WMEX, WJLT

["Dan Strassberg" <Dan.Strassberg@worldnet.att.net>]

Although 1060 is still IDing as WMEX, Natick, I have not heard the "Coming
soon...WMEX, Natick" TOH legal ID since the middle of last week. Also, since
the middle of last week, I have not heard 650 use the promo that says, "soon
we'll be changing our name and moving to a brand new spot on the dial."

Now, I may simply have missed the announcements that had been running, or
this could mean that Langer is anticipating problems getting his application
approved for a modification of 1060's CP for 40 kW-D/22 kW-CH DA2-D. Last
Tuesday, the FCC accepted for filing an application to augment the CH
standard pattern. This is a fairly standard procedure for directional
stations before the FCC grants full-power program-test authority. However,
this application was rather unusual because of the amount of augmentation
applied for. It spans 71 degrees and more than completely wipes out the null
at 180 degrees, increasing the equivalent power in that direction from a
theoretical 20W and an expected 45W to a measured 1.1 kW. I'm not sure that
this pattern modification would really cause interference to KYW, however.
If it does, the interference would occur on Nantucket, Martha's Vinyard,
Block Island, or possibly at the eastern tip of Long Island. My guess is
that the smoke stack at the Framingham Municipal Incinerator, just across Mt
Wayte Ave to the north of the 650/1060/1200 site, is re-radiating the signal
and messing up the pattern. I don't know whether it is possible to detune
such a structure, which is the normal approach for dealing with such
problems. But if it's possible and the FCC makes 1060 wait to increase power
until the work is done, it may be a while before we hear a strong signal on
1060. And that would most likely mean that the swap in programming between
650 and 1060 would be delayed--along with the new WMEX talk lineup.