[GreenKeys] ELF in Canada...

[Richard Knoppow]

     I now have three stations about a mile and a half away. The site 
was originally KDAY, now KBLA (as in bla, bla, bla). This was six towers 
running 50kW, 1580 kHz daytime only when constructed. Its now 24/7. In 
the last couple of years two other stations have diplexed their 
tranmitters onto the KBLA towers, they are KHJ, 5kW on 930 kHz, and 
KYPA, 1 kW on 1230 kHz. all going all the time. KBLA is especially 
annoying because the night pattern is very strong here. I never could 
understand how KDAY was allowed to erect its transmitters in an old, 
well established, residential area where it absolutely blankets 
everything else.
     KNX moved their transmitter from the San Fernando Valley to 
Torrance in 1938. I think mainly because the original site was flooded 
out in the great flood of 1938. The original site was near what is now 
the flood control basin there. It did have a vertical radiator. The new 
site had an RCA 50-D, essentially a Doherty amplifier modified to 
attempt to get around the Western Electric patents. RCA built and sold 
half a dozen of these. The original tower was a half wave vertical on 
1050, the frequency being changed to 1070 in 1941 when the FCC 
re-arranged many assignments. The original tower was sabotaged (can't 
remember the date) shortly after KNX installed a new transmitter that 
allowed remote logging and operation and discharged most of their 
transmitter crew. Someone sawed through a turnbuckle on on one of the 
guy wires. As far as I know no one was ever charged with this. The 
station was off the air for a couple of days. I think they got it back 
on with some sort of portable tower. The new tower was also a half-wave 
vertical. They have a spare tower of not quite the same height. I was 
told by a past CE that they had intended to try directional transmission 
but the pattern lost coverage rather than gained it.
     KNX was one of the first stations authorized by the Department of 
Commerce (c.1920) although under another call and was acquired by CBS in 
about 1936. It was one of only two full time 50kW stations in L.A. and 
still is. The other being KFI but KFI had a flat top until  1948.
The station has a lot of history, all OT here.

On 7/26/2017 7:25 AM, Jeffrey Angus wrote:
> On 7/26/17 8:42 AM, Kenneth Gartland wrote:
>> When I lived in Windsor, the signal strength was so
>> strong, it wud literally "Swamp" out most BCB receivers...
>>
>> The CFH call sign cud be clearly be heard all over
>> the dial...
> 
> Growing up in North Torrance (South of Los Angeles 1956-1972) I had the
> misfortune of having KNX, 1070 AM, running 50,000 watts 2-3/4 miles from
> the house. And again when I moved back home (1989-2009.)
> A crystal radio would hear KNX over the entire dial.
> BCB DXing on any radio was out of the question.
> 
> There was ONE notable exception to that however.
> The original main antenna (circa 1936) was destroyed by vandals on 
> September
> 14, 1965.
> That didn't last for long though.
> 
> I didn't fare any better with the house I bought (1975-1989) which was 
> 3-1/2
> miles to the East of KNX.
> 
> Currently in Ranger Texas, the closest AM broadcast tower is KROO, 1430 and
> running a "blazing" 640 watts. They're 27-1/4 miles from the house.
> Also, there's KWBY 98.5 FM running 5800 watts 8-3/4 miles away.
> 

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL