>>>>
>>>>This, at least to me, also requires considerably more experience than, say, determining the signal dispersal pattern of a 1500-foot tower with 10K watts of transmitter power at 1600KHz over flat terrain (BG)(ducking).
>>>
>>>
>>>Ah, a weak AM radio station to be sure... do you have the humidity, temp and geographical coordinates... it will make solving the problem a lot easier... :)
>>
>>Jerry;
>>
>>I would have to know what type of antenna was in use as well as specific information about the type of ground involved. Most of all you must know the pattern you are required to propagate as you should not interfere with other stations located outside your area. When I was a teenager I obtained my First Class FCC Radio Telephone License - and got to do these types of things. Since I had a Radio Amateurs License I thought I would enjoy a commercial license.
>>
>>We had a station in San Francisco (Belmont actually) at 1550 khz - classical music. It was not allowed to transmit a signal below Gilroy (about 80 miles south of San Francisco) and could be heard in places as far away as Finland! I believe it was only 10 kw. You would be surprised what 10 kw and a three element phased array could do! Our terrain is not flat which makes things more interesting.
>>
>>Tom
>
>BTW, you have, no doubt, read the stories of early AM radio. In the late teens and early 1920's, the frequency spectrum was so clean that the a 2 watt station in New Jersey could be heard across the entire US. And, when I was in amature radio, in this 60s while I was in graduate school, I used a transistorized paddle bug and 60 DC Heathkit to WAS. I even got a 5 by 9 rating from Japan - I was using a highly tuned cubical quad anttena!


Jerry;

I think the first commercial radio station was in San Jose, California. Lots of history. By the way my call is WA6FCO - Finest California Operator. When I was stationed in Orlando, Florida - they called me Florida's Crummiest Operator.

I liked to "Rag Chew" and it seemed the stations in Japan wanted to say nothing but "Hello - QSL - goodbye" I had two antennas I liked - a 130 foot doublet - center fed with 300 ohm open wire to my Johnson Matchbox. Wow! My other favorite antenna was a two element Quad for 10 meters - a real bomb on my 40 foot crankup tower.

I still have a 2 meter rig and talk to my brother WA6HZA, about 70 miles away.

I have mm cert for 45 words per minute. I know which end of a "Bug" to use! Proved that in the Air Force - not everyone on a Military Net was allowed to use a "Bug". I could copy crypto at 45 wpm with a "Mill", a special typewriter that was uppercase only. Those five character groups were interesting!

I got into Radio Teletype and Slow Scan TV as a Radio Amateur - even was part of Project Oscar - around 1961-62 - the first Radio Amateur satellite - it sent a message around the world .... .. .... .. .... .. Hi Hi Hi

That satellite was almost as sophisticated as the ones launched by the Air Force at a small fraction of the cost! I must thank the Air Force though – Oscar rode piggy back on an Air Force Bird.

Tom