[BC] Class A stations "burning" power

[PeterH5322]

> Methinks Dave was saying that an A on 550 should have the same
> coverage as an A on 1590, and that power should be the variable
> such that the coverage is the same, regardless of radiation "efficiency"
> or ground conductivity, or whatever.
>
> I'm sure Dave will correct me if I'm wrong.
>
> Then, allow both of these stations to claim "50" for legacy reasons,
> regardless of what power they actually run.

The classes were cast into granite in 1939, with a 1941 implementation 
date, just in time for Pearl Harbor.

Period. End of story.





Almost.

Now the classes are cast into a combination of concrete and sand.

Classes were changed in the 1980s to allow the "have not" countries in 
the Western Hemisphere, most of these being Latin, to have so-called 
Class As, in name only, on US, Bahamian, Canadian and Mexican clear 
channels.

Most are non-conforming as to Class A.

Cuba, which had abrogated NARBA, and thereafter had been stripped of its 
only Class I allocation under NARBA, 1560, now received almost as many 
Class A allocations, some on Regional channels, but many on U.S., 
Canadian and Mexican Class I-A channels, as the U.S. had former Class I-A 
channels.

Which means that the AM band is now totally F.U., except for the great 
groundwave most real Class As in the U.S. have.

And, some still have great skywave, too, to cover so-called "white areas".



Incidentally, AM is "demand allocation", whereas FM and TV are "table 
allocation".

Nothing can be done to change that, short of having every AM station 
everywhere turn in their licenses, and auctioning the entire 540-1700 
band off.