) posted that KLAT was supposed to move to 1660 KHz, but they never did, or something like that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Mediafrog+]

If I remember correctly, someone, (David Eduardo I think) posted that KLAT was supposed to move to 1660 KHz, but they never did, or something like that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

KLAT was supposed to go to 1690, which would have gotten it away from co-channel KBBW in Waco, which severely restricts its western coverage. While there would have been a better daytime signal (10kw ND) the nighttime 1kw ND might very well have been inferior to the 3.6kw directional they now have on 1010.

There is still room for a 1690 signal in southeast Texas, as other U.S. co-channels on that frequency are in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Colorado, and California.

IIRC, 850 KEYH did file for an expanded band allocation when 1st available but didnt get it

Never heard of KEYH applying for an X-band allocation. KEYH did have a CP for 50kw daytime and 1kw night on 830, but it was never built. That was 15+ years ago.

the closest is 1630 in Bryan College Station, the legendary WTAW who moved from 1150

Actually WTAW is on 1620. Puts in a nice signal at my Cy-Fair location.

 

[jd]

Never heard of KEYH applying for an X-band allocation. KEYH did have a CP for 50kw daytime and 1kw night on 830, but it was never built. That was 15+ years ago.

I'll take CW's word on KEYH's X-band application. But from what I can recall their application for 830 never got approved. It called for relicensing to Spring with a site somewhere along I-45. I think it was nixed over environmental issues, but even if that had been resolved it would have probably run into interference objections from WBAP (and possibly Mexico City as well), regardless of the placement of the site.

 

[Holstead]

CHAM 820 is in Hamilton, Ontario-Canada. Much like co-channel WBAP, their programming at the time was country music with a heavy emphasis on sports. As the story goes, the conditons were *just right* for WBAP to blow in like a local. WBAP was broadcasting ball game at the time, and the night jock got so frustrated, he opened the mic, said: "Stay tuned for Texas Rangers Baseball" and signed the thing off.

Don't know if it is true, but with all this talk about 830/820, bleedover and all, it popped into my head.

 

[schmave]

For only being 1K at night, 1010 puts quite a wallop into their directional pattern. I keep meaning to listen to 1010 when I'm west of town to hear KLAT fight it out with Waco. I'm driving up to Austin next Friday morning and will try it then. Curious to see what I hear and how soon I hear it.

 

[Mediafrog+]

For only being 1K at night, 1010 puts quite a wallop into their directional pattern.

That's because they are running 3.6 kw at night.

 

[radioguyntx]

I live about 2 mi or less from the Night-time transmitter site for KBBW.

 

[cyberdad]

CHAM 820 is in Hamilton, Ontario-Canada. Much like co-channel WBAP, their programming at the time was country music with a heavy emphasis on sports. As the story goes, the conditons were *just right* for WBAP to blow in like a local. WBAP was broadcasting ball game at the time, and the night jock got so frustrated, he opened the mic, said: "Stay tuned for Texas Rangers Baseball" and signed the thing off.

Don't know if it is true, but with all this talk about 830/820, bleedover and all, it popped into my head.

I doubt that this story is true. CHAM (still a country music station) undoubtedly encounters problems with WBAP, but for the most part it has a fairly respectable nighttime signal in its own right....at least in its primary target coverage area. And both the daytime and nighttime signal are loads better than what they had "back in the day" when they were on 1280 (as CJJD and then as CHAM)

 

[schmave]

For only being 1K at night, 1010 puts quite a wallop into their directional pattern.

That's because they are running 3.6 kw at night.

My bad. And a directional 3,600 aimed southeast down 290 would be worth around 5K ERP at least, correct?

 

[gabigley1]

KEYH never filed for an expanded band allocation.

KEYH filed a application back in 1982 for 50kw daytime and 1kw night at a site near Spring, Texas. This was Denied by the FCC on 1-19-1984. Click here for that:

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=58216

IIRC, 850 KEYH did file for an expanded band allocation when 1st available but didnt get it

Never heard of KEYH applying for an X-band allocation. KEYH did have a CP for 50kw daytime and 1kw night on 830, but it was never built. That was 15+ years ago.

 

[CW]

KEYH never filed for an expanded band allocation.

KEYH filed a application back in 1982 for 50kw daytime and 1kw night at a site near Spring, Texas. This was Denied by the FCC on 1-19-1984. Click here for that:

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=58216

IIRC, 850 KEYH did file for an expanded band allocation when 1st available but didnt get it

Never heard of KEYH applying for an X-band allocation. KEYH did have a CP for 50kw daytime and 1kw night on 830, but it was never built. That was 15+ years ago.

KEYH DID file a petition for an exbanded band allocation...but was denied....petition and application are two different things but they DID fiile hoping to get an allocation in the 1st round.....they didnt.....

 

[gabigley1]

Don't recall KEYH ever applying for an X-band station.

The reason why KEYH's application for 50KW on 830 was denied in 1984 was because of a prohibited signal overlap with WFNO 830 in Norco, La. KEYH then appealed to the FCC.
They asked the FCC to grant them a CP because the signal overlap with the new station
in Norco, La. was only about one hundred square miles. Also, they(KEYH) claimed they should be allowed the overlap becase of their minorty programing they were doing at the time.
I saw the appeal to the FCC.

There was no signal overlap with WBAP.

IIRC, 850 KEYH did file for an expanded band allocation when 1st available but didnt get it

Never heard of KEYH applying for an X-band allocation. KEYH did have a CP for 50kw daytime and 1kw night on 830, but it was never built. That was 15+ years ago.