Coverage - 99.5 vs. 102.5 which is "better"?

[Dan Strassberg]

An interesting question is whether WCDJ is the reason that 102.5 uses
slightly less power than another station (WJMN?) that shares the same
multiplexed antenna on the FM-128 tower. One member of this list
periodicially posts to that effect but I am not sure that he is correct. As
best I can tell, however, the power difference (8.1 kW ERP for 102.5 vs--I
believe--8.3 kW for the other station) might be explained by WCRB's
forced move from the Channel 4 tower to FM-128, which might have
necessitated a reduction from the grandfathered equivalent power that 102.5
used from the Needham tower (equivalent to 50 kW at 500' HAAT) to the new
Class B equivalent power (equivalent to 50 kW at 150m HAAT; 150m is only
492').

The slightly shorter distance from FM-128 to Truro might also explain the
power difference, but I've never been able to confirm that that IS
the reason. If the shorter spacing is the reason--or if short spacing to
102.3 in NH is the reason--I would think that Greater Media might now be
willing to pay for the installation of directional antennas at either or
both of these first-adjacent stations. Compared with the $100+ million that
GM reportedly paid for the 102.5 signal, the cost of a couple of DAs would
be chump change.

--
Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net
eFax 707-215-6367

----- Original Message -----
From: "Eli Polonsky" <elipolo@earthlink.net>
To: "Boston Radio" <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 10:54 PM
Subject: Re: Coverage - 99.5 vs. 102.5 which is "better"?


>
> --- Scott Fybush <scott@fybush.com> wrote:
>
> > (Oddly, I note that WCRB co-existed for many years with another
> > Waltham station 10.8 MHz down the dial, WBRS at 91.7. I wonder
> > if anyone near the Brandeis campus ever had trouble with WCRB
> > reception as a result?)
>
> Since WBRS has only ever been Class D and 102.5 is very strong
> in that area due to proximity just a few miles line of sight to
> Newton, I've never heard of anyone having trouble getting the
> former WCRB there, and I've been in that area often myself.
>
> However, WCRB is one of a number of issues that had always
> prevented WBRS from being granted a power increase on 91.7.
>
> Then they were forced to move to 100.1, but still as a Class
> D. There were reportedly other internal issues over the years,
> on and off-air violations, etc... that resulted in the FCC's
> perception of WBRS not to be in the best of light, which is
> unfortunate because, despite a prevalent level of amateurism
> at times, there always have been some people doing quality
> programming there as well.
>
> > I believe WCRB would also be short-spaced to WCDJ 102.3
> > in Truro if it moved to the Pru...
>
> I was thinking of that too, but I wasn't sure. It's 340
> watts, and I've heard that it may not even be on the air
> at this time, or has been only sporadically. But, that
> doesn't affect the fact that it would still be protected
> as long as it's an active license.
>
> EP
>