Quiet 980 frequency

[smedge2006]

Looking at currently dark WTOT's records, it's listed as 340 watts NONdirectional. Class B. That's not a bad signal for a station in Marianna that got its fulltime authorization late in the game. Not hard to imagine a kilowatt or two with a directional array. Is there any chance that say, 980 in Gainesville could take advantage of the license bickering, take them dark and up its nighttime power?

 

[jmtillery]

If a station owner is williing to spend the funds necessary to erect enough towers to get the correct directional array, WDVH and WTOT can add or increase its night power anyway. Of ocurse there are several other factors to be considered such as local zoning and FAA clearance when considering erecting additional towers or moving a transmitter/tower site. Years of planning, research and hard work goes into such an undertaking.

 

[redneckriviera]

Charlie/cceng might be the expert on this one, but as we've discussed before on this board, 980 in Marianna is a property that was allowed to rot over the years until it essentially fell apart into a pile of rusted nuts & bolts. And a decade or two of generating no sales revenue. The attached FM--WJAQ--has historically done okay for a standalone FM in a town of 6000 with another local AM/FM commercial competitor and a dozen or so Class C signals booming in from Dothan & Panama City.

Like Mark said, retooling AM rigs from scratch is extraordinarily expensive, and in this case it would be pretty safe to say it would be pouring money down a rat-hole. Not sure that DVH would be any better bet--even with 50-kw fulltime. Hard to make a buck with an AM in a market that already has more FM sticks than they know what to do with.

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

WDVH could go from 5KW to 50KW????

 

[cd637299]

WDVH could go from 5KW to 50KW????

In theory, yes.

About 15 years ago, the FCC relaxed the idea of "regional/graveyard/clear channel frequencies." If spacing permits, any station on any AM frequency can go to 50k, provided there will be no further interference.

Here in Miami, WSUA 1260 (normally a "regional" frequency) went from 5 kW all day to 50k day & 20k nights. WQAM 560 (another "regional") has applied for 50k days & 25k nights, shooting its signal eastward over the Atlantic (planning to move thir transmitter in the process). It'll be interesting to go to Bermuda after this upgrade has been implemented, to see if the signal makes it there.

cd

 

[Kmagrill]

WQAM 560 (another "regional") has applied for 50k days & 25k nights, shooting its signal eastward over the Atlantic (planning to move thir transmitter in the process). It'll be interesting to go to Bermuda after this upgrade has been implemented, to see if the signal makes it there.

cd

I hope they don't mess up WQAM by "improving" it. The signal from the biscane bay tower was equivalent to 50kW stations like WGBS. I used to hear WQAM and WGBS up in Ocala during the days in the late '70s and there wasn't any noticable difference between them.

 

[jmtillery]

Any class station - AM and FM - may operate on any frequency. The rules were changed several years ago.

 

[jovialjay]

Any class station - AM and FM - may operate on any frequency. The rules were changed several years ago.

Except for AM Class C (former Class IV) channels - 1230, 1240, 1340, 1400, 1450 and 1490. Stations on these frequencies are (almost always) authorized for 1kw-U, and that is the maximum power allowed on these channels. There are cases where the licensed power is less than a kilowatt (usually nightime, but sometimes daytime), and there are/were a few that operate with a DA.

Interestingly, Class C stations only have to protect other Class C stations as if each station were operating with 250w. Until the late 50's, these stations were only licensed for a maximum of 250w.

 

[cd637299]

Any class station - AM and FM - may operate on any frequency. The rules were changed several years ago.

Except for AM Class C (former Class IV) channels - 1230, 1240, 1340, 1400, 1450 and 1490. Stations on these frequencies are (almost always) authorized for 1kw-U, and that is the maximum power allowed on these channels. There are cases where the licensed power is less than a kilowatt (usually nightime, but sometimes daytime), and there are/were a few that operate with a DA.

Interestingly, Class C stations only have to protect other Class C stations as if each station were operating with 250w. Until the late 50's, these stations were only licensed for a maximum of 250w.

I thought I had read somewhere that even *those* frequencies could allow for more power. A 1230, 1490, etc. could run 50k U in Alaska....again, provided that it would not cause interference.

cd

 

[redneckriviera]

Mmmmm... not sure 'bout them Class IV/Class C/Graveyard channels, but one thing is clear: the Commission has greatly expanded opportunities for pouring money down rat-holes.

Not that there isn't a case to be made for that. It helps keep money circulating in the economy. It helps get rich folks closer to a point where they'd have to work for a living--a real character-builder...

To clarify. Could WDVH go to 50-kw? Oh, probably, if someone was willing to build a 6-9-or-12-tower DA rig and shoot most of the signal out in the water. And in a market with 15 or 18 FM signals--half of which generate no discernible income--it would have absolutely no impact.

Much quicker to simply build a bonfire with the millions of dollars involved and roast your weenies and money at once.

 

[jmtillery]

Much quicker to simply build a bonfire with the millions of dollars involved and roast your weenies and money at once.

When is that weenie/money roast taking place? I want to get in on that one when it happens. Sounds like it will be a "rootin' tootin" good time. Pass me a marshmellow and a stick. Maybe I can use the tower... I can get alot of marshmellows and weenies on a 300 foot stick.