WMGA (Was Re: 1150 call letters)

[dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net]

As far as I can tell from the Kodis database, WMGA is 
still licensed to Moultree GA and is still operating on 
its previous frequency of 1130 with 10 kW-D/250W-N DA-
CH/N using separate CH and N patterns, each with three 
towers. But I believe that the site has a total of four 
towers, two of which are common between the two 
patterns. One tower, which is taller than the other 
three, is the non-CH day tower. It is also part of the 
CH array, but is not used at night.

The move to 580 with 900W-D/250W-N DA-N requires the 
change in COL from Moultree to the smaller community of 
Riverside, which adjoins Moultree. The 580 operation 
uses the old site and two of the existing towers--the 
tall one, which is being top-loaded to improve 
efficiency and the tower that was used only during CH. 
The tower spacing is very short but the pattern is 
fairly loose, so the tight spacing should not be a 
problem. The short tower, by itself, could in no way 
provide adequate efficiency, but since the other tower 
is considerably taller and is top-loaded, the overall 
efficiency at night should be adequate.

The reason for the change in COL is that the site is 
north-northwest of Moultree and the old night pattern 
sent most signal to the south-southeast. The new night 
pattern sends most signal to the west-northwest, so 
coverage of Moultree at night must not meet COL 
requirements. Riverside, which is northwest of Moultree 
must get an adequate signal.

I remember reading a letter from the owner of WMGA 
probably 30 years ago complaining about the problems of 
running a directional station in a small rural community 
in Georgia. Listeners who could get the station well 
during the day could not hear it at night. He wanted to 
know why he couldn't go ND at night. What harm would it 
do to KWKH and (then) WNEW if WMGA ran 250W ND at night? 
Well, 30-odd years later, thanks, I guess, to some 
station on 580 going dark, he more-or-less gets his wish 
(assuming he's still alive). 900W on 580 is equivalent 
to more than 10 kW on 1130 so the daytime coverage won't 
be affected. And the new night pattern is a lot less 
complicated than the old one. The phonecalls he'll get 
from people who can hear the station during the day but 
not at night will most likely come from folks in the 
former COL. And he'll save on painting bills for the 
towers that are no longer needed.

Well, _I_ thought it was an interesting story. I may be 
the only one, but if you found it interesting, please 
let me know.

> WMGA   580Khz.		Riverside GA.
>