> > On February 10th, 2006, 1010 KBBW Waco-Marlin {their legal
> > Communities of license} got the green light from the FCC to
> > drop Marlin as one of their COL's. When KBBW filed the
> > Major Modification the reason stated was by dropping Marlin
> > from their license they could engineer new patterns that
> > cover Waco better, which has out grown the old patterns
> > engineered back in the early 60's. KBBW only covers about
> > 50% of Waco at night with an interference free signal.
>
> I'm in Dallas -- while driving to Galveston down I-45, it did
> amaze me how well KBBW came in while approaching the outskirts
> of Houston. If the radio-locator (``for entertainment purposes'')
> maps are even tolerably correct, that squares.
>
> Question: What technically prevents KBBW from favoring the north
> in a possible day and night pattern? After all, D/FW certainly
> needs another AM rimshot.
We've taken everything from
> Sherman/Denison and Wichita Falls -- next target: Waco!
>
I did a check of stations on 980 to 1040 with-in 500km of Hurst {using KMNY 1360's site for reference} and during the day KTOK 1000 OKC would pose a problem sending a hefty signal towards Dallas. This is going from the Radio-locator site, but if it is correct, KTOK has a 0.5mV/m signal south of the Red River to about Sherman and IIRC a 1st adjacent signal can not be more than 0.5mV/m to 0.25mV/m. I didn't know you guys had any open frequencies left in the metroplex and had already moved every station to the area that was possible. Nighttime would be impossible though as 1010 is designated a Canadian and Cuban clear channel and you would have quite an outcry from both CFRB 1010 Toronto and WINS 1010 New York from any station that wanted to send any power in towards the north.
If I remember correctly WINS who has an agreement with CFRB to share 1010 in the northeast, bought the station on 1010 in Little Rock and either moved it to another frequency or took it silent so WINS could send more power down south into New Jersey. WINS would fight to the death any station that would try and send any power to the north at night.
The best bet would be for KBBW to move to the westside of Dallas and shoehorn the station in with the array west of the city, probably west of Fort Worth. Looking at Radio-locator it appears that KFCD 990 with 7kw sends a strong signal into Dallas. I can't get into the FCC site with station applications this morning for some reason so don't know what the 5mV/m signal contour is for KFCD, but KBBW can only have a 5mV/m City Grade signal up to KFCD's. I'm sure the next Major Modification or if the FCC approves their plan to make a change in Community of License a Minor Modification, KBBW will be Dallas bound. The only other station of concern would be KGGR 1040 Dallas where the 25mV/m signals can not cross. Again from Radio-locator it looks like KGGR has its' array right in the city and has a pretty strong signal. Not sure how great a signal you could put into Dallas during the daytime, but at night you should be able to send a very respectable signal over the metroplex from the west over Fort Worth and Dallas. There are a few stations to the east of concern, WMOX in Meridian, MS; WIOJ Jacksonville Beach {up grading to 50000/30000 DA2}; and WQYK Tampa Bay area, which looks like it is sending too much power towards Houston at night.
The Dallas area stations are very resourceful thought and I'm sure they would work something out. At least the Dallas area AM stations are and have been doing meaningful upgrades which is more than can be said for Houston's AM stations. The many D/FW stations that share frequencies with Houston area stations have upgraded their signal right down as far south as legally possible, which means those Houston area stations can not send any more power to the north into Montgomery and Walker Counties, which are rapidly growing and are part of the Houston DMA and have really shitty service from the Houston AM stations.
Is there a single frequency on FM that is not in use in the metroplex? It sure doesn't look like there is any open spots on the FM dial.
I "grew up" in Niagara Falls and CFRB Toronto covers from Toronto with an usable signal into Cleveland and to the east Syracuse during the day. They owned the frequency in WNY at night, although WINS could be heard under CFRB faintly. Even some 50 miles south of Buffalo where one of my sisters lives CFRB is still the dominate station at night, although it can be nulled for a fair signal from WINS. The station we listened to growing up was Top 40 1050 CHUM Toronto with a great daytime signal but at night it really fought it out then WHN New York at night, but we would put up with listening to both stations at night to hear CHUM, one of the best Canadian rockers next to the legendary CKLW that came in like a ton of bricks during the day but suffered interference at night. One of the offenders at the time, this would be the 60's was IIRC PJB in The Netherland Antilles with 500,000 watts non-directional and both the Montreal and Quebec City, Quebec French language stations. This was long before the Canadian Content Regulation and CHUM and CKLW were hot stations. Strange how you have a 50,000 watt Top 40 station in your own backyard and listen to a station that is fading in and out and full of interference at night. It all boiled down to which was the better station though. Content will win out over the best signal.
Mike O
