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How many radio stations in LA have been downgraded for antenna power.

Indeed. Not one of the late Bill Ward's best decisions about call letters.

But their ERP downgrade came under the original owner (Robert P. Adams) when the calls were still KUTE, the "side effect" of moving from Flint Peak to Mt. Wilson. That happened in 1969, IIRC.
So, just to summarize: KLIT, '69, got it. :eek:
 
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't KUTE's the move to Mt Wilson, at the original owners expense, a condition of the future sale to Golden West (G. Autry)?

Tomás, you asked the same question -- actually, you stated it as fact -- back in December 2021 and I answered you in that thread.

I'm rather surprised you don't remember.
 
David, I can imagine that the feeling that you had seeing this so called bstrdized signal in North America's #1 market (revenue) premier at the top of the ratings with a list of the most cherished radio brands behind you must be beyond the world's most renowned drugs!
At one point, we had three stations in the top 10, KLVE, KSCA and KTNQ. What was most amazing is that KTNQ beat KFI in 18-49 a number of times,
 
I thought you would have known more about the station since I think you were at HBC at the time they purchased the station. The cactus was just a proposal from its original owners, since it was/is licensed to the "ritzy" community of Paradise Valley, who did not want any tower on Mummy Mountain. The late Elliott Klein finally found a location in Fountain Hills that was more suitable.
I said it was built, not actually licensed. The late Dave Stewart actually built and tested the electro-cactus. It ran in a dummy load for a short time as a test while negotiations with Paradise Valley went on.
Its signal, despite the coverage maps, is subject to multipath interference in many areas, and HBC built a booster on top of what was known as the Bank One Building (now empty) in Downtown Phoenix, which like many boosters, causes more interference to the signal in many areas (in my opinion).
The signal is on the west / NW facing side of the building, and aims signal at the HDHA just to the west of Downtown. I did at least a dozen music tests at the Holiday Inn off the 10 out there and the signal was fine in the area. Of course, one time three of us went for a walk once we had set up for the evening music test sessions and came upon a prostitute who had been shot and wounded and was asking for money to take a cab to the ER.

We asked why she did not call 911, and she said her pimp would be mad about revealing her territory.

We briefly thought about selling the idea to one of the police TV shows where some innocent neighbors come across such an event.

Only in radio.
 
710 (a lot of loss of SFV), 790 is up pwr, but TL moved, similar coverage, 930 (a bit loss w-SFV , some gain O.C. ), All L.A. signal changes.
Also honorable mention burbs: 740, 1370 gone- no site, 1500 gone- no site- Lic Del, 1510 gone- no site
1280?, 1390?
I thought that Family Radio 1280 had file to somehow enhance reception (tower move or up power)
 
I thought that Family Radio 1280 had file to somehow enhance reception (tower move or up power)
They are now (since last year) operating with an anemic 430 watts day/237 watts night, non-directional. They were 1kW full-time with different directional patterns from a different site (new site is further north and west).
 
They are now (since last year) operating with an anemic 430 watts day/237 watts night, non-directional. They were 1kW full-time with different directional patterns from a different site (new site is further north and west).
Based on the info from FCC.org., it looks as though 1280 is sharing facilities at 1390's site.
 
Based on the info from FCC.org., it looks as though 1280 is sharing facilities at 1390's site.

With the new lower power, I would have just turned in the license instead, but I'm not Family Radio ... who is known to make bad decisions.
 
They are now (since last year) operating with an anemic 430 watts day/237 watts night, non-directional. They were 1kW full-time with different directional patterns from a different site (new site is further north and west).
Why did 1280 drop power so much? The previous 1kw from their old site in Long Beach Harbor put an okay signal all the way down the coast to San Diego.
 
Why did 1280 drop power so much? The previous 1kw from their old site in Long Beach Harbor put an okay signal all the way down the coast to San Diego.

I suspect the old "lost the tower site" situation forced the move and apparently diplexing with 1390 required them to go non-directional, which meant the only way to protect whatever stations their old directional array did required the severe drop in power.

Like I said, I don't know why they bothered trying to save it.
 
Why did 1280 drop power so much? The previous 1kw from their old site in Long Beach Harbor put an okay signal all the way down the coast to San Diego.
Up until sometime in the 70s KFOX 1280s stick was in Seal Beach with 1 kW ND full time. Then they later moved to the Harbor area near Wilmington with 1 kW directional daytime and ND at night, they got a little bit of daytime gain to the NW and SE.

When they moved to N. Long Beach to diplex with 1390 maybe they are a bit too close to second adjacents 1260(SFV) and 1300(Pasadena) to allow for for full 1 kW power?
 
When they moved to N. Long Beach to diplex with 1390 maybe they are a bit too close to second adjacents 1260(SFV) and 1300(Pasadena) to allow for for full 1 kW power?

More likely, as I already guessed, going from DA to ND prevents them from creating nulls in the signal in the direction of those stations (or whichever ones they are required to protect) and so they now have to reduce power to provide that protection.
 
KPWR Power 106 came is strong into San Diego county, when it was at 72,000 watts! Now not so good.

They dropped power when they moved to Mt. Wilson ... 31 years ago.

I would hazard a guess that you live somewhere that had a straight "look" at the old transmitter site. I'm pretty sure that's still licensed as the auxiliary site, but last time I checked it was only for 25kw, same as the main.
 
KPWR has a weak signal in San Diego. Much worse than many of the other Mt. Wilson FM's. I suppose they are directional away from SD?

More likely the combination of the power drop when they moved to Wilson and first-adjacent interference from XHPRS.
 
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