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WKZL downgrade to C1

It looks like that not only is the station downgrading its signal but it is moving its transmitter quite a bit to the south and west of its current location. While I can think of a couple of reasons for this, the one most likely is probably that WKZL-FM does not own the site that its transmitter sits on and has been forced to move because the owner of the site has other plans for development. Because the station's owner couldn't find any nearby locations that were as far above sea-level and that were (relatively) inexpensive, the decision was made to move the transmitter to a new lower location. Since the wattage isn't changing (100kW in both cases), this new location will apparently not cause undue interference to stations on the same or adjacent frequencies.

Of course, I have absolutely no idea if my theory is right or full of holes--I neither work nor live anywhere near where WKZL's facilities are currently located or where they are expecting to move to.
 
from what i've been able to find out, the tower they are downgrading from is owned by GTC towers. it's 1100 feet tall near Stocksdale NC, and WKZL's bays are at the 850 feet level. the tower they're moving to is near Kernersville, NC, owned by them (Dick Broadcasting), and they used to broadcast from there, and it's still their backup location. it was erected in 1977, and it's a bit over 600 feet tall. WKZL's backup plant is 19.5kw with bays at 380 feet, and the application to move the main transmitter to that location lists the bays at 450 feet and an erp of 100kw.
since the coverage footprint of the new C1 downgrade covers all of the market with a city-grade signal (burlington is right on the edge of 60dBu, and greensboro, high point and winston-salem are inside 70dbu), my guess is that this downgrade to C1 is to keep from paying what is probably expensive tower rent to GTC. The reduction in protected contour moving from C to C1 (from 47miles to 31miles) still covers the market. They won't be as strong in Danville, VA and a bit stronger in Salisbury, NC.
 
Wow, Dick Broadcasting must be in dire straits. I know all of radio is these days but over the past two years the company seems to be imploding.

They shut off a station in Greenville/New Bern, destroyed the 2GNC cash cow, can’t seem to keep their C1 in Myrtle Beach on the air, and now downgrade KZL to 450 feet…
 


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