VILLAGE 900 (CKMO) VICTORIA TO LEAVE THE AIR ON MARCH 4th

[crainbebo]

Well bobdavcav you need to get a very good radio to hear better reception. A Grundig G8 (~$50 at Radio Shack) is, and it has great FM reception (AM is not the greatest). The CCRadioSW looks good for AM-uses a Twin Coil Ferrite AM antenna internal (and it's $124.95 on CCRadio's website). I have a Grundig G5 for AM, but it has been discontinued...

-crainbebo

[bobdavcav]

You mentioned that in another thread. It just perplexes me that both KOMO and KIRO are Clear Channels, and KOMO has a solid signal both day and night and KIRO fades in and out, and sometimes has a very annoying buzzing during the day.

[Goldilocks94941]

Bob - depends what city you're in what the signals will be like, even if both transmitters are on Vashon Island.  Have you tried rotating your radio to see if the AM710 signal improves, or changes?  You might be in between two lobes of a directional nighttime pattern, whereas KOMO, I believe, runs a non-directional 50kw day and night. 

I have an old tabletop radio I use everyday with an AM 'bar" antenna on top.  Turning it 90 degrees one way or another does make many local AM signals sound different, and allows me to DX distant signals better.  Your radio probably has an antenna built inside.  Sometimes FM reception is affected by where your power cord lays, too. 

[MisterGort]

Back  when the old KIXI -- moved from 910 to 880 --  the open "area to locate" a new station on 910 - was a very small area in north Kitsap County  - and an area over toward Mt Vernon.  Not much of an area with any population.   With  the 900  gone --  the entire northern part of the sound  might be  open for  a new station on 910.   

[Bongwater]

Back  when the old KIXI -- moved from 910 to 880 --  the open "area to locate" a new station on 910 - was a very small area in north Kitsap County  - and an area over toward Mt Vernon.  Not much of an area with any population.   With  the 900  gone --  the entire northern part of the sound  might be  open for  a new station on 910.   

Yes it will. But there's still KBAI 930. Although it's pretty much behind the "Bellingham Wall". But careful still.....

Because if any new Victoria station not only fires up, but re-energizes the 900 kHz frequency, you're screwed.

Because THEY (by international treaty), have FIRST rights to 900 kHz.

I personally would look to 840 or 860 kHz, with a pattern directly NORTH.
 
Just sayin'.....
 

[w9wi]

Bob - depends what city you're in what the signals will be like, even if both transmitters are on Vashon Island.  Have you tried rotating your radio to see if the AM710 signal improves, or changes?  You might be in between two lobes of a directional nighttime pattern, whereas KOMO, I believe, runs a non-directional 50kw day and night. 

Both KIRO and KOMO are non-directional daytime & directional at night. 

Both stations' nighttime signals favor the northeast and southwest, with modestly deep nulls to the southeast and much broader nulls to the northwest. 

KOMO is protecting Chicago -- their nulls point at that city. 

KIRO's pattern is tilted somewhat more clockwise -- nulls more or less in the Denver direction -- although in theory they should be protecting New York.

[Dan]

I personally would look to 840 or 860 kHz, with a pattern directly NORTH.

Might be difficult Bongwater as 850 is still allocated to Abbotsford (once the former CFVR & CKMA).

As for 900, I can't really see anyone in Victoria being interested in re-energizing it. However if Bell Media was smart they might think about relocating CFAX 1070 to 900. Otherwise I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we see 900 re-allocated to the Vancouver area at some point in the future (like 1200 did back in 2005). Could be the home of a new Punjabi or Asian blowtorch.

[bobdavcav]

Bob - depends what city you're in what the signals will be like, even if both transmitters are on Vashon Island.  Have you tried rotating your radio to see if the AM710 signal improves, or changes?  You might be in between two lobes of a directional nighttime pattern, whereas KOMO, I believe, runs a non-directional 50kw day and night. 

I have an old tabletop radio I use everyday with an AM 'bar" antenna on top.  Turning it 90 degrees one way or another does make many local AM signals sound different, and allows me to DX distant signals better.  Your radio probably has an antenna built inside.  Sometimes FM reception is affected by where your power cord lays, too. 

I'll have to check that out. As I believe it was Dan that pointed out, both are directional. I'm north-northeast of the transmitters in Edmonds. Don't listen to am much outside of KOMO or the Mariners and the radio has been moved since the last time I stayed up to listen at night, so will give it a try. Sometimes especially on KPLZ and KCMS yes I know these are fm, the reception varies even if nothing has moved.

[Bongwater]

I personally would look to 840 or 860 kHz, with a pattern directly NORTH.

Might be difficult Bongwater as 850 is still allocated to Abbotsford (once the former CFVR & CKMA).

As for 900, I can't really see anyone in Victoria being interested in re-energizing it. However if Bell Media was smart they might think about relocating CFAX 1070 to 900. Otherwise I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we see 900 re-allocated to the Vancouver area at some point in the future (like 1200 did back in 2005). Could be the home of a new Punjabi or Asian blowtorch.

Thanks Dan. I stand corrected......

[MisterGort]

Maybe a low powered on 840. MAYBE.  The existing 850 in BC  and the fact that 860 is a CR -- Canadian Restricted channel.  710 also protects Sacramento area and Los Angeles.    910 has a problem with a double IF problem.  455 Khz times 2 = 910 Khz.