Wretched interference from WPRX (Was: Things you can do on AM)

[mwaters@wesleyan.edu (Martin J. Waters)]

Dan Strassberg wrote:
>>
WADN could increase its night power, and, Lord knows, the night signal can
use all the help it gets. Not only is there QRM from KMOX, but now there is
also worse QRM from co-channel WPRX in Bristol CT, which apparently has
increased its night power from 250W to 500W and does not protect WADN. But
by far, though, the worst interference to WADN at night is from WBBR New
York on 1130, which utterly wipes out WADN at least half the time on a
SuperRadio III at my location on the Arlington-Lexington Line.
>>

        WPRX is one of these AM technical assignments that I do not
understand. It interferes with first-adjacent WBBR in parts of Connecticut
in a way that I cannot figure out, from a rules standpoint. Their city is
80-85 miles from Central Park, and WPRX makes WBBR unlistenable within
about a 15-mile radius of Bristol in the daytime (including places just
65-70 miles from Central Park). At least part of this area must be in the
WBBR 0.1mv contour, which I thought was protected from first-adjacent
interference. So why was a 1 kw day/500 night station assigned there? I
believe the history is that WPRX once upon a time was WBIS on 1440 with 500
watts. I think it was a daytimer and may have been dark for some period.
Then it comes back, I guess, when the clear channels were trashed further
and 1120 became available. But WBBR already was there, obviously, so why is
this allowed? The database says WPRX is non-directional day, as if there
was no consideration given to WBBR, and WPRX puts out a pretty decent
signal for 1 kw. The interference zone is smaller at night, with the lower
power, but it still exists. You mentioned that WPRX's nighttime signal is
interfering with WADN. Was WPRX there first with its mighty 500 watts
night? If not, how could it go from 250 to 500 without protecting WADN?
Either WADN or WPRX should have been set up so the co-channel interference
wouldn't be there, IM (perhaps uninformed) O.

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