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KHHT 98.9 Mettler (Kern County)

D

derek20la

A new station started broadcasting today, 98.9 licensed to Mettler. Its Class A station, 225 watts, broadcasting from the top of the Grapevine (4888' above sea level, 1647' HAAT).

I noticed it first sign on, because at the time I was listening to KSOF 98.9 from Fresno. Now, here in Bakersfield, neither station comes in clearly.
The license for this station was granted on 12/31/2016, so I guess it took them until now to actually make it on the air.

Just what the FM dial needed, more co-channel interference.
 
i don't usually complain about the squeezing in of too many new signals. Yes, I remember the days of a wide open band when 200 mile reception was not uncommon and I miss that, but FM DXing can be about more than just 'longest distance'. That said, I do see this new 98.9 @ Mettler as being a pointless waste.
 
Agreed, it is pointless, especially because it's co-channel interference within line of sight to Eshom Point.
KHHT would have been better off in the low foothills. From 4,888 feet, it's fighting a losing battle with KSOF.

A similar situation exists here in Kern County with 94.9 KXTT from Maricopa versus 94.9 KBOS from Fresno.
KBOS is 16,500 watts from 5,289 feet, whereas KXTT has their 6,000 watt transmitter on the valley floor (1,916 ASL, 312 HAAT).

KXTT's signal fills the valley "bowl" around Bakersfield nicely, but as soon as you gain elevation (especially up the Grapevine), KBOS takes over again.
 
KHHT has the same owners as KZLA Huron and others. KHHT is for sale - but not cheap. The Group has way more stations all over the place. They let a CP for 103.3 as a full class C in Alturas, Ca that they got in an auction -- go to ground and expire rather then sell it.
 
derek20la said:
Per that link, the distance required between a Class A (KKBT) and Class B (KSOF) on the same frequency is 111 miles. The distance between those two stations' transmitters is 119.5 miles. So while it's technically allowed, it's still stupid.
Click to expand...

Stations that have good sites that have a high elevation like Eshom Point and many others, and due to the Average Height Above Terrain calculations on those sites the actual can be much lower, Eshom Point is calculated to be more than 3000 ft lower, so on paper it looks like it works, but in reality it doesn't.
 
DanielBoone said:
Yes! Including 104.3 KJOI that serves Biola. NICE!
Click to expand...

Also, a 93.7 LP station (250 watts) Spanish format out of Shafter has been added just recently. Puts a damper on Kiss Country 93.7. Just noticed it while going through Bakersfield, but forgot to mention it.
 
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DanielBoone said:
Also, a 93.7 LP station (250 watts) Spanish format out of Shafter has been added just recently. Puts a damper on Kiss Country 93.7. Just noticed it while going through Bakersfield, but forgot to mention it.
Click to expand...

LPFM stations are limited to 100 watts. It's translators that can go up to 250 watts, maximum.
 
derek20la said:
Per that link, the distance required between a Class A (KKBT) and Class B (KSOF) on the same frequency is 111 miles. The distance between those two stations' transmitters is 119.5 miles. So while it's technically allowed, it's still stupid.
Click to expand...

I used to work for a station in a similar situation.

KHSL (B1) and KHHM (A) have been this way for over 25 years in the Sacramento valley. My home is inside the 60 contur of KHHM and I often hear KHSL crash into KHHM. Never made any sense to me, both stations suffer.
 
stewie said:
I used to work for a station in a similar situation.

KHSL (B1) and KHHM (A) have been this way for over 25 years in the Sacramento valley. My home is inside the 60 contur of KHHM and I often hear KHSL crash into KHHM. Never made any sense to me, both stations suffer.
Click to expand...

There are two stations that are close to crashing into each other, usually just north of Lodi coming into Galt: 105.5 KSAC and 105.5 KRVR. I wonder what is more important.....A river? Or money? I would think the latter you get my drift.
 
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KHHT was testing again today (playing classical music).
Even from 4,900' AMSL, their 225w signal can't even reach to southern Bakersfield (near Panama Lane) without lots of interference from KSOF. I imagine the static and crash zones quickly get worse further north.

If the owners want a listenable station, they should move to a much lower elevation with more power, so the signal can fill the "bowl" of the southern valley much the same way 94.9 and now 93.7 actually cover up other stations sharing those frequencies with a quality signal.

As it is now, KHHT's main coverage area consists of the Mettler-Arvin-Lebec metropolis -- I bet there's just tons of money to be made in that area!
 
Most of the time, 98.9 KHHT is off-the-air... but tonight the station is on, playing a combo of soft rock and R&B from the 1990s.
Reception here in Nw Bakersfield is better than the last two times they were testing but still with some static. Ironically, I can still receive KSOF's digital signal perfectly (HD1 and HD2), but with analog audio from KHHT.

Do they have to broadcast every once in awhile in order to retain their license?


Side question:
88.7 KBLV/Tehachapi (k-love) is a 390 watt station with a transmitter on top of Breckenridge Mountain, elev 7,703'.
They have a 20 watt Class D translator from the same location, 96.9 K245CJ, with a directional antenna covering Lake Isabella.
There's now a construction permit for another translator, again at the same location, but on 107.5 for 110 watts directed west towards Bakersfield.

How does a station transmitting from 7,700 feet need two translators from the exact same location? What coverage gaps are they supposedly filling?
It seems like the radio equivalent of spam to me.
 
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