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The "killer app" for Class A AM: "...Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"

J

joebtsflk1

The "killer app" for Class A AM: "...Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"

This article doesn't come right out and say it, but the most compelling argument for preserving current night time protection for class A AM is the Bomb:
http://www.radioworld.com/article/kenyon-to-fcc-consider-pep-impact-of-class-a-rule-changes/278561

Apparently, FEMA has been hardening the transmitter assets of a number of the class As to withstand massive solar flares or a "man-made EMP event". Wouldn't a man made EMP event include nuclear bomb detonations near populated areas?

To ensure widespread effectiveness, instructions on how to build your very own Mother's Oats crystal set shall be provided to every household.
 
He's exactly right and I said this on another part of this board. The emergency uses for the Class As are the main reason to retain their night power.
 
Count me as previously wavering on the issue, but I'd agree now, this is the compelling reason to leave the As alone. The idea of crystal sets might seem facetious, but it isn't.
 
joebtsflk1 said:
Apparently, FEMA has been hardening the transmitter assets of a number of the class As to withstand massive solar flares or a "man-made EMP event". Wouldn't a man made EMP event include nuclear bomb detonations near populated areas?

To ensure widespread effectiveness, instructions on how to build your very own Mother's Oats crystal set shall be provided to every household.
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't necessarily mean nuke detonations over populated areas.

All it would take is one nuke detonated 1000 miles or so above the center of the continental United States, and it would wipe out most of the electrical grid and millions of unprotected electronic devices.

A local nuke would have a similar, but more local effect.
 
I still have a couple of radios in lead lined bags just in case. But the tube radios would still work, too, if there is a generator or you can patch in batteries similar to farm radios of early last century. The last time class A was used for disaster news was after Katrina - a lot of refugees were DX'ing WWL for news about their home town.
 
It was also after Katrina that operators of small local radio stations discovered that they weren't responsible for providing emergency information any more. Staffers at one small station in Louisiana were evacuated against their will by emergency officials who told them that their safety was more important than providing news and information to their community. The Homeland Security Act had changed the rules. Local emergency officials could shut down radio stations. That made Class As like WWL more important.
 
rbrucecarter5 said:
The last time class A was used for disaster news was after Katrina - a lot of refugees were DX'ing WWL for news about their home town.
Click to expand...

That is just not true. I can think of numerous occasions ranging from the NYC Class A coverage of Hurricane Sandy to tornado coverage on WBAP to flood and fire coverage on KFI, all in recent years.
 
I'm reminded of the overnight when Hurricane Hugo made USA landfall in 1989 and did damage to two Charlestons (SC and the unlikely WV). I was listening to the saga in Philadelphia, from -- of all stations -- WOKV 690 Jacksonville. The former Big Ape was there nicely between WFAN and WOR. They stayed 50,000 omni all night to serve the public; Hugo wound up missing them by not even a hundred miles. But they stayed on.

Meantime, up the dial, WBT had two fellows on who were safely inland and doing their show. I distinctly remember some snickering crack about the hurricane.
An hour or so passed, and I went back to WBT. All that was present was an open carrier -- dead air.
Hugo had paid Charlotte a visit. Ooops.

Smugness and 'preparation' aside, though: This country needs those 50,000 watters at night, even if the companies themselves consider nighttime skywave worthless for 364 days a year. Their nighttime patterns and potential protection value should be left alone. Even if fewer people are listening since Hugo.
 
690 was actually WPDQ at the time, but they did great coverage at the time. They were on their 50kw daytime stick, which usually blasts into Charleston.

All of Charleston's signals (radio and TV) were off the air because of the storm. WCBD-TV 2 (then an ABC affiliate) was the last one off, at like 1am the night of the landfall. Everyone else was off way before that. WTMA (which had studios near the marsh in West Ashley, a few miles from downtown Charleston), was forced off by police officers at like 3:30-4pm the day before.
 
Yessir, Charles -- WPDQ.

https://icons.wxug.com/data/dhc_archive_charts/at_1989_charts/at198908.gif

I hope that 'took'. I'm not real good at this link stuff.

I still maintain that the 'clears' be left alone (probably the first time I jumped the fence in support of the big companies; they 'broke' 'em; they 'bought' them. And then broke them again). Perhaps the FCC could recycle some old CONELRAD practices and theories for dire times.

Plus, catastrophes don't always happen at night. Some daytime and critical-hours factors have to be considered.
 
rbrucecarter5 said:
I still have a couple of radios in lead lined bags just in case. But the tube radios would still work, too, if there is a generator or you can patch in batteries similar to farm radios of early last century.
Click to expand...

Don't forget, an old microwave oven might work well as a Faraday cage, transistor radio protector also.
 
DavidEduardo said:


That is just not true. I can think of numerous occasions ranging from the NYC Class A coverage of Hurricane Sandy to tornado coverage on WBAP to flood and fire coverage on KFI, all in recent years.
Click to expand...

WBAP and KFI didn't have to stay on daytime power - they are full power 24/7. I had forgotten about hurricane Sandy - it was a non-event here. I do remember how sports station KGOW 1560 stayed on daytime power after hurricane IKE broadcasting information.
 
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