The Ranch Expands in ETX

[Deleted member 108832]

KKUS Tyler, 104.1 The Ranch, has expanded its footprint. Now being rebroadcast in Longview on translator K279CI, the station can now be reliably heard in places like Gladewater, Gilmer, East Mountain, Longview, Marshall, and a large swath of the I-20 corridor. New branding, which is slowly being rolled out, is "104 1, 103 7 The Ranch". Yes, I know. How imaginative!

Anyway, K279CI has been rebroadcasting Alpha country KYKX Longview "Kicks 105 7 KYKX" since it signed on in 2017. Sister translator K291CH Tyler, which has also been rebroadcasting KYKX, has been turned off. What it will do, once restored to service, well...stay tuned.

 

[Ryan Williams]

That makes too much sense. Why is this change only happening now?!

None of the Alpha stations in Tyler broadcast in HD, correct?

 

[Deleted member 108832]

That makes too much sense. Why is this change only happening now?!

None of the Alpha stations in Tyler broadcast in HD, correct?

That is correct, Ryan. There are NO HD signals in Tyler-Longview, other than Red River Radio's KTYK (ex-KPXI), which broadcasts HD-1 through 4. I'm not sure what has changed in the Alpha brain trust. I had suggested K279CI be paired up with The Ranch at sign on, but was told because the translator is outside of KKUS's 60dBu, it could not be done. Even though, as I mentioned, K291CH technically is in the same boat, then, by rebroadcasting KYKX. That was met with a puzzled look and a shrug. Fast forward to now, K279CI (mentioned incorrectly in the new ID as K279C1) has finally, after nearly 7 years, been paired with 104.1, as it should've been done in the first place. Supposedly, when K291CH is restored, it will be to rebroadcast KOOI. Not sure why Jack, at 100kW from down at Mt. Selman, needs a translator in downtown Tyler, but KYKX didn't need it either, so...🤷‍♂️

 

[lanceventa]

That makes too much sense. Why is this change only happening now?!

None of the Alpha stations in Tyler broadcast in HD, correct?

I was told a month or two ago that KYKX was finally going HD to feed that translator. If it is not yet and 103.7 is rebroadcasting Ranch, it legally cannot.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

I was told a month or two ago that KYKX was finally going HD to feed that translator. If it is not yet and 103.7 is rebroadcasting Ranch, it legally cannot.

As of this post, that has not occurred. No HD on KYKX, and the current Ranch ID mentions only KKUS and K279CI.

Edit: I need to correct myself, KYKX is indeed in HD. HD2 is The Ranch, but no mention of "KYKX HD2 Longview" on the Ranch ID.

 

[Kent]

Edit: I need to correct myself, KYKX is indeed in HD. HD2 is The Ranch, but no mention of "KYKX HD2 Longview" on the Ranch ID.

Not that you were trying to imply otherwise, but I believe the HD2 legal ID can also be displayed in the data. So, just not hearing it wouldn't necessarily mean it's not happening.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

Not that you were trying to imply otherwise, but I believe the HD2 legal ID can also be displayed in the data. So, just not hearing it wouldn't necessarily mean it's not happening.

As of now, the RDS displays "KYXK HD" (that's not a typo on my part) on the main channel. HD2 reads out "The Ranch". Nothing else. No song titles, artists, albums, etc. As for IDs, 105.7 mentions itself and K291CH, although 106.1 is silent. The HD2 runs the OTA ID from 104.1, mentioning KKUS and K279CI (stated as K279C1).

 

[Jay S]

That’s a great move. I can’t believe it took Alpha so long to do add the KKUS simulcast.

I wonder what Alpha will do with 106.1 Tyler. Maybe 99.9 Longview is in play. They were simulcasting KTAA last time I checked. KTAA is a C1 about 10 miles from Longview. So 99.9 is redundant for them.

 

[HTX]

Maybe 99.9 Longview is in play. They were simulcasting KTAA last time I checked. KTAA is a C1 about 10 miles from Longview. So 99.9 is redundant for them.

I was in Longview for a day at the end of last year and they weren’t on. I don’t know if they normally are or if I got lucky.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

I was in Longview for a day at the end of last year and they weren’t on. I don’t know if they normally are or if I got lucky.

It's usually there, HTX. I'll give it a check next time I'm in Longview. K-Moo is much too strong at my place to catch even a whiff the translator.

 

[HTX]

It's usually there, HTX. I'll give it a check next time I'm in Longview. K-Moo is much too strong at my place to catch even a whiff the translator.

I was picking up a weak KMOO when I was there

 

[Deleted member 108832]

I was picking up a weak KMOO when I was there

Yes. Since KVUT signed on down at the school, trying to listen to K-Moo is completely useless in Tyler. Didn't pack much punch before KVUT, anyway. It's also had the KERA translator on the other side of it to contend with for the last 20 years. Thankfully, I am actually in Swan, between Tyler and Lindale. It's far enough away from Bullard and close enough to Mineola for the two to coexist next door to one another, and K261CW is no issue 6 miles north of Tyler. Of course, once you're in Lindale, KMOO becomes solid and stays that way north to Winnsboro.

 

[Jay S]

I was in Longview for a day at the end of last year and they weren’t on. I don’t know if they normally are or if I got lucky.

Now that you mention it, I recall noticing it was off the air last fall.

Supposedly, when K291CH is restored, it will be to rebroadcast KOOI. Not sure why Jack, at 100kW from down at Mt. Selman, needs a translator in downtown Tyler, but KYKX didn't need it either, so...🤷‍♂️

I guess KOOI will broadcast in HD, too, and K291CH will rebroadcast KOOI-HD2? I don’t know what broadcast on it. Perhaps it will be a new format or maybe they could lease to another broadcaster like EMF. I’m sure they would love to get Air 1 into Tyler.

 

[Jay S]

I just drove through on I-20 and US 271 and checked 99.9 and 106.1. They were both on with dead air. I think 106.1 is still running 68 W and hasn’t upgraded to 250 W yet because it was quite choppy on I-20. Could 99.9 and 106.1 debut a new format soon? Maybe they’re going to simulcast.

Perhaps we can expect “99.9/106.1 The App, East Texas’ New Rock Alternative”

 

[Jay S]

I also noticed that 99.9 appears to be running at reduced power as well. It didn’t make it to the US 271 exit. I went down FM 1844 and heard it flickering three miles from the KYKX tower (where it transmits from), looking straight at it. I can hear 103.7 all the way to Lindale, where it starts jamming KVIL. 99.9 should have the same coverage. It will be interesting to see what happens with 99.9 and 106.1.