Topband: and KDKA

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

Looking at the table of allocations over the years, WLW was the only
station in the continental US that did not share its frequency with
any other US station *at night*.  It was a "class 1A" station with
no other full time "secondary".  That has changed in the last ~30 years
- first with the addition of night time operation on the west coast
with a significant directional pattern (perhaps KALL in N. Salt Lake
City) and more recently a proliferation of class D stations.

The proliferation over the last 20 years of nighttime operation by
secondary stations with reduced protection requirements on "the clears"
is a real shame as it has made the AM band a mess of indistinguishable
signals at night - even locally in many metro areas.  Just 15 years ago
when we moved to Florida most of the dominant clears could be received
quite easily at night on a car radio or simple boom box.  Now, with the
additional stations, the noise from "digital radio" and the general
increase in "noise pollution," only a couple of the closer clears are
reliably audible.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 9/15/2013 10:04 AM, Tom W8JI wrote:
> WLW shared the frequency with other stations, I believe one in Canada.
> I'm pretty sure that is why they had to use a directional pattern at
> night. Throughout a long history, WLW shared (and time shared) channels.
>
> The tower is a diamond shaped half wave, which makes it electrically
> shorter than a half wave.
>
>>> Another interesting point -- WLW was a 50kW clear channel station,
>>> and one of a handful that had their frequency to themselves at night
>>> for all of North America, which is why the Commission might have
>>> considered licensing them for 500kW. As I recall, the other might
>>> have been WOAI, on 1200 kHz.
>>>
>>> 73, Jim K9YC
>>> _________________
>>> Topband Reflector
>>>
>> Hi Jim:
>>
>> For Years I have believed that WSM, 650, was in that category.
>> Goodness knows, We can't miss the GRAND OLE OPRY"
>>
>> 73,
>> Mike, W5UC
>
> _________________
> Topband Reflector
>