WWWRKQD (What Would WRKQ Do?)

[boppinvinnieb]

I thought I'd start a new thread rather than hijack the other one... 

I wonder with the Hiawassee GA and Soddy Daisy class C stations dark and if their licenses go back to the FCC ( I hope not, I hate to see any station fail), could this station move to 1230 @500 watts or more 24 hour or maybe even a better frequency and have a little better night time and daytime signal?

Maybe. The closest station on 1230 looks like WAKI licensed to McMinnville. Since 1230 is a graveyard freq. it might work, but I don't think you'd gain much running the same power as on 1250. Plus you have a 1 kW fulltimer on 1240 in Knoxville to protect so any substantial power increase on either 1230 or 1250 is pretty unlikely. Since you have Class B WDEH in Monroe County that would put the kibosh on migrating to the expanded band (if the FCC is even granting licenses there anymore.)

From what I understand WENR 1090 in Englewood is dark and will probably remain that way. I don't know if the license has been turned in or not, but theoretically you could apply to move the transmitter and COL to Madisonville. It might have to go directional, but you would gain a MUCH better daytime signal and reliably cover the entire county (the 1250 signal really doesn't); however, nighttime service would have to be sacrificed to protect KAAY Little Rock and WBAL Baltimore. Maybe you could get a few watts at night but nothing worth staying on for. At least on 1250 WRKQ has 84 watts at night, enough to cover Madisonville.

Since I've been away for a while I don't know what other frequencies (if any) might be feasible, but there's my 2 cents' worth.

[knoxbob]

1230 was originally licensed to Harriman but went dark some time ago. There were several applications for that freq. a few years ago to get it back in Harriman and also Jeff. City tried to get it but nothing really materialized with those applications as of yet. If he got the 1090 freq for Madisonville you could mate it with an FM translator and cover the area nicely.

[secondchoice]

Move it to 1310 and find a COL that would allow you to "move in" Chattanooga.  With WDOD turning in their license there is a "RF gap".   

[knoxbob]

The former owner of WRKQ, Mike Beverly, now owns the Dayton station @ 1280 which would be an easy move to 1310 for him and probably with a power increase. Then the Madisonville AM might go to 1280 with a power increase, only a design engineer knows for sure, your mileage may vary.

[Kent T]

1290 might be doable with 5 KW/Day, 500 Watts night. WATO went silent in Oak Ridge. Regional channel.

[SuperQ]

Just FYI, 1230 would not work in Madisonville because of Dalton, Ga. and Harriman.  Johnny Pirkle's app there from like 2004 has never been granted or dismissed.  It also wouldn't clear 1220 in Etowah.  1290 wouldn't work there because of 1280 and also WATO which is still alive if on life support.   

1310 is not as big an RF hole as you might imagine because of 1310 in Oneida.  And frankly Madisonville's 84 watts at night gets out as well as or better than most graveyard stations becuase of the relatively lower noise floor.

If someone wants to take an FIM out in the field and do some summertime readings they could probably squeeze a kilowatt day out of 1250.

[secondchoice]

BTY: 1230 in Hiawassee GA is back on.