Random Radio

[TV.Cynic]

Continuing this off topic conversation

@TV.Cynic

Of topic, but I sometimes wonder whether the power of Australian FM stations could be reduced especially in crowed markets and that might allow more stations on the band. Do the commercial stations in Sydney really need to be 150 Kw ERP. Do ABC stations in Coffs Harbour or Mt Dowe need to be so strong that they block stations using those frequencies in SEQ?

AFAIK the commercial stations in London are 4Kw ERP (could be wrong though). You also see similar things in some US cities. NYC stations are 6.7 kW etc from Empire State Bldg. Even the large LA market that is difficult to service because of all the canyons etc has KOST on 11.5 Kw, KCBS 27.5 Kw.

Question for those in the know.

How is it that the original KIIS FM manages to cover the huge city of Los Angeles with 8Kw ERP. Yet in Sydney KIIS has an ERP of 150kW.

The Los Angeles basin is quite difficult in some areas to reach with many narrow canyons but FM signals seem to manage to get to most areas. Is it all a matter of HAAT? Becasue Mt Wilson is such a good place to transmit from compared to the Sydney transmitters?

Also note in NYC that the Empire State Building seems a good location with WCBS FM for example with an ERP of 6.7KW when from that site (back up sites seem to have higher powers).