KGOW's nighttime coverage plans

[jd]

First, a bit of history. KGOW does hold a construction permit for a 1,000-watt directional facility off Eldridge Parkway north of I-10 but it can't be approved until the Army Corps of Engineers completes a land use survey for the area. Since that might never happen 1560 applied for an alternate site north of Katy with considerably more power (19,000 watts). While that application was being considered KGOW applied for what amounted to an "emergency" authorization to construct a temporary 100-watt nighttime facility adjacent to Bellaire, which has been on the air for some time now.

Now the latest news: still another revision has been accepted by the FCC. This one calls for a reduction of the proposed nighttime power from 19,000 to 15,000 watts. The complete application can be found here: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...xt=25&appn=101271467&formid=301&fac_num=17389 While approval by the FCC is still not assured the latest changes do clear a few hurdles:

1) The reduction in power is actually being proposed to reduce harmful interference to a station in Cuba. Why do U.S. stations have to worry about this, since Cuba obviously doesn't care where their skywave lands and who receives interference from their outlaw operations?

2) The Mexican government has agreed to cancel nighttime operation plans for two stations, both of which were specifically mentioned in prior KGOW applications. Interference problems with regard to all U.S. stations had been satisfied but the two in Mexico hadn't been until now.

3) Mexico is requesting that the azimuth of the array be shifted by one degree clockwise to further reduce nighttime interference. I'm not sure I really understand this one; I'll have to research it a little further.

My take on this is that reducing power from 19 to 15kW would barely be noticeable and shifting the direction of the pattern by just one degree would be insignificant locally. But the big news is I really think this time the application will be approved. We're not talking nighttime coverage that would equal KTRH or KILT here, but it would probably compare somewhat favorably with KBME. In any event it would be a giant leap from their present 100 watt "nightlite."

 

[davideduardo]

1) The reduction in power is actually being proposed to reduce harmful interference to a station in Cuba. Why do U.S. stations have to worry about this, since Cuba obviously doesn't care where their skywave lands and who receives interference from their outlaw operations?

My understanding is that while Cuba abrogated the NARBA treaty, the US did not and we still feel bound to respect the treaty. It's rather silly, and quite ingenuous.

 

[Mediafrog+]

My understanding is that while Cuba abrogated the NARBA treaty, the US did not and we still feel bound to respect the treaty. It's rather silly, and quite ingenuous.

I suspect that once the Castro brothers are gone, and a more liberal and open government comes to Cuba, the NARBA issues might be irrelevant. You will probably see the launch and expansion of private broadcasting stations and networks there, as we have seen in Eastern Europe since the fall of the USSR. However, virtually all this growth will be on FM, not AM. In Eastern Europe the mediumwave band is emptying out, as there is insufficient audience to justify the cost of keeping transmitters running.

And its gotten harder to hear the Cuban AMs deep in the U.S. in the past 20 years, as all the domestic co-channel slop pretty much drowns out any distant signal, regardless of where it's coming from. Much different from the situation in the 60's and 70's when numerous Cuban stations could be clearly heard on a number of different frequencies.

 

[radioguybroadcasting]

And wasn't it mentioned on this board that KGOW is causing interference, during the day, within the 2mv contour of KNGR Daingerfield, TX?

 

[jd]

And wasn't it mentioned on this board that KGOW is causing interference, during the day, within the 2mv contour of KNGR Daingerfield, TX?

Yes it was. KNGR's signal is being mauled by KGOW within the Daingerfield city limits, especially during critical hours (mornings until at least two after sunrise and afternoons from about two hours before sunset). The Game can be heard throughout most of the day in much of East Texas, in places like Tyler and Longview, too. This is where the critical hours study fails the test; while KGOW showed that it supposedly afforded protection to the two dominant (Class A) stations on 1560 (New York and Bakersfield CA) the smaller co-channel stations like KNGR get trampled during much of the day.

 

[radioguybroadcasting]

And wasn't it mentioned on this board that KGOW is causing interference, during the day, within the 2mv contour of KNGR Daingerfield, TX?

Yes it was. KNGR's signal is being mauled by KGOW within the Daingerfield city limits, especially during critical hours (mornings until at least two after sunrise and afternoons from about two hours before sunset). The Game can be heard throughout most of the day in much of East Texas, in places like Tyler and Longview, too. This is where the critical hours study fails the test; while KGOW showed that it supposedly afforded protection to the two dominant (Class A) stations on 1560 (New York and Bakersfield CA) the smaller co-channel stations like KNGR get trampled during much of the day.

Now, I know KNGR is a Class D and not afforded protection during the night, but what about during those critical hours? Especially since KGOW is also a D and built these enw facilities later then KNGR.

 

[jd]

...but what about during those critical hours?

That's the point, and that's the flaw in the system. I could look up and link to all the appropriate filings, but suffice it to say that it worked on paper according to the engineers. Measurements were made to all stations that might be affected by the 50,000-watt KGOW daytime signal, but critical hour studies only involved New York and Bakersfield. Anybody else was out of luck, regardless of whether they were on the air prior to the KGOW power increase. KNGR (along with KGBC) did complain about interference during the time KGOW (then known as KILE) was testing the 50kW rig, but they didn't file either a formal or informal complaint. Basically the FCC ignored it since everything looked okay on paper, but then and now, it's obviously real world interference.