"John Byrns" wrote in message
...
In article , "Jim"
wrote:

FCCInfo.Com lists WFAN New York with a CP to change power to 35 KW day
and
night (with "Mode" ND2, non-directional 2 (whatever 2
means...non-directional different patterns day and night...hello???).

Anyway...anybody know why WFAN...with a great signal, best in New York,
low
frequency 660 kHz, 50 KW ND, island tower site (multi with WCBS) with
salt-water path to surrounding land...would want to drop to 35 kHz.

Reduce electric bill???

What's the story? Temporary?

I assume that 35 kW is for the backup tower, although the question remains
why 35 kW?

a pretty safe assumption would be that the management and accountants took a
look at the cost of a full power back up and said something like: "figure
out a way to do this for 30% less"

with a 50 kW AM transmitter the power draw will be about 100 kW (maybe a tad
less). if it needs to have generator power the cost would skyrocket. a new
100 kW gen (N gas powered) at this years prices costs from $43,000 to
$60,000 installed (depending on site requirements). deisel would be just a
little less.

Did the FCC limit the power because of interference caused by
high angle radiation, or could the backup tower not take full power from
both WFAN and WCBS? Also what is the "2" in ND2 all about, I can't see
any difference day and night?


Regards,

John Byrns


Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/

"Tim Perry" wrote in message
...
a pretty safe assumption would be that the management and accountants took
a
look at the cost of a full power back up and said something like: "figure
out a way to do this for 30% less"

This is how urban legends get started.

WFAN's 35 kw CP is for an auxiliary.

"Tim Perry" wrote
with a 50 kW AM transmitter the power draw will be about 100 kW (maybe a
tad
less).
___________

Most 50 kW AM stations in the US are using a Harris DX series transmitter,
and it is about 86% efficient -- 58 kW AC input at 50 kW carrier.

Even with 100% sine wave modulation it consumes 'only' about 87 kW from the
AC line. Power consumption during normal programming is less than that.

RF

Even with 100% sine wave modulation it consumes 'only' about 87 kW from the AC
line. Power consumption during normal programming is less than that.


Indeed ... hence the not insignificant popularity of the DX-50 or 3DX-50.

IMO, the Nautel sounds better.

"Peter H." wrote in message
...


Even with 100% sine wave modulation it consumes 'only' about 87 kW from
the AC
line. Power consumption during normal programming is less than that.


Indeed ... hence the not insignificant popularity of the DX-50 or 3DX-50.

IMO, the Nautel sounds better.

Mine too. Had the opportunity to choose a few years ago for a new AM, and
went with a Nautel 100 kw with a 30 kw aux. Defintely a better sound.