The future of AM radio

[Dan.Strassberg]

WEEI's towers are in-line. It's a law of physics that the pattern MUST
be symmetrical about that line (it's at an azimuth of 80 degrees--just
a little counterclockwise from due east-west). Rotating the pattern
slightly or making asymmetrical would require relocating a tower (or
two) and would invoke both the FCC's ratchet rule and the inevitable
wrath of the NIMBY neighbors in upscale Needham. The ratchet rule
mandates draconian reductions in interference to existing stations
(including stations that did not exist or were not on 850 when the
present WEEI facilities were built right after World War II). The
ratchet rule is what killed former owner American Radio Systems' plan
to move 850 to the superior WRKO site in Burlington. In the absence of
the ratchet rule and with the blessing of the NIMBY Needham neighbors
(lotsa luck), the move would have allowed WEEI to cover southern NH
and Cape Cod with a very strong signal day and night. Only the
Wellesley/Natick/Framingham area would have suffered and only at
night--and that area doesn't get a very good nighttime signal from the
existing 850 anyhow.

-----
Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net)
eFax 1-707-215-6367

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kevin Vahey" <kvahey@comcast.net>
To: "Garrett Wollman" <wollman@bimajority.org>
Cc: <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2008 10:00 PM
Subject: Re: The future of AM radio


>
> In theory couldn't the pattern be tweaked to allow the signal to
> continue north while not in any way be beamed to the west and
> southwest?  I do know WEEI booms into Quebec City at night.