930 KBAI Goes Progressive Talk "Radio Free Bellingham"

[Bongwater]

Bellingham's 930 KBAI has dropped satellite-fed oldies for progressive talk Radio Free Bellingham. Tom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow and Alan Colmes are amongst the hosts on the new station......

 

[IndigoCoyote]

Any idea from the community as to whether this move is making any waves yet, Lar? Seems like the ideal market!

 

[Bongwater]

Living in Bellingham, I can tell you it IS. Slowly, but surely, word is getting around. Trouble is (as usual in Bellingham radio), progressives here tend to be suspicious of anything run by The Saga Empire (they got burned by the loss of the phenomenal Independent Rock format of KISM when it got replaced with the tired old classic rock playlist 92.9 plays now.) They don't think much of Brent and Debbie on KGMI or the usual right wing babble on 790. The progressive skeptics are wondering if they will give KBAI the same budget as KGMI. If they can do that and make AM 930 an equal young progressive alternative to the crusty conservative talk on KGMI, they're more likely to win over a HUGE underserved section of the Bellingham radio listenership.

Most make do with KPTK's daytime signal until it goes to hell at night in Bellingham. It's very unstable, with lots of bleed in from XEPRS and some Canadian Active Rocker on 1090 that plays stuff like Seether, Rob Zombie, Tool (Whoa. Tool..on AM radio-now that's HEAVY!), Paramore, Arcade Fire, etc. Could never get a proper ID in the bedlam and can find nothing on the internet about it, but's it gotta be at least 50,000 watts....

So, when is Seattle going to get a 50,000 watt AM rock/pop station? Most MP3s - especially newer ones, fidelity-wise don't sound much better than AM radio (ever listen to FM - Even on HD these days? So much for High Fidelity) and everyone's used to hearing MP3s by now....

 

[oozingdisgust]

Living in Bellingham, I can tell you it IS. Slowly, but surely, word is getting around. Trouble is (as usual in Bellingham radio), progressives here tend to be suspicious of anything run by The Saga Empire (they got burned by the loss of the phenomenal Independent Rock format of KISM when it got replaced with the tired old classic rock playlist 92.9 plays now.) They don't think much of Brent and Debbie on KGMI or the usual right wing babble on 790. The progressive skeptics are wondering if they will give KBAI the same budget as KGMI. If they can do that and make AM 930 an equal young progressive alternative to the crusty conservative talk on KGMI, they're more likely to win over a HUGE underserved section of the Bellingham radio listenership.

Most make do with KPTK's daytime signal until it goes to hell at night in Bellingham. It's very unstable, with lots of bleed in from XEPRS and some Canadian Active Rocker on 1090 that plays stuff like Seether, Rob Zombie, Tool (Whoa. Tool..on AM radio-now that's HEAVY!), Paramore, Arcade Fire, etc. Could never get a proper ID in the bedlam and can find nothing on the internet about it, but's it gotta be at least 50,000 watts....

So, when is Seattle going to get a 50,000 watt AM rock/pop station? Most MP3s - especially newer ones, fidelity-wise don't sound much better than AM radio (ever listen to FM - Even on HD these days? So much for High Fidelity) and everyone's used to hearing MP3s by now....

Gotta love Bongboys drug induced wisdom.... "crusty conservative talk" and success of progressive talk? Well one format has been universally successful even if they all are a bunch of pill popping blowhards, nonetheless I dont see much hope for balance after the stunning success of air america....

 

[IndigoCoyote]

Thanks, Lar.

The 50kw AM pop rock flamethrower? Well, simulcast KPLZ on 1000. The new AM star!

Never did figure out why Fisher didn't keep the KVI or KOMO calls on the FM. The PLZ is kinda weak...and yes, I DO remember the days of K-PLUS and Z101.5! I am serious..KOMO FM would strengthen the brand, both ways. And, if you think about it, the old KOMO AM music format is just the 60s/70s version of what Star does now. Personality first, kitchen sink AC second.

I'm old.

 

[mimo]

The last 1090 that I knew of in western Canada was the former CHEC out of Lethbridge Alberta, which was a top 40 rocker in the 70's and 80s but in the late 80's switched to oldies day, top 40 night. In the early 90's it became a full time hard rock station, and a few years after that switched to 106.7 fm. They were 10 000 watts, in stereo while on AM. I once picked it up very clear in Southeast Iowa, blowing KAAY Little rock (always sounded local at night) off the dial. I was in Lethbridge visiting a friend a year ago and it was weird tuning into 1090 and not hearing anything. 1090 from Seattle always had a decent nighttime signal in Vancouver, but I think that it was because it was beyond the cancellation zone. I'd be curious to know who's playing to0l on AM. That's a station I'd listen to. Any AM station that plays music is still welcome as far as I'm concerned. But I grew up with KJET, 1250 KKFX, 1220 CKDA, LG 73 and 1040 CKXY/COAST 1040 as well as AM 106 and 630 CHED in Alberta.

 

[Max_l]

Steering away from the original post but in response to the lastest post...... In regard to 1090 reaching into Vancouver that may have been the case 8 years ago prior to KARI-550 and KVRI-1600 a 50kw (Radio India), however, today the 1090 signal is almost silent at the border. Once you get away from Blaine and these two stations it gets better. The 1090 signal is diminished and almost eliminated by am550 KARI which is heard on about 5 or 6 differnt frequencies because they are blasting so loud or the result of a by-product of caused by intermodulation from another station.

Engineer types your thoughts?

 

[ABQTom]

Most make do with KPTK's daytime signal until it goes to hell at night in Bellingham. It's very unstable, with lots of bleed in from XEPRS and some Canadian Active Rocker on 1090 that plays stuff like Seether, Rob Zombie, Tool (Whoa. Tool..on AM radio-now that's HEAVY!), Paramore, Arcade Fire, etc. Could never get a proper ID in the bedlam and can find nothing on the internet about it, but's it gotta be at least 50,000 watts....

This is intriguing.
The two lobes of AM 1090 are at the Bellingham area (5 degrees about 4100mV/m at 1km and 240 degrees towards Hoquaim). From the FCC data base the only possibility that I can see is CKRX 1090 in Lethridge, Alberta is 10kW ND day, and 5kW directional night. They're protecting the North American Class A's at night, Little Rock, Baltimore, and Rosarita, NM (XEPRS), and also AM 1090 Seattle at night (at about 240 degrees from Leth).

However, at about 265 (crude road atlas), looks like they could easily make it on the skywave to Bellingham/Vancouver.

http://www.fcc.gov/ftp/Bureaus/MB/Databases/AM_DA_patterns/305280-26468.pdf

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=CKRX&service=AM&status=F&hours=N

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?stat...&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9

As for the comment on KARI harmonics, they are a Christian station so I don't imagine they would have rock on. On the other hand, maybe they have some Christian rock at night for younger listeners?

As for MIMO getting CKRX in Iowa, my goodness, that's quite a catch!!! They protect Little Rock at night....as you know....

And, Tom McGinley DIE/MIS of AM 1090 Seattle has an APP to the FCC increase daytime power to the ugly ever growing breeder neighborhoods East and Southeast of Seattle including (for the national readers...you guessed it) PEW - eyl - upp! (aka Puyallup, nice town) 8)

Any certified AM directional specialists with further insights?!

 

[ty]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=breeder

breeder

 

[DaleGriffin]

Living in Bellingham, I can tell you it IS. Slowly, but surely, word is getting around. Trouble is (as usual in Bellingham radio), progressives here tend to be suspicious of anything run by The Saga Empire (they got burned by the loss of the phenomenal Independent Rock format of KISM when it got replaced with the tired old classic rock playlist 92.9 plays now.) They don't think much of Brent and Debbie on KGMI or the usual right wing babble on 790. The progressive skeptics are wondering if they will give KBAI the same budget as KGMI. If they can do that and make AM 930 an equal young progressive alternative to the crusty conservative talk on KGMI, they're more likely to win over a HUGE underserved section of the Bellingham radio listenership.

Most make do with KPTK's daytime signal until it goes to hell at night in Bellingham. It's very unstable, with lots of bleed in from XEPRS and some Canadian Active Rocker on 1090 that plays stuff like Seether, Rob Zombie, Tool (Whoa. Tool..on AM radio-now that's HEAVY!), Paramore, Arcade Fire, etc. Could never get a proper ID in the bedlam and can find nothing on the internet about it, but's it gotta be at least 50,000 watts....

So, when is Seattle going to get a 50,000 watt AM rock/pop station? Most MP3s - especially newer ones, fidelity-wise don't sound much better than AM radio (ever listen to FM - Even on HD these days? So much for High Fidelity) and everyone's used to hearing MP3s by now....

Dude... play some more cruchy grooves...

The progressive skeptics are wondering if they will give KBAI the same budget as KGMI. If they can do that and make AM 930 an equal young progressive alternative to the crusty conservative talk on KGMI, they're more likely to win over a HUGE underserved section of the Bellingham radio listenership.

Seriously, do you think the average listener sits back and thinks about the budgets given to individual stations in a cluster? They do not.

 

[mimo]

We can definitely cound CKRX (the old 1090 CHEC) out of the "Mystery Rocker" equation, since it's silent now after the move to FM. I had the feeling that they had a pretty tight pattern to protect Seattle and Little Rock. I think my reception of them in southeast Iowa had to be one of the biggest flukes I've heard, a rare once in a lifetime catch. KAAY has a tight north/south pattern, and is easily the strongest station on the dial at night, even stronger than the local signals.

I've heard CKRX after the FM conversion and it's not adventurous enough to play the music Bongwater was hearing, it leans to much towards classic rock, even in the evening.

On another note, when I lived in Vancouver, 1600 wasn't on the air yet. I would have been one upset KJET listener if it came on in that era. The harmonics would also drive me nuts. I've been in cities where the harmonics are attrocious. No excuse for any station doing that. KARI has always been a non factor to Vancouver listeners. Any Christian I knew listened to 106.5 and never even knew that KARI existed. I can understand AM 1600 having a g0od sized audience, as the population is definitely there to support it. I'll have to check them out next time I'm there.

 

[ABQTom]

"We can definitely cound CKRX (the old 1090 CHEC) out of the "Mystery Rocker" equation, since it's silent now after the move to FM."

Hmmm. if they are silent now, this is even more intriguing !

"I had the feeling that they had a pretty tight pattern to protect Seattle and Little Rock."

Well......there's also a 1090 in Montana with a very narrow hairpin pattern NE-SW that probably protects Lethbridge at night....

"I think my reception of them in southeast Iowa had to be one of the biggest flukes I've heard, a rare once in a lifetime catch."

Absolutely!!!!!

"KAAY has a tight north/south pattern, and is easily the strongest station on the dial at night, even stronger than the local signals."

No question about it, NNW-SSE, isn't it? Does Citadel still have Christian Fundamendalist stuff on KAAY, like James Dobson?

 

[mimo]

"Does Citadel still have Christian Fundamendalist stuff on KAAY, like James Dobson?" Honestly, I don't know. I haven't been in Iowa for a few years now and I was never a listener of the station except in it's final months as a rocker. I'd assume so, I don't think there's going to be any change on that station for a long time.

I never knew about the 1090 in Montana. I lived in Calgary for years and always had Lethbridge bo0ming in every night. I wonder if they have sought out a pattern change, if not I'm sure you may be hearing either Seattle or Little Rock at night. My best guess would be Seattle. I have no plans to go to Alberta again anytime so0n, even with the oil bo0m. B.C. however still feels like home to me.

 

[Bongwater]

Thanks, Lar.

The 50kw AM pop rock flamethrower? Well, simulcast KPLZ on 1000. The new AM star!

Never did figure out why Fisher didn't keep the KVI or KOMO calls on the FM. The PLZ is kinda weak...and yes, I DO remember the days of K-PLUS and Z101.5! I am serious..KOMO FM would strengthen the brand, both ways. And, if you think about it, the old KOMO AM music format is just the 60s/70s version of what Star does now. Personality first, kitchen sink AC second.

I'm old.

Well, I am too...

Well, actually middle aged, never thought I'd get there (not as drug-addled as some thought I would be, I'm a survivor which is MORE than I can say for some of these people.) But here I am.

I'm still not sure about the mystery active rocker station on 1090. I'm still listening whenever I get the chance, but in the meantime, those who have more time than me right now, please tune in and try to identify it. Any AM radio station that plays "CrushCrushCrush" Paramore is EXTREMELY COOL in my opinion....


But anyway.....

Yes, it would make more sense to make 101.5 KPLZ into KOMO-FM (Kent Phillips is tied to the KOMO-TV Northwest Afternoon program, why not?) It's their audience at work. why not even simulcast? "Star 101.5 is KOMO-FM Seattle, (CLUNG! CLING! CLONG!) Fisher Communications..." Who's even going to care?

KVI's letters today have been tainted with local radio audiences with right-wing blowhards (go ahead and scream at me, I'm used to it, even in life beyond radio.) KOMO-FM would sound much friendlier today on a happy FM pop station and more official today because it has KOMO-AM and TV backing it. Why they have never thought of this earlier, I will simply never know because I would have done this AUTOMATICALLY in 1994 if I had my way back then if I were in charge of Fisher and the change to Star 101.5 in the first place....

I have spoken....

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

The KOMO-FM has been discussed many times (including in the hallowed Money Pit in the shadow of the space needle). Don't think anyone's in the camp that "it's a bad idea" ... the biggest obstacle to change is that KPLZ basically continues to back up the armored truck on behalf of the radio division AS IT IS, so no one wants to UNDO that knot.

Like when KJR/KLTX were happily married. Everyone wondered, with legendary KJR dying and they were sitting on 95 on the FM, why not move KJR to the FM? Problem was K-LITE was raking in the cash with zilcho overhead (at least I sure HOPE they weren't paying the idiot P/D anything north of a Burger King Shift manager) so hard to say "let's mess with this...".

 

[Bongwater]

Well, if the armored truck (my dream vehicle....SIGH!) had the KPLZ call letters embazoned on it, I can understand it....

KOMO-FM STILL sounds better for 101.5....I mean, they have Kent Phillips doing soap reviews for KOMO-TV (as well as other stuff I heard on KOMO-AM), why not?......