[BC] Re: lpfm question

[Glen Kippel]

On Sat, Feb 14, 2009 at 5:15 PM, <bmc1956 at aol.com> wrote:

> We operate a low power fm in Lake Charles, LA from a 96' tower.
>
> We may have the opportunity to move to top of a 250' tower.
>
> I know if we do that, we will have to reduce our transmitter power, but
> would the extra height be beneficial to us?
>
> --------------

Tom has already answered this, and I will second it.  As a general
rule, increasing height will extend the coverage, but will require better
receivers to provide a useable signal.  I believe that a reasonable
compromise between ERP and height is to be desired.  Power gives you a
better signal over a smaller area; height gives you a weaker signal over a
larger area.  You have to determine just how much population you want to
serve and adjust your parameters accordingly.  For instance, if you are
serving a small valley and you can't put any signal outside that area,
increasing tower height is probably fruitless and I would opt for more
power.  Of course, if you do not have a choice of transmitter sites, your
other choices become somewhat contrained.