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
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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
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Topband Reflector
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Topband Reflector
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