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KFMB AM

Will KFMB have interference when KBRT increases to 50,000 Watts on 2/28/13? And will KCBS AM still come in at night here in San Diego? Just Curious. ???
 
JohnnyOhJohnny said:
Will KFMB have interference when KBRT increases to 50,000 Watts on 2/28/13? And will KCBS AM still come in at night here in San Diego? Just Curious. ???

KBRT is highly directional at its new site. Per the Crawford engineering blog, the signal to the SW will, due to directionality and ground conductivity, be slightly less than from Avalon.

In any case, KFMB is on 760 and KBRT on 740. In much of the world, stations in the same market operate at 20 kHz separation.

It's unlikely that KBRT will use its 113 watt night power. Even if they do, it will not affect KCBS at all.
 
Just curious - are there any San Diego listeners that DX KCBS at night?

-- Doc
 
DavidEduardo said:
It's unlikely that KBRT will use its 113 watt night power. Even if they do, it will not affect KCBS at all.

Actually they got a raise to 190 watts at night from the new site :eek: The projected night contour shows more people than boats compared to what they got with 113 watts on Catalina. However if KFMB is running IBOC at night with their 50kw signal, it'll take a lot more than 190 watts to cut thru the hash!
 
The last time I was in SoCal (last October), I thought KBRT was running IBOC, too. Gee, KBRT and KFMB could really trash each other in noise! FWIW, I think the 190 watts would serve much of Orange County quite well with that highly directional antenna system at night, despite KCBS. I think they should at least try it out.
 
KFMB-AM and FM both will not be going IBOC anytime in the next 5-10 years! There is no economically viable reason for them to do so! There are not enough receivers nor enough people listening to make it worth wild. Plus advertisers don't know HD/IBOC even exists. The only thing you get with IBOC is noise and a larger power bill!

KBRT is "currently" running asymetrical IBOC meaning that the bandwith that IBOC takes between 740 and 760 is down to an almost reasonable level so that KFMB can operate. But with the new site who knows what will happen?? Crawford only installed IBOC to interfere with KFMB there was absolutely no economically viable other reason for it!
 
600kogo said:
Crawford only installed IBOC to interfere with KFMB there was absolutely no economically viable other reason for it!

Crawford was an early believer in HD Radio, and that's the real explanation for their installation of the system on 740.

Any "upset" over having the 740 signal encroached upon by the 760 interloper occurred long ago.

It will be interesting to see if the new site activates HD again. That could demonstrate the interest Crawford has today in the system, at least on the AMs. I'm too far from the new site to hear it, so perhaps someone will let us know when the switch takes place.
 
Crawford was an early believer in HD for the very reason of interference to KFMB. And it was not KFMB's choice to move to 760 they were forced there due to the Mexican goverment wanting the 540 frequency that KFMB was on.

And the switch should be happening at any moment, and I am sure that KFMB's lawyers are already spending the money that is about to come flooding in for the firestorm that will (probably) occur.
 
600kogo said:
Crawford was an early believer in HD for the very reason of interference to KFMB. And it was not KFMB's choice to move to 760 they were forced there due to the Mexican goverment wanting the 540 frequency that KFMB was on.

Crawford bought 740 "as is" in 1980. They had and have no quarrel with KFMB as long as KFMB keeps its facility in compliance and protects KBRT fully.

540 became a joint Canadian - Mexican clear channel back in the 60's when there was an addendum to the terms of NARBA. Mexico believed it got "short changed" in terms of clear channels based on population and geography. Giving 540 to Mexico with the same status as it had for Canada required moving KFMB off the channel. The FCC bent the rules and gave them 760... with considerable daytime protection of Avalon as part of the deal.

And the switch should be happening at any moment, and I am sure that KFMB's lawyers are already spending the money that is about to come flooding in for the firestorm that will (probably) occur.

The date of the switch was already announced, and the details are on the very professional Crawford engineering blog.

It appears that the signal towards San Diego will be somewhat reduced, per comments from Crawford engineers. The main reason seems to be the poor conductivity of the areas south and southwest from the new site.
 
KR4BD said:
FWIW, I think the 190 watts would serve much of Orange County quite well with that highly directional antenna system at night, despite KCBS. I think they should at least try it out.

And they will, per CBC's C.E. What will be interesting to follow is their new pre and post authorization of 205 watts, which covers more listeners than what they reached from the Catalina site. The KFMB engineers will no doubt be monitoring 7~Forty once the 50kw Nautel is in regular service. Crawford knows the ins and outs of Ancient Modulation and will run it legally.
 
e-dawg said:
Could KFMB raised their daytime power to 50,000 watts from 5,000 watts?

It is pretty hemmed in by now, but most coastal AMs can increase power by pushing that increase over the market and out to sea. The issue is whether it is cost effective, particularly if large parcels of land are required.
 
Dr. Akbar said:
Crawford knows the ins and outs of Ancient Modulation and will run it legally.

True. If you've ever seen that Catalina facility, you'd be amazed at the attention to detail lavished there. It'll almost be a shame to move out (although I'm sure Bill Agresta won't miss it much ;D )

-- Doc
 
We should mention that KFMB ran at 5000 watts around the clock when it first moved to 760. It was non-directional by day, directional at night to protect Class I-A WJR 760 Detroit.

I believe around 10 years ago, the FCC allowed KFMB to bump its nighttime power to 50,000 watts, but still nulled to the northeast. It is one of the few AM stations that increases its power at night.

But it couldn't increase its daytime power because it is too close to 740 KBRT. Now the irony is that KBRT, by moving to Orange County, will be 50,000 watts by day but limited to only a couple of hundred watts at night. KBRT will have 10x the power of KFMB by day. Then at sunset, KFMB goes to maximum power while KBRT, to even be on the air, has to keep its power to lightbulb levels.
 
Ever sense the move the signal is weak south of Downtown, I could pick up 730 in Ensenada more clear.
 
DavidEduardo said:
JohnnyOhJohnny said:
Will KFMB have interference when KBRT increases to 50,000 Watts on 2/28/13? And will KCBS AM still come in at night here in San Diego? Just Curious. ???
Per the Crawford engineering blog, the signal to the SW will, due to directionality and ground conductivity, be slightly less than from Avalon.

SLIGHTLY less? Actually, their signal strength is down dramatically in San Diego. KBRT used to come in loud and clear. Now, since their transmitter move, I can barely pick them up even on my car radio.
 
According to Crawford, they are operating KBRT 740 at night from the new site and are surprised that the signal,so far , is pretty good in the Costa Mesa area ,even with KCBS pushing 50kw right at them at night.
Where I'm at in northern Calif ( outside of KCBS prim area ) I can barely hear KBRT 740 when they are now at 50kw ( just before sunset ) much at the same level as when they operated off of Catalina Island at 10kw, just before sunset.
At night if they are in there at my place it is WAY,WAY UNDER KCBS.
I hear ,very weak Phoenix,AZ 740 more under KCBS at times,otherwise 740 is "in the clear & loud" with KCBS.

On KFMB ,I saw here that they were on 540 at one time and moved to 760 ,because Mexico got 540 ,what year did this happen ?
Also was KFMB's 540 operation from the same transmitter site as KFMB's present 760 operation. How many towers did KFMB use on 540 ?

Al
 
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