91-7 KXNG is on the Air

[purpledevil]

Sounds like we have testing on 91-7 today. 15:50 check of the channel yields "Tootsie Roll" by the 69 Boyz. Good, clean signal and maybe it's just me, but the stereo sounds wider, fuller, and the audio is pristine & crisp.

Holy cow, I've never heard the old K-Tru sound like this. Now playing: "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles. Heard a lined just now calling the format "K-Dance". Not exactly sure why KSBJ is using this particular feed for testing, but it sounds fantastic.

Edit to add: Ok, just heard the 16:00 ID "K-Dance 91-7 KXNG Houston. Putting the moves on Houston, literally! The all new "K-Dance".

Get those recorders out, gentlemen. We've got a good old fashioned stunt going on in H-Town.

 

[stevenNOLA]

As I forecasted, HD has been added. Solid HD signal in downtown.

 

[purpledevil]

As I forecasted, HD has been added. Solid HD signal in downtown.

You called it, Steven. I didn't think KSBJ would do it, but I was wrong. I'd love to know what work was done at the transmit site. KTRU, nor KUHA, ever sounded this good. Even the signal seems stronger. I thought U of H had put some serious money into the site when they bought it from Rice, but apparently KSBJ spared absolutely no expense, going above & beyond.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Solid signal along Fry road in Katy / Cypress. K-Dance format stunt. Wow - no dropouts or weak spots like KUHA! They really did the job right, no doubt they will be tweaking further! No HD-2, I wonder if K-Dance will move to HD-2 once NGEN hits the air?

 

[purpledevil]

Don't know, Bruce. I doubt it, though. Having Mike Jones as the "spokesman" for the station is a little weird. I don't know what you guys know about the Studewood dwelling rapper, but his apparent association with KSBJ's stunt is a bit startling. I will surely drop dead if a Mike Jones song ever plays on NGEN or KSBJ.

Sure wish Frog would get off work and check in. Wonder what K217GB is doing right about now?

 

[rageradio]

Ugh! I'm just getting wind of this. Gotta fire up the audacity when I get home

 

[Unknowable]

I'm not in Houston. Wish I was and could listen. LOL
Perhaps they will move K-Dance to their translators, relaying the HD2 when NGen takes over 91.7? Just an idea.

 

[Mrtejano]

So no Ngen on 91.7?

 

[robertsez]

So no Ngen on 91.7?

It could potentially be a publicity stunt to drive listeners to the frequency, then they will gradually phase-in Contemporary Christian or whatever the eventual format is. However, if indeed the transaction went through, at some point the music marathon must cease and the Share-a-Thons must begin. To make up for that $10,000,000.00 donor deficit.

 

[Mediafrog+]

KXNG sounding great during my evening commute. Wasn't there this morning at a 7:30am check.

New transmitter has solid signal with distinct treble and rich bass. Processing seems about the same as KSBJ. Music ranges from the 1970's to the present. Appears to be all prerecorded, so I'm curious when we'll start to hear the whole thing repeat.

Clever for KSBJEF to rope in the target demographic with a secular format before the switch to NGEN on August 8. K-Dance is already dropping hints of "big news" next Monday morning.

Purple, there was no sign of K217GB 91.3 at a check in the Montrose area, just choppy KPVU. Engineers certainly tied up with the new transmitter installation for 91.7.

Speaking of engineers and translators, the KSBJEF folks need to do some adjustments on K258BZ, the 99.5 translator. Audio has been quite low the past week or so.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Solid signal along Fry road in Katy / Cypress. K-Dance format stunt. Wow - no dropouts or weak spots like KUHA! They really did the job right, no doubt they will be tweaking further!

Keep in mind that signal dropouts and weak spots would be more apparent with the old Classical format, where the music has a huge dynamic range. Opposite of K-Dance, where the programming is uniformly loud. Still, KXNG sounding solid.

 

[johndavis]

Keep in mind that signal dropouts and weak spots would be more apparent with the old Classical format, where the music has a huge dynamic range. Opposite of K-Dance, where the programming is uniformly loud. Still, KXNG sounding solid.

Also: the HD covers a lot of sins. Areas where 91.7 would picket-fence in the medical center or go fuzzy where stopped at a light are clear in HD. But since the areas I'm in are on the fringe, once the HD drops out you get all the same defects that signal always has had.

But yes, KTRU could have sounded close to this had they not set an analog Optimod to its most minimal settings. That station was processed for old school classical before it became classical. Under KUHA, it was processed more aggressively so it wouldn't disappear in the car, but the program material would still betray the weak spots.

Leave it to a Christian hip hop station to play more interesting songs than Boom as a stunt. Anyone seeking their way to 92.1 will stop here and stay awhile. Smart.

 

[stan]

Listened briefly to 91.7 in Beaumont this morning on the way to work. It's been awhile since I've been able to pick it up here - probably all the way back to the KTRU days.

 

[purpledevil]

Also: the HD covers a lot of sins.

Intentional set up, or a happy pun accident? You decide.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Keep in mind that signal dropouts and weak spots would be more apparent with the old Classical format, where the music has a huge dynamic range. Opposite of K-Dance, where the programming is uniformly loud. Still, KXNG sounding solid.

I definitely can tell the difference, if anything - k-dance programming, being of uniform volume, would highlight signal defects more than classical music. Yes, static would be more apparent during quiet musical passages, but there is no dropout severe enough you would hear static.

This morning, when skip was largely obliterating HD on KXNG, it was apparent there is no attempt to synchronize analog and digital. A bit of a mess. Between KHML and KHVT on the low end, and KALD on the high end, KHCB satellites will pretty much obliterate KXNG HD if there is any skip at all. Woe be to anybody trying to program an HD-2 there!

 

[Mediafrog+]

But yes, KTRU could have sounded close to this had they not set an analog Optimod to its most minimal settings.

The old KTRU always seemed to have somewhat low audio in its final years; perhaps only peaking 75-80%. Noticeable, but not enough to ruin the listening experience.

Never had any complaints with the KUHA processing once they worked out some problems in their first few days on the air in 2011.