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15 Seattle Area Non-Profits Coordinate To Apply For LPFM Licenses....

Me neither. Looks like if these LPFMs come on, that DXing FM will be about over. Keep 101.9 blank for KINK!

-crainbebo
 
I completely agree! Along with 101.1 so I can listen to CFMI, 93.7 for CJJR, and 100.3 for CKKQ

By the by, I just heard a news story about this on KOMO. Apparently eight stations can be permitted in each zip code... are they crazy?
 
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And this will NOT work in a place like Los Angeles with IBOC on literally every open frequency and rimshots on the others. 95.1 an exception (due to KFRG and KBBY).

Plus, I've heard of people that listen to the Q in Seattle. Same with KMPS - I heard a caller from Victoria, BC one time (I don't know if he was listening online or over-the-air, but KMPS' signal should be just fine in Victoria)

-crainbebo
 
It's not that simple.
 
I listen to the Q occasionally. I am in Tacoma area and it comes like a local most of the time (though most radio tuners would skip by it unless you tuned manually). I would really hate to not be able to listen to it anymore. I've been trying to get CFMI at my house, but perhaps I should not even bother if all there frequencies are going to be occupied by this rubbish.
 
I believe 101.1 and 101.9 are considered game.
 
You're probably NOT going to see THIS many and certainly not at the full 100 watts for each one.
 
Bongwater said:
You're probably NOT going to see THIS many and certainly not at the full 100 watts for each one.
Click to expand...

LPFMs aren't authorized by contour protection, so they're either the full 100 watts (+/- reductions for high antennas) or they don't exist at all.
 
Interference troubles later on? Imagine eight different LPFMs, all with 100W, in the Seattle area. It would sound like a graveyard frequency. KINK wouldn't even exist anymore on 101.9.

-crainbebo
 
If they wanna do this in the low band (88-92mhz), go right ahead. The low band is already a mess as it is, it really is not like they can make it any worse by putting all of these stations in that region.

That being said, if these stations pop up on out of town signals that I want to listen to, i'm not going to be happy. I already lost KAFE 104.1 at my house thanks to that KMAS translator (which is not even supposed to be receivable from my house in Gig Harbour). Oh, and not to mention the KGHO translators wreaking havoc on my KISM signal. These signals were perfectly clear at home AND in the car before translators started fighting for the freqency.

I can personally name at-least ten people who will be extremely ticked off if KINK 101.9 is replaced by some garbage community radio channel that nobody is listening to.
 
Welcome to the reality that is LPFM, folks. Each LPFM must be spaced out by 24 kilometers on a co-channel. I think they have waived the Intermediate Frequency (I.F) restriction since each ERP will be 100 watts or less.

The only fully-compliant frequency in the area will be 103.1 Mhz (and that would be in the Monroe/Snohomish area), otherwise applicants will need to ask for a 2nd adjacency waiver of the rules in the Seattle area. Not all of the facilities will be 100 watts. Rather, it is based upon the class contour of the LPFM. The class contour of the LPFM service is 5.6 kilometers to the 60 dbu service contour. The higher the tower point, the lower the wattage----to maintain that 5.6 km service.

I find it amusing that one applicant, Hollow Earth Radio on Capitol Hill, is accepting applications for someone, paying them $20/hr for 10 hours a week, to assist them with thier application and do "outreach". That of course means fundraising (ie. Sales).

The folks that will likely receive an FCC license are those non-profits that have been in the community for a while. So if your dream is to have your own radio station in your basement.......just not gonna happen, at least here in Seattle.
 
FMSteve said:
Welcome to the reality that is LPFM, folks. Each LPFM must be spaced out by 24 kilometers on a co-channel. I think they have waived the Intermediate Frequency (I.F) restriction since each ERP will be 100 watts or less.

The only fully-compliant frequency in the area will be 103.1 Mhz (and that would be in the Monroe/Snohomish area), otherwise applicants will need to ask for a 2nd adjacency waiver of the rules in the Seattle area. Not all of the facilities will be 100 watts. Rather, it is based upon the class contour of the LPFM. The class contour of the LPFM service is 5.6 kilometers to the 60 dbu service contour. The higher the tower point, the lower the wattage----to maintain that 5.6 km service.

I find it amusing that one applicant, Hollow Earth Radio on Capitol Hill, is accepting applications for someone, paying them $20/hr for 10 hours a week, to assist them with thier application and do "outreach". That of course means fundraising (ie. Sales).

The folks that will likely receive an FCC license are those non-profits that have been in the community for a while. So if your dream is to have your own radio station in your basement.......just not gonna happen, at least here in Seattle.
Click to expand...

Thought so on the power levels.

As far as fundraising, there's nothing that several dozen pans of pot brownies and space cookies can't do. Especially around the U-District, Fremont and Capitol Hill.

And while it's true about the establishment part of your non-profit. I was also told by an attorney who works on these things that a well documented and verifiable community service track record for your younger non-profit will also work in your favor as much as age. You'd be surprised at how many non-profits are set up that don't really do anything at all.
 
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103.1 in Monroe is a Mexican Christian station operated by a church that probably 3 people listen to. I think there's more listeners of CHTT than that station!

-crainbebo
 
fordranger797 said:
If they wanna do this in the low band (88-92mhz), go right ahead. The low band is already a mess as it is, it really is not like they can make it any worse by putting all of these stations in that region.

That being said, if these stations pop up on out of town signals that I want to listen to, i'm not going to be happy. I already lost KAFE 104.1 at my house thanks to that KMAS translator (which is not even supposed to be receivable from my house in Gig Harbour). Oh, and not to mention the KGHO translators wreaking havoc on my KISM signal. These signals were perfectly clear at home AND in the car before translators started fighting for the freqency.

I can personally name at-least ten people who will be extremely ticked off if KINK 101.9 is replaced by some garbage community radio channel that nobody is listening to.
Click to expand...

RE: FM translators. If an FM translator is causing reception problems for your favorite commercial FM station, you can require them to solve the problem, regardless of whether it is inside or outside the FM station's contour. If you like listening to a station, contact the station you like and also the FM translator licensee. If you get no response from the translator licensee, write the commission directly.
 
Thanks for the info, Bill :) I would never complain about the KGHO translators. I have heard people from this board talk about how hard the operator of KGHO works to keep it going; no need to make their job more difficult.

I don't think anyone would disagree with doing away with these other translators though. The reality is, nobody is really listening to translators or LPFM stations. Look at KHTP for example, is it really necessary to be on 103.3fm in downtown Seattle? The Tiger Mountain signal seems to work just fine, and its not as if any of the listeners know they can receive KHTP on 103.3.

In a world of a stuffed bandwidth, and IBOC, LPFM is just another way to turn the dial into a network of graveyard frequencies (like crainbebo stated)
 
That's one of the few translators people actually LISTEN to - those KGHO translators. Good oldies music. But all these religious and KPLU/NWPR translators are a waste of bandwidth.

103.3 should turn into a simulcast of some HD2 relayer. Maybe work with the Z-Twins to bring smooth jazz to FM. "Smooth Jazz 1560 KZIZ, and NOW on 103.3..."

-crainbebo
 
Crainbebo -

I really wish I was able to pick up KGHO on 101.1 or 92.9; I defiantly would listen. Unfortunately, I cant get a listenable reception on either station, and it messes up my chances at trying to get my favourite stations, KISM and CFMI. Oh well, at least someone has solid gold on the radio dial.

As for the religious translators, I find those to be the biggest waste of bandwidth of all. "CSN" is everywhere on the dial. I would get CHBE 107.3 from my house, if not for the CSN translator which always booms in over the frequency (mind you, this is only one example). Lets see, we have KGNW 820, KCMS 105.3, KCIS 630 (among others), why are these LP's necessary?

I think god listens to KZOK... :D (crude humour, my apologies)
 
crainbebo said:
That's one of the few translators people actually LISTEN to - those KGHO translators. Good oldies music. But all these religious and KPLU/NWPR translators are a waste of bandwidth.

103.3 should turn into a simulcast of some HD2 relayer. Maybe work with the Z-Twins to bring smooth jazz to FM. "Smooth Jazz 1560 KZIZ, and NOW on 103.3..."

-crainbebo
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, that idea would be totally illegal and against FCC rules. An AM station may utilize an FM translator only within the daytime pattern of the AM station's primary service contour. The 103.3 Entercom translator facility downtown exceeds the area KRIZ or KZIZ's primary 1mv/meter contour. Mr. Chris Bennett, owner of the Z twins would be wise to make a deal with the KGHO 92.9 MHz translator if that was a strategy worth pursuing.

In any event, I agree that the 103.3 translator should be rebroadcasting an HD channel of Entercom's choosing. That is perfectly legal.
 
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