What power is WMEX using now? (Was Re: Question)

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

>Dan Strassberg wrote:
<snip>
>An interesting and strongly related question is how much pre-sunrise and
>post-sunset power WMEX will be granted, assuming that it receives a license
>to cover. Because local sunrise here is 6:00 AM or earlier between March 1
>and August 31, pre-sunrise won't be an issue until September 1, but
>post-sunset is an issue year round. Where I live (Arlington Heights) I can
>hear WMEX pretty well between Framingham and Philadelphia sunset, but after
>Philadelphia sunset, WMEX reduces power sharply, and even on my Super Radio
>III with a Select-A-Tenna passive loop, the signal is not really
>listenable--even when it isn't buried under KYW. The issue of whether the
>station is granted worthwhile pre-sunrise and post-sunset power has a _lot_
>to do with its economic viability. The time between 6:00 AM and 7:15 AM and
>between 4:30 PM and 6:15 PM in December covers most of the highest-billing
>hours in the highest-billing month.

        This reminded me: Does anyone know WMEX's exact operation right
now, in terms of how much daytime power it is running? From way out here in
Conn., it sounds as if it may be running less power than it did during some
of its testing and maybe than it did on its first day of regular operation.
I'm basically wondering if it is running its full daytime power yet (is it
44 kW?).
        Is it correct that when it's fully operational it's supposed to
have five different power levels: daytime, CH, local sunset to Phil.
sunset, Phil. sunset to two hours after local sunset, and 6 a.m. to local
sunrise? When is it signing on/off currently?
        This is an interesting case because I wonder whether KYW might get
some interference before Phil. sunrise from WMEX's CH operation, as WMEX
can crank it up when almost the entire path between it and KYW is still
pre-sunrise. Or do I have this correct? Is there supposed to be an
intermediate, very-low power level for the short time between Boston
sunrise and Phil. sunrise? As you say, this time of the morning is
extremely important and the last thing KYW needs is having its outer loop
bombed with interference, even for a little while.