Rating AM 700's signal

[jd]

Considering that KHSE from Wylie is a co-channel with The Big One WLW Cincinnati, it has a surprisingly good nighttime signal for just 920 watts (unlike its sibling 990 KFCD, which runs the same power level). What prompted this thread is my own experience, hearing KHSE with a clear signal in Kaufman with virtually no trace of WLW underneath on a car radio. Kaufman lies in the lesser of their two main lobes, and it's about 38 miles from the transmitter site. Within the major lobe is Plano and North Dallas, along with most of the northern half of Dallas and Tarrant Counties and southern stretches of Denton and Collin County. There is the obligatory protection toward WLW, of course, along with an ugly null to the southwest to protect about eight stations in Mexico (two of them not on the air and probably never going to be built). So I'm curious---how well do you receive KHSE at night where you are?

 

[Mediafrog+]

Considering that KHSE from Wylie is a co-channel with The Big One WLW Cincinnati, it has a surprisingly good nighttime signal for just 920 watts (unlike its sibling 990 KFCD, which runs the same power level). What prompted this thread is my own experience, hearing KHSE with a clear signal in Kaufman with virtually no trace of WLW underneath on a car radio.

The WLW nighttime skywave signal is rather reduced as we are close to the summer solstice. Make the same comparison in winter, and you'll find a lot more interference to KHSE at night. Basically a case of who can drown out the other.

There is the obligatory protection toward WLW, of course, along with an ugly null to the southwest to protect about eight stations in Mexico (two of them not on the air and probably never going to be built).

KHSE also has to stay away from co-channel KSEV in the Houston market, which runs 15kw days and 1kw at night. WLW can give major grief to KSEV in much of the market, especially in the winter,

Decades ago WLW was clearly heard throughout Texas...of course they pretty much had the frequency all to themself.

 

[TXDXer]

WLW was a welcome visitor here at home (NE Ft. Worth) before Wylie came on the air. Their extreme night pattern (aimed 270 degrees) is as strong, or stronger, than all but WBAP and KRLD. As I've never been able to pick it out, I'm wondering if they ever give a 'legal' ID.

 

[billyg]

I've tuned in to 700 and many times the audio quality is super-over-compressed. Sounds like they're trying to max out that signal. Still a decent night signal for 920 watts. Too bad something like KGVL's Oldies format isn't on 700. :-\

 

[LibertyNT]

Yea I would like to be able to get KGVL at night, and 700 is just about the perfect place. 990 is pretty cookin' up north though, but 700 has the DFW coverage.

 

[billyg]

Yea I would like to be able to get KGVL at night, and 700 is just about the perfect place. 990 is pretty cookin' up north though, but 700 has the DFW coverage.

I'm surprised too that 700 has such a good coverage. Whoever did the engineering for it did a fine job.

990's sticks are just too far NE from the metro. Too bad they couldn't put those 3 towers closer, say where KKLF's 1700's puny night stick is.

 

[Sgt. Hans G. Schultz]

Yea I would like to be able to get KGVL at night, and 700 is just about the perfect place. 990 is pretty cookin' up north though, but 700 has the DFW coverage.

I'm surprised too that 700 has such a good coverage. Whoever did the engineering for it did a fine job.

990's sticks are just too far NE from the metro. Too bad they couldn't put those 3 towers closer, say where KKLF's 1700's puny night stick is.


As I understand it, the location for the 990 towers were not determined by any broadcast engineers. The location was chosen because it was the first place Dave Shum could find where anyone would sell him enough land to build out the transmitter site.

 

[billyg]

As I understand it, the location for the 990 towers were not determined by any broadcast engineers. The location was chosen because it was the first place Dave Shum could find where anyone would sell him enough land to build out the transmitter site.

I thought so. 990 would have been a killer signal had the site been closer in the metro and also running the full 10K like it did in Wichita Falls. I wonder why they had to cut back to 7K?

I've noticed most of these new AM tower sites are way out of the metro due to not enough land or super-high real estate prices. And there's those "not in my backyard" homeowners associations who want to keep any towers out of their area (though they love their smartphones).

BTW Are 990 and 700 up for sale or still under receivership? :-\

 

[gbranch]

I thought so. 990 would have been a killer signal had the site been closer in the metro and also running the full 10K like it did in Wichita Falls. I wonder why they had to cut back to 7K?

I remember back in the early 90's when 990 was still in Wichita Falls, they were running a classic rock format, and were easily receivable in DFW. They boasted a signal that reached from Roswell to Longview.

 

[jd]

990 would have been a killer signal had the site been closer in the metro and also running the full 10K like it did in Wichita Falls.

They couldn't take their "grandfathered" status with them when they moved. Their main problem is protecting KTOK 1000 in Oklahoma City. When the station was in Wichita Falls there was considerable overlap between the two; there's still some, and that's one of the reasons for the reduced power.

 

[billyg]

I remember back in the early 90's when 990 was still in Wichita Falls, they were running a classic rock format, and were easily receivable in DFW. They boasted a signal that reached from Roswell to Longview.

I remember visiting the studios of KNIN back in the late 80's doing some job hunting. Ugly "tool shed" aluminum building with 3 towers behind. Now the original location is just a empty field.

I wish I had made tapes of KGTM. It was what I'd call now a Rock-leaning "classic hits" format, even playing some obscurities like the single version of Sweet's Love is Like Oxygen.

Great signal, and very nice sounding AM Stereo in the 90's. I remember driving around Lawton listening to it in my mom's '84 Chrysler New Yorker which had a great radio (but not much of an engine). Too bad nothing they put on it since the 70's clicked with Wichita Falls listeners.

 

[jd]

I remember back in the early 90's when 990 was still in Wichita Falls, they were running a classic rock format, and were easily receivable in DFW. They boasted a signal that reached from Roswell to Longview.

You're right, they had a great signal back then, in fact for several decades, in their previous life as Top-40 KNIN (and KSYD prior to that). Here are a couple of archived records from when they were in Wichita Falls from the Iowa Park site; scroll down to the lower right for the pattern details (and never mind that it shows KFCD as the call letters).

First, the 10kW daytime: http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine...bSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=274049&sHours=D

Now, the nighttime with 1kW, which in itself wasn't too shabby; it still reached Fort Worth and sometimes Dallas, although the fading was pretty severe (plus the high-angle skywave often caused problems with 990 in Beaumont, the old KTRM): http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine...bSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=274049&sHours=N

 

[Sgt. Hans G. Schultz]

BTW Are 990 and 700 up for sale or still under receivership? :-\



They have not been in receivership since they were sold at auction (2005?). The "winner" was the outfit that loaned Schum the money to put them on the air.

ALL radio stations are "for sale" if offered enough money!

As far Principle Broadcasting, LLC (current Lessors - http://www.mercurycapitalpartners.com/portfolio.html) actively looking for a buyer, not at this time. Principle/Mercury has never expressed any intention of wanting to divest itself of these properties since being acquired at auction.

 

[billyg]

Now, the nighttime with 1kW, which in itself wasn't too shabby; it still reached Fort Worth and sometimes Dallas, although the fading was pretty severe (plus the high-angle skywave often caused problems with 990 in Beaumont, the old KTRM)

990 could go further than Longview, I remember catching KNIN on I-20 (on a Pioneer AM/FM cassette deck) near the Texas/Louisiana state line back when it was back simulcasting CHR with the FM.

As far Principle Broadcasting, LLC (current Lessors - http://www.mercurycapitalpartners.com/portfolio.html) actively looking for a buyer, not at this time. Principle/Mercury has never expressed any intention of wanting to divest itself of these properties since being acquired at auction.

Ok thanks for the explanation. From their website:
"Principle Broadcasting, LLC is focused on acquiring AM and/or FM radio stations at low prices and [sic] coverting them into an ethnic brokered time model. Principle leases time to various ethnic and religious groups."

They are sure not going to sell these stations when there are plenty of (suckers) willing to pay for airtime. I wonder what could happen to 700 in the future now that FunAsia (aka Texoma Broadcasting Inc) has bought 1110?

 

[Sgt. Hans G. Schultz]

They are sure not going to sell these stations when there are plenty of (suckers) willing to pay for airtime. I wonder what could happen to 700 in the future now that FunAsia (aka Texoma Broadcasting Inc) has bought 1110?


Suckers? In the case of FunAsia... not so much. They are doing well enough that they currently lease three signals and are buying a fourth. As far as 700AM in the future, things should remain status quo. Because it is a daytimer, the 1110AM deal was not done to replace any of the other signals. Info on this posted here: http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=191765.msg1691623#msg1691623

 

[dfaulkner]

I'm a bit late to this thread. At night, near White Rock Lake, 700 has a good signal. It's no 820 or 1080, but quite listenable. Stronger than 990, 730 & a few others.