by jon » Wed Nov 05, 2014 7:09 pm
Some background on the power increases of CFCW after original signon in 1954 (when they were 250 watts on 1230 KHz) from a newspaper article as they were switching to 790 KHz in February 1961.
"...approval was granted to increase to 1,000 watts daytime...The next step forward for the Company was the commencement of twenty-four hour operation, in November of 1960...It was found out by RCA and CFCW officials that an increase to 10,000 watts on 1230 would not be desirable due to the many restrictions and interference level at [t]his frequency. The station's consulting engineers, the RCA Victor Company, searched all frequencies and found that 790 was clear in this part of Alberta and would let the station broadcast 10,000 watts day and night."
In the U.S. "lower 48", 1230 KHz is a Local Channel, a so-called "graveyarder", originally restricted to 250 watts full-time, but increased to 1,000 watts in the daytime only beginning in the late 1950s; 1000 watts at night came much later (1980s?).
On the other hand, CFYK in Yellowknife was granted 1000 watts full-time in 1965. Which begs the question: was CFCW far enough North to see them granted 10,000 watts full-time back then, assuming they were willing to use a directional pattern that would eliminate any intrusion into the U.S.?
The other question is why RCA didn't notice the strong night-time signal from KNEW-790 in Spokane in certain areas that CFCW today considers its coverage area. Which is the reason they were contemplating a move to 840.
Speaking of which, I just read where the North Las Vegas station on 840 has finally got their transmitter construction completed, with their new directional pattern that points almost directly at CFCW.