The Natural History of Foster City, California

by James K. Sayre

a draft manuscript

12 May 2005

Chapter 6 - Radio, Television and Telephones

Radio and television reception in Foster City is poorer than that received in nearby peninsula cities. Being nearby to large radio broadcasting station towers increases the amount of interference received in one's home electronic systems. AM radio reception is much poorer than that received in locations further away from the Bay. Even the telephone handset can act as a receiver for local AM radio stations: a Spanish-language radio broadcast could be heard quite clearly on the author's telephone, especially in the evening. The insertion of a $5 noise filter on the telephone line eliminated that reception. Now the author receives KNBR, 680 AM radio, in the evening as background on the telephone. A look at a NOAA map of the Southern Part of the San Francisco Bay shows that the radio station KNBR has its broadcast tower located at the bay end of Redwood Shores, which lies only one mile from Foster City across the Belmont Slough. The owners of two local radio stations, KGEI and KNBR have written comments to a Draft Environmental Impact Report for a proposed development called Lido Neighborhood in Redwood Shores, a part of Redwood City lying just across the Belmont Slough from Foster City [City of Redwood City]. KGEI, a Christian shortwave radio broadcasting station, owned by the Far East Broadcasting Company submitted a comment letter in which they noted that many residents of Foster City had complained about interference with their home electronic equipment by the short wave radio broadcasts which come from the tip of the Redwood Shores area, which is located just a little over a mile from Foster City. KGEI has been broadcasting from this site since 1941, long before there was any housing built along the bayshore areas in San Mateo, Foster City and Redwood City. The Susquehanna Radio Corporation, owners of the powerful local radio broadcasting station, KNBR, 680 AM also made comments on the Draft EIR for Lido Neighborhood, Redwood Shores in Redwood City. They admitted that their broadcasts do cause interference to telephones, radios and other electronic equipment for local area residents. They suggest the use of a radio frequency filtering device. They also suggest electronic cables and wires be shielded and well grounded to minimize this interference. KNBR has been broadcasting from this site next to the KGEI property in Redwood City since 1935.

This form of radio-frequency interference is called rectification [Rubin]. It is often experienced by residents whose homes are very close to powerful radio broadcasting station towers. Radio broadcasts, especially AM, can be received by radios, telephones, televisions, VCRs and other electronic gear. It can also be received by copper piping and even drain spouts.

End.

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