[BC] Arrays separated by highways

[Dan Strassberg]

The calls on the Tampa 620 ARE indeed now WDAE.

Somebody suggested that 620 was 600 pre-NARBA. No; 620 was 620 pre NARBA.
The lowest frequency whose occupants moved up en-masse was 740, on which WSB
and (I think) KXL, KMMJ, and WHEB moved up 10 kHz to allow for the new
Canadian IA assignment on 740 in Toronto.

AFAIK, the original WFLA/WSUN DA--the first in the US--operated on 620 and
went on the air in 1931, which makes next year the diamond jubilee of AM DAs
in the US. Commemorative postage stamp, anybody? Guess it should contain a
picture of the WDAE array before the towers are/were replaced because the
new ones are/will be a little shorter than the previous pair. Other
candidates: the 12-tower night array of KFXR and the nine-tower array of
WLQV (a lot of towers and the unusual four-guy-wire-per-tower construction
is visually impressive)..

Back in the day, WFLA (licensed to Tampa) and WSUN (licensed to St
Petersburg) shared time on 620. The FCC had threatened the stations with
daytime-only operation if they could not reduce interference to WTMJ.
Another interesting 620 factoid: I think WTMJ was the first US ex-Class III
AM to operate with 50 kW as a Class B (10 kW-N). The combination of the
first DA and first 50 kW Class B AM make 620 a very historic frequency.

Somebody mentioned a 970/1260 diplex in Tampa Bay. Almost. WFLA 970 and the
former WDAE (now WHNZ 1250) are diplexed.

Other stations with roads running through their arrays are reportedly WPEN
(although the array is no longer in use, the site still is, and I believe
the array still is WPEN's licensed night facility--albeit, not for much
longer) and WNTD Chicago--night only; day is ND from a different site.
Intereastingly both WPEN and WNTD are on the same frequency (950) and both
now operate with greater power at night than during the day. I can't
personally vouch for either of these stations having roads running between
their towers, but I have heard so from more than one source for each
station. Interesting 950 factoid: 950 is (AFAIK) the only ex-Class III AM
frequency to have two US Class B stations operating 50 kW-U (and both of
those stations have three-letter calls--WWJ and KJR). WPEN still holds a CP
for 50 kW-D, but the newly built 21 kW-N facility presumably spells the end
of WPEN's proposal to increase to 50 kW-U.

--
Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg at att.net
eFax 707-215-6367