AM stations going away (Canada)

Armstrong, Ontario: 1450KHz:
Hornepayne, Ontario: 1010KHz:
Mayo, Yukon: 1230KHz:

Stations moving to FM.

91.3, 92.3, and 104.9 respectively. All three are 40-watt AM LPRTs,a nd all three will be 50-watt FMs -- none of these are DX powerhouses!

VHF-Low TV in Canada

With word of the closure of an FM and two VHF-TV transmitters in western Newfoundland... it may be time to repeat a list of VHF low-band TV transmitters still operating in Canada. Here are the analog transmitters. Stations in bold face are owned by Global, which has announced these transmitters will be converted to digital by 2016. Those in italics are NTV stations which will be closed at some undetermined future date.

Ch Calls     Pr City                  ERP/ HAAT
2 CFCN-TV-16 AB Oyen                  540/  111
2 CFGC-TV-2  ON North Bay           3,400/   90
2 CFRN-TV-5  AB Lac La Biche        2,130/  104
2 CHBX-TV    ON Sault Ste. Marie  100,000/  183
2 CIII-TV-2  ON Bancroft          100,000/  390
2 CJCH-TV-5  NS Sheet Harbour         480/   71
2 CJOX-TV-1  NL Grand Bank          4,670/  117
2 CKBQ-TV    SK Melfort            11,500/  150
2 CKCO-TV-2  ON Wiarton           100,000/  286
2 CKND-TV-2  MB Minnedosa         100,000/  396
2 CKPG-TV    BC Prince George       8,300/  330
3 CFQC-TV-1  SK Stranraer         100,000/  268
3 CFRN-TV-2  AB Peace River         2,400/  170
3 CFTK-TV    BC Terrace             7,600/  454
3 CICI-TV-1  ON Elliot Lake        19,000/  123
3 CISA-TV-1  AB Burmis                225/  128
3 CITM-TV    BC 100 Mile House        720/  584
3 CITO-TV    ON Timmins            72,400/  148
3 CJCB-TV-6  NS Port Hawkesbury     5,600/   90
3 CJOM-TV    NL Argentia            2,178/  129
3 CKKM-TV    BC Oliver/Osoyoos        930/  954
3 CKLT-TV-1  NB Florenceville      19,000/  195
3 CKRN-TV-3  QC Bearn/Fabre         3,640/  166
3 CKTN-TV-3  BC Nelson                135/ -569
4 CFJC-TV    BC Kamloops            3,700/  153
4 CFRN-TV-9  AB Slave Lake            320/  336
4 CHAT-TV-1  AB Pivot               2,750/  191
4 CIII-TV-4  ON Owen Sound         20,600/  131
4 CITO-TV-3  ON Hearst              3,320/  165
4 CJCB-TV    NS Sydney            100,000/   98
4 CJCN-TV    NL Grand Falls        55,000/  183 
4 CKEM-TV-1  AB Red Deer            3,480/  230
4 CKYB-TV    MB Brandon            54,700/  407
5 CFCN-TV-4  AB Burmis                382/  334
5 CFCN-TV-9  BC Cranbrook             116/1,040
5 CFER-TV-2  QC Sept-Iles          23,000/  284
5 CFJC-TV-6  BC 100 Mile House        980/  570
5 CH4467     BC Ootsa Lake            100/  275
5 CHRO-TV    ON Pembroke          100,000/  163
5 CICI-TV    ON Sudbury           100,000/  324
5 CJDC-TV    BC Dawson Creek        5,000/  313
5 CKCW-TV-2  PE St. Edward            470/  104
6 CFQC-TV-2  SK North Battleford   16,800/  178
6 CFTK-TV-1  BC Prince Rupert       1,250/  594
6 CHAT-TV    AB Medicine Hat       30,000/  203
6 CJCB-TV-1  NS Inverness           9,400/  310
6 CJCH-TV-6  NS Caledonia          51,500/  193
6 CJOH-TV-6  ON Deseronto          55,500/  205
6 CKCK-TV-2  SK Willow Bunch       27,100/  263

And a handful of digital ones:

Ch Calls     Pr City                  ERP/ HAAT
2 CKPR-DT    ON Thunder Bay         1,200/  366
2 CKSA-DT    AB Lloydminster        8,100/  221
3 CHAU-DT-1  QC Ste. Marguerite       522/  200
4 CFTF-DT-4  QC Forestville         1,115/  124
4 CHAU-DT-7  QC Riviere-au-Renard     300/  228
4 CHFD-DT    ON Thunder Bay         1,200/  366
4 CIMT-DT-1  NB Edmundston          1,062/  117
4 CITL-DT    SK Lloydminster        9,100/  221
5 CHAU-DT    QC Carleton            5,560/  483
6 CIII-DT    ON Paris               4,000/  311 (going to ch. 17?)
6 CIII-DT-6  ON Ottawa                650/  261 (going to ch. 14?)

AM call changes

The following stations have changed calls recently:

Mobile, Alabama          1480 WTKD from WABB
Van Buren, Arkansas      1060 KRUZ from KOAI
Ocean City, Maryland     1590 WIJK from WAMS
Beverly, Massachusetts   1570 WMVX from WNSH
Glencoe, Minnesota       1310 KGLB from KTWN
Conway, New Hampshire    1050 WPQR from WBNC
Conway, New Hampshire    1340 WBNC from WPQR
Buffalo, New York         970 WDCZ from WNED
Belton, South Carolina   1390 WABB from WROP
Powell, Tennessee        1040 WWAM from WKTI
Clifton Forge, Virginia  1230 WXCF from WHTU
Seattle, Washington      1090 KFNQ from KPTK

Expanded-band format changes

There have been two recent format changes in the AM expanded band:

South Bend, Indiana: 1620KHz:
WDND sold to Fort Wayne Catholic Radio.

This group owns WLYV-1450 Fort Wayne. One might guess the nature of the programming from the name of the organization :)

---

Madison, Wisconsin: 1670KHz:
WTDY stunting with all Christmas music.

Obviously a format change is in the offing. Rumor has it this station will go all-sports after the holidays.

Station deleted (Canada)

aurorabob reports CHFA-680 Edmonton is now silent, it's moved to 90.1 FM.

From a legal standpoint it's a bit more complicated than that :) .

CHFA is the Edmonton station of the Radio-Canada Premiere Chaine, the spoken-word French-language network.

For a few years now, it's been relayed on an "embedded repeater" on 101.1 FM with about 3,900 watts of power. The repeater calls are CHFA-10-FM.

Around the same time, the second French-language service, "Espace Musique", came to Edmonton on CBCX-FM-1, on 90.1 with about 100,000 watts. CBCX-FM-1 is a relay transmitter for 89.7 Calgary.

With the recent changes: - CHFA 680 AM leaves the air. - CHFA-10-FM and CBCX-FM-1 swap transmitters & frequencies. (CHFA-10-FM is now on 90.1 with 100,000 watts; CBCX-FM-1 is now on 101.1 with 3,900 watts.)

AM station deleted

Bennettsville, South Carolina: 1550KHz:
WBSC license canceled.

AM station deleted

Weymontachie, Quebec: 750KHz
CBFG-3 requests move to FM.

Station requests move to 92.3 FM, 50w/76cm (antenna about 2 feet above average terrain) at 47-54-16N/73-46-39W.
Station relays (and will continue to relay) CBFG-FM 103.5 Chisasibi.

New AM station authorized

Rothschild, Wisconsin: 1340KHz:
Permit granted for new station.

1,000 watts day & night, non-directional.
44-53-17N/89-39-07W
Southwest of Wausau RAMS I

New AM station on the air

Conway, New Hampshire: 1340KHz:
New station WPQR on the air.

620 watts day & night, non-directional.
43-58-48N/71-06-39W
Mt. Washington Radio & Gramophone, LLC

Recent AM call changes

The following AM stations have changed calls recently:

Fresno, California        940 KFIG from KYNO
Fresno, California       1430 KYNO from KFIG
Georgetown, Kentucky     1580 WWTF from WGVN
Boston, Massachusetts    1510 WUFC from WWZN
Conway, New Hampshire    1340 WPQR (new station)
Atlantic City, N.J.      1450 WPGG from WENJ
Spindale, N. Carolina    1520 WVOH from WGMA

AM stations coming & going (Canada)

Wainwright, Alberta: 830KHz:
CKKY moving to FM.

CKKY has applied for permission to move to 101.9 FM. Such permission is nearly always granted.

---

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories: 1340KHz:
CFYK moving to FM.

CFYK has been granted permission to move to 98.9 FM.

---

Montreal, Quebec: 600KHz:
Permit granted for new station.

10,000 watts daytime
5,000 watts nighttime
If I recall properly, this is directional day & night with different patterns. It's the old CFCF facility -- CFCF changed calls to CINW & moved to 940 before permanently leaving the air.

The new station will be English news/talk.

AM station proposes major change

Peotone, Illinois: 640KHz:
New station proposes move

Birach Broadcasting, holders of a permit to build a new AM station at Terre Haute, Indiana, have requested permission to modify their permit to specify a facility that would serve Chicago. This involves a move of 206km (128 miles) to the north.

The Terre Haute facility would have run 250 watts day & night, with a directional antenna at night.

The proposal is to change the city of license to Peotone, Illinois. The transmitter would be located at 41-18-42N/87-50-08W. This is just west of Peotone, and between Kankakee and Joliet.

Power would be 4,800 watts daytime, 1,150 watts at night. A directional antenna would be used at all hours, with different patterns day & night.

This frequency became available when the previous licensee of a station on 640 at Terre Haute had their license revoked. The licensee had been convicted of serious felonies in a state court.

AM format change denied

Montreal, Quebec: 690KHz:
CKGM denied language flip

CKGM is an English-language all-sports station which recently moved from 990 to 690. The station sought permission to flip from English to French, while remaining an all-sports outlet.

Simultaneously, the station's owners sought to merge with another large Canadian broadcast group. The latter application was denied. (for reasons that have nothing to do with the Montreal language flip) The CKGM language flip request was contingent on approval of the ownership transfer; with the transfer dead, so is the move to French.

Do not assume this won't come up again -- and it is very possible it will be approved.

AM station moved to new frequency

Golden Valley, Arizona: 1170KHz:
KYET moved from 1180

City changed from Williams.
6,000 watts daytime
1 watt nighttime
non-directional all hours
35-12-47N/114-06-50W
Site is 7km west of Kingman.

AM station granted frequency change

Windsor, Ontario: 1550KHz:
CBEF granted move from 540.

This station on Radio-Canada's French-language Premiere Chaine network requires expensive repairs to the towers for its 540KHz transmission facility.

They've decided to instead use the silent facility on 1550KHz previously used by English-language station CBE. (CBE moved to 97.5 FM last year) The 1550 site is in better condition.

The 1550 facility is 10,000 watts directional, same pattern day & night, at 42-12-56N/82-55-15W. It will not adequately cover the city of Sarnia (which 540KHz does) so an FM transmitter on 98.3 with about 2,300 watts power will be installed there.

AM station requests frequency change

Asheboro, North Carolina: 700KHz:
WZOO requests move from 710.

The station would dismantle its 3-tower directional antenna and use a single tower for non-directional operation. Power would remain at 1kw, and the tower location would not change.

Recent AM call changes

The following AM stations have recently changed call letters:

Gadsden, Alabama                    1350 WTDR from WGAD
Rainbow City, Alabama                930 WGAD from WJBY
Delta, Colorado                     1400 KJYE from KDTA
Elmhurst, Illinois                  1530 WCKG from WJJG
Brazil, Indiana                     1130 WFNF from WSDX
Schenectady, New York               1240 WPTR from WVKZ
Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Is.   1090 WUVI from WGOD

AM stations deleted

The following AM stations have had their licenses cancelled recently:

WCER-900 Canton, Ohio
WSHN-1550 Fremont, Michigan
CJRN-710 Niagara Falls, Ontario

Permit granted for new station

Lebanon, Oregon: 1100KHz:
Permit granted for new station

3,900 watts daytime
1,500 watts nighttime
Directional, different patterns day & night
44-33-29N/122-49-26W
Jessica Lund

AM stations going away

Port au Choix, Newfoundland & Labrador: 790KHz:
CFNW moving to FM.

---

Plymouth, North Carolina: 1470KHz:
WJPI license cancelled.

AM station going away

La Tuque, Quebec: 1240KHz:
CFLM moving to FM

CFLM-1240 has been granted permission to move to 97.1 FM.

AM station deleted

Beverly Hills, Florida: 1560KHz:
WINV license cancelled at request of licensee.

New stations in Toronto -- and disappointed applicants

The CRTC has granted two new radio stations in the Toronto area -- and denied 23 applications.

Two applications for AM stations were denied: see post below.

Two applications for FM stations were granted:

Markham, Ontario        105.9 1,600 watts/21m     adult alternative, and 37% ethnic.
Toronto, Ontario         88.1   875 watts/328m    "Indie" rock

21 applications for FM stations were denied:

CIRR-FM                 to move from 103.9
CKFG-FM                 to move from 98.7
CHOQ-FM                 to move from 105.1
CBC                     to relay CJBC AM 860
CFZM                    to relay AM 740
2308739 Ontario Inc.    business news
7954689 Canada Inc.     news/talk
Durham Radio            easy listening
Family FM Inc.          "family friendly" variety mix
Frank Torres            blues/rock
Larche Communications   adult alternative
Michael Wekerie         adult alternative
MTSD Broadcast          ethnic
Newcap Inc.             modern adult
Radio 1540 Ltd.         ethnic
Radio Ryerson Inc.      campus
Skvakkumaran Sivapathasundaram  ethnic
Stanislaus Antony       "emerging genres"
Tosan Lee               ethnic, for English-speaking Asians
Trust Communications    religious
WorldBand Media         news/talk

All 21 proposed the use of 88.1MHz. This frequency became available when CKLN-FM's licence was revoked in January 2011. Radio Ryerson's application was an attempt to reauthorize CKLN.

New AM stations in Canada (not!)

Brampton, Ontario: 1190KHz:
New station denied for non-technical reasons.
Would have been 500 watts daytime only, with South Asian ethnic programming.

---

Markham, Ontario: 1480 & 1490KHz:
New station denied.
Would have been 1,000 watts daytime on 1480, and 500 watts nighttime on 1490.

CRTC felt this would not be the most efficient use of the spectrum, as it would be possible (presumably through use of a directional antenna) to use 1480 both daytime and nighttime. They also felt the split-frequency operation would be confusing to the audience.

AM call changes

The following AM stations have changed call letters recently:

Montgomery, Alabama     1170 WGMP  from WACV
Moultrie, Georgia       1400 WHLJ  from WHBS
Ocean City, Maryland    1590 WAMS  from WQMR
Albuquerque, New Mexico 1550 KRKE  from KIVA
Albuquerque, New Mexico 1600 KIVA  from KRKE
Buffalo, New York        970 WDCZ  from WNED

AM stations going away

Five CBC LPRTs in Alberta are moving to FM
Edson, Alberta: CBXD: from 1540 to 95.3:
Fort Vermilion, Alberta: CBKC from 1460 to 105.1:
Grande Cache, Alberta: CBWI from 1450 to 92.3:
High Level, Alberta: CBKD from 1560 to 99.5:
Rainbow Lake, Alberta: CBXX from 1240 to 101.5:

All five AM stations are 40-watt "LPRTs", and all five will remain LPRTs with 50 watts on FM.

AM station going away

St-Boniface, Manitoba: 1050KHz:
CKSB to move to FM.

CKSB-1050 is currently operating a 2,800-watt FM relayer in downtown Winnipeg on 90.5. They've applied for permission to move this FM station to 88.1 from the site southwest of the city formerly used by the CBC's analog TV stations there. The move would include a power increase to 100,000 watts.

(the TV stations ironically moved to the downtown site when they converted to digital -- however, CBC's 160kw Radio Two FM transmitter is still at the southwestern site, along with three private stations)

Assuming the power increase is granted for the FM station, the CBC will close AM 1050.

AM station moved to new frequency

Soda Springs, Idaho: 800KHz:
KBRV moved from 790
Power from 5,000 watts daytime/29 watts nighttime to 10,000 watts daytime/150 watts nighttime. Station remains non-directional all hours.

AM stations deleted

The FCC has recently deleted the following stations.  Some of these may be renewal snafus -- WHEW-1380 is definitely on the air:

Lancaster, Kentucky:     WKYY-1280
Chanhassen, Minnesota:   NEW-1200  
     (this was a permit for a new station, never built)
Fairview, Tennessee:     WPFD-850
Franklin, Tennessee:     WHEW-1380
La Follette, Tennessee:  WQLA-960
Woodbury, Tennessee:     WBRY-1540
     (this station has a FM translator which was also deleted)

And in Canada, the CBC has requested permission to silence an AM station.  They want to move it to 102.3 FM.  This move has not yet been approved, but approval is essentially guaranteed:

Coleman, Alberta:        CBXC-1450

Permit granted for new AM station

Juneau, Alaska: 1400KHz:
Permit granted for new station.

25,000 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
non-directional all hours

58-22-17N/134-37-21W

Jessica Mays Tipton Williams & James Warren Tipton III
 

Montreal is back on 690

In a post on the NRC email list, Sheldon Harvey reports CKGM-990 Montreal is testing on their new 690 frequency, with recordings of 990KHz program material.  (i.e., not parallel to 990 but the same programs, if that makes sense...)

CKGM is an English-language all-sports station.  They've requested CRTC permission to flip languages to French; the CRTC has not yet acted.

No word yet on the 940KHz frequency.

Hurricane Isaac radio coverage

WWL-870 New Orleans is providing continuous hurricane coverage.  This signal is widely available across most of the Eastern and Central U.S..  It's being simulcast on several local FM stations and WWWL-1350. 

Other reports have it WTNI-1640 Biloxi is also in hurricane mode relaying a local TV station.

And, WFAA-TV Dallas is reported to be carrying co-owned WWL-TV on a temporary subchannel.   During Katrina [u]all[/u] the Belo TV stations were reported relaying WWL-TV on subchannels -- so this may be happening in other markets besides just Dallas.

AM station proposes move to new frequency

Belen, New Mexico: 840KHz:
KARS proposes move from 860.
Power to go from 1,300 watts to 1,800 daytime, and from 186 watts to 40 nighttime.
KARS will remain non-directional but will move roughly 30km/20mi. north-northeast to 35-00-31N/106-42-52w.

AM stations deleted

Johnston City, Illinois: 810KHz:
WDDD deleted.
This station was the standard-band side of WVON-1690 in the Chicago suburb of Berwyn, 200 miles away at the other end of the state...

Jackson, Mississippi: 1590KHz:
WZRX deleted.
I remember hearing this station in Wisconsin in the 1980s with its rather unique (for AM) album rock format...

Recent call changes

The following AM stations have recently changed callsigns:

Carrville, Alabama     1130 WALQ  from WACQ

Tuskegee, Alabama       580 WACQ  from WBIL

Coral Springs, Florida 1120 WFNX  new station

Seffner, Florida       1010 WHFS  from WQYK

Twin Falls, Idaho      1270 KXQZ  from KPDA

Pikesville, Maryland   1370 WQLL  from WVIE

Schenectady, N.Y.      1240 WPTR  from WVKZ

Utica, N.Y.            1550 WUSP  from WUTQ

New AM station on the air

Evansville, Wyoming: 1580KHz:

New station KLNQ on the air.
1,000 watts daytime
220 watts nighttime
non-directional all hours
42-52-54N/106-17-13W
Douglas Broadcasting Inc.

Evansville borders Casper.

Permit granted for new AM station

Red Bluff, California: 1580KHz:
Permit granted for new station.

3,000 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
Directional only at night.
40-10-15N/122-15-51W
IHR Educational Broadcasting.

AM stations deleted

Beaver Dam, Kentucky: 1600KHz: WAIA:
Brownsville, Pennsylvania: 1130KHz: WASP:
Connellsville, Pennsylvania: 1340KHz: WBGI:
Stations deleted.  Licenses surrendered to FCC for cancellation.

New AM station on the air

Agana, Guam: 1350KHz:
New station KUSG on the air.
250 watts day & night, non-directional.
13-27-24N/144-40-20E
Management Advisory Services

Recent AM call changes

The following AM stations have recently changed callsigns:

Estes Park, Colo. 1470 KDEB  from KRBR

Golden, Colo.     1550 KDCO  from KGCQ

Johnstown, Colo.  1250 KGCQ  from KDCO

St. Louis, Mo.    1380 KXFN  from KSLG

Catoosa, Okla.    1120 KETU  from KEOR

Jasper, Tenn.      820 WTNW  from WWAM

Austin, Texas     1490 KLGO  from KFON

Canton, Texas     1510 KWJB  from KRDH

Canadian AM station going away

Winkler, Manitoba: 1570KHz:
CKMW to go silent
Moving to 103.7 FM.

Permit granted for new AM station

Grants Pass, Oregon: 830KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
5,000 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
Directional only at night.
42-26-26N/123-17-35W

Application for new AM station

Sanger, California: 1040KHz:
Application for new station:
250 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
Directional, different patterns day & night
36-43-33N/119-27-13W

Sanger is near Fresno.

Language switch proposed for AM station

Montreal, Quebec: 690KHz:
CKGM proposes switch from English to French.

CKGM-990, an English-language all-sports station, recently received approval to move to the better 690KHz frequency.

The station, not yet on 690, now requests permission to operate as a French-language station under the slogan "RDS Radio".  (RDS is a French-language cable TV sports network in Canada)

Such a move requires regulatory approval in Canada; it is by no means certain this approval will be granted.

AM station going away (Canada)

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories: 1340KHz:
CFYK moving to FM
CFYK wishes to move to 98.9 FM, 1.2kw/47m.

Applications for new AM stations (Canada)

St. Catharines, Ontario: 1220KHz:
Application for new station.
10,000 watts day & night.


Will probably use the old CHSC facilities at 43-03-23N/79-13-21W; if I recall properly this facility was directional day & night with different patterns.


Proposes a format of English "past, present and emerging artists", whatever the heck that means.

---

Montreal, Quebec: 600KHz:
Application for new station.
10,000 watts daytime; 5,000 watts nighttime. 



Will probably use the old CFCF facilities at 45-23-34N/73-41-53W; if I recall properly this facility was directional day & night with different patterns.



To be English news/talk.

New AM station on the air

Sparks, Nevada: 1060KHz
New station KFOY on the air:

10,000 watts daytime
250 watts nighttime
Directional, different patterns day & night
39-30-06N/119-44-03W
HUTH-PENNEY BROADCASTING LLC
Sparks is a Reno suburb.

Recent AM call changes

Melbourne, Florida    1560 WLZR  from WINT
Orlovista, Florida     810 WRSO  from WEUS
Augusta, Georgia      1480 WCHZ  from WGUS
Agana, Guam           1350 KUSG  new station
Cedar Falls, Iowa     1250 KCFI  from KDNZ
Waseca, Minnesota     1170 KRUE  from KOWZ
Bellevue, Nebraska    1180 KZOT  from KOIL
Omaha, Nebraska       1290 KOIL  from KKAR
Fulton, New York      1300 WOSW  from WAMF
Bayamon, Puerto Rico  1600 WCMA  from WLUZ
Humboldt, Tennessee   1190 WJPJ  from WHUN

AM station deleted

Portsmouth, Ohio: 1400KHz: WPAY deleted. Station remained off the air for over a year.

Major AM frequency change in Ontario

Windsor, Ontario: 540 & 1550 KHz: CBEF requests frequency change from 540 to 1550 The French-language Premiere Chaine station proposes to take over the transmission facility abandoned by English-language station CBE-1550 earlier this year. Inspection of the CBEF 540 towers showed serious deterioration; apparently it would be less expensive to use the old AM transmitter and abandon the AM 540 site.

Application for new AM station

Draper, Utah: 780KHz:
Application filed for new station
1,000 watts daytime
250 watts nighttime
Directional, different patterns day & night
40-38-35N/111-55-20W
RAMS III

Application for new AM station

Black Hawk, South Dakota: 860KHz:
Application for new station.
50,000 watts daytime
22,000 watts critical hours
350 watts night
directional all hours, different patterns
43-58-45N/103-05-46W
Bott Broadcasting

New AM stations

Applications have been filed for four new AM stations:

Juneau, Alaska: 1400KHz:
Application filed for new station.
25,000 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
non-directional all hours.
58-22-37N/134-37-21W
James Warren Tipton, Jr.

---

Red Bluff, California: 1580KHz:
Application filed for new station.
3,000 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
Directional at night only
40-10-15N/122-15-51W
IHR Educational Broadcasting

---

Lebanon, Oregon: 1100KHz:
Application filed for new station.
3,900 watts daytime
1,500 watts nighttime
Directional day & night, different patterns
44-33-29N/122-49-26W
Jessica Lund

---

Springville, Utah: 1580KHz:
Application filed for new station.
10,000 watts daytime
570 watts nighttime
Non-directional all hours
40-10-49N/111-38-34W
RAMS III

Same callsign, two stations?

Not sure whether this is a policy change or just a clerical error...

For years, there has been a KFMT-FM on 105.5 in Fremont, Nebraska.

On Tuesday... the FCC assigned the calls KFMT to a new FM station in Lewistown, Montana.

Now, the calls *are* different. (no -FM in Montana) However, it's not been FCC policy in the past to allow the same four-letter "base call" to be used on two different stations in the same service by using or not using the -FM or -TV suffix.*

* it *has* been permissible to use them on two different stations in *different* services -- for example, on a full-power TV station and a LPTV. (WPXJ-LP Jacksonville, Florida and WPXJ-TV Batavia, New York, for example)

Guess the (TV) station

From a mid-1960s press release. The call letters and city have been changed to make it a bit of a challenge -- everything else is as in the original: Really, if you read the right sentence, it's a dead giveaway...

"WXXX-TV, NBC, Channel 13, {city, state} announces expanded coverage beginning in early June.

A new broadcasting tower rising 2,000 feet above the surrounding terrain will make WXXX-TV the largest single NBC station in terms of geographic coverage.

The new tower will more than double the number of potential viewers in WXXX's area -- from 325,000 to 760,000. It will also add 200,000 cows to the coverage area, according to Leo Howard, station manager.

The new tower is the tallest man-made structure east of the Mississippi, according to station officials, and rises over twice as high as the world famous Eiffel Tower."

DTV channel sharing: the first step

The FCC has released the first set of rules for DTV channel sharing. As you may remember, this concept is similar to that of DTV subchannels. Indeed, from a technical standpoint, it's identical to the concept of subchannels – the only difference is that the two (or more) subchannels are licensed to and operated by different owners.

Channel sharing is voluntary.

No station will be required to split its channel. Stations must decide who they want to share with, the FCC will not assign sharing partners.

At this time, only stations participating in the incentive auction will be eligible for channel sharing. An incentive auction has been proposed that will allow stations to sell their spectrum for wireless use.

In the initial plan, if someone buys a station's spectrum, that station goes off the air. With channel sharing, that station can "move in" with another station that agreed to auction spectrum as well. Each station gets half the auction proceeds – and gets to stay in business.

Each sharing station is licensed separately.

Each station will hold a separate license and callsign. Each station is independently responsible for compliance with FCC programming regulations.

For example, assume WXXX and WYYY share a channel. WYYY decides not to keep a public file. WYYY will be sanctioned with a large fine – WXXX will not be sanctioned.

Each sharing station is entitled to the same must-carry rights on cable & satellite as they'd have if they had their own transmitter.

I have a couple of questions the FCC release doesn't answer...

What happens if there are technical violations involving the shared transmitter?

If one of the partners in a sharing arrangement loses its license (or voluntarily goes out of business) what happens to the other one?

Sharing makes strange bedfellows.

The FCC decided not to allow LPTVs to engage in channel-sharing arrangements. Only full-power and Class A stations may do so.

Strangely enough, they may share with each other. The Commission has not yet decided what to do with the technical rules if this happens. (as the vast majority of full-power stations use far more power than is allowed for a Class A.)

Strangely, they haven't decided what to do if a Class A that hasn't converted to digital yet volunteers to share. (seems to me the sharing process would inherently require the Class A station to go digital...)

Commercial and non-commercial stations may share a channel. The FCC has not yet decided whether to allow them to share a channel that's reserved for non-commercial use. However, it looks to me as if they're inclined to allow it.

The Commission anticipates future situations where a station may wish to change its city of license in order to move in with a sharing partner whose facility cannot serve the station's existing community.

Callsigns changed

The following stations have recently changed callsigns:

Anniston, Alabama      1490 WFZX from WGBZ
Turrell, Arkansas      1180 KXIQ from WPLX
Pueblo, Colorado       1350 KCCY from KDZA
Walsenburg, Colorado   1180 KSPK (new station)
Toccoa, Georgia        1420 WLET from WHTD
Brandon, Mississippi    970 WFQY from WJFN
Ellenville, New York   1370 WJIP from WRWD
Hudson, New York       1230 WHUC from WAIP
Remsen, New York       1480 WRCK from WADR
Rome, New York         1450 WKAL from WRUY
Raleigh, N. Carolina    850 WPTK from WKIX
Moore, Oklahoma         640 KWPN from WWLS
Astoria, Oregon        1230 KVAS from KKEE
Pawtucket, R.I.         550 WSJW from WBZS
Conroe, Texas           880 KJOZ from KJOJ
Uvalde, Texas          1400 KGWU from KVOU
Forks, Washington      1490 KFKB from KRKZ
Oak Harbor, Washington 1110 KRPA from KWDB

New station, new station not happening, and old station gone

Blue Diamond, Nevada: 1020KHz: Application for new station. 5,000 watts daytime 250 watts nighttime Directional, different patterns day & night 36-01-56N/115-22-44W Blue Diamond is a Las Vegas suburb.

---

Shasta Lake City, California: 1550KHz: Application for new station dismissed.

---

Eddyville, Kentucky: 900KHz: WWLK deleted. Station had been off the air for over a year.

AM station deleted

Toccoa, Georgia: 1420KHz: WLET license canceled I suspect this is not final, as the station very recently changed call letters. An Alabama FM station was recently off the air for about two weeks after a renewal snafu -- the payment of the license fee on their renewal failed to go through, and the station didn't notice. When the station found out, they promptly:

Suspended operation.

Refiled the renewal, with the fee processing this time!

Requested Special Temporary Authority to resume operation pending processing of the renewal.

The FCC has already granted the STA, and the Alabama station is already back on the air. I suspect the same thing happened to WLET.

Application for new AM station dismissed

Ottawa, Ontario: 1630KHz: Application for new station dismissed. This was to be an ethnic station, but nearly 99% of the schedule would have been in Arabic. Generally, Canadian ethnic stations are required to serve a variety of ethnic groups. Also, it was felt the station would have a serious negative impact on CJLL-FM, which makes a significant amount of its revenue on Arabic-language programs.

Recent AM call changes

AL Anniston   1490    WFZX    from WGBZ
AR Turrell    1180    KXIQ    from WPLX
CO Pueblo     1350    KCCY    from KDZA
CO Walsenburg 1180    KSPK    (new station)
GA Toccoa     1420    WLET    from WHTD
MS Brandon     970    WFQY    from WJFN
NY Ellenville 1370    WJIP    from WRWD
NY Hudson     1230    WHUC    from WAIP
NY Remsen     1480    WRCK    from WADR
NY Rome       1450    WKAL    from WRUY
NC Raleigh     850    WPTK    from WKIX
OK Moore       640    KWPN    from WWLS
OR Astoria    1230    KVAS    from KKEE
RI Pawtucket   550    WSJW    from WBZS
TX Conroe      880    KJOZ    from KJOJ
TX Uvalde     1400    KGWU    from KVOU
WA Forks      1490    KFKB    from KRKZ
WA Oak Harbor 1110    KRPA    from KWDB

Application for new station dismissed

Eagle, Idaho: 1010KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.
The facility would have been mutually-exclusive with the new station granted on the same frequency in Reno, Nevada.

AM stations deleted

Calera, Alabama: 1370KHz: WBYE deleted
Camden, Alabama: 1450KHz: WCOX deleted
Talladega, Alabama: 1230KHz: WPPT deleted
Thomasville, Georgia: 840KHz: WHGH deleted
South Haven, Michigan: 940KHz: WCSY deleted
Somerville, Tennessee: 1410KHz: WSTN deleted

WCSY & WSTN were deleted at the request of the licensees.

Permit granted for new station

Reno, Nevada: 1010KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
50,000 watts daytime
2,000 watts nighttime
2,400 watts critical hours
three different directional patterns
39-30-41N/119-42-51W
Hill & Glover Broadcasting.

Application filed for new AM station

Red Oak, North Carolina: 1190KHz:
Application filed for new station.
4,200 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
directional at night only
36-03-02N/77-56-43W
On The Map Inc.

AM stations deleted

Fulton, Kentucky: 1270KHz: WFUL:
Oak Ridge, Tennessee: 1290KHz: WATO:
Licenses canceled at request of licensees.

Permits granted for new stations

Tyonek, Alaska: 1360KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
20,000 watts non-directional day & night
60-59-08N/150-26-54W
Across the bay from Anchorage.

---

Keaau, Hawaii: 1260KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
5,000 watts daytime; 1,000 watts nighttime; non-directional all hours.
19-41-48N/155-03-05W
East of Hilo, south of the airport.

Two AM licenses go away

McComb, Mississippi: 1250KHz:
Here's the other one: WHNY goes away...

- 10/27/2000: WHNY files for Special Temporary Authority (STA) to operate at 250 watts non-directional at night, due to fire & theft damage.

- 1/30/2004: WHNY files for license renewal.
FCC Enforcement Bureau requests deferral of processing. Station had history of violations, including:
Antenna tower registration
Tower lights
Antenna not fenced
Main studio location
Failure to ID
Operating at unauthorized power

- 1/2/2005: STA expires.
WHNY fails to request extension.

- 11/19/2008: WHNY begins operating at reduced power of 250 watts at night.
Station fails to notify FCC of the reduced power operation.

- 1/18/2010: Station claims it was forced off the air by "a loss of radio frequency excitation in the transmitter."
(a pretty vague explanation that would likely have been promptly fixed by any remotely competent engineer - ds)
Station fails to notify FCC it's silent.

- 9/24/2010: WHNY claims it operated today & on the 25th.

- 10/2010: FCC attempts to inspect WHNY.
Finds station off-air and studio apparently abandoned.
Mails "Operational Status Inquiry" asking for an update on WHNY's operational status.
Notes the station has 30 days to respond, or the Commission will dismiss the pending renewal application.
Station doesn't respond. FCC's registered letter to WHNY's address of record is returned "Box Closed".

- 1/5/2011: FCC writes to station, indicating license has expired.

- 1/18/2011: WHNY license expires due to station remaining off the air since 1/18/2010.
FCC says operation in late September doesn't count, as authorized nighttime facilities were not used.

- 9/12/2011: WHNY requests Special Temporary Authority to operate with temporary antenna at 1,250/250 ND.

- 9/20/2011: WHNY files request to reinstate its license.

- 2/1/2012: WHNY files for license renewal.

- 3/26/2012: FCC rules WHNY license is expired and cannot be renewed.
Dismisses request for 1,250/250 STA and renewal application;
No WHNY license exists to be renewed.

Two AM licenses go away

Greenwood, South Carolina: 1350KHz:
WLMA is gone...


- 12/1/1995: WLMA license expires. No renewal application had been filed.

- 12/3/1996: FCC inspects WLMA.
Station is on the air, although its license is expired & no renewal has been filed.
Inspector finds station is transmitting from a site about ten miles from the last-authorized site.

- 12/23/1996: FCC issues Notice of Violation for unauthorized site change.
WLMA promises to file for construction permit to specify new site.

- 1/28/1997: FCC issues Continuation of Offical Notice of Violation.
Notice requires WLMA to show that either it's off the air; it's operating from the originally-authorized site; or it has Special Temporary Authority to operate from the new site.

- 2/28/1997: WLMA has not yet filed for CP to specify new site.

- 3/31/1997: WLMA responds to Jan. 28 Continuation of Official Notice of Violation by faxing a copy of a request for Special Temporary Authority. (STA)

- 4/4/1997: WLMA files above request for STA.

- 4/28/1997: FCC sends latter noting license has expired & continued operation is unauthorized.

- 6/10/1997: FCC dismisses request for STA for new site, noting WLMA license is expired.
Also notes STA would not cover Greenwood (WLMA's city of license);
that it would extend past the station's authorized service contour;
and that it would interfere with WELP, Easley during the day, and with WGAD, Gadsden AL and WTOU, Akron OH at night.

- 8/19/1997: WLMA files license renewal application.

- 9/15/1998: FCC verifies WLMA is still broadcasting from the wrong site.
Station still has no authority to opeate from this site.
Indeed, its license is expired, so it has no authority to operate from *either* site.

- 10/21/1998: FCC reinstates WLMA license.
FCC fines WLMA $4,000 for operating outside the terms of the license.

- 10/1998 or 11/1998: WLMA argues it can't afford to pay the $4,000 fine.

- 4/2/1999: FCC is not persuaded by WLMA's argument of poverty. Affirms $4,000 fine.

- 4/28/1999: FCC renews WLMA license.

- 1/21/2000: FCC inspects WLMA again.
Finds it's still transmitting from the wrong site.
Also finds no EAS gear.

- 2/2/2000: FCC issues another Notice of Violation.

- 3/30/2000: FCC issues Notice of Apparent Liability for $12,000.
Notes prior history of violations.

- 7/2000: FCC affirms $12,000 fine.
WLMA fails to respond to Notice of Apparent Liability.

- 10/8/2003: Complainant claims WLMA failed to reduce power at sunset as required.

- 12/1/2003: WLMA license expires *again*;
no renewal application has been filed.

- 3/2/2004: FCC informs station license has expired.

- 3/2004: after receiving above notice, WLMA files renewal application.
Also requests STA to continue operation pending consideration of renewal.

- 4/20/2004: FCC grants STA but only for operation from the licensed site.

- 10/20/2004: STA expires.

- 10/24/2004: WLMA requests extension of STA.
FCC refuses to extend it.

- 4/1/2008: WLMA files for CP to move to the site from which it's already operating.
Also proposes to sell the station to a new owner.

- 7/27/2011: WLMA files again for license renewal.

- 3/26/2012: FCC confirms WLMA is *still* operating from the unauthorized site.
FCC rules WLMA license expired on December 3, 1997 and terminates all authority to operate.

edit 2012-04-11 to correct typo: "...already operation." to "...already operating."

AM major change dismissed

Tafuna, American Samoa: 630KHz:
KJAL request to move from 585KHz dismissed.
Station would have remained 5,000 watts non-directional day & night.
KJAL will remain on 585.

Permit granted for new station

Southchase, Florida: 1540KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
7,000 watts daytime
300 watts nighttime
directional, different patterns day & night

28-23-12N/81-21-54W

South-southeast of Orlando, near the junction of Florida 417 and Landstar Boulevard.

(George M. Arroyo)

AM station moved to new city

Lobelville, Tennessee: 1570KHz:
WNKX moved from Centerville.
1,000 watts daytime
66 watts nighttime
non-directional
35-46-01N/87-49-52W

This move was necessary to allow Lobelville's FM station WFGZ-94.5 to move to Bellevue, Tennessee. (where it became "Hippie Radio" WHPY-FM)

The FCC does not allow deletion of a community's only radio station. WNKX-FM 96.7 remains in Centerville.

AM station deleted

Newark, Delaware: 1260KHz:
WNWK deleted
(license surrendered for cancellation)

AM call changes

The following AM stations have changed calls recently:

Centre, Alabama           1560 WZTQ   from WLYJ
Holt, Alabama             1340 WMHZ   new station
Sanford, Maine            1220 WWSF   from WPHX
Reno, Nevada              1180 KCKQ   new station
Rochester, New Hampshire   930 WPKX   from WGIN
Raleigh, North Carolina    570 WFNL   from WQDR
Pawtucket, Rhode Island    550 WSJW   from WBZS
Dallas, Texas             1480 KBXD   from KNIT
Kennewick, Washington     1340 KJOX   from KTCR
Yakima, Washington        1390 KTCR   from KJOX

Permit granted for new station

Walsenburg, Colorado: 1180KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
20,000 watts daytime
300 watts nighttime
directional day & night, different patterns
37-30-03N/104-50-13W

AM station deleted

Gilmer, Texas: 1060KHz:
KOFY deleted.

Proposed new FM stations in Toronto

Last year, the CRTC deleted station CKLN-FM 88.1 Toronto. As you might imagine, opening up a fairly powerful FM channel in Canada's largest media market would probably attract a LOT of applicants:

1. CIRR-FM, to move their LGBT-oriented station from 103.9 to 88.1, with a major power increase.
2. CFZM, for a station to relay AM 740.
3. CJBC, for a station to relay AM 860.
4. CKFG, to move from 98.7 and increase power.
5. CHOQ, to move from 105.1 and increase power.
6. new contemporary Christian station.
7. three applications for new adult alternative stations.
8. new "world music" station, in English.
9. three news/talk stations, one concentrating on business news.
10. a jazz/blues station.
11. a soft adult contemporary station.
12. "family friendly" variety...
13. two stations with "indie music" and "emerging genres".
14. three applications for ethnic stations.
15. An application to resurrect CKLN.....

I count a total of 22 applications.

Also filed were applications for an adult alternative station and two adult contemporary stations on other frequencies elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area.

BIG "non-test" next Saturday morning

This is a big one!

WGN-720 Chicago will be off the air between 2 and 5am Central time next Saturday, March 10th. (that's coming out of Friday night)

What's more, while it's not 100% confirmed, it is VERY probable both WSCR-670 and WBBM-780 will also be off the air during this period.

DXers are working feverishly to arrange special test broadcasts from stations normally blocked by these three Chicago powerhouses. A test has already been arranged with KOTZ-720 Kotzebue, Alaska.

Block out some time for this one, This is an opportunity that's not likely to be repeated...

Dying station running Morse IDs...

As you saw here, CKMO-900 Victoria, BC is going permanently silent sometime tomorrow, Sunday, March 4th.

DXer Walt Salmaniw in Victoria reports the station is running frequency Morse IDs -- between songs, after the news, etc...

Obviously this isn't much notice, but if you happen to have a chance to check tonight, that Morse is likely to cut through the channel pretty well. Good luck!

Applications filed for new AM stations

Mililani Town, Hawaii: 1230KHz:
Application filed for new station.
1,000 watts day & night, non-directional.
21-28-53N/158-01-40W
Americast Media

---

Keeau, Hawaii: 1260KHz:
Application filed for new station.
5,000 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
non-directional day & night
Wagenvoord Advertising Group

---

Brampton, Ontario: 1190KHz:
Application filed for new station.
500 watts daytime
Nighttime power and directional characteristics not given, but I suspect it's 500/500 non-directional.
Listed as Class C, which in the U.S. would be limited to 1230/1240/1340/1400/1450/1490KHz.

---

Markham, Ontario: 1480/1490KHz:
Application filed for new station.
1,000 watts daytime on 1480
500 watts nighttime on 1490
Directional characteristics not given.

AM station going away

CKMO-900 Victoria, BC will be going off the air at the end of the month.

The station, associated with Camosun College, started as a low-powered FM operation on 103.1. Ten years ago, commercial station CJVI-900 arranged a frequency swap with CKMO. (the commercial operator was able to significantly increase power on the FM facility) As part of the deal, CJVI agreed to cover the costs of maintaining the AM transmitter for ten years.

That period has expired, and CKMO has determined it cannot afford to maintain the AM facility.

The station will revert to online broadcasting.

AM station going away

Stettler, Alberta: 1400KHz:
CKSQ going to FM.

AM station deleted

Bogalusa, Louisiana: 1490KHz:
WIKC deleted.
Station had been silent since 2009; the Communications Act requires the FCC to delete it.

FM multistep moves: abuse of process?

The FCC has asked Radio Power, the licensee of W250BN West Allis, Wisconsin, to respond to a list of inquiries regarding the station's six-step long-haul move from Beloit. The questions: (paraphrased by me, as the originals are quite lengthy!)

1. When the application was filed for each of the five steps, did Radio Power have "reasonable assurance" that the specified site would be available?

2. How long did W250BN broadcast from each of these sites?

3. Which station was rebroadcast from each site? Did W250BN have consent from the originating station?

4. Was the station silent for more than 30 days when licensed to any of these sites?

5. What city does W250BN ultimately intend to serve, and who does it intend to rebroadcast?

(DS: the obvious answer to half of this last question is Milwaukee. Who they intend to rebroadcast I have no idea.)


The five steps:

- 98.9 Clinton, Wis.: 42-34-26N/88-52-20W, on the premises of Little Limestone Inc., at Exit 6 off I-43

- 98.7 Darien, Wis.: 42-33-44N?88-42-26W, a silo on a farm on Peters Road, Sharon

- 98.3 Como, Wis.: 42-37-05N/88-32-13W, a construction business on Hwy. 67 between Elkhorn and Williams Bay

- 98.1 East Troy, Wis.: 42-44-49N/88-26-22W, a landscape business at Exit 33 off I-43

- 97.9 West Allis, Wis.: 42-54-46N/88-11-15W, a tower on Crowbar Drive, Muskego, about a mile southwest of Exit 54 off I-43. (this tower is tall enough to be painted red & white but is NOT home to any other broadcast station)

They also want to know about "reasonable assurance" for the final step, an application to move to the tower in the Milwaukee tower farm shared by TV channels 10, 24, 30, and 36.

AM station deleted

Quincy, Florida: 1230KHz:
WWSD license canceled.

Non-commercial stations will continue to be non-commercial

A few months ago, I posted this, about a network of non-commercial FM stations which asked the FCC for permission to air commercials. The network claimed poverty -- inability to land grants and contributions necessary to fund their operation. And the FCC denied them, noting that the Communications Act (which can only be waived by Congress) prohibits the airing of commercials on non-commercial stations.

Network of Glory has now sold the stations. The buyer is American Family Radio, one of the largest (if not the largest) group owners of non-commercial religious stations.

Again, the five stations in question are:

KEJA-91.7 Cale, Ark.
WAKP-89.1 Smithboro, Ga.
KEIS-90.3 York, Nebr.
KJOG-91.1 Cleveland, Okla.
WGBQ-91.9 Lynchburg, Tenn.

EDIT: I forgot to add a subject the first time around.....

AM stations deleted

Grenada, Mississippi: 1400KHz:
West Point, Mississippi: 1450KHz:
WYKC and WROB deleted at request of licensees.

Permit granted for new station

Kahului, Hawaii: 1250KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
5,000 watts daytime
210 watts nighttime
non-directional all hours.
20-53-26N/156-29-20W
Kahului is on Maui.

AM station DENIED change to new city

Kanab, Utah: 1560KHz:
WAMI denied move from 860 at Opp, Alabama.
1560 was an amendment; the station had originally requested 1540 at a different site near Kanab.

AM call changes

The following AM stations have changed callsigns recently:

South Tucson, Arizona 1330 KWFM CC from KJLL
Oakland, California  910 KKSF CC from KNEW
Oakland, California  960 KNEW CC from KKGN
Meridian, Idaho          890 KYWN CC from KDJQ
Charleston, Illinois 1270 WRJM CC from WEIC
Denham Springs, La. 1210 WLRO CC from WSKR
Summersville, W. Va. 1230 WSGD CC for NS
New Holstein, Wis. 1530 WLWB CC from WMBE

DTV subchannels as time-sharing: FCC doesn't buy it

The FCC has denied a creative proposal to get an additional DTV subchannel on cable.

Must-carry rules allow a full-power digital TV station to require local cable systems to carry one of their program streams. The station may select which stream is entitled to carriage. However, if the station broadcasts more than one stream, only one is required to be carried.

(in many cases, stations negotiate with cable to obtain carriage for additional streams. These agreements are business contracts, not enforced by the FCC.)

ION (formerly known as "Pax" and licensee of most TV stations with the combination "PX" in their callsigns) proposed to split their licenses. They proposed to license a second station on each of their channels, and assign that license to a firm called "Urban Television LLC". The existing ION station and the new Urban station on each channel would share time, with ION using the channel part of the day and Urban using it the rest of the day.

This kind of thing has happened in the past. Growing up in Milwaukee, I remember occasionally DXing two stations sharing channel 10 in Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State University's station WMSB broadcast educational programs during the day; commercial station WILX-TV broadcast NBC and local programs in the afternoon and at night. A new timesharing situation is likely to develop in Sacramento, California in the next year or two, as two non-commercial licensees were found equally qualified, and both will receive licenses to operate on channel 43 there.

What's different in the ION case is the length of each time slot. In the WMSB/WILX case, WMSB used the channel continuously for several hours; it then signed off for the day, allowing WILX to use it continuously for the rest of the night. In ION's case, each station would operate for a few milliseconds. It would transmit one of ION's video packets, then one of Urban's audio packets, then one of Urban's video packets, then an Urban metadata packet, then an ION metadata packet, etc., etc.....

And to some degree, the FCC has on its own motion proposed doing just this. A station operating above channel 37 would give up its own channel and would share time on the transmitter of some other station operating below 37. Both stations would be entitled to a slot on cable/satellite; each would be individually responsible for what airs on their subchannel.

But in ION's case, the Commission isn't buying it. They labeled the scheme as "...a division of spectrum...", not a division of time -- and denied the license assignment.

DX Test: Ferndale, Washington

PLEASE GIVE THIS INFORMATION WIDEST POSSIBLE DISSEMINATION

DX Test Alert

KRPI Radio, 1550 kHz, Ferndale, WA will conduct a DX Test on Sunday morning, Feb. 26, 2012 from 4:00 to 4:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The test will consist of voice announcements, Morse code identifications, distinctive music, and audio tones. Chief Engineer David Harris has indicated the station will be using their daytime power and antenna pattern for the test. Reception reports and digital audio recordings may be directed to 1550radio@gmail.com. DXers can receive a KRPI QSL card for correct reception reports by sending their reports along with a self-addressed envelope and return postage to the following address: Mr. David Harris, Chief Engineer, KRPI Radio, P.O. Box 3213, Ferndale, WA 98248. Many thanks to Mr. Harris who is also amateur radio operator AC7OB. (Test arranged by J.D. Stephens and Jim Pogue)

Storms destroy AM station's tower

WKLF-980, Clanton, Alabama lost its tower in Sunday night's storms.

The station shows up as "license canceled" in FCC records, but is widely reported still operating as it appeals some issues with its last renewal.

(I should say, "still operating" until last Sunday!)

Permit granted for new station

Star, Idaho: 1020KHz:
Permit granted for new station.
10,000 watts daytime
460 watts nighttime
Directional at night only

43-43-01N/116-34-04W
Star is near Boise.

(Automated Business Services Inc.)

Two more Canadian AMs to go away

- CKMW-1570 Winkler, Manitoba has filed to move to 103.7 FM with 100kw/52m. This is probably to be on the same tower as CJEL-FM 93.5.

- The CBC proposes to move CHFA-680 Edmonton to 90.1 FM.

In theory, what's happening is:
- CHFA's current 3.9kW "embedded relay" CHFA-1-FM on 101.1FM moves to the exiting 100kw
transmitter on 90.1.
- The existing Espace Musique relay on 90.1FM moves to the old CHFA-1-FM transmitter on 101.1.
- CHFA is deleted altogether.
- CHFA-1-FM becomes the originating station for Premiere Chaine in Alberta.

In practice, what's happening is:
- CHFA moves to 90.1 FM.
- The Espace Musique relay bumped from 90.1 moves to 101.1 FM.

Either way, AM 680 goes away.

DX test scheduled in New Mexico

I apologize, I knew about this one but forgot to post it...

Thanks to Saul Chernos:

Reminder - DX Test this weekend! (that's very late tonight and tomorrow night)...

1490 KRSN NM Los Alamos

Scheduled for early Saturday and Sunday mornings, Jan. 21 and 22, each startinmg at midnight MOUNTAIN time (0700 UTC).

Each test is scheduled to run for 10 minutes.

Included are sweep tones, 20 WPM Morse code at 700 Hz, telephone 'offhook' signal, and vocal IDs & announcements provided by Paul
Walker (http://onairdj.com). Thanks, Paul!

Also included is 20 WPM Morse code at 5 kHz, so those of you with the equipment can try to detect the sidebands as CW at 1485 or 1495 kHz.

The transmitter is a Harris DAX-1 at 1000 Watts into a 3-wire folded monopole antenna located at N35° 53'37.6", W106° 17'36.8"

Preferred reception report method is via email to dxtest@krsnam1490.com - please attach an audio clip of what you heard, if possible. At least give a good description.

If you simply must use snail-mail, send your report (and a CD or cassette, if you can) to:

DX Test C/O David Sutton
3801 Arkansas Ave, Ste. E.
Los Alamos, NM, 87544

With thanks to Mike Westfall of Los Alamos, NM, for arranging this.

Saul Chernos
IRCA-NRC DX Test Committee

FLASH - DX opportunity in the East

WCBS-880 has reportedly announced they would go off the air at midnight Eastern Time, early Friday morning, January 20th, for maintenance.

DXers may also want to check WFAN-660, which shares WCBS's antenna.

One way to help relieve the national debt...

WPLY-960 Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania has been fined $17,000 for two violations of FCC regulations.

I suppose most DXers would feel that failing to keep a public inspection file would be a relatively minor violation. (even if the station admitted they never had a public file in the eleven years it was under control of the current ownership) The FCC establishes a base fine of $10,000 for this violation; and adjusted it upwards to $12,000 because there had been no public file in over eleven years.

The violation DXers would probably find more blatant is the use of an unauthorized power level and antenna system. WPLY is licensed to operate at 1,000 watts daytime, with a four-tower directional antenna. The FCC inspector found the station operating at 250 watts and using only one of the four towers. (resulting in non-directional operation) Strangely, the base fine for operating at an unauthorized power level and antenna is only $4,000. This, too, was adjusted upwards (to $5,000) because the unauthorized technical operation had also continued for eleven years...

As with other FCC actions, the station has the right to appeal the fines. They also have the right to attempt to show inability to pay. This latter action is successful more often than you might think. WPLY is in bankruptcy, so I would not be surprised if they end up paying something much less than $17,000.

DX tests scheduled in Pennsylvania

Thanks to Jim Pogue KH2AR:

PLEASE GIVE THIS INFORMATION WIDEST POSSIBLE DISSEMINATION:



DX Test Alert – WHP Radio, Harrisburg, PA



WHP Radio, 580 kHz, Harrisburg, PA will conduct a DX Test on Monday morning, Feb. 27, 2012 at 12:05, 12:33, 1:05, 1:33, 2:05, 2:33, 3:05, 3:33, 4:05 and 4:33 a.m. Eastern Time for one minute. The test will consist of voice announcements and Morse code identifications. Operations Manager R.J. Harris is also investigating the possibility of using WHP’s daytime antenna pattern during the test periods. More information regarding the DX Test will be provided as it is developed. Reception reports and digital audio recordings may be directed to RJHarris@ClearChannel.com . DXers can receive a WHP QSL card for correct reception reports by sending their reports along with a self-addressed envelope and return postage to the following address: Mr. R.J. Harris, Operations Manager, WHP Radio, 600 Corporate Circle, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Many thanks to Mr. Harris who is also amateur radio operator W3HP. (Test arranged by J.D. Stephens and Jim Pogue)







DX Test Alert – WTKT Radio, Harrisburg, PA



WTKT Radio, 1460 kHz, Harrisburg, PA will conduct a DX Test on Monday morning, Feb. 27, 2012 at 12:15, 12:45, 1:15, 1:45, 2:15, 2:45, 3:15, 3:45, 4:15 and 4:45 a.m. Eastern Time for one minute. The test will consist of voice announcements and Morse code identifications. Operations Manager R.J. Harris is also investigating the possibility of using WKTK’s daytime antenna pattern during the test periods. More information regarding the DX Test will be provided as it is developed. Reception reports and digital audio recordings may be directed to RJHarris@ClearChannel.com . DXers can receive a WKTK QSL for correct reception reports by sending their reports along with a self-addressed envelope and return postage to the following address: Mr. R.J. Harris, Operations Manager, 1460 The Ticket, c/o Clear Channel Communications, 600 Corporate Circle. Harrisburg, PA 17110. Many thanks to Mr. Harris who is also amateur radio operator W3HP. (Test arranged by J.D. Stephens and Jim Pogue)

Application for new AM station dismissed

Longwood, Florida: 890KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.
Applicant was Family Radio, which has been selling commercial-band FM stations recently & is rumored to be in financial trouble.

AM station granted move to new city & frequency

Cathedral City, California: 1200KHz:
KPSF granted move from 1220 Desert Hot Springs
5,000 watts daytime
1,300 watts nighttime
directional, different patterns day & night.
33-50-35N/116-25-39W

KPSF is a construction permit for a new station, not yet on the air.

Applications filed for new AM stations

Southchase, Florida: 1540KHz:
Application filed for new station.
7,000 watts daytime
300 watts nighttime
directional, different patterns day & night
28-23-12N/81-21-54W
George M. Arroyo

Southchase is near Orlando.

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Grants Pass, Oregon: 830KHz:
Application filed for new station.
5,000 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
directional at night only
42-26-26N/123-17-35W
Grants Pass Radio Co.

Power increase application in Canada

Ottawa, Ontario: 580KHz:
CFRA requests nighttime power increase from 10kw to 30kw.
Daytime facilities remain unchanged.

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The station claims it no longer needs to protect stations CJFX (Antigonish, N.S.), CKPR (Thunder Bay, Ontario), and CHLC. (Baie-Comeau, Quebec) The stations in question have left 580KHz AM in favor of 98.9 FM (CJFX), 91.5 FM (CKPR), and 97.1 FM. (CHLC)

Application for new AM station dismissed

Melba, Idaho: 1100KHz:
Application for new station dismissed.
(Kermit T. Stop Partnership)

AM call changes

The following stations have changed callsigns recently:

Haleyville, Alabama        1230 WWWH  from WJBB
Tucson, Arizona            1450 KTZR  from KWFM
White Hall, Arkansas       1190 KJJI  for new station; believed to be testing..
Eureka, California          790 KEJY  from KWSW
Eureka, California          980 KWSW  from KINS
Hiawassee, Georgia         1230 WJUL  from WNGM
Hilo, Hawaii               1450 KMCA  for new station
Decatur, Indiana           1540 WJZI  from WADM
Sanford, Maine             1220 WWSF  from WPHX
Baltimore, Maryland         860 WFSI  from WBGR
Morningside, Maryland      1580 WNEW  from WHFS
Isleta, New Mexico         1510 KOAZ  from KMYN
Columbus, Ohio              820 WVSG  from WOSU
Mount Angel, Oregon        1130 KQRR  from KPWX
Columbia, S. Carolina       560 WXBT  from WVOC
Newport, Tenn.             1060 WNPC  from WGGQ
Huntington, W.Va.          1200 WEMM  from WNBL
Hurricane, W.Va.           1110 WMUX  from WIHY
Stevens Point, Wis.        1010 WPCN  from WSPT
Village of Superior, Wis.  1560 WIVS  for new station

AM station moved to new city

Memphis, Tennessee: KOTC-830:
KOTC has moved from Kennett, Missouri.
New facility is 3,000 watts daytime-only, from the existing tower of WLOK-1340 at 35-07-01N/90-00-59W.

Local reports suggest the station only operated long enough to prove proper operation of the transmitter. Speculation is it may relay an existing FM station in northern Mississippi, allowing that station to install an FM translator covering Memphis. A translator owned by the station it relays may not extend the coverage of that station.

AM station deleted

Burnet, Texas: 1340KHz:
KRHC deleted, license surrendered for cancellation.

Broadcast stations: growth & not...

The FCC released their quarterly Broadcast Station Totals report today.

Full-power radio has grown in the last quarter. There are three more AM stations than there were in September -- I count six stations new to the air; apparently three old stations were deleted. The new ones:

KTFI-1340 Wendell, Idaho
KGGS-1340 Garden City, Kansas
WGUY-1230 Veazie, Maine
KKXA-1520 Snohomish, Washington
WLUX-1450 Dunbar, West Virginia
KKMP-1440 Garapan, Saipan

Twelve more commercial FM stations came on the air in the last quarter. The real growth has been in non-commercial FM, with 72 new stations, 2% growth in a single quarter.


Totals were unchanged in three of the four full-power TV categories. A new commercial VHF station (KSQA-12 Topeka, Kansas) came on the air, for the only change here.


The FCC has been "clearing out deadwood", deleting expired low-power stations in both TV and radio. In radio, fourteen FM translators and ten LPFMs have been deleted. In TV, eleven Class A stations; 62 TV translators; and 21 LPTVs have been deleted. There aren't many VHF Class A's, so the deletion of three such stations represented a more than 4% decline in this class of station.

Overall, the total number of licensed broadcast stations declined by 30 in the last quarter, leaving 30,411 stations on the air.

FCC to no longer automatically approve city-of-license changes

KTIA-FM's application to move from Boone, Iowa to Johnson has been put on hold pending clarification from the applicant.

For the FCC to approve a city-of-license change, the applicant must show that the public interest is better served by the new location. This is usually shown by selecting a new city that doesn't already have stations. The FCC feels it's more important for each community to have at least one station, than for any given community to have more than one.

Where the new community is in a metropolitan area, the applicant must show that the new community is independent of the central city of the metropolitan area.

Boone is not in any metropolitan area. Johnson is 13 miles from Des Moines and is part of the Des Moines metropolitan area. KTIA argued that Johnson is independent of Des Moines -- but the FCC isn't buying it. Maybe the most telling statistic is one KTIA itself submitted - showing that 21.4% of Johnson residents work in Johnson. The FCC noted that, by inference, more than 78% work in other parts of the Des Moines metropolitan area... They also note that if KTIA's move is approved, it will cover 78% of the metropolitan area.

Basically, the FCC regards the proposal as a proposal to move KTIA to Des Moines, not to Johnson. Since Des Moines already has plenty of stations, the FCC does not regard the move as creating a preferential arrangement of allotments.

They have not yet rejected the proposal outright. They've given KTIA 30 days to come up with some other grounds on which the application might be granted.

Don't hold your breath.

It might be noted LPFM station KFMG-LP had also filed an objection against the proposed move. KFMG is on the adjacent channel (99.1 vs. 99.3) to KTIA, and would be forced off the air (or at least to a new channel) if the KTIA move were approved. The Commission said they will not rule on KFMG's objection at this time. (they may consider it if KTIA succeeds in showing the move would create a preferential arrangement)