Radio Insight reports in their station sales column today that the Spanish Christian operator running 93.7 is buying a couple translators to rebroadcast 1210, which they are apparently operating. Does anyone have any idea when this happened? The return of that station to the air didn't get any coverage at all that I'm aware of, I thought maybe Bustos activated it last March to keep the license, but it was otherwise still off the air. Also, is 1460 still off the air? It looks like they're losing their translator in this deal.
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1210 AM
- Thread starter bobdavcav
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I simply can't imagine 1460 to be a cheap, stress-free hobby.
I mean, don't get me wrong. A fully licensed terrestrial radio station is still the very peak of badassery in modern MP3 stereo systems, even in 2022. Or at least in this case, it got out a little further than Bluetooth.
But I think the engineer guy who owned it was just pretty much maintaining the license in the hopes someone would buy everything, 1460 and 98.5. But Uncle Charlie wants a real tower. Now. (I think it was running something like 20 watts off an old telephone wire.) And enough crazy residential power bills take their toll and hey, $650,000 just for a 250 watt whatever is SWEET.
I really think KRIZ should move to 1460. In spite of the nighttime KUTI problem on 1460, it isn't as bad as the KITI/KUJ problem on 1420, which plows into Seattle around sunset.
I mean, don't get me wrong. A fully licensed terrestrial radio station is still the very peak of badassery in modern MP3 stereo systems, even in 2022. Or at least in this case, it got out a little further than Bluetooth.
But I think the engineer guy who owned it was just pretty much maintaining the license in the hopes someone would buy everything, 1460 and 98.5. But Uncle Charlie wants a real tower. Now. (I think it was running something like 20 watts off an old telephone wire.) And enough crazy residential power bills take their toll and hey, $650,000 just for a 250 watt whatever is SWEET.
I really think KRIZ should move to 1460. In spite of the nighttime KUTI problem on 1460, it isn't as bad as the KITI/KUJ problem on 1420, which plows into Seattle around sunset.
You would be correct. Once one becomes a one-off station owner, especially these days, the reality of keeping things afloat is more stressful than you'd ever imagine. There are so many once-successful small market station groups in Washington State alone, now in bankruptcy or receivership, it's inconceivable how someone would make a go of it.
It's one thing being a listener, hobbyist, or arm chair PD. It's quite another having to pay the bills each month.
I really think KRIZ should move to 1460. In spite of the nighttime KUTI problem on 1460, it isn't as bad as the KITI/KUJ problem on 1420, which plows into Seattle around sunset.
Don't know if you have checked it out lately, but KUJ is not much of a skywave problem any more. They are now only 900w omni since they shut down their directional array.
Can't speak to the KITI issue, though.
Don't know if you have checked it out lately, but KUJ is not much of a skywave problem any more. They are now only 900w omni since they shut down their directional array.
Can't speak to the KITI issue, though.
KITI is listenable up here in central Alaska most nights for a minute or three at a time on and off all night
The issue is that these small AMs just don’t do much in terms of reception or coverage anymore. With the current noise floor on the AM band, it seems like it would be really difficult for small signals to make it.
That's the problem though. Many can't be heard even 30 miles from their transmission site. Especially at night.
Totally, but its fun. I've had Seattles 1210 up here once. Had 1250 the other night. Also 1230 once... 1590. along with all the bigger guns
I was referring to “make it” in the capacity of succeeding as a business.
On the other hand, I bet I can count the fingers of one hand (and I might not even need all ten), of KRIZ-1420 listeners. What a horrible signal it has out of Seattle proper. I could *barely* pick them up in Bothell. KYIZ-1620 isn't even that great in Snohomish County. KRIZ is now Black Gospel (KZIZ's old format), but they used to play Blues music years ago. KYIZ has always been Z-Twins Urban AC, a format that I personally enjoy, but too bad it doesn't have a stereo FM translator somewhere in the Seattle area. Compared to KNTS-1680, their X-Band signal is terrible.
At this point, I think the only AM signals that are truly “viable” in the Seattle market are 570, 710, 770, 820, 880, 950, 1000, 1050, 1090, 1360 (for south sound focused coverage), and 1590.
Most of the other stations in between are pretty hard to pick up, even on a good quality car radio today. Common themes here are are clear channel signals, signals with a prime dial position, or a strong daytime power output that is enough to provide a reliable signal distant from the transmitter site.
Most of the other stations in between are pretty hard to pick up, even on a good quality car radio today. Common themes here are are clear channel signals, signals with a prime dial position, or a strong daytime power output that is enough to provide a reliable signal distant from the transmitter site.
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as another side note, 1360 almost bombs in here nightly. It's listenable most nights for at least a few minutes at a time and oftne, but not always is just pounding in.
Next to KO..KNWN, its the most common Seattle area signal for me
I don't know how 1620 gets out in the rest of SKC, but it's definitely powerful in the northern half of it. And remember, a lot of African-Americans (seemingly their core audience) left South Seattle during the gentrification that started happening in the late 1990s. They moved to Kent, Burien, Sea-Tac, Renton, Skyway, Federal Way, etc.
Agree with Crainbebo that an FM translator would probably help them.
I'm not sure how many listeners 1420 KRIZ would have. African-Americans are more heavily 'churched' than other American ethnicities, so maybe that helps keep them in listeners. But they've survived the 2009 recession and the pandemic woes, so they must have some way of staying in business. I'm sure KYIZ and KBMS (Portland, also owned by Mr. Bennett) probably have more success so that helps keep 1420 on the air, doing its thing.
Agree with Crainbebo that an FM translator would probably help them.
I'm not sure how many listeners 1420 KRIZ would have. African-Americans are more heavily 'churched' than other American ethnicities, so maybe that helps keep them in listeners. But they've survived the 2009 recession and the pandemic woes, so they must have some way of staying in business. I'm sure KYIZ and KBMS (Portland, also owned by Mr. Bennett) probably have more success so that helps keep 1420 on the air, doing its thing.
I'd swap 1050 for 630 in your list, but otherwise I completely agree. The 1050 signal is fine during the day, but can be difficult to pick up at night. I also think 1250 could be viable, but for all of my life I feel like it's been a "we don't know what to do with this signal so here's programming that can keep it on the air" kind of signal.
I don't know that 1250 has been all that competitive since it was KTW!
1250 KKDZ The station is operating with 1,250 watts non directional at night from it's daytime tower site after losing the lease on its night site. Normally, KKDZ is 5KW Non directional from 12am to local sunset (that hasnt changed) and goes to the 5KW DA from Sunset to 12midnight to protect KWSU Pullman, WA until it signs off at midnight.
Famed Seattle broadcast engineer Stephen Lockwood is rebuilding the night array
Well, not just one off. But one-staffed. GM/PD/Announcer/Sales/Engineering/Receptionist. The only thing dude wasn't doing it on was a unicycle. The last thing he was running on it was some Fox News audio thing
KITI is the dominant one. KUJ was a problem more often in the summer.
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