McGrath, Alaska: 870KHz:
Van Buren, Arkansas: 1060KHz:
KSKO & KJQS licenses surrendered for cancellation.
KSKO recently activated an FM station on 89.5.
KJQS changed call letters just a few weeks before going silent...
A site for unusual long-distance reception of regular domestic AM & FM radio and television stations. Associated with the American Bandscan column in Monitoring Times magazine.
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McGrath, Alaska: 870KHz:
Van Buren, Arkansas: 1060KHz:
KSKO & KJQS licenses surrendered for cancellation.
KSKO recently activated an FM station on 89.5.
KJQS changed call letters just a few weeks before going silent...
Ear Falls, Ontario: 1450KHz:
CKDR-4 moving to 97.5 FM
Hilo, Hawaii: 620KHz:
KHNU license cancelled, off over a year.
The following stations have recently changed callsigns:
Van Buren, Arkansas 1060 KJQS from KRUZ Arvada, Colorado 1690 KDMT from KDDZ Springfield, Missouri 1340 KICK from KADI Enterprise, Nevada 1540 KENT for new station St. George, S. Carolina 810 WWOS from WQIZ Murray, Utah 1230 KRUZ from KJQS
The following AM stations have recently changed callsigns:
Tempe, Arizona 1580 KHEP from KMIK Fort Smith, Arkansas 1650 KFSW from KYHN Tulare, California 1270 KVMI from KJUG Colorado Springs, Colo. 1530 KQSC from KKHI Seaford, Delaware 1280 WSUX from WSFD Cocoa Beach, Florida 1300 WFCB from WMEL Macon, Georgia 900 WYPZ from WBML Warner Robins, Georgia 1350 WBML from WYPZ Gladstone, Missouri 890 KMVG from KGGN Fair Bluff, N. Carolina 1480 WGHJ from WODR Catoosa, Oklahoma 1570 KTUZ from KZLI Claremore, Oklahoma 1270 KRXO from KTUZ Morovis, Puerto Rico 1580 WMTI from WEKO Plano, Texas 620 KEXB from KMKI New Holstein, Wisconsin 1530 WLAK from WLWB
During 2016, AM licensee may acquire one FM translator above 92, move it up to 250 miles, and move to any technically suitable FM frequency. Translator must relay the AM station for at least four years.
During 2017, FM translator application window open only to Class C and D AM stations that didn't get a translator in the 2016 modification opportunity.
Later, FM translator application window open to all AM stations that didn't get into the 2016 modification opportunity.
Daytime & nighttime community coverage standardsDaytime: stations currently must provide 5mV/m to 80% of population or 80% of area of city-of-license. Modified to 50% of population or area but only for existing stations. New stations or existing stations moving to new cities must meet old standards.
Nighttime: stations currently must provide 80% of population or area of city-of-license to either 5mV/m or interference-free signal, whichever is greater. Minimum nighttime coverage is repealed for existing stations, no minimum requirement. New stations or existing stations moving to new cities must reach 50% of population or area.
Eliminate ratchet ruleRule requires Class A or B stations modifying their signal to reduce skywave interference. Could usually only be done by reducing nighttime power, thus reducing coverage. FCC will repeal this rule.
MDCLStrength of AM carrier dynamically adjusted to maintain 100% modulation with varying modulation levels. Saves utility bills. Not controversial. Approved. Stations using MDCL must notify FCC within 10 days. Station must be able to achieve full licensed carrier power at some audio level. Station must be able to achieve full licensed carrier power if MDCL is turned off. MDCL must be turned off before performing field strength measurements.
Antenna efficiencyCurrent rule requires stations to achieve a certain minimum field strength for a given amount of power. FCC relaxes standard by 25%. (many commenters suggested repealing it altogether. Allow stations to use as much power as necessary to achieve a field strength that doesn't interfere.)
Night & CH protection to Class A Class A stations currently protected to 0.5mV/m 50% of the time skywave contour. FCC proposes to eliminate ALL skywave protection. Class A stations would be protected to 0.1mV/m groundwave. Critical Hours limitations would be repealed.
Night RSS methodThe method of calculating interference caused by a new station was changed in 1991 to include adjacent-channel interference, among other minor changes. FCC proposes to roll back to pre-1991 method.
Daytime protection to Class B, C, and DCurrently, daytime, new stations must be at least: 26dB weaker than existing stations on the same channel 6dB weaker than existing stations on adjacent channels No stronger than existing stations on the 2nd and 3rd adjacent channels FCC proposes to roll back to pre-1991 rule in which first-adjacent channels must be no stronger than existing stations. 3rd-adjacent limit would be repealed altogether. You could have 570 and 600 in the same city.
Currently, daytime, Class B, C, and D stations are protected to 0.5mV/m groundwave contour.FCC proposes to reduce protection to 2mV/m.
Siting of translatorsCurrently, FM translators relaying AM stations must contain their 60dBu service area within 25 miles of the AM transmitter site or the AM 2mV/m contour, whichever is lesser. FCC proposes to change that to 25 miles or 2mV/m, whichever is greater. However, in no case could the FM coverage extend beyond a 40-mile radius of the AM transmitter site.
Partial proofsIf an AM station with a directional antenna believes the system may be out of tolerance, or if certain repairs are made, the station must take measurements to prove it's working well enough. FCC proposes to simplify these measurements.
Method of momentsFCC proposes to “normalize” rules allowing directional stations to use computer modeling to determine proper operation.
X-band drop in-band channelAM stations receiving an expanded-band frequency were supposed to surrender either their X-band frequency or their old frequency within five years. Some did:) 54 X-band stations were built. 25 have surrendered their regular-band licenses and four have been cancelled by the FCC. 2 X-band licenses have been surrendered and one cancelled by the FCC. By my count that leaves 22 stations still operating both X-band and regular-band.. FCC proposes to require such dual-operation stations to surrender one of their two frequencies within one year of a date to be established. If a station doesn't make a choice, the regular-band frequency would be deleted.
Should more X-band stations be authorized? Preference for completely new stations? Preference for stations moving from standard band? Preference for stations operating in all-digital mode? Preference for stations causing the most interference? Proposes to require regular-band license be surrendered upon commencing X-band operation. Proposes to use interference contour measurement (instead of distance separation) in assigning new X-band stations. Should other-than-Class-B stations be permitted? Should directional antennas be permitted? Maybe only “simple” DAs? (no more than three towers)
Relax main studio rulesCurrently, stations must have a “main studio” located either: Within the city-of-license, or: Within the city-of-license signal contour of any broadcast station licensed to the same city, or: Within 25 miles of the city-of-license. Should FCC be more willing to waive the rule for AM stations wishing to co-locate their studios with co-owned stations in the same market? Should there be an absolute limit on how far the main studio can be from the city-of-license?
Brampton, Ontario: 1350KHz:
Permit granted for new station
Radio Humsafar
Facilities are one of these three:
It's not known which of these facilities goes with which applicant. The other two were dismissed.
Mississauga, Ontario: 1110KHz:
Application filed for new station.
5/5 U (yes, that's only five watts)
Developmental community station. Mostly Arabic with some French & English.
St. Catharines, Ontario: 1220KHz:
Application for new station.
10,000/10,000 U; classic hits.
Mississauga, Ontario: 1490KHz:
Application for new station.
23 watts daytime, 770 watts night
non-directional all hours
Coordinates not given.
Would relay CHTO-1690.
The following AM stations have recently changed call letters:
Tempe, Arizona 1580 KHEP from KMIK Rocklin, California 1210 KRPU from KEBR Seaford, Delaware 1280 WSFD from WJWK Tallahassee, Florida 1270 WTLY from WNLS Boston, Massachusetts 1260 WBIX from WMKI Albuquerque, New Mexico 1550 KQNM from KRKE Milan, New Mexico 1090 KRKE from KQNM Madison, Wisconsin 1670 WOZN from WUSW
Thomaston, Georgia: WTGA 1590
Red Oak, North Carolina: WNCR 1190
Licenses cancelled at request of licensees.
Ravenna, Nebraska: 1130KHz:
Application for new station dismissed
at request of applicant.
The following AM stations have recently changed callsigns:
Benton, Arkansas 690 KAFN from KEWI Eureka, California 790 KEJY from KWSW Eureka, California 980 KWSW from KEJY Denver, Colorado 1340 KDCO from KVOQ Riviera Beach, Florida 1600 WPOM from WHTY Wenatchee, Washington 1340 KWWX from KZNW
Haleyville, Alabama: 1230KHz:
Eldorado Springs, Missouri: 1580KHz:
WWWH & KESM licenses surrendered for cancellation
The following AM stations have recently changed callsigns:
Orocovis, Puerto Rico 1470 WKUM from WKCK Denver, Colorado 1340 KDCO from KVOQ Loveland, Colorado 1570 KKCL from KPIO Columbus, Georgia 1270 WBOJ from WZCG Elberton, Georgia 1400 WSGC from WMJE Waterloo, Iowa 1330 KPTY from KWLO Lancaster, Kentucky 1280 WZXI from WKYY Neon, Kentucky 1480 WUKB from WIZD Waseca, Minnesota 1170 KOWZ from KRUE Kinston, North Carolina 1010 WWMC from WELS Springville, Utah 1580 KWLO from KPTY Huntington, West Virginia 1200 WZPS from WEMM Madison, Wisconsin 1670 WUSW from WOZN
Nakina, Ontario: 1240KHz:
Corrales, New Mexico: 1310KHz:
CBLN going to 98.1 FM
KKNS license canceled, off over a year.
Malartic, Quebec: 1230KHz:
Val-d'Or, Quebec: 570KHz:
CBMN & CBML moving to FM.
Both will be replaced by a single 50,000-watt FM station on 101.1.
The following stations have recently changed calls:
Searcy, Arkansas 1300 KSMD from KRZS Eureka, California 790 KWSW from KEJY Eureka, California 980 KEJY from KWSW Macon, Georgia 1280 WIHB from WIBB West Point, Georgia 1310 WPCH from WPLV Boston, Massachusetts 1260 WBIX from WMKI
The following AM stations have recently changed call letters:
Golden, Colorado 1550 KBUD from KDCO Elberton, Georgia 1400 WMJE from WSGC Louisville, Kentucky 620 WAKY from WTUV Attleboro, Massachusetts 1320 WARA from WRNP Cleveland, Ohio 1260 WCCR from WWMK Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1250 WPGP from WDDZ
Coalinga, California: 1470KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.
Brewster, New York: 1510KHz:
WPUT license cancelled at request of licensee.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 950(+/-)KHz:
WKDN reported off-frequency.
DXers in the area are reporting WKDN-950 WAY off-frequency. It's been reported as high as 967KHz.
The following stations have recently changed callsigns:
Colorado Springs, Colorado 1580 KHIG from KREL Rupert, Idaho 970 KXTA from KZNO Attleboro, Massachusetts 1320 WARA from WRNP Roswell, New Mexico 910 KKBE from KBIM Marshall, Texas 1410 KZEY from KCUL Danville, Virginia 970 WMPW from WZDV
Garden City, Georgia: 570KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.
(Palmetto Radio Group)
Hamilton, Virginia: 1440KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
960 watts daytime
5,000 watts nighttime
Directional, different patterns day & night
39-11-13 N
77-40-42 W
A few miles northwest of Leesburg.
Win Radio Broadcasting
Pine River, Minnesota: 1210KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
5,500 watts daytime
250 watts nighttime
Directional only at night.
46-38-45N/94-24-58W
In the middle of nowhere between Brainerd and Walker.
De La Hunt Broadcasting Corp.
Elko, Nevada: 1340KHz:
KTSN license cancelled at request of licensee.
This was a rather new station, first licensed in 1996.
Edmonton, Alberta: 580KHz:
10,000 watts day & night
old CKUA site
Ethnic (South Fraser Broadcasting)
Edmonton, Alberta: 1650KHz:
10,000 watts day & night
Ethnic (Neeti P. Ray)
Brampton, Ontario: 1350KHz:
Three applicants, all 1,000 watts day, all proposing ethnic programming.
Neeti P. Ray: 55 watts night
R. Humsafar: 45 watts night
Ravinder Singh Pannu: 38 watts night
The following AM stations have recently changed callsigns:
Pomona, California 1220 KTMZ from KWKU Golden, Colorado 1550 KBUD from KDCO Riviera Beach, Florida 1600 WPOM from WHTY Columbus, Georgia 1270 WZCG from WSHE Eleele, Hawaii 570 KUAI from KQNG Kekaha, Hawaii 720 KQNG from KUAI Pittsburgh, Penna. 1250 WPGP from WDDZ Danville, Virginia 970 WZDV from WMPW Superior, Wisconsin 970 WDUL from WGEE
Ellisville, Mississippi: 1490KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.
Rainey Broadcasting
Springville, Utah: 1580KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
10,000 watts daytime
570 watts nighttime
Different directional patterns day & night.
RAMS III
Malartic, Quebec: 1230KHz:
Val-d'Or, Quebec: 570KHz:
CBNM & CBML going away.
Both AM stations will be replaced by a single FM station on 101.1.
The following stations have changed callsigns recently:
Port Hueneme, California 1520 KKZZ from KUNX Santa Paula, California 1400 KUNX from KKZZ Colorado Springs, Colorado 1530 KKHI from KCMN Warner Robins, Georgia 1350 WYPZ from WRWR Morganfield, Kentucky 1550 WUCO from WMSK New York, New York 1560 WFME from WQEW Mount Angel, Oregon 1130 KXET from KQRR Oregon City, Oregon 1520 KQRR from KXET Portland, Oregon 1150 KGDD from KXET Martinsburg, Pennsylvania 1110 WJSM from WWBJ Lake Geneva, Wisconsin 1550 WZRK from WAUX
Makaha, Hawaii: 1600KHz:
Harriman, Tennessee: 1230KHz:
Applications dismissed.
(KM Communications & Three Rivers Broadcasting GP respectively)
Kerrville, Texas: 1590KHz:
Application for new station dismissed at request of applicant.
(Radio Cactus)
Etna, Wyoming: 1480KHz:
KJNT proposes move from 1490 Jackson
1,000 watts daytime
300 watts nighttime
43-01-52N/111-00-35W
New York City; 1560KHz:
WQEW temporarily silent.
The FCC has approved the sale of this station to religious broadcaster Family Stations. WQEW is now off the air. Expect it back any day now with religious programming.
Hamilton, Alabama;
Augusta, Georgia
WERH & WCHZ deleted.
WERH off over a year. WCHZ license surrendered for cancellation.
Caraquet, New Brunswick: 810KHz
CJVA moving to FM
94.1 with 28kw/66m. This French-language station has been widely heard in the East.
The following AM stations have recently changed callsigns:
Steamboat Springs, Colo. 1230 KBWZ from KBCR Twin Falls, Idaho 1270 KTFI from KXQZ Wendell, Idaho 1340 KXQZ from KTFI Cannonsburg, Kentucky 1080 WONS from WYHY Brockport, New York 1590 WOKR from WASB San Antonio, Texas 1350 KCOR from KXTN
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: 1550KHz:
WZRK deleted.
License surrendered for cancellation.
Stratford, Ontario: 1240KHz:
CJCS moving to FM.
Station has applied for 107.1 FM, which will almost certainly be granted.
The following stations have recently changed callsigns:
Hahira, Georgia 810 WZYN from WTHV Las Cruces, New Mexico 570 KWML from KGRT Philadelphia, Penna. 610 WTEL from WIP Columbia, S. Carolina 560 WVOC from WXBT San Antonio, Texas 1350 KXTN from KCOR Victoria, Texas 1410 KITE from KNAL
I don't normally report TV call changes here, but channel 8 in Grand Junction, Colorado has changed three times in recent months... from KJCT to KGBY, then back to KJCT, and now back to KGBY again...