Fm translators in Austin

[jras20]

I know this probably won't do no good at me complaining about this but I can't believe the FCC is letting these translators come in on the same dial is San antonio stations. because of K253AN KBBT is no longer listenable, and now because of K287FG I can no longer really listen to KSMG in my truck. I wouldn't be surprised if they put one on 91.3 to kill out KNCT.

 

[fredcantu]

Maybe the FCC should license a legal translator or LPFM on 90.1

 

[mmnassour]

Pbbbbtttt....I'm convinced 90.1 has a guardian angel somewhere in D.C.

 

[jras20]

Well kind of back to the topic, at least before I could be able to pick up KBBT just fine but now I can't even listen to either one of the stations. I can't believe that they would put stations that close to one another.

 

[Anonymouse]

They should move 98.5 fully back into Austin, and bring the Christian talk format back to 105.3. To have the Christian talk on only an AM station while KOKE uses all the FM translators is, well, strange. Especially since both stations are co-owned.

 

[jd]

Well kind of back to the topic, at least before I could be able to pick up KBBT just fine but now I can't even listen to either one of the stations. I can't believe that they would put stations that close to one another.

Quite simply it's because they can. Sadly the FCC allows translators to be located along the edges of a station's protected service area (in this case the 60dBu contour of KBBT): https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS...?appn=101541904&qnum=5120&copynum=1&exhcnum=1

As can be seen on the Interference Contour Study at the above link, so long as the 40dBu contour (the "interfering contour") of the translator doesn't invade the 60dBu of KBBT it fits. Note also that the same applies with co-channel KRXT in Rockdale, which clears with room to spare.

About 105.3, you'll recall that complaints by listeners of KSMG led to the translator that formerly was there moving down to 96.3. A relatively short time later (and perhaps not surprisingly) another translator took its place on 105.3 (K287FG, mentioned in your original post). Its coverage, with a directional antenna, is fairly similar to that of the original translator on the frequency. From what can be determined from public records, no complaints about interference to KSMG have been filed.

 

[wild949austin]

Well K253AN is perfectly fine where it is at. The 60dbu line for KBBT is just north of New Braunfels, so if KOKE FM went further south than that, then it would be a problem.

 

[jras20]

Well if that's the case they should put a 99.3 LP FM in Lake way.

 

[Kent]

I know this probably won't do no good at me complaining about this but I can't believe the FCC is letting these translators come in on the same dial is San antonio stations. because of K253AN KBBT is no longer listenable, and now because of K287FG I can no longer really listen to KSMG in my truck.

If you regularly listened to KBBT and KSMG in the Austin area, let the stations know that you can no longer hear them because of these translators. If they choose to pursue it, they can then force the translators to attempt to remedy the problem or go off-air. That you're slightly outside of the stations' protected contour doesn't matter. The only issue is whether or not they'd choose to pursue your complaint.

 

[fredcantu]

I remember contacting KSTX 89.1 when a translator went on the air in Austin on their frequency. I remember getting a polite reply but nothing ever came of it. The Austin translator stayed put.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Enjoy the out-of-market stations while you can. There is a big LPFM filing window next month and expect for basically any and all "open" frequencies to be applied for. When those start coming on-air, the dxing will be gone.

 

[Anonymouse]

How long will it take the FCC to grant those LP stations permits? Remember some translator applications from 2003 still haven't been cleared out.

 

[jras20]

So there going to make FM useless now. It's almost making me want to go to XM.

 

[jras20]

KBBT must of been in low power? I can get them much better now over the translator station expecailly with my directional antenna.

 

[kc4rae]

Enjoy the out-of-market stations while you can. There is a big LPFM filing window next month and expect for basically any and all "open" frequencies to be applied for. When those start coming on-air, the dxing will be gone.

DXing, at least in the sense I remember it as a kid, has been long gone. Ever since stations in small towns started moving into metros and new stations cropped up to block what little was left, it killed dxing, and radio in general, for me. I used to receive stations easily in other states many hundred of miles away. I'm lucky to get my radio to receive a station on the other side of the MSA.

 

[Anonymouse]

KBBT must of been in low power?

I haven't noticed any signal changes in a while with that station.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

DXing, at least in the sense I remember it as a kid, has been long gone. Ever since stations in small towns started moving into metros and new stations cropped up to block what little was left, it killed dxing, and radio in general, for me. I used to receive stations easily in other states many hundred of miles away. I'm lucky to get my radio to receive a station on the other side of the MSA.

DXíng is being killed by home owner associations, which have WAY too much power in Texas. Somebody decided antennas are unsightly, so they prohibit them. The other thing killing DXíng is that there is no stations within DX range that is fit to listen to, after corporate formats have dumbed down creativity, corporate greed dictates that people over 55 are not worthy of having stations formatted for them, and formats like smooth jazz are blown up in favor of more and more foreign language, talk, and sports programming. FM just isn't fun any more.

That said - Houston FM is so horrifically bad (except HD-2 formats) that about the only non-HD-2 on my presets is 103.5 Bob-FM, which might be overlooked for the most part in Austin, but is better than almost anything on the air in Houston. So I guess that is DX.

 

[Robert Mezzetti]

I Miss Hearing Magic 105.3 From SanAntonio I Also Loved Hearing Candy 95.1 College Station I Wish I Was Able To Get KTHT 97.1 Houston's Only Home For The Country Legends

 

[davideduardo]

That is not corporate greed. That is the reality of selling advertising.

And if anyone is to "blame" its the advertisers, not radio stations. There are just not enough ad buys for over-55 demos to sustain any format that depends solely on seniors.

...and formats like smooth jazz are blown up in favor of more and more foreign language, talk, and sports programming. FM just isn't fun any more.

Smooth Jazz was not "blown up" but, rather, declined in listening in all age groups and lost nearly all its under-55 listening so that there was no way for a commercial station to sustain the format.

And I'll bet the listeners to radio in the historical language of Tejas, and the sports fans and the talk junkies find radio to be plenty of fun.

That said - Houston FM is so horrifically bad (except HD-2 formats) that about the only non-HD-2 on my presets is 103.5 Bob-FM, which might be overlooked for the most part in Austin, but is better than almost anything on the air in Houston. So I guess that is DX.

 

[Anonymouse]

That is not corporate greed. That is the reality of selling advertising.

And if anyone is to "blame" its the advertisers, not radio stations. There are just not enough ad buys for over-55 demos to sustain any format that depends solely on seniors.

Well for KAHL and it's three FM repeaters there is! Although on KAHL I've been hearing a lot more modern classic rock than before.