Alpha Media today submitted paperwork to reduce the KXRO nighttime coverage from a l kw directional two-stick array to a single-stick emitter with just 59 watts nighttime power. This is follows the typical downgrade scenario as Alpha Media already has a local FM translator on 101.7. The adjacent land holds some houses so it's likely a real-estate driven scenario.
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Washington KXRO Aberdeen Nighttime Downgrade
- Thread starter RF101
- Start date
They have been running an STA for several years on one tower and this filing makes it permanent. The original STA stated that the S tower was unusable due to theft and vandalism. Which doesn't rule out your real estate scenario, but given the depressed real estate market in that area and given that it is not really in town anyway, kind of taking them at their word here. Just doesn't make sense to repair the damage when almost everyone is likely listening to the FM translator anyway.
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Yes , it's all about the copper thieves.
Here's the latest STA extension:
Request for Extension of STA
"Alpha Media Licensee LLC (“Alpha”), licensee of KXRO(AM), Aberdeen, WA, hereby requests a further extension of the special temporary authority to continue operating KXRO non-directionally at night with reduced power due to copper theft and vandalism that left the nighttime directional antenna system inoperable. An outside vendor has been contracted to refurbish the low power transmitter, which will be the new nighttime transmitter for KXRO. While these repairs are being made, a further extension of STA is respectfully requested."
Here's the latest STA extension:
Request for Extension of STA
"Alpha Media Licensee LLC (“Alpha”), licensee of KXRO(AM), Aberdeen, WA, hereby requests a further extension of the special temporary authority to continue operating KXRO non-directionally at night with reduced power due to copper theft and vandalism that left the nighttime directional antenna system inoperable. An outside vendor has been contracted to refurbish the low power transmitter, which will be the new nighttime transmitter for KXRO. While these repairs are being made, a further extension of STA is respectfully requested."
Meanwhile their FM, KDUX, definitely doesn't seem to get out like it used to- not sure what is going on there. There were some fringe areas where I could hear them pretty clearly, but not so much in the last year or two. I realize that fringe reception is not a great concern ot broadcasters- this is just more of a general observation.
I don't recall KXRO having the best signal in the world to begin with on AM. The translator covers the Aberdeen area well, so that's probably the most important takeaway for Alpha Media. 1320 probably does reach more listeners in some of the outlying areas, but nighttime listening probably isn't much of a factor.
Last time I was out on the coast, I couldn't hear KDUX all that well either. I'm not sure what changed but it's weaker than it used to be.
Last time I was out on the coast, I couldn't hear KDUX all that well either. I'm not sure what changed but it's weaker than it used to be.
KDUX doesn't get out like it did because it's been operating at several hundred watts for 3-4 years now. I was told they would be getting a new transmitter in 2024 but that didn't happen, and now Alpha is no more... KDUX, KXXK (originally KGHO-FM), KWOK (originally KGHO), and KXRO are owned by Connoisseur Media. I'm not sure why consummation hasn't taken place yet. There were over 200 stations involved.
The AM towers are owned by Vertical Bridge, part of the sale of hundreds of Alpha towers a decade ago in order to facilitate closing on the transaction from Morris Media to Alpha. The KXXK-FM tower is also owned by Vertical Bridge.
And yes, copper theft has been a problem. Closer to the ocean near Ocean Shores, one day my wife and I were driving to Shores and noticed men working on the power lines. The men on the power lines were actually stealing the wire. Similar thing at the site of a former station of mine, KBKW. We were off air for most of a day as the PUD had to replace power lines.
And yes, copper theft has been a problem. Closer to the ocean near Ocean Shores, one day my wife and I were driving to Shores and noticed men working on the power lines. The men on the power lines were actually stealing the wire. Similar thing at the site of a former station of mine, KBKW. We were off air for most of a day as the PUD had to replace power lines.
You'd think they would at the very least file something stating that they were running at nearly no power for the past couple years! But what do I know?
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Small detail. Commission requires an Special Temporary Authorization (STA) to operate below licensed power. There are no records indicating they ever filed for an STA.
It's too bad KDUX cannot move up to Capitol Peak ; it would require an upgrade to C1 status. I think there is too much adjacent channel stuff there anyway , e.g. 104.5 Covington-Seattle, 104.9 Eatonville-Tacoma, etc. As a C2 only 1450 watts ERP would be allowed, not achieving the COL 70 dBu mark.
IMHO large parts of the AM band have become "Houston" translators in reverse.
If they did (in the theoretical world), that would probably mean that they dump their current programming in favor of something marketable to the Seattle metro. In that regard, perhaps they’re better off staying local to grays harbor (however “local” they may be in 2026). It’s too bad, because the mixture of music they focus on appeals to be far more than KZOK does these days.
Radio stations can change formats whenever they want to, but they can't move so easily. Most of the moves in Western Washington have already taken place. A few of my stations have moved over the past 15 years... 97.7 was licensed to Raymond, now Oakville; 93.7 was licensed to Montesano, now Belfair; 105.7 was licensed to South Bend, then Raymond, now Union... etc... These and other moves have made it more difficult, having to find a city (or at least a CDP) that doesn't have local service, find a frequency that will clear, etc. The more stations that move, the harder it is to score a new "move-in".
Shelton is too close to the 104.5 tower for an adjacent channel operation -- not even as a class A, let alone a C3.