Interference complaints against KKDJ (K259CF) & FCC letter

[brucearmstrong65]

Gary Cocola's KKDJ 99.7 FM (K259CF) is the subject of an interference complaint filed by another radio station.

The complaint, with supporting listener declarations, was submitted to the FCC on July 18th by the law firm representing Bott Radio Network. Bott owns KCIV 99.9 FM (Mt. Bullion, CA), which is the first-adjacent channel to KKDJ.

A subsequent letter from the FCC to Cocola/K259CF ordered Licensee to file an Interference Response to each listener complaint supplied by Bott, and gives the station 30 days from August 6 to address the interference and to respond to each complaint.

The Bott Communications complaint, with declarations: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=87099

The FCC letter to Cocola/K259CF: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=87154

 

[kenrayc]

Gary Cocola's KKDJ 99.7 FM (K259CF) is the subject of an interference complaint filed by another radio station.

The complaint, with supporting listener declarations, was submitted to the FCC on July 18th by the law firm representing Bott Radio Network. Bott owns KCIV 99.9 FM (Mt. Bullion, CA), which is the first-adjacent channel to KKDJ.

A subsequent letter from the FCC to Cocola/K259CF ordered Licensee to file an Interference Response to each listener complaint supplied by Bott, and gives the station 30 days from August 6 to address the interference and to respond to each complaint.

The Bott Communications complaint, with declarations: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=87099

The FCC letter to Cocola/K259CF: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=87154

I wonder if KIOO 99.7 Porterville will do the same.

 

[brucearmstrong65]

Don't know - nothing's been done officially yet, or at least nothing is on the FCC website.

 

[brettbutlerisok]

That's a fun read! My favorite quote is from Betty, "I can kinda get it in my bedroom."

 

[engineer1]

That's a fun read! My favorite quote is from Betty, "I can kinda get it in my bedroom."

If you look at the 54 dB contour from these stations this translator is well within legal range. There are many interference complaints filed all over the country the FCC takes these seriously but follows the law. There are very few instances that these go anywhere , According to the FCC paperwork K259cf is 100% legal and within its legal limits. it seems that Bott gets into Fresno due to their height and great transmitter location but legally they have no 60 or 54 dB contour in Fresburg. I would bet Mr Cocolas lawyer is all over this

 

[DaveBayArea]

If you look at the 54 dB contour from these stations this translator is well within legal range. There are many interference complaints filed all over the country the FCC takes these seriously but follows the law. There are very few instances that these go anywhere , According to the FCC paperwork K259cf is 100% legal and within its legal limits. it seems that Bott gets into Fresno due to their height and great transmitter location but legally they have no 60 or 54 dB contour in Fresburg. I would bet Mr Cocolas lawyer is all over this

It will be interesting to see what happens here. We had something similar happen in Sacramento with an LPFM station on 92.1. The licensed full-power station prevailed over the secondary service in that instance. The argument was exactly the same. Longley-Rice vs FCC predicted contours.

Dave B.

 

[engineer1]

It will be interesting to see what happens here. We had something similar happen in Sacramento with an LPFM station on 92.1. The licensed full-power station prevailed over the secondary service in that instance. The argument was exactly the same. Longley-Rice vs FCC predicted contours.

Dave B.

Yes but that’s an Lpfm not a translator

 

[beej65]

Doesn't matter what the contours of KCIV are, if they have listeners that are being interfered with by a new, and especially secondary station, the onus is on the new station to resolve the interference.

Why is 99.7 bleeding over into 99.9 at all? Time for a new transmitter already?

 

[DaveBayArea]

Doesn't matter what the contours of KCIV are, if they have listeners that are being interfered with by a new, and especially secondary station, the onus is on the new station to resolve the interference.

Why is 99.7 bleeding over into 99.9 at all? Time for a new transmitter already?

1st adjacent channels can have problems in a lot of radios if the interference is much stronger than the desired signal. If you read through that list of complaints they're also complaining about stations that are farther away than 1st adjacent in some cases. I can believe that a transmitter operating within their authorized channel and accurately on frequency could cause interference locally. That translator is 180 watts. Not exactly low power.

While I fully admit that I'm not familiar with the area, mapping data shows that KCIV should indeed be pretty strong in Fresno. Can someone there tell me what they're broadcasting? Sounds like it might be time-brokered religion. Even with a strong signal their actual listenership is probably quite low. Might be cost-effective for KKDJ to solve each interference case individually.

Dave B.

 

[kenrayc]

1st adjacent channels can have problems in a lot of radios if the interference is much stronger than the desired signal. If you read through that list of complaints they're also complaining about stations that are farther away than 1st adjacent in some cases. I can believe that a transmitter operating within their authorized channel and accurately on frequency could cause interference locally. That translator is 180 watts. Not exactly low power.

While I fully admit that I'm not familiar with the area, mapping data shows that KCIV should indeed be pretty strong in Fresno. Can someone there tell me what they're broadcasting? Sounds like it might be time-brokered religion. Even with a strong signal their actual listenership is probably quite low. Might be cost-effective for KKDJ to solve each interference case individually.

Dave B.

Very true, today delivery driving thoughout Fresno and Clovis I had no problem with the separation with KKDJ 99.7 and KCIV 99.9, but I wasn't at Blackstone and Holland today, and I have no problem with 104.7 KHTN Merced, 104.9 KCRZ Visalia, and KKBZ 105.1 Auberry all adjacent and Line of Sight, it depends on your radio and antenna. and DaveBayArea KCIV has a religion format.

 

[brettbutlerisok]

If you look at the 54 dB contour from these stations this translator is well within legal range. There are many interference complaints filed all over the country the FCC takes these seriously but follows the law. There are very few instances that these go anywhere , According to the FCC paperwork K259cf is 100% legal and within its legal limits. it seems that Bott gets into Fresno due to their height and great transmitter location but legally they have no 60 or 54 dB contour in Fresburg. I would bet Mr Cocolas lawyer is all over this

However as you can see in both letters the type of translator station that K259cf is prohibit it from creating interference at all, to any station regardless of protected contours. Does this mean the end of K259cf? No, but it probably does mean a move of the transmitter back to south Fresno, the stations COL in the first place.

 

[engineer1]

Driving the signal in Fresno for 99.7 and 99.9

However as you can see in both letters the type of translator station that K259cf is prohibit it from creating interference at all, to any station regardless of protected contours. Does this mean the end of K259cf? No, but it probably does mean a move of the transmitter back to south Fresno, the stations COL in the first place.

I drove for two hours all over absolutely no problem in my Chevy car radio except for the parking lot of the drum shop where the antenna is no interference on 99.9 at all .. around a 8 mile radius .If someone is having a problem must be some cheap or old radio 99.9 comes in better than 99.7 in many instances also 99.7 from Porterville is bleeding over in downtown Fresno. But absolutely no interference problems in Fresno or Clovis and I have a powerful car receiver.

 

[ExKynoJox]

I drove for two hours all over absolutely no problem in my Chevy car radio except for the parking lot of the drum shop where the antenna is no interference on 99.9 at all .. around a 8 mile radius .If someone is having a problem must be some cheap or old radio 99.9 comes in better than 99.7 in many instances also 99.7 from Porterville is bleeding over in downtown Fresno. But absolutely no interference problems in Fresno or Clovis and I have a powerful car receiver.

Bott Broadcasting is a heavyweight in Christian Broadcasting that put fear into KRDU, which was a cash cow for years. If they decide to turn up the heat, and knowing the profitability of KCIV, I expect they will, this is going to be interesting. Time to move that translator back to South Fresno....

 

[kenrayc]

Bott Broadcasting is a heavyweight in Christian Broadcasting that put fear into KRDU, which was a cash cow for years. If they decide to turn up the heat, and knowing the profitability of KCIV, I expect they will, this is going to be interesting. Time to move that translator back to South Fresno....

KKDJ could apply for a freq. change, 93.3, 102.3, 104.5 or 106.5 could be a possibility.

 

[DaveBayArea]

KKDJ could apply for a freq. change, 93.3, 102.3, 104.5 or 106.5 could be a possibility.

Indeed. This may be the best thing that could happen to K259CF. Under normal circumstances a minor change must be 3 channels away, 10.6, or 10.8 MHz. If a translator must change frequency to resolve an interference complaint then a minor change may be to any other frequency.

Dave B.

 

[mofocat]

"KKDJ could apply for a freq. change, 93.3, 102.3, 104.5 or 106.5 could be a possibility."
I think there is an LPFM in the works on 93.3, maybe someone can check on that.1300AM has a CP for a translator on 104.5, I believe. On 106.5 KJUG could do the same thing KCIV is doing. It looks like 102.3 may be the best option.

 

[DanielBoone]

I wonder if KIOO 99.7 Porterville will do the same.

I hope so! And I hope 103.9 KDJK will do the same for the 103.7 HD2 in Fresno.

There is just simply too much of this crap going on, all over the valley!

 

[kenrayc]

Indeed. This may be the best thing that could happen to K259CF. Under normal circumstances a minor change must be 3 channels away, 10.6, or 10.8 MHz. If a translator must change frequency to resolve an interference complaint then a minor change may be to any other frequency.

Dave B.

The 3 Channels away seems to be not a thing any more, even the current KKDJ 99.7 is 5 miles from 99.3 KWDO a 16K B1 station.

 

[kenrayc]

"KKDJ could apply for a freq. change, 93.3, 102.3, 104.5 or 106.5 could be a possibility."
I think there is an LPFM in the works on 93.3, maybe someone can check on that.1300AM has a CP for a translator on 104.5, I believe. On 106.5 KJUG could do the same thing KCIV is doing. It looks like 102.3 may be the best option.

I think that station on 93.3 is a bootleg station heard mainly in Old Town Clovis, plays Country and other off the wall stuff with no station ID anytime, not sure about the CP for 104.5 for 1300 AM, don't see it anywhere, but I do think 102.3 would be better, the only station is KBLO Corcoran and is on the Valley floor and has a worst signal than KIOO 99.7 , they should have gone for that in the first place.

 

[DaveBayArea]

The 3 Channels away seems to be not a thing any more, even the current KKDJ 99.7 is 5 miles from 99.3 KWDO a 16K B1 station.

Sorry Ken - I should have been more clear. I was referring to a part of section 74.1233, regarding major changes vs minor changes. A minor change may be applied for any time, while a major change must wait for a filing window. The text reads as follows:

"For FM translator stations, a major change is any change in frequency (output channel) except changes to first, second or third adjacent channels, or intermediate frequency channels, and any change in antenna location where the station would not continue to provide 1 mV/m service to some portion of its previously authorized 1 mV/m service area. In addition, any change in frequency relocating an unbuilt station from the non-reserved band to the reserved band, or from the reserved band to the non-reserved band, will be considered major. All other changes will be considered minor."

This is waived if there is an interference complaint, meaning in this case K259CF should be able to change their frequency of operation to any available FM channel. I don't know the area, but others on this board obviously do, and it sounds like there are better frequencies than 99.7 out there.

Dave B.