RE: WBKA-AM and FM, Brockton, MA

[Dan Strassberg <dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net>]

At 07:46 PM 6/4/98 -0400, you wrote:
>
>From:	owner-boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org
>[mailto:owner-boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org] On Behalf Of Dan
>Strassberg
>Sent:	Thursday, June 04, 1998 7:20 AM
>To:	Shel Swartz; boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org
>Subject:	Re: WBKA-AM and FM, Brockton, MA
>
>Speaking of co-channels, one that I think is too close is the 1450
>allocations to Newburyport MA (WNBP) and Concord NH (WKXL[AM])
>I am in the "heart" of the "overlap" zone here in Derry.
>Any comment?
>
1450 is a graveyard (Class C, formerly Class IV) channel. The normally
protected contour for Class C's is 1.0 mV/m (daytime; class C's get no
protection at night). For all other classes, the normally protected contour
is 0.5 mv/m day. (Class A stations are protected from co-channel
interference to 0.1 mv/m day but are protected only to 0.5 mV/m from
adjacent-channel interference.) That said (and it was a mouthful), WNBP and
WKXL are about as closely spaced as any pair of co-channel Class C's that I
know of. One reason is that the soil conductivity, especially around
Concord, is about as poor as it gets.

Whether there is prohibited overlap between WNBP and WKXL I can't say, but I
know for sure that WNBP's former operation with 500W daytime on 1470 caused
substantial prohibited overlap with the AM 1470 in Lewiston ME. When the FCC
broke down the clear channels, the FCC itself cited WNBP's operation on 1470
as a particularly unfortunate assignment, and used a possible move by WNBP
to 820 as an example of the benefits radio listeners would reap from
breaking down the clear channels. (Try telling that story now, especially to
any AM listener in the northeast who has tuned across 1200 at night. What
was once the clearest of clear channels is now virtually another graveyard
channel.)

Anyhow, the other good thing that happened when WNBP moved from 1470 to 1450
was that WSRO was able to increase its day power. But what is rather ironic
about WSRO's power increase is that WSRO now overlaps WBET quite
significantly. So the move that became possible because of the move that
eliminated interference to the 1470 in Maine wound up causing almost equal
interference to the 1460 in Brockton. Go figure.

- -------------------------------
Dan Strassberg (Note: Address is CASE SENSITIVE!)
ALL _LOWER_ CASE!!!--> dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net
(617) 558-4205; Fax (617) 928-4205

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