KFRC-AM 1550 KYCY 1550 K-YOU radio is dead!

[djj]

There's also a 1550 in Ferndale, WA (KRPI) with a 24/7 Punjabi format. Signal aimed into Vancouver BC.....

Hold it. Is Stan Bull their morning anchor ... or am I getting this thread and the "Classic Hits Are Returning To SF On Jan. 5" thread confused?

A Punjabi format...does that have anything to do with India.Arie?

Now I'm really confused between the two threads...never mind...
;D
--jay

 

[DavidKaye]

The scary thing is that CBS might be using this as a trial to automate all their classic hit stations, some of which are still good.

Bingo!

I see nothing wrong with that. Music stations are competing with iPods and MP3 players, not with stand-up comics.

 

[Starbucks]

So does this mean KOMY 1340 will actually have normal coverage for a typical 1-kw 1340,
or is Zwerling just getting a new xmtr while continuing with skywave-only (not ground-wave) xmission
that covers much less territory?

Huh? Explain what you posted a bit better. There is no choice on what wave performs at what time of the day. Ground wave is daytime and it becomes D and E layer skywave at night. Yes theoretically there is a sky wave in the daytime, but it doesn't return during daylight hours....because of no ionosphere during daylight. There is a groundwave at night....but it gets absorbed by the sky wave, and seldom travels out.
Or comprehend a bit better what you posted.


Still, it's a signal for real die-hard DX-listening types only...
--jay
[/quote]

 

[davideduardo]

Huh? Explain what you posted a bit better. There is no choice on what wave performs at what time of the day. Ground wave is daytime and it becomes D and E layer skywave at night. Yes theoretically there is a sky wave in the daytime, but it doesn't return during daylight hours....because of no ionosphere during daylight. There is a groundwave at night....but it gets absorbed by the sky wave, and seldom travels out.
Or comprehend a bit better what you posted.

The local coverage area of an AM is groundwave day and night. At night, when the ionesphere, which exists day and night (it's a layer in the atmosphere) is only ionized at night, allowing AM signals to come back to earth as skywave... ususally outside the groundwave coverage area. On most AM channels, there are so many stations that the skywave comes down where 3 or 4 other staitons come down, too, making the skywave usesless. Of around 5000 AM stations, maybe 200 to 300 have useful and dependable skywave.

Day and night groundwave coverage is theoretically the same... but many stations directionalize at night, or they are subject to interference from other co-channel stations and the night coverage for nearly every AM in America is less than the day coverage.

 

[radiorob2.0]

On the bright side, the calls are staying in San Francisco. CBS could have exported them elsewhere west of the Mississippi.

The best thing is to give the call letters to Family Radio so they can be reattached to 610. There is nothing CBS can do with the calls that will bring back the dignity they deserve, so it is best to leave it in God's hands or in this case Family Radio.

 

[djj]

Starbucks, my understanding is KOMY 1340 has NO ground system, which creates a signal with
no penetration in buildings - thus (I'm told) creating just a "skywave" transmission...

KOMY shares a tower with sister KSCO 1080 in Santa Cruz, which is not friendly height-wise
for 1340, I'm told...

The KOMY daytime coverage is adversely affected in the daytime as a result of having no
ground system, as it gets VERY weak going outside the Santa Cruz city limits, only a few miles
from the xmtr as the crow flies - it should be a better signal for 1340...though I am told the
signal has improved to the south of late, so it sounds like there has been some upgrading...

How (in)accurate was my verbage, accordingly?

As "Newsperson" would say, I will await for your responses...

On the bright side, the calls are staying in San Francisco. CBS could have exported them elsewhere west of the Mississippi.

The best thing is to give the call letters to Family Radio so they can be reattached to 610. There is nothing CBS can do with the calls that will bring back the dignity they deserve, so it is best to leave it in God's hands or in this case Family Radio.

Hmmmmm...Something to think about...
--jay

 

[DavidKaye]

Starbucks, my understanding is KOMY 1340 has NO ground system, which creates a signal with
no penetration in buildings - thus (I'm told) creating just a "skywave" transmission...

If KOMY has no ground system, what kind of antenna are they using, a horizontal dipole? I haven't seen the installation, but I suggest that KOMY indeed has a ground system as any Marconi would have, since the ground provides the other pole of the radiator. Not only that, but being at the KSCO site would mean that KOMY would have an excellent gound, given its location on the edge of Monterey Bay.

The fact of the matter is that KOMY is on 1340, a "local" channel that is subject to interference from all 9 stations in California, not to mention the dozens if not hundreds of those in other states.

 

[DanStrassberg]

If KOMY has no ground system, what kind of antenna are they using, a horizontal dipole? I haven't seen the installation, but I suggest that KOMY indeed has a ground system as any Marconi would have, since the ground provides the other pole of the radiator. Not only that, but being at the KSCO site would mean that KOMY would have an excellent gound, given its location on the edge of Monterey Bay.

The fact of the matter is that KOMY is on 1340, a "local" channel that is subject to interference from all 9 stations in California, not to mention the dozens if not hundreds of those in other states.

I can't tell from CDBS which of KSCO's three towers KOMY uses. It would make sense for the diplexed station to use one of the two end towers because KSCO sends those lower power than it sends to the center tower and it's best, where possible, to avoid diplexing into high-power towers of directional arrays. It is possible that an end tower might have a ground system that is foreshortened at the transmitter-site property line, but the ground systems of the towers that KSCO uses but KOMY doesn't would add to the area of the KOMY ground system and should more than make up for any shortened radials. According to CDBS, KOMY's antenna efficiency is ~319 mV/m @ 1 km, which is consistent with its use of a tower somewhat taller than 1/4 wavelength. The KSCO towers are ~1/4 wavelength at 1080, which is more than 1/4 wavelength at 1340, so I'd say that, unless the ground system is being repaired (they do deteriorate over time), there is nothing especially unusual about it.

 

[newsperson]

Newsperson responds:

It appears that the ground system question was answered while I was sleeping. Yes the ground system for KOMY has to be the same at KSCO. And 1340 is quite a good frequency in some areas. There is a 1340 in Reno which is clean day and night. On the other hand there is a newer 1400 in Sparks that was built north of town in some rolling hills. I suspect that they had a hard time instaling the complete ground system as I notice sywave interference on this station 1-hour before sunset. The other 1000 watt stations on the valley floor do not have the same prolem.

Back to KCSO/KOMY what kind of traps and filters did Michael use? Has he lost some efficiency and power output in the instalation?

Oh in regard to AM 1550 KFRC is this right up the alley (Scott Shannon no live talent) of CBS since they have never cared about cover air shifts with talent since Labor Day 2005. Will this be just a playback of old songs without any personality? Or is their something I am missing?

djj, I will look for your response.

Newsperson

 

[OCradiodude]

Wouldn't it just make more sense for KYCY to up their modulation to 80 percent or more? It would improve signal, but it wouldn't sound very good. :

 

[Madmansam]

Future Of M. Dung On 1550?

Also I wonder if M. DUNG will survive the change or if his IDIOT SHOW will be dumped?

I don't know what fate awaits me. I guess I'll find out in the next week or so...this Sunday's show may be my last.

Merry Christmas all

Dung

So DUNG? Did you find out if yesterday was your last Idiot Show or will it be integrated into the new TRUE OLDIES format of the soon to be New KFRC-1550? Dung Fans Are Waiting To Find Out?

 

[radio dx]

I give the new KFRC (Fouth edition) 7 months which means CBS will give them 4 months!

 

[Madmansam]

I give the new KFRC (Fouth edition) 7 months which means CBS will give them 4 months!

Let's all guess 1550's NEXT FORMAT? How about ALL POLKA? ;D

 

[DavidKaye]

And 1340 is quite a good frequency in some areas. There is a 1340 in Reno which is clean day and night.

Beg to differ; 1340, 1400, 1450, 1230, 1240, and 1490 are all terrible frequencies. They used to be called Class IV. They're dogpile channels designed specifically for small towns.

From Radio-Locator here is the list of JUST California stations on 1340:

KATA 1340 AM Arcata, CA Sports
KPTR 1340 AM Cathedral City, CA Talk
KCBL 1340 AM Fresno, CA Sports
KOMY 1340 AM La Selva Beach, CA Oldies
KTPI 1340 AM Mojave, CA Nostalgia
KTOX 1340 AM Needles, CA Talk
KEWE 1340 AM Oroville, CA Sports
KYNS 1340 AM San Luis Obispo, CA News/Talk
KCLU 1340 AM Santa Barbara, CA Public Radio

 

[djj]

And 1340 is quite a good frequency in some areas. There is a 1340 in Reno which is clean day and night.

Beg to differ; 1340, 1400, 1450, 1230, 1240, and 1490 are all terrible frequencies. They used to be called Class IV. They're dogpile channels designed specifically for small towns.

Some major cities also have the "local" Class IV stations (now they're called,
what, Class D? I forget), and some signals go out terribly - 1450 KEST SFO,
for one...
And since they went to a "tower," dropping the wire-antenna they had for
decades, KWG's (my first station in 1980) 1230 signal is worse at night for
some reason...

From Radio-Locator here is the list of JUST California stations on 1340:

KATA 1340 AM Arcata, CA Sports
KPTR 1340 AM Cathedral City, CA Talk
KCBL 1340 AM Fresno, CA Sports
KOMY 1340 AM La Selva Beach, CA Oldies
KTPI 1340 AM Mojave, CA Nostalgia
KTOX 1340 AM Needles, CA Talk
KEWE 1340 AM Oroville, CA Sports
KYNS 1340 AM San Luis Obispo, CA News/Talk
KCLU 1340 AM Santa Barbara, CA Public Radio

Actually, KEWE (known at one time in the late-1990s as KJAZ) does have
a very respectable signal for a "local," even at night...

There are exceptions, but for the most part, David's right...some of these
"local" stations aren't maintained well now, and the "monkey-chatter" at
night has increasingly gotten worse on those stations...
--jay

 

[Madmansam]

And 1340 is quite a good frequency in some areas. There is a 1340 in Reno which is clean day and night.

Beg to differ; 1340, 1400, 1450, 1230, 1240, and 1490 are all terrible frequencies. They used to be called Class IV. They're dogpile channels designed specifically for small towns.

Some major cities also have the "local" Class IV stations (now they're called,
what, Class D? I forget), and some signals go out terribly - 1450 KEST SFO,
for one...
And since they went to a "tower," dropping the wire-antenna they had for
decades, KWG's (my first station in 1980) 1230 signal is worse at night for
some reason...

Funny that you mention KWG. You are right, I used to pick it it up around even MERCED in the 1970's without trouble. It all seemed to change when they eliminated those "TWO WOODEN POLES with WIRES" (there is a name for this, it just escapes me now) in 1988. Hasn't been the same since. Another station I have a problem with, believe it or not, is the nighttime signal of KSTN-1420. It just disappears into the night ans the sounds of splatter from other stations. I live in EXTREME NORTHWEST STOCKTON (near Eight Mile Road and I-5) and the Transmitter is in SOUTHEAST STOCKTON (near Mariposa Road and Highway 99).

 

[djj]

...Another station I have a problem with, believe it or not, is the nighttime signal of KSTN-1420. It just disappears into the night and the sounds of splatter from other stations. I live in EXTREME NORTHWEST STOCKTON (near Eight Mile Road and I-5) and the Transmitter is in SOUTHEAST STOCKTON (near Mariposa Road and Highway 99).

You're right, Sam...I'm wondering if KSTN's ground system has gone bad over time...

If I'm not mistaken, if you listen to KSTN while North on I-5 near the Hammer Lane
off-ramp - as you're leaving N.W. Stockton - you'll hit a HUGE null on 1420, and the
signal starts fizzling.
And this is in the daytime! I do not 'member that phenomenon in the 1980s...

The 1-kw night-directional signal used to be better toward Lodi, also...

And would KWG's old tower setup be known as a "wire-T antenna"? I dunno...

Meanwhile, back at our regularly scheduled thread....uhhh...what were we discussing?

Oh, yes!...I'm with you, Sam, and radio dx: the All Polka format will emerge on 1550 KC within months...
;D
--jay

 

[Madmansam]

You know Jay, There used to be a time when you could get several radio stations from the Bay area in the 1970's which I can't get today like 1310, 1450, 1500, 1510 and 1550. The first 4, I could get pretty good during the day but not at night while 1550 I could get Day And Night. This was back around 1974-79. I remember being able to listen to KEST throughout the 1970's, now it is only KVML Sonora. Same goes for 1500 when they were KXRX and KHTT. And I had no problem with 1510 when they were KTIM. I even was able to pick them up when they first became KKHI under the ownership of MT. WILSON but I lost their signal around the time 1510 changed to their last incarnation as KMZT. As for 1550, When WESTINGHOUSE took over 1550, They kind of just disappeared especially at night. Now no more!

 

[Starbucks]

Huh? Explain what you posted a bit better. There is no choice on what wave performs at what time of the day. Ground wave is daytime and it becomes D and E layer skywave at night. Yes theoretically there is a sky wave in the daytime, but it doesn't return during daylight hours....because of no ionosphere during daylight. There is a groundwave at night....but it gets absorbed by the sky wave, and seldom travels out.
Or comprehend a bit better what you posted.

The local coverage area of an AM is groundwave day and night. At night, when the ionesphere, which exists day and night (it's a layer in the atmosphere) is only ionized at night, allowing AM signals to come back to earth as skywave... ususally outside the groundwave coverage area. On most AM channels, there are so many stations that the skywave comes down where 3 or 4 other staitons come down, too, making the skywave usesless. Of around 5000 AM stations, maybe 200 to 300 have useful and dependable skywave.

Day and night groundwave coverage is theoretically the same... but many stations directionalize at night, or they are subject to interference from other co-channel stations and the night coverage for nearly every AM in America is less than the day coverage.

That sounds possible.....especially over the years where so many daytimers and low powers were given increased in power or full time hours, I'm sure the terrestrial AM band characteristics has become what it is today..... let's just say I'm basing it on a 50,000 watt clear channel frequency, where any local AM station in a small market usually would have to sign off that frequency at sunset.

 

[Starbucks]

Starbucks, my understanding is KOMY 1340 has NO ground system, which creates a signal with
no penetration in buildings - thus (I'm told) creating just a "skywave" transmission...

KOMY shares a tower with sister KSCO 1080 in Santa Cruz, which is not friendly height-wise
for 1340, I'm told...

The KOMY daytime coverage is adversely affected in the daytime as a result of having no
ground system, as it gets VERY weak going outside the Santa Cruz city limits, only a few miles
from the xmtr as the crow flies - it should be a better signal for 1340...though I am told the
signal has improved to the south of late, so it sounds like there has been some upgrading...

How (in)accurate was my verbage, accordingly?

As "Newsperson" would say, I will await for your responses...

On the bright side, the calls are staying in San Francisco. CBS could have exported them elsewhere west of the Mississippi.

The best thing is to give the call letters to Family Radio so they can be reattached to 610. There is nothing CBS can do with the calls that will bring back the dignity they deserve, so it is best to leave it in God's hands or in this case Family Radio.

Hmmmmm...Something to think about...
--jay

The KOMY daytime coverage is adversely affected in the daytime as a result of having no
ground system, as it gets VERY weak going outside the Santa Cruz city limits, only a few miles
from the xmtr as the crow flies - it should be a better signal for 1340...though I am told the
signal has improved to the south of late, so it sounds like there has been some upgrading...




As I respond to Dave's answer...this is based on a basic average radio station on the AM band...it's characteristics and signal performance on an AM band frequency. And most likely on a graveyard frequency..with so many signals at night...1340, 1400 example..this is what ususally happens. So many 1000 watt signals , results in a groundwave frequency with a prime clear signal traveling an average of 10 miles omni at night. I'm sure depending on the ground signal, there are that travel further...but like many other AM signals, there are so many that have their ground system deteriorate over the years that they lost mileage on their signal. it sounds like what you describe to me....they have to be using their groundwave , because AM band is groundwave during daytime hours, traveling the surface of the ground. Especially at 1000 WATTS. Just like describing the line of sight on an FM signal, or obstacle reflection with UHF.