AM – Page 21 – Engineering Radio

Migrating the existing AM stations to former TV channels 5 and 6

This is one of the possibilities that has been bantered about as a solution for the “AM problem.” The theory goes as such; former TV channels 5 and 6 (76 – 88 MHz), which are not suitable for DTV would be an ideal place for the existing AM stations to move. That represents a 12 MHz chunk of spectrum, which is much more than the current 1.16 MHz spectrum the current AM broadcasting service takes up (.54 to 1.7 Mhz). An added benefit is that the VHF spectrum does not have the skywave “problem” that the MF spectrum does, thus many more stations could be licensed to the service. Everyone would benefit, and AM stations would get a new lease on life in the FM band. The number of stations would increase by several fold, including LPFM, non-commercial, and translators. AM stations would no longer be burdened with expensive directional arrays or substandard audio quality.

It seems almost too good to be true…

The FCC reportedly promised “take a hard look” at this idea back in 2008. Four years later, one wonders what has become of it.

A quick search of the existing TV stations licensed to channels 5 and 6 reveals the flaw in this theory. The FCC has re-licensed many full powered and Low Powered DTV stations to channels 5 and 6 since 2008.

List of full power channel 5 stations:

Call Sign	Service	Status	City	State	Fac ID	ERP (kw)	HAAT (m)	Licensee
WOI-DT	DT	LIC	AMES	IA	8661	13.9	566	CAPITAL COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, INC.
WGVK	DT	LIC	KALAMAZOO	MI	24783	10	169	GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
WBKP	DT	LIC	CALUMET	MI	76001	6.4	301	LAKE SUPERIOR COMMUNITY BROADCASTING CORPORATION
KXLF-TV	DT	LIC	BUTTE	MT	35959	10	588	KXLF COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
KXGN-TV	DT	LIC	GLENDIVE	MT	24287	1	152.4	GLENDIVE BROADCASTING CORP.
KHAS-TV	DT	LIC	HASTINGS	NE	48003	45	217	HOAK MEDIA OF NEBRASKA LICENSE, LLC
WLMB	DT	LIC	TOLEDO	OH	17076	10	155	DOMINION BROADCASTING, INC.
KOBI	DT	LIC	MEDFORD	OR	8260	6.35	823	CALIFORNIA OREGON BROADCASTING, INC.
KIVV-TV	DT	LIC	LEAD	SD	34348	9.2	561	KEVN, INC.
WTVF	DT	LIC	NASHVILLE	TN	36504	22	425	NEWSCHANNEL 5 NETWORK, LLC
WMC-TV	DT	LIC	MEMPHIS	TN	19184	34.5	308	WMC LICENSE SUBSIDIARY, LLC
KCWX	DT	LIC	FREDERICKSBURG	TX	24316	23.7	412	CORRIDOR TELEVISION, L.L.P.
WCYB-TV	DT	LIC	BRISTOL	VA	2455	29.9	743	BLUESTONE LICENSE HOLDINGS INC.
WDTV	DT	LIC	WESTON	WV	70592	10	240	WITHERS BROADCASTING COMPANY OF WEST VIRGINIA
WIWN	DT	LIC	FOND DU LAC	WI	60571	9	338	WWAZ LICENSE, LLC

List of Low Power Channel 5 stations (analog):

Call Sign	Service	Status	City	State	Fac ID	ERP (kw)	HAAT (m)	Licensee
KSCT-LP	TX	LIC	SITKA	AK	15348	0.049	0	DAN ETULAIN
K05KF	TX	LIC	DILLINGHAM	AK	792	0.16	0	ALASKA CORP OF SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST
KRDN-LP	TX	LIC	REDDING	CA	127179	0.6	0	KM COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
W05CO	TX	LIC	SARASOTA	FL	66995	3	0	THREE ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK, INC.
W05CJ	TX	LIC	KEY WEST	FL	125642	0.59	0	JAMES J. CHLADEK
DKHHB-LP	TX	LIC	HILO	HI	126233	3	0	KHHB, LLC
WIKY-LP	TX	LIC	EVANSVILLE, ETC.	IN	61036	0.14	0	ROBERTS BROADCASTING COMPANY OF EVANSVILLE, IN, LLC
K05IV	TX	LIC	PARK RAPIDS	MN	55374	0.019	0	RED RIVER BROADCAST CO., LLC
W05BV	TX	LIC	STARKVILLE	MS	21634	0.066	0	FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
K05LU	TX	LIC	JEFFERSON CITY	MO	128520	0.11	0	HISPANIC CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY NETWORK, INC.
K05LY	TX	LIC	MOBERLY	MO	128560	0.1	0	HISPANIC CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY NETWORK, INC.
KSXC-LP	TX	LIC	SOUTH SIOUX CITY	NE	128012	3	0	VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC
K05KY	TX	LIC	LINCOLN CITY	OR	129190	2.25	0	MICHAEL MATTSON
K05KX	TX	LIC	TILLAMOOK	OR	129194	0.65	0	MICHAEL MATTSON
KRCW-LP	TX	LIC	PORTLAND	OR	35151	2.7	0	TRIBUNE BROADCAST HOLDINGS, INC., DEBTOR-IN-POSSESSION
K05LE	TX	LIC	ASTORIA	OR	129161	2.5	0	MICHAEL MATTSON
KJIB-LP	TX	LIC	CLEAR LAKE CITY	TX	21184	0.103	0	FAR EASTERN TELECASTERS
KLUF-LP	TX	LIC	LUFKIN	TX	28937	0.094	0	INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING NETWORK
K05EF	TX	LIC	BRADY, ETC.	TX	10043	0.068	0	FOSTER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, INC.
KTXF-LP	TX	LIC	ABILENE	TX	130840	0.665	0	KM COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

List of Low Power Channel 5 stations (digital)

Call Sign	Service	Status	City	State	Fac ID	ERP (kw)	HAAT (m)	Licensee
K05FW-D	LD	LIC	GIRDWOOD	AK	796	0.061	0	ALASKA PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
K05ET-D	LD	LIC	LIKELY	CA	8240	0.25	0	CALIFORNIA OREGON BROADCASTING, INC.
K05CR-D	LD	LIC	HAYFORK	CA	68112	0.007	0	TRINITY COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
K05CF-D	LD	LIC	WEAVERVILLE	CA	71381	0.015	0	WEAVERVILLE TRANSLATOR CO., INC.
K05FR-D	LD	LIC	CROWLEY LAKE	CA	43512	0.06	0	MONO COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 1
K05DQ-D	LD	LIC	BURNEY, ETC.	CA	8314	0.045	0	BLUESTONE LICENSE HOLDINGS INC.
K05LI-D	LD	LIC	WEBER CANYON	CO	130882	0.0023	0	SOUTHWEST COLORADO TV TRANSLATOR ASSOCIATION
K05GA-D	LD	LIC	DOLORES	CO	61470	0.0052	0	SOUTHWEST COLORADO TV TRANSLATOR ASSOCIATION
K05JW-D	LD	LIC	ISMAY CANYON	CO	61449	0.0024	0	SOUTHWEST COLORADO TV TRANSLATOR ASSOCIATION
K05MD-D	LD	LIC	CRIPPLE CREEK, ETC.	CO	167809	1.5	0	TUCK PROPERTIES, INC. C/O LEE PELTZMAN
WRUF-LD	LD	LIC	GAINESVILLE	FL	4200	0.3	0	BOARD OF TRUSTEES, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
K05GL-D	LD	LIC	COOLIN	ID	53516	0.013	0	PRIEST LAKE TRANSLATOR DISTRICT
K05EY-D	LD	LIC	TERRACE LAKES	ID	23150	0.065	0	GARDEN VALLEY TRANSLATOR DISTRICT
K05BE-D	LD	LIC	LEHMI, ETC	ID	58708	0.013	0	SALMON TV TRANSLATOR DISTRICT
W05DD-D	LD	LIC	ST. FRANCIS	ME	39652	0.097	0	MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION
K05GM-D	LD	LIC	PLAINS-PARADISE	MT	52780	0.017	0	PLAINS-PARADISE TV DISTRICT
K05AH-D	LD	LIC	HOT SPRINGS	MT	27685	0.005	0	HOT SPRINGS TV DISTRICT
K05ML-D	LD	LIC	SULA	MT	181578	0.006	0	SULA TV DISTRICT
K05IZ-D	LD	LIC	HINSDALE	MT	27259	0.0034	0	HINSDALE TV CLUB
K05MW-D	LD	LIC	FERNDALE	MT	182548	0.024	0	SWAN HILL TV DIST
K05FC-D	LD	LIC	LAKE MCDONALD	MT	16754	0.005	0	CANYON TV
K05KK-D	LD	LIC	POPLAR	MT	53012	0.037	0	POPLAR TV DISTRICT
K05JU-D	LD	LIC	ELKO	NV	19401	0.1	0	ELKO TELEVISION DISTRICT
K05AF-D	LD	LIC	MINA/LUNING	NV	42702	0.07	0	MINERAL TELEVISION DISTRICT #1
W05AR-D	LD	LIC	BRYSON CITY, ETC.	NC	53896	0.089	0	WYFF HEARST TELEVISION INC.
WTVF	LD	LIC	NASHVILLE	TN	36504	3	0	NEWSCHANNEL 5 NETWORK, LLC
K05AR-D	LD	LIC	ROCKVILLE	UT	70962	0.031	0	BONNEVILLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
W05AW-D	LD	LIC	CHRISTIANSTED	VI	70286	0.3	0	VIRGIN ISLANDS PUBLIC TV SYSTEM
W05AA-D	LD	LIC	ROANOKE	VA	73989	0.097	0	WSET, INCORPORATED
K05MU-D	LD	LIC	LEAVENWORTH	WA	187540	0.01	0	LEAVENWORTH NON-PROFIT TV ASSOCIATION
KCEM-LD	LD	LIC	CHELAN BUTTE	WA	64455	0.003	0	APPLE VALLEY TV ASSOCIATION, INC

List of full power Channel 6 stations:

Call Sign	Service	Status	City	State	Fac ID	ERP (kw)	HAAT (m)	Licensee
WUOA	DT	LIC	TUSCALOOSA	AL	77496	26	395	THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF AlABAMA
WEDY	DT	LIC	NEW HAVEN	CT	13595	0.4	88	CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.
WCES-TV	DT	LIC	WRENS	GA	23937	7.9	429.4	GEORGIA PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
WABW-TV	DT	LIC	PELHAM	GA	23917	10.5	378.9	GEORGIA PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
KBSD-DT	DT	LIC	ENSIGN	KS	66414	31	216.8	SUNFLOWER BROADCASTING, INC.
KTVM-TV	DT	LIC	BUTTE	MT	18066	19.2	591.3	BLUESTONE LICENSE HOLDINGS INC.
KWNB-TV	DT	LIC	HAYES CENTER	NE	21162	11.9	221	PAPPAS TELECASTING OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA, L.P.
WRGB	DT	LIC	SCHENECTADY	NY	73942	30.2	392	WRGB LICENSEE, LLC
WPVI-TV	DT	LIC	PHILADELPHIA	PA	8616	34	330	ABC, INC.

List of Low Power Channel 6 stations (analog):

Call Sign	Service	Status	City	State	Fac ID	ERP (kw)	HAAT (m)	Licensee
K06LG	TX	LIC	CHUATHBALUK	AK	62827	0.052	0	STATE OF ALASKA
K06LP	TX	LIC	CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS	AK	62529	0.548	0	STATE OF ALASKA
KNIK-LP	TX	LIC	ANCHORAGE	AK	21492	0.92	0	FIREWEED COMMUNICATIONS LLC
K06MF	TX	LIC	KENAI, ETC.	AK	21490	1.44	0	FIREWEED COMMUNICATIONS LLC
W06BH	TX	LIC	PHENIX CITY, ETC.	AL	25207	0.06	0	GREENE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
KNJO-LP	TX	LIC	HOLBROOK	AZ	131162	0.475	0	KM COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
KVFA-LP	TX	LIC	YUMA	AZ	131144	0.05	0	KM COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
K06MU	TX	LIC	BIG BEAR LAKE	CA	63149	1	0	BEAR VALLEY BROADCASTING, INC.
KNNN-LP	TX	LIC	REDDING	CA	129249	1.5	0	VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC
KLOA-LP	TX	LIC	INYOKERN, ETC.	CA	28583	3	0	ROBERT D. ADELMAN
KCIO-LP	TX	LIC	VICTORVILLE	CA	11529	0.99	0	OBIDIA PORRAS
KRPE-LP	TX	LIC	BANNING	CA	129651	0.999	0	VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC
KUHD-LP	TX	LIC	VENTURA	CA	67963	0.999	0	OBIDIA PORRAS
KBKF-LP	TX	LIC	SAN JOSE	CA	127882	0.6	0	VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC
KEFM-LP	TX	LIC	SACRAMENTO	CA	127996	3	0	VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC
KXDP-LP	TX	LIC	DENVER	CO	67552	3	0	SYNCOM MEDIA GROUP, INC.
WHDY-LP	TX	LIC	PANAMA CITY	FL	130063	1	0	CONFESORA PERALTA
WEYS-LP	TX	LIC	MIAMI	FL	6035	3	0	ALMAVISION HISPANIC NETWORK
WDDA-LP	TX	LIC	DALTON	GA	131127	2.5	0	WORD OF GOD FELLOWSHIP, INC.
KESU-LP	TX	LIC	HANAMAULU	HI	131005	3	0	CHANG BROADCASTING HAWAII, LLC
WKQX-LP	TX	LIC	CHICAGO	IL	128239	3	0	WLFM, LLC
W06BD	TX	LIC	PRINCETON	IN	49243	0.014	0	NORTH GIBSON SCHOOL CORPORATION
WDCO-LP	TX	LIC	SALISBURY	MD	130439	1	0	SIGNAL ABOVE LLC
WJMF-LP	TX	LIC	JACKSON	MS	26253	2	0	KID’S TELEVISION, LLC
KGHD-LP	TX	LIC	LAS VEGAS	NV	130027	3	0	OBIDIA PORRAS
WMYH-LP	TX	LIC	ELMIRA	NY	125819	0.25	0	VISION COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
WXXW-LP	TX	LIC	BINGHAMTON	NY	129224	0.016	0	JOHNSON BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.
WNYZ-LP	TX	LIC	NEW YORK	NY	56043	3	0	ISLAND BROADCASTING LLC
WMBO-LP	TX	LIC	WESTVALE	NY	14319	0.3	0	METRO TV, INC.
WNNY-LP	TX	LIC	AUBURN	NY	41364	1.45	0	RENARD COMMUNICATIONS CORP.
WMTO-LP	TX	LIC	WANCHESE	NC	127802	0.6	0	RAY H. LIVESAY
WLFM-LP	TX	LIC	CLEVELAND	OH	6699	3	0	VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC
K06NI	TX	LIC	THE DALLES	OR	129153	0.25	0	MICHAEL MATTSON
WRTN-LP	TX	LIC	ALEXANDRIA	TN	125858	2	0	RICHARD C & LISA A. GOETZ
WPGF-LP	TX	LIC	MEMPHIS	TN	23848	3	0	GEORGE S. FLINN, JR.
KRGT-LP	TX	LIC	RIO GRANDE CITY	TX	57999	0.04	0	CTV BROADCASTING, LLC
KFMP-LP	TX	LIC	LUBBOCK	TX	129734	3	0	VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC
KXIT-LP	TX	LIC	AMARILLO	TX	130089	3	0	GEORGE CHAMBERS
KBFW-LP	TX	LIC	ARLINGTON	TX	127887	3	0	GERALD BENAVIDES
KZFW-LP	TX	LIC	DALLAS	TX	5316	3	0	DFW BROADCASTING, INC.
K06PB	TX	LIC	UVALDE	TX	67303	0.99	0	SUPER RADIO, INC.
WDCN-LP	TX	LIC	FAIRFAX	VA	20450	3	0	SIGNAL ABOVE LLC
K06OA	TX	LIC	EAU CLAIRE	WI	129139	0.9	0	MARCIA T. TURNER D/B/A TURNER ENTERPRISES

List of Low Power Channel 6 stations (digital):

Call Sign	Service	Status	City	State	Fac ID	ERP (kw)	HAAT (m)	Licensee
K06OR-D	LD	LIC	SEWARD	AK	168866	0.3	0	SEWARD MEDIA PARTNERS, LLC
K06AE-D	LD	LIC	PRESCOTT	AZ	35274	0.5	0	MULTIMEDIA HOLDINGS CORPORATION
K06HN-D	LD	LIC	GUNNISON	CO	25611	0.06	0	GUNNISON COUNTY METROPOLITAN RECREATION DISCRICT
K06HU-D	LD	LIC	ASPEN	CO	56704	0.006	0	PITKIN COUNTY TRANSLATOR DEPARTMENT
K06GW-D	LD	LIC	NEW CASTLE	CO	23159	0.005	0	ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING NETWORK, INC
K06NT-D	LD	LIC	DOLORES	CO	130881	0.0052	0	SOUTHWEST COLORADO TV TRANSLATOR ASSOCIATION
K06NG-D	LD	LIC	SARGENTS	CO	126929	0.05	0	GUNNISON COUNTY METROPOLITAN RECREATION DISCRICT
W06AY-D	LD	LIC	LEBANON	KY	70498	0.3	0	GARY WHITE
K06FE-D	LD	LIC	MILES CITY	MT	35726	0.1	0	MMM LICENSE II LLC
K06AA-D	LD	LIC	BROADUS	MT	53167	0.088	0	POWDER RIVER T.V. BOARD
K06AV-D	LD	LIC	WOLF POINT	MT	73376	0.019	0	WOLF POINT TV DISTRICT
K06NV-D	LD	LIC	WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS	MT	21710	0.06	0	MEAGHER COUNTY TELEVISION DISTRICT
K06JC-D	LD	LIC	CHADRON	NE	47977	0.066	0	NEBRASKA EDUCATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
K06KR-D	LD	LIC	CRAWFORD	NE	47991	0.028	0	NEBRASKA EDUCATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
K06PG-D	LD	LIC	LAUGHLIN	NV	11687	0.3	0	CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
K06KQ-D	LD	LIC	MANHATTAN	NV	14126	0.02	0	COUNTY OF NYE
K06MK-D	LD	LIC	ELKO	NV	19380	0.1	0	ELKO TELEVISION DISTRICT
K06HT-D	LD	LIC	ELY	NV	59129	0.053	0	WHITE PINE TELEVISION DISTRICT # 1
K06NY-D	LD	LIC	RYNDON	NV	128750	0.062	0	ELKO TELEVISION DISTRICT
W06AJ-D	LD	LIC	FRANKLIN, ETC.	NC	53884	0.193	0	WYFF HEARST TELEVISION INC.
K06NS-D	LD	LIC	CHILOQUIN	OR	8268	0.193	0	CALIFORNIA OREGON BROADCASTING, INC.
K06PM-D	LD	LIC	BEAUMONT	TX	128836	0.3	0	ROGER MILLS
K06JA-D	LD	LIC	CEDAR CANYON	UT	9712	0.015	0	CEDAR CANYON TV

Looking through this data, particularly the digital licenses which were granted since 2009, one an only assume that the FCC has, by de facto, nixed this idea if it ever considered it at all.

AM Radio Improvement Plan

There has been lots of hand wringing and ink spilled regarding the sorry state of affairs in the senior service. AM is plagued with problems; interference, poor bandwidth, etc. To that end, the NAB has launched studies and initiatives and hired all sorts of pricey consultants to consult with. Here is my own AM improvement plan and it is rather simple:

Clean up the transmitter site.
Get rid of AM HD radio.
Variable IF bandwidth receivers.
Improve Programming.

How many of us have seen AM transmitter site dumps? Deferred maintenance, malfunctioning directional arrays, trees growing up on the ground system, flooded buildings and ATU’s, rusty towers, transmitters not a full power, ground system deteriorated or missing all together, just to list a few problems. Many AM transmitter sites are technical disasters. Think that these things have no bearing on the AM station’s signal? Think again.

differed maintenance, AM transmitter site — Differed maintenance, AM transmitter site (there is a tower in there somewhere)

Trees growing around the tower base can attenuate the signal by 30%. A comment from a well known engineering firm:

…Recently XXX field engineers had occasion to measure an AM station at XXXX kHz before and after removing vegetation in the vicinity. The station had a quarter-wave tower. The base area had grown up in brush and hardwood trees to a height of perhaps 30 feet (9m) and this extended from near the base across the entire ground system. After clearing (cutting, no ground system disturbance), the signal measured at some 16 locations on four radials went up a uniform amount of about 15% or 1.2 DB. That’s about a 30% increase in radiated power…

That is an inexpensive power boost and they didn’t even have to file with the FCC! A 1 – 2 dB power gain is pretty nice and can mean the difference between a listenable signal and static. How many times have I heard the lament that AM band is full of noise and not listenable. Certainly, there are major challenges in the urban listening environment. Putting forth a better signal will overcome some of this electrical noise.

There is a reason why engineering standards were developed for the physical plant; they work.

There is no cure for the noise that AM HD Radio puts out into the adjacent channels. This self interference benefits none, not even the station transmitting AM HD Radio. This dubious technology has proved itself a non-starter and should be discontinued. For smaller station owners, the cost of implementing AM HD Radio is prohibitive. Licensing of a proprietary modulation scheme, new transmitting equipment, specialized exciters plus any needed bandwidth improvements to AM antenna arrays can easily exceed $100,000.00. Unfortunately, it is often the small AM radio operators that are making a good showing, and serving their community of license and making money. These are the very stations that are hurt the most by adjacent channel AM HD Radio interference.

Receiver design over the last twenty to thirty years has been the greater issue with perceived low AM broadcast quality. AM receivers have an average bandwidth of just 3-4 KHz, which is slightly better than telephone quality. AM broadcasting has gotten a bad wrap because of this and there are many comments about how AM is “inferior quality” to FM. With a quality older receiver, AM can sound very good. Of course, the receiver manufactures all point adjacent channel interference as their rational for reducing IF bandwidth. Why not leave it in the hands of the user? The GE Superradio had this feature with a “wide” and “narrow” setting for AM reception. They worked remarkably well. A receiver could also be designed to automatically increase IF bandwidth at higher received signal strengths.

Finally, as the saying goes; Garbage in, Garbage out (GIGO). This holds true for many things including radio programming. Expecting that mediocre satellite syndicated news talk will garner great ratings and huge revenues is silly. For years and years, station owners have put minimal effort into AM radio and expected big returns. It is not working. AM stations that go against that trend; those with unique formats (Gasp! Music, on AM?), local content, and community oriented programming can and do succeed. They are fighting an up hill battle in both directions. With all of the business pressures from larger broadcast groups, interference issues and negative viewpoint on the viability of the AM band, one wonders how long they can last.

Hums no more

My first job as Chief Engineer was at WPTR and WFLY in 1991. I was young and it was a learning experience. The WPTR transmitter was a Harris MW50A, which reliably went off the air every six months. The transmission lines going out to the towers had fallen off of their wooden support posts, trees were growing up in the antenna field, and sample lines were going bad. In short, it was a mess. Even so, the station was well-known and well-liked in the community. One could still see echoes of greatness that once was.

When Crawford Broadcasting purchased the station in 1996, they put much money and effort into renovating the facility. Replacing the Harris transmitter with a solid state Nautel, replacing the phasor and transmission lines, cutting the trees from the field, painting the towers, renovating the old transmitter building into a new studio facility, and finally removing the old Butler building that formerly housed the “Gold Studios.”

Then the depression of 2008-20?? hit. Once again, the place has fallen on hard times. WDCD-AM has been silent since last April. The cost of running the 50 KW AM transmitter being too much to bear in the current economy. Formatically, the station drifted around for several years. According to the STA to go silent:

WDCD WILL SUSPEND OPERATIONS FOR A PERIOD DURING WHICH IT WILL DEVELOP AND PREPARE TO DEPLOY A NEW PROGRAM FORMAT AND REPOSITION ITS VOICE AND IDENTITY IN THE COMMUNITY.

They may need to do something slightly non-religious to survive.

While we were waiting for the utility company to turn the electricity back on after yesterday’s fire, I took a short walk around the WDCD-AM site and took some pictures. The transmitter disconnect thrown, fuses are pulled, it is kind of sad to see the Nautel XL-60 dark:

Nautel XL-60 AM transmitter. WDCD Albany, NY

I apologize greatly for the blurry picture, it was taken with my cellphone camera, my good camera being back at home on my desk. Radio stations, when they are on the air, seem like they are alive. Machinery hums, fans move air, meters move, and there is a sense of purpose. Silent radio stations give me a sense of foreboding like something is terribly wrong.

View of the towers without Butler Building. The towers are 340 feet tall, which is 206 electrical degrees on 1540 KHz. The site was constructed like this to suppress skywave signals toward ZNS, Nassau, Bahamas. ZNS is the only clear channel station allotted to the Bahamas by NARBA. The other station WDCD is protecting is KXEL, Waterloo, IA. During the 90’s, I received many QSL requests from Norway/Finland and even a few from South Africa. I know that the station had a large following in most of New England.

WDCD tower base, tower three — WDCD tower base, tower one (furthest from building)

Tower one tower base. This IDECO tower had to have the top 60 feet replaced after it was hit by an airplane in 1953. The tower base also had to be replaced in the late 1980’s as it was crumbling and falling apart. To do this, Northeast Towers used railroad jacks and jacked the entire tower up off of the base insulator. They re-formed and poured a new base, carefully letting the tower back down on a new base insulator about a week later.

WDCD towers looking back toward the transmitter building

Antenna field looking back at the transmitter building. If you work at radio transmitter sites, I encourage you to take pictures of all these things, as someday, they will all be gone.

The “bomb shelter” and 220 KW backup generator, constructed by FEMA in 1968 as part of the BSEPP. This used to have an emergency studio and enough diesel fuel for fourteen days of operation. Now, the bomb shelter has a kitchen and bathrooms. The underground storage tank no longer meets EPA standards and has been pumped out.

The Onan generator is conservatively rated at 220 KW, surge rating 275 KW. These things were way over-constructed, so it is likely it would easily run 225 KW all day. It has an inline six-cylinder engine with a massive flywheel. When the engine is stopped, it takes about twenty seconds for the generator to stop turning.

National Grid, 3 pot, 480 volt, 3 phase service, original to the 1947 building.

I wonder if it will return.

Troubles at the Tower

Troubles at the AM tower; I don’t know why, it won’t switch power.
Over the phone I can tell, the program director’s day is not going very well.
Press the “day” button but there is no kerchunk, the directional coupler shows the load is junk.
Out into the big field, I go to find the problem quickly and fix it just so.
The wind is cold, the snow is deep, I think of the contract terms I must keep.
Reaching the tuning house, take out the keys, lock, do not be frozen, please.
Once inside, there I find, no big surprise, the mice have been a working this pre-sunrise.
A nest they have build in a most inconvenient place, in the back of the phasor wiring chase.
Oh, the wires they have chewed, the circuit’s destroyed, all for the lack of mousetraps deployed.
As I reach in to clean out the mess, the smell of mouse makes me gag, I confess.
The fuses are blown, the contactor is jammed, perhaps, if I am lucky, I can move it by hand.
A large screwdriver strategically employed, I pry up slowly, further damage to avoid.
The bar thunks up, the contacts engage, the transmitter is ready to apply amperage.
Call on the cell phone, tell them it’s fixed, stand back and watch the base current meter, transfixed.
Then; Up it goes! Wonderful radio frequency current flows!
I clean up, lock the door, lock the gate, carrying bad news the owner will hate.
The damage is grave, the repair bill is steep, if a good relationship with the FCC you desire to keep.
Business is off, the accounts are low, is this really necessary, he wants to know.
The terms of the license are your obligation to keep, getting caught out of tolerance will not be cheap.
Looking forlorn, the owner says in disgust, it is only the AM, but fix it if you must.
Happy as a lark, with a song in my heart, I dig though the manual and order the part.
Time to go home, eat breakfast, brush teeth, take a shower. I have another client to see before the noon hour.

Dedicated to all those who have been there, done that and the breed of RF men and broadcast engineers who are slowly fading away.