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106.1 K-Breeze: A Foul Wind Blowin'

Okay, here's how KBreeze sports radio claims it is legal. They say their SW Houston studio feeds an HD subchannel of 89.9 KQVI-FM down in Cedar Lake, Texas. They claim this signal is received in Rosenberg, and sent out on 106.1 K291CE.

Points To Ponder...

1. The predicted coverage map shows KQVI doesn't even reach Wharton/El Campo, let alone Rosenberg. http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=KQVI&service=FM&status=L&hours=U

2. KQVI is on 89.9 -- the noncommercial part of the band. Can an NCE lease its subchannels for commercial programming?

3. I have listened to K291CE for hours and have never heard any id other than "106.1 KBreeze Sports Radio. We Are Family."
 
Yeah no way that's happening. This would be a non fill in translator. The HD 2 signal coverage of KQVI would be probably as large as their 60 dbu analog coverage area so there's no way they are receiving the signal off the air up in Rosenberg.

Is KQVI even broadcasting in HD? Does anyone live near there that can verify this? Ibiquity isn't showing that they have an HD technology license.
 
I smell that foul wind

K291CE would be considered a non fill in translator since it's coverage area extends outside the service contour of KQVI. Non fill in translators must receive the primary stations signal off the air. This includes the HD channels. If K291CE was in the non commercial band it then could receive the programming of KQVI via alternative methods such as internet or satellite but being that it's on 106.1 it would have to receive KQVI directly over the air. The HD 2 coverage area of KQVI would be around the same coverage area as their analog 60 dbu contour. That is no where near Rosenberg to be received over the air reliably. Is KQVI really broadcasting in HD? Is there anyone near that area that can verify this? I don't see anything about them having a technology license from iBiquity Digital listed on their website.

NCE stations may lease out their HD channels, however, the commercial use is limited. The main programming must always be non-commercial.

As for the legal ID, they would have to identify the station as KQVI HD2 Cedar Lake and of course if it was being relayed on K291CE you'd hear it over the air on 106.1 FM. What you "might" not hear would be a legal ID for K291CE if they have elected to identify the translator via FSK (frequency shift keying). The frequencies used are inaudible over the air.
 
Have you listen to KQVI? Have you heard their HD sub channel? If you really want something interesting, try investigating KQVI.
 
I tried to post this a couple of times since Friday but none have seem to go through unregistered as a guest so I had to create an account.

93QClassic.com - I pondered your 3 points and this is my conclusion. I say you are correct to question their validity into being in legal compliance with the rules set forth by the FCC.

K291CE would be considered a non fill in translator since the coverage area of it extends outside the service contour of KQVI. Non fill in translators must receive the primary stations signal off the air. This includes the HD channels. If K291CE was in the non commercial band it then could receive the programming of KQVI via alternative methods such as internet or satellite but being that it's on 106.1 it would have to receive KQVI directly over the air. The HD 2 coverage area of KQVI would be around the same coverage area as their analog 60 dbu contour. That is no where near Rosenberg to be received over the air reliably. Is KQVI really broadcasting in HD? Is there anyone near that area that can verify this? I don't see anything about them having a technology license from iBiquity Digital listed on their website.


NCE stations may lease out their HD channels, however, the commercial use is limited. The main programming must always be non-commercial.


As for the legal ID, they would have to identify the station as KQVI HD2 Cedar Lake and of course if it was being relayed on K291CE you'd hear it over the air on 106.1 FM. What you "might" not hear would be a legal ID for K291CE if they have elected to identify the translator via FSK (frequency shift keying). The frequencies used are inaudible over the air.
 
I recently had a lengthy conversation with their engineer, and then confirmed the legality of the situation with the FCC. They now have a signed contract to become a translator for KMJQ's soon-to-be-on-the air HD3 signal. Moreover, the 106.1 signal will be allowed to move to a Senior Road tower. Given the remarkable coverage of the 99 watt translator on 95.1 from such a height, one can expect that 250 watts will be heard throughout the city.

I'm told they intend to have a playlist of at least 2500 songs. So, finally, Houston will have the classic hits station everyone wants.
 
Scott is correct. A noncommercial station may lease an HD subchannel but only for noncommercial purposes. There is, or at least was, a case of a commercial station leasing a subchannel to a noncommercial entity, which feeds a translator in the noncomm band. I've been told this, too, is legal so long as the subchannel airs only noncommercial programming. The person who explained this to me wasn't a communications lawyer, but the FCC approved the arrangement, which was clearly explained on the application. The translator is W210CD.
 
93QClassic.com said:
I recently had a lengthy conversation with their engineer, and then confirmed the legality of the situation with the FCC. They now have a signed contract to become a translator for KMJQ's soon-to-be-on-the air HD3 signal. Moreover, the 106.1 signal will be allowed to move to a Senior Road tower. Given the remarkable coverage of the 99 watt translator on 95.1 from such a height, one can expect that 250 watts will be heard throughout the city.

I'm told they intend to have a playlist of at least 2500 songs. So, finally, Houston will have the classic hits station everyone wants.
Click to expand...

Now if only they will fix their darn audio and put it in stereo!
 
Someone needs to read the info on the FCC database. K291CE has a CP for 250w at 83m AGL...just covering Rosenberg.

However, they have an APP (not a CP) to move to the original ATC Sr Road stick (not the one they acquired in the Richland buyout)..but power will be dropped from 250w to 9watts ERP!! So much for covering the city like the 95.1 signal, Oh wait!!! 95.1 is also 9.9w ERP..and it too does not cover the city!!


The 60dbU contour proposed for 106.1 is:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=http...ENBURG&state=TX.kml&output=classic&dg=feature

95.1's 60dbU contour is pretty much the same (just a shade further out):
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=http...I_CITY&state=TX.kml&output=classic&dg=feature
 
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Cw..... the contour predictions on these maps don't reflect the reality. This is a height of 1800 to 2000 feet. Except when tropo kicks in 95.1 can be heard clear as day in Humble. In Tomball. In Rosenberg. It covers the area where population density is highest. And lets hope 106.1 will too...
 
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93QClassic.com said:
Cw..... the contour predictions on these maps don't reflect the reality. This is a height of 1800 to 2000 feet. Except when tropo kicks in 95.1 can be heard clear as day in Humble. In Tomball. In Rosenberg. It covers the area where population density is highest. And lets hope 106.1 will too...
Click to expand...

In very flat terrain such as this, there is typically little difference between contour projections and "real" coverage Longley/Rice plots. As you can see, the Longley/Rice for the K291CE app mirrors the FCC contour.

http://postimg.org/image/npa5mn5pd/
 
The maps are the 60dbU or protected service contours.....cars can usually hear down to ~45 or so dbU...but any cochannel will likely kill it...Translators are usually limited to 250w ERP with a 100 meter max height for that power...as they go higher, they must reduce power to keep the contour within the same range as the 250w/100m range is....NO translator at 2000 ft with 9 watts will cover reliably past the predicted contour...and L/R maps are 50/50 usually...which means 50% of the time, they are or are not at 60dbU!! In other words, +/- :) I bet the 95.1 signal is not in stereo in the distant reception areas..I am willing to bet the radio has blended to mono well before then (usually does by the 60dbU point)...

When I ran KEGL on 50watts TPO into the 1500 ft tower in January 1999 as electrical work was being done on the transmitter room (the transfer switch was being put inline after we had signed on the new site due to time limits), the ERP was probably around 10 watts or so (after combiner loss and feedline and then the 8 bay CBR gain)...it was heard in Ft Worth...but not that good (had an extension cord running from the telecom room into the transmitter suite so the rack with the exciter and T1 /STL gear could power up..and the Digit exciter ran into an open port of the antenna switch using RG8 and some crimp on lugs stuck into the prongs of the bullets on the switch!)....

the Aux site, had the damn HT20 not dumped on me thanks to a former engineer wiring the failsafe in a hidden manner!!!, would have done much better with its 20KW TPO into the 7 bay Celwave at 700ft...but then traffic had moved all spots out of the overnight anyway...but I wanted to keep some signal on the air for the (then) LIVE overnight jock..he loved it as he encouraged callers to call in and let him where they were hearing him..but then Cedar Hill to Ft Worth is not THAT far....compared to crossing Houston from Mo City to the NE areas..
 
ContinuousWave said:
I bet the 95.1 signal is not in stereo in the distant reception areas..I am willing [/I]to bet the radio has blended to mono well before then (usually does by the 60dbU point)...
Click to expand...

Correct on that point. They don't run it in stereo at all. Neither does 106.1.
 
93QClassic.com said:
Correct on that point. They don't run it in stereo at all. Neither does 106.1.
Click to expand...

K236AR 95.1 is indeed in stereo. Audio quality is not very good as it sounds like a low bitrate internet stream. KBRZ 1460 sounds the same way, so it is a STL issue.

However, yes, 106.1 has always been in mono all the times I've checked it.
 
Originally Posted by 93QClassic.com

I recently had a lengthy conversation with their engineer, and then confirmed the legality of the situation with the FCC. They now have a signed contract to become a translator for KMJQ's soon-to-be-on-the air HD3 signal. Moreover, the 106.1 signal will be allowed to move to a Senior Road tower. Given the remarkable coverage of the 99 watt translator on 95.1 from such a height, one can expect that 250 watts will be heard throughout the city.

I'm told they intend to have a playlist of at least 2500 songs. So, finally, Houston will have the classic hits station everyone wants.
Click to expand...

rbrucecarter5 said:
Now if only they will fix their darn audio and put it in stereo!
Click to expand...

Audio may improve at some point, but the engineer indicated its unlikely it will be stereo because that will substantially diminish coverage. This is going to be another one of RAFTTs brokered stations. Right now Fort Bend ISD has it for programming sports and classic hits. Once it moves to Houston, who knows whether they'll keep it. Just speculating, but it'll probably end up being like all the AM stations that actually produce revenue for their owners -- e.g., programming from some foreign language ethnic group or a preacher with deep pockets.
 
I wish KCYB could end up on one of the Missouri City sticks.

Although I have HD radio at home, in the office, and in the car, I would also be OK with one of the major broadcasters buying these up and moving some HD2s to analog for the rest of the city to listen.
 
You forgot to include the rest of the callsign...

KCYB-LP.

There are numerous reasons why its a LP.....and why do people keep asking or wishing when it will go to one of the big sticks? It never will...neither will 104.9 KAMA...

A LP could not afford to rent on any of the MO City sticks..I am surprised KCYB-LP is able to afford the Saba tower they are on now (tower lease companies do not normally give a break to non commercial folks anymore...a lot of hams used to get free or low cost rental on sites many many years ago...but not anymore...those still there are under a grandfather clause)..
 
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