95.1 KKGT Jacksonville Hits the Airwaves

[Deleted member 108832]

As of Christmas Eve, Storm Broadcasting has put 95.1 KKGT (started life as KEBE-FM) on the air. This facility was originally proposed by Tomlinson-Leis, in conjunction with the now deleted KDNT/KLUV/whatever in Oakwood. Along with KVNE, KTBB AM/FM and KFRO AM/FM, it is currently celebrating the holidays with ho ho ho music, until we find out what format (or programming source) Storm is bringing to the Jacksonville-Tyler table. Ok signal in north Tyler, not near as good as KFRO-FM up here. If you've got some driving along US 69 or 175 planned for today, it'll give you something new to check out. Class A @ 2450 watts, 160 meters coming from Jacksonville.

 

[JustinSaysRadio]

I think that they simulcast JenniRadio, a children's radio station.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

I think that they simulcast JenniRadio, a children's radio station.

95.1 hasn't done much of anything, to this point, quite frankly. While it was on at 200 watts, from the 1400 tower, it was simulcast with 1400 as "K-Hits", which was just rebroadcasting what Chisholm Trail was already sending down to the AM. Sounded like it was done with a hot mic picking up a radio tuned to 1400, I kid you not.

This, other than doing the bare minimum of 200 watts just to keep the license active, is the first broadcast at the upgrade of 2450 watts, and reaching Tyler. There is no "Jenni Radio" to this point, and I'd wager it only was, briefly, aired to preserve the license at some point. Keep in mind, this station has never been a regular part of the dial, even after it was granted its original L2C. This L2C is for the upgraded facility, so Storm Broadcasting appears ready to go live with whatever they are planning to do after the holidays.

As for a more detailed reception report, I can swing the antenna around to the west, nulling KKGT, and pick up the translator in Canton. That's from 4 miles to the N of Tyler, and using a better than average receiver. The signal is usable up to around Shiloh Rd. in Tyler, then starts to show the tell-tale signs of too far a distance from the originating antenna. That's in a vehicle. Any real building penetration is going to happen South of Toll 49. That's a rapidly exploding area of new homes and business to cover, but misses a huge swath of Tyler itself. KFRO-FM, in contrast, covers the same area of southern Smith County and northern Cherokee County, but also reaches much deeper northward into Tyler.

Storm will have to focus on ad revenue coming from Jacksonville, Bullard, Flint, and the Tyler Cumberland Square area. Is that enough potential market to keep a handicapped stand-alone afloat for the long-term? I guess we're all about to find out together.

 

[JustinSaysRadio]

95.1 hasn't done much of anything, to this point, quite frankly. While it was on at 200 watts, from the 1400 tower, it was simulcast with 1400 as "K-Hits", which was just rebroadcasting what Chisholm Trail was already sending down to the AM. Sounded like it was done with a hot mic picking up a radio tuned to 1400, I kid you not.

This, other than doing the bare minimum of 200 watts just to keep the license active, is the first broadcast at the upgrade of 2450 watts, and reaching Tyler. There is no "Jenni Radio" to this point, and I'd wager it only was, briefly, aired to preserve the license at some point. Keep in mind, this station has never been a regular part of the dial, even after it was granted its original L2C. This L2C is for the upgraded facility, so Storm Broadcasting appears ready to go live with whatever they are planning to do after the holidays.

As for a more detailed reception report, I can swing the antenna around to the west, nulling KKGT, and pick up the translator in Canton. That's from 4 miles to the N of Tyler, and using a better than average receiver. The signal is usable up to around Shiloh Rd. in Tyler, then starts to show the tell-tale signs of too far a distance from the originating antenna. That's in a vehicle. Any real building penetration is going to happen South of Toll 49. That's a rapidly exploding area of new homes and business to cover, but misses a huge swath of Tyler itself. KFRO-FM, in contrast, covers the same area of southern Smith County and northern Cherokee County, but also reaches much deeper northward into Tyler.

Storm will have to focus on ad revenue coming from Jacksonville, Bullard, Flint, and the Tyler Cumberland Square area. Is that enough potential market to keep a handicapped stand-alone afloat for the long-term? I guess we're all about to find out together.

Hopefully, they go Adult Contemporary. We've been needing that type of station in East Texas for over a decade!

 

[Huff]

While we're in east Texas, I noticed 104.3 KHMR/Lovelady-Crockett is back on the air now with a classic rock format. They filed a resumption of operations with the FCC on Sept. 24, so I'd just missed it until now. It sounds like they're running about a four hour loop of songs, with no imaging other the quick Legal ID inserts. The signal was solid along I-45 from Huntsville to Fairfield despite having co-channel KLQB just northeast of Austin.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

While we're in east Texas, I noticed 104.3 KHMR/Lovelady-Crockett is back on the air now with a classic rock format. They filed a resumption of operations with the FCC on Sept. 24, so I'd just missed it until now. It sounds like they're running about a four hour loop of songs, with no imaging other the quick Legal ID inserts. The signal was solid along I-45 from Huntsville to Fairfield despite having co-channel KLQB just northeast of Austin.

Yes sir. Been back on since mid-September. Just keeping the equipment from sitting idle until another group wanting to reinvent radio comes along, drops some coin and sets up shop. For how long? Only KM Radio can say. I'd suspect if a client isn't lined up in the next 30-60 days, KHMR will be turned off once again.

 

[Jay S]

Let the speculation begin!

The KKGT calls sound like they’d go well with a “Goat” branded station. Could this station become a variation of country? Or maybe it could be some type of gold/classics format that showcases the “Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.) hits.” I think classic hits is pretty well covered now, but they could cover classic country, classic hip hop, or classic rock. Then again, these calls could be temporary.

If they want to have good coverage of Tyler, they will need a translator. A while back the KEBE translator had an application to change frequencies from 104.7 to 104.5 and to move into Tyler, which has been canceled. Was the purpose of the proposed translator move to add of simulcast of 95.1? Maybe the 106.1 translator could be in play as Storm could pay Alpha to lease KOOI-HD2 to feed the 106.1 translator.

By the way, Storm Broadcasting is a cool name.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

Let the speculation begin!

None needed. Already left Christmas in the rearview and has morphed into...well...I don't know exactly how you'd classify it now. Jack FM, but on the juice? Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, Axel F, then The Weather Girls? Ok...🤷

Of course, it's only been a dead carrier being broadcast since late Friday.

If they want to have good coverage of Tyler, they will need a translator.

...and a prayer. Tough go all the way around, with the Canton translator giving it grief on the west and northwest sides of the loop, and KWLL right next door and becoming ever-stronger as you travel north and east.

A while back the KEBE translator had an application to change frequencies from 104.7 to 104.5 and to move into Tyler, which has been canceled.

We call this process being Witkovskied. The other NTRG translator, K280CL, is still attached to the now dead KTLU, for what it's worth.

Was the purpose of the proposed translator move to add of simulcast of 95.1?

It was to bring some kind of value to a dead in the water, Jacksonville graveyard AM. 104.5 in southern Smith County would've replaced the current 104.7 signal coming from the AM tower, and 103.9, last operating on KTLU's tower in Rusk, would've moved down two channels to replace the translator being moved northward. Little money in Jacksonville, and a whole lot less when you ain't from around there, I'll tell you what. Just ask Chuck Conrad how ownership of KEBE went for him. Nostalgia for what used to be can only take you so far. Complete rebuild of the plant, all new equipment, and still couldn't make a thin dime back on his investment.

Maybe the 106.1 translator could be in play as Storm could pay Alpha to lease KOOI-HD2 to feed the 106.1 translator.

Jack does not broadcast in HD.

By the way, Storm Broadcasting is a cool name.

Sure better than Jennings' Jalopy Jukebox, LLC., I reckon. That's the kind of the vibe it's been giving off, since coming out of the holidays.

It's quite a difference between the two recently added stations to the dial. KFRO sounds polished, processing and sound quality is good, is actively pursuing new clients OTA, and employs an enjoyable mix of late 20th century highly charted hits.

KKGT does not...so far.

 

[Jay S]

Jack does not broadcast in HD.

I didn’t get an HD signal from KOOI last time I checked. I recall that 106.1 was supposed to switch to a simulcast of an HD subchannel of KOOI in the future. Maybe those plans got scrapped

It was to bring some kind of value to a dead in the water, Jacksonville graveyard AM. 104.5 in southern Smith County would've replaced the current 104.7 signal coming from the AM tower, and 103.9, last operating on KTLU's tower in Rusk, would've moved down two channels to replace the translator being moved northward.

Thank you for the clarification. I thought 95.1 and the KEBE translator might have been connected. Weren’t they both owned by NTRG at some point?

None needed. Already left Christmas in the rearview and has morphed into...well...I don't know exactly how you'd classify it now. Jack FM, but on the juice? Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, Axel F, then The Weather Girls? Ok...🤷

That can’t be the permanent format. I guess we’ll see what happens.

 

[markdshark]

I didn’t get an HD signal from KOOI last time I checked. I recall that 106.1 was supposed to switch to a simulcast of an HD subchannel of KOOI in the future. Maybe those plans got scrapped

Thank you for the clarification. I thought 95.1 and the KEBE translator might have been connected. Weren’t they both owned by NTRG at some point?


That can’t be the permanent format. I guess we’ll see what happens.

The format that 95.1 is playing is everything from Dolly Parton to Snoop Dogg to Taylor Swift. I've heard of "middle of the road" as a format, but this is definitely All Over The Road.....

 

[Deleted member 108832]

The format that 95.1 is playing is everything from Dolly Parton to Snoop Dogg to Taylor Swift. I've heard of "middle of the road" as a format, but this is definitely All Over The Road.....

It's something else, I'll tell you what. Branded as "95.1 Great FM". I did hear Laura Branigan's "Self Control" on it just today. Haven't heard that particular hit on a traditional radio station in a long, long time. It's actually one of my personal favorites, outside of the country music realm.

Jack prides itself as "playing what we want". Great seems to be "playing what we've got". It's like someone's personal iPod playlist being broadcast. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, as it's certainly not the typical corporate controlled right playlist. From my various samples, I've yet to hear a repeated song.

Can't say the same for the new KFRO-FM, which has Men Without Hats' "Pop Goes the World" in a power rotation that the song hasn't likely seen since 1987. 😂

 

[Jay S]

The format that 95.1 is playing is everything from Dolly Parton to Snoop Dogg to Taylor Swift. I've heard of "middle of the road" as a format, but this is definitely All Over The Road...

Middle of the road, all over the road….or could this format even be “off-roading”?

Jack prides itself as "playing what we want". Great seems to be "playing what we've got". It's like someone's personal iPod playlist being broadcast. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, as it's certainly not the typical corporate controlled right playlist. From my various samples, I've yet to hear a repeated song

I’ll take formats that Tyler will get before alternative for $500, Alex.

It sounds interesting. I haven’t had a chance to hear it. Hopefully, I’ll head over to south Tyler and check it out soon.

 

[Jay S]

KKGT now streams from their website: greatfm.com

It sounds like a wide AC format. I think the official classification is adult hits, but it sounds very AC-like—70s thru today with a focus on the 80s and 90s and about one current/recurrent per hour. The imaging sounds like a 90s-early 00s CHR.

I haven’t heard any extreme variations as mentioned earlier on the board. They have a “yacht rock lunch” on weekdays if you want to check that out.