WWZN and Kinstar antennas

[Aaron Read]

http://lists.bostonradio.org/pipermail/boston-radio-interest/2006-May/008583.html

Part of WWZN 1510's big problem is the outrageously high rent they're 
paying for their land lease.  IIRC it's something in the tens of 
thousands per month?

Of course, finding a new place to put a five tower array (it is five 
towers, right?) is not a trivial thing.  Not with such a highly 
directional pattern.

However, since WWZN has such a high frequency, I think they may be able 
to get out of their current location within a few years using the new 
Kinstar antennas.  Kinstar is not yet FCC-approved for anything but omni 
AM's but that will almost certainly change once Kinstar finishes the 
research on it.  They've mostly been focusing on the Expanded Band 
market which doesn't allow directional patterns, but I'm sure they'll 
get other people with DA's knocking on their door soon.

I saw a presentation on these antennas at NAB and it's a remarkable 
design.  At the high end of the band (down to about 1300-1400kHz) the 
radiating elements are so short you can use wooden telephone poles to 
support the four corners of the elements!  We're talking total height of 
about 50-60ft while maintaining about 95-98% efficiency.  HELL of a lot 
easier to find a field that can take that can handle poles that short 
than to find a place to put quarter-wave towers that're still over 100ft 
tall.

There's a couple of decent-sized woods/fields less than a mile from the 
current WWZN site...one over by Bentley College and another by that old 
military installation.  If directional use for the Kinstar system is 
approved, I'd wager 1510 could finagle a lease that's a lot more 
financially attractive at one of those places.   The "towers" probably 
would be completely hidden by the trees.

Those of you who like AM transmission physics should check this puppy 
out, it's really an exceedingly clever design.  I don't mean to shill 
for Kintronic but I was very impressed by their preso two weeks ago.

http://www.kintronic.com/site/systems/kinstar.asp

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--------------------------
Aaron Read
readaaron@friedbagels.com
www.friedbagels.com
Boston, MA 02176