For a long time I have suspected that some radio stations use their daytime power at night ON PURPOSE.
For a long time I have suspected that some radio stations use their daytime power at night ON PURPOSE.
I am very familiar with the upper end of the AM band because I spent months searching for the most open frequencies before starting my own part 15 station.
After sunset many of the top-of-band stations disappear as they switch from 10kW down to 60-Watts or whatever their low nighttime power happens to be. But sometimes certain stations do not disappear, and continue being heard very clearly. It has tended to be Friday night and the program is always live sports.
Start watching for this.
Not For Long
Well recently there have been a few NAL’s about stations not reducing to their night power. Those stations might want to start doing what they are supposed to do.
LICENSED TO VIOLATE.
Guess they got plenty of fine money in their coffers.
RFB
Upper frequency advantage
Most of the stations on the expanded band (1610 – 1700khz) are licensed for 10kw day and 1kw night. That 1kw at night can still bounce around pretty well if there aren’t too many other stations on the same frequency.
The local radio station is
The local radio station is “supposed” to reduce to 500 watts at night, but does not. Now the FCC will chase that pesky ground lead, but ignore rules violations like power and antenna phasing.
“The Squeaking Wheel”
Probably nobody’s complained about the local station being overpowered at night. Meanwhile, if a Pt. 15 operator has an enemy, and that enemy complains about interference, whether there’s really any interference or not, the FCC will usually investigate.
Somebody needs to file a complaint about your local station not cutting back. If the complaint claims interference, the station will be caught, (eventually) and they’ll have a nice fine to pay. “Interference” seems to be the key word in a complaint. If you just say: “They’re not cutting their power back at night”, the complaint will be put on a back burner somewhere.
The Hornet’s Nest
If the protected station were informed that a secondary station is not reducing power as required, they will come out of the bull-shoot with horns sharpened because they need to protect their clear channel status.