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WMLB Construction Permit

B

BarryATL

I have not searched out the engineering docs on the FCC site, but the coverage maps on radio-locator.com show a reduction in coverage at the new stick.

Current:
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WMLB&service=AM&status=L&hours=D

New:
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WMLB&service=AM&status=C&hours=D

I seem to remember someone saying they are moving because of the price of the lease for the current transmitter site. Is the new tower/ground system not as effeciant as the current one? Also, are they going to be sharing the new site with anybody else?
 
I understand that owner Joe Weber purchased the 970/1190 site from the Dickey family because he was afraid his lease at the site across the street, owned by the city, would not be renewed. Salem will remain on the tower and rent from Weber.
 
The current 1690 tower is a half wave tower which means it is more efficient. The new tower is not as tall (less than 1/2 wave) so it is not as efficient. The expanded band is limited to 10 kilowatts day so the rules, as they exist today, would not allow an increase in transmitter power to make up for the difference in antenna efficiency.
Bill Brown had planned on partitioning the FCC to allow higher power on the expanded band - the current 1690 tower was built using a base insulator that would take 50,000 watts! I wonder if Weber has given any thought to pursuing a rule change which would allow the increase. Face it.....on that end of the AM dial you need lot's of power to cover the market.
 
Isn’t there a “folded bi pole” type of antenna? IIRC KIUL had one (or some kind weird antenna) when I worked there. IIRC the actual FCC license had a less that 1 KW power transmitter but KIUL was listed as a 1 KW station.

The expanded AM band was originally intended to relieve “congestion” on AM. The licenses went mainly to what is now class “B” AM’s (no daytimers or 1230, 1240, 1340, 1400, 1450, 1490’s) that were signal challenged due to other stations on the same or adjacent frequency. With the poor soil conductivity in this area the only station I could think of that would qualify with in a hundred miles would be WFLI with another station on 1070 in Birmingham. Of course the FCC has let some of these stations move in to large markets. I personally believe this type of facility with news talk would viable in a Huntsville, Macon, Columbus GA, or possibly even Chattanooga* type city that 10KW at +1600KHZ would cover most of the market.

*WGOW 1150 does not cover the market when direction at night
 
secondchoice said:
Isn’t there a “folded bi pole” type of antenna? IIRC KIUL had one (or some kind weird antenna) when I worked there. IIRC the actual FCC license had a less that 1 KW power transmitter but KIUL was listed as a 1 KW station.

The expanded AM band was originally intended to relieve “congestion” on AM. The licenses went mainly to what is now class “B” AM’s (no daytimers or 1230, 1240, 1340, 1400, 1450, 1490’s) that were signal challenged due to other stations on the same or adjacent frequency. With the poor soil conductivity in this area the only station I could think of that would qualify with in a hundred miles would be WFLI with another station on 1070 in Birmingham. Of course the FCC has let some of these stations move in to large markets. I personally believe this type of facility with news talk would viable in a Huntsville, Macon, Columbus GA, or possibly even Chattanooga* type city that 10KW at +1600KHZ would cover most of the market.

*WGOW 1150 does not cover the market when direction at night

You're thinking of a folded unipole. It's not a common type of radiator but not rare either. WKNG, 1060 khz Tallapoosa and WYZE, 1480 khz Atlanta are two area stations which use this type of antenna.
Click to expand...
 
taylorengineer said:
You're thinking of a folded unipole. It's not a common type of radiator but not rare either. WKNG, 1060 khz Tallapoosa and WYZE, 1480 khz Atlanta are two area stations which use this type of antenna.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the correct name. It’s been over thirty years; at least I got the folded part correct! Am I correct about the power (gain)?
 
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