AM stations gone

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...

AM stations gone

Ear Falls, Ontario: 1450KHz:
CKDR-4 moving to 97.5 FM

Hilo, Hawaii: 620KHz:
KHNU license cancelled, off over a year.

AM call changes

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

AM station gone

Chicago Heights, Illinois; 1470KHz:
WCFJ license surrendered.

AM Call Changes

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

AM Improvement Docket

Here's the original item:

AM Improvement

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1st R&O
FM translator windows

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 standards

Daytime: 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 rule

Rule 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.

MDCL

Strength 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 efficiency

Current 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.)

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FNPRM (Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking)
Protection

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 method

The 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 D

Currently, 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 translators

Currently, 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 proofs

If 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 moments

FCC proposes to “normalize” rules allowing directional stations to use computer modeling to determine proper operation.

X-band drop in-band channel

AM 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.

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NOI
Use of X-band

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 rules

Currently, 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?

New and potential new stations in Canada

Brampton, Ontario: 1350KHz:
Permit granted for new station

Radio Humsafar

Facilities are one of these three:

1,000/38 U, 43-41-37N/79-43-34W

1,000/45 U, 43-41-07N/79-43-30W

1,000/55 U, 43-41-24N/79-43-55W

It's not known which of these facilities goes with which applicant. The other two were dismissed.

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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.

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St. Catharines, Ontario: 1220KHz:
Application for new station.

10,000/10,000 U; classic hits.

AM station gone

Norfolk, Massachusetts: 1170KHz:
WDIS license cancelled.
Off over a year.

Application for new AM station

Mississauga, Ontario: 1490KHz:
Application for new station.

23 watts daytime, 770 watts night
non-directional all hours
Coordinates not given.
Would relay CHTO-1690.

AM station gone

Farragut, Tennessee: 670KHz:
WMTY license surrendered for cancellation.

AM station gone

Hazard, Kentucky: 1560KHz:
WQXY license cancelled at request of licensee

AM call changes

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

AM stations gone

Thomaston, Georgia: WTGA 1590
Red Oak, North Carolina: WNCR 1190

Licenses cancelled at request of licensees.

AM station gone

Thomaston, Georgia: 1590KHz:
WTGA license cancelled at request of licensee

AM station not happening

Ravenna, Nebraska: 1130KHz:
Application for new station dismissed
at request of applicant.

AM station gone

Massena, New York: 1050KHz:
WYBG license surrendered

AM call changes

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

AM stations gone

Haleyville, Alabama: 1230KHz:
Eldorado Springs, Missouri: 1580KHz:

WWWH & KESM licenses surrendered for cancellation

AM station gone

Brigham City, Utah: 1660KHz:
KXOL license canceled.

Off over a year.

AM call changes

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

AM stations going or gone

Nakina, Ontario: 1240KHz:
Corrales, New Mexico: 1310KHz:

CBLN going to 98.1 FM
KKNS license canceled, off over a year.

AM stations going away

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.

AM call changes

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

AM call changes

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

AM stations not happening or gone...

Coalinga, California: 1470KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.

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Brewster, New York: 1510KHz:
WPUT license cancelled at request of licensee.

Station WAY off frequency

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.

AM station gone

Lancaster, South Carolina: 1560KHz:
WAGL license surrendered.

AM station gone

Honolulu, Hawaii: 1180KHz:
KORL renewal dismissed.

AM call changes

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

New AM station not happening

Garden City, Georgia: 570KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.

(Palmetto Radio Group)

Permit granted for new AM station

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

New AM station that *might* happen

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.

New AM station not happening

Braham, Minnesota: 1160KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.

AM station gone

Elko, Nevada: 1340KHz:
KTSN license cancelled at request of licensee.

This was a rather new station, first licensed in 1996.

Proposed new AM stations (Canada)

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

AM call changes

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

New AM station not happening

Ellisville, Mississippi: 1490KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.

Rainey Broadcasting

AM station going away

Kimball, Nebraska: 1260KHz:
KIMB license cancelled.

(at request of licensee)

Permit granted for new AM station

Springville, Utah: 1580KHz:
Permit granted for new station.

10,000 watts daytime
570 watts nighttime
Different directional patterns day & night.

RAMS III

AM stations going away

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.

AM call changes

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

More AM stations not happening

Makaha, Hawaii: 1600KHz:
Harriman, Tennessee: 1230KHz:

Applications dismissed.
(KM Communications & Three Rivers Broadcasting GP respectively)

New AM station not happening

Kerrville, Texas: 1590KHz:
Application for new station dismissed at request of applicant.
(Radio Cactus)

AM station frequency change proposed

Etna, Wyoming: 1480KHz:
KJNT proposes move from 1490 Jackson

1,000 watts daytime
300 watts nighttime
43-01-52N/111-00-35W

BIG AM station gone (temporarily)

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.

AM stations gone

Hamilton, Alabama;
Augusta, Georgia

WERH & WCHZ deleted.

WERH off over a year. WCHZ license surrendered for cancellation.

AM station going away

Caraquet, New Brunswick: 810KHz
CJVA moving to FM

94.1 with 28kw/66m. This French-language station has been widely heard in the East.

Recent call changes

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

AM station going away

Brinkley, Arkansas: 1570KHz:
KBRI license surrendered for cancellation.

AM station going away

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: 1550KHz:
WZRK deleted.

License surrendered for cancellation.

AM station going away

Stratford, Ontario: 1240KHz:

CJCS moving to FM.

Station has applied for 107.1 FM, which will almost certainly be granted.

Recent call changes

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...