Astros Radio Network

[stan]

Since KLVI dropped the Astros, KOGT in Orange picked up the network...so KLVI can't carry them...so sorry...only one signal per market.

Since iHeart has the rights to Astros games they could consider KLVI augmenting Houston rather than Beaumont. ��

 

[davideduardo]

However, both KLVI and KRTH carry the Rush Limbaugh Show at the same time. Which is odd, because they obviously overlap.

The 10 mV/m signals (where nearly all metro area AM listening occurs) barely touch somewhere at the edge of the two markets. They are not considered to overlap since neither serves the central zone of the "other" market.

 

[davideduardo]

his is pushing more listeners toward KTRH, who has a potent footprint over the Golden Triangle.

KTRH does not have a 10 mV/m over any of the major cities of the market, Beaumont, Port Arthur or Orange. With today's man-made noise levels, that means that KTRH has no usable footprint at all in any of those towns.

 

[robertsez]

KTRH does not have a 10 mV/m over any of the major cities of the market, Beaumont, Port Arthur or Orange. With today's man-made noise levels, that means that KTRH has no usable footprint at all in any of those towns.

That's odd. I can listen to KTRH in all of those areas. And often do.

 

[purpledevil]

Yeah, David is shortchanging KTRH's real world application. Beaumont is no more of a problem to pick up in Beaumont than KLVI is in Houston. Useable signal is an understatement. KTRH is absolutely on par with the Beaumont locals, signal wise. It really doesn't start losing steam until you get into Lake Charles. It's not near as good westbound, though. KTRH has a tough time in San Antonio, and really isn't listenable until you near Flatonia/Schulenberg.

 

[johndavis]

KTRH really isn't listenable.

FTFY...

Don't get me wrong, I DX'ed as a kid, but I don't see the point in fighting with all of the interference from power lines and electronics to listen to much of anything on an AM radio anymore, especially when you can just stream it and send it to the car stereo via Bluetooth. I don't have the patience to deal with all of the noise from AM radio even driving in town.

I find the MLB app worth paying for to stream games, and while it blacks out the TV stream for the Astros you can listen to either home or away feed of the radio nets.

 

[davideduardo]

Yeah, David is shortchanging KTRH's real world application. Beaumont is no more of a problem to pick up in Beaumont than KLVI is in Houston. Useable signal is an understatement. KTRH is absolutely on par with the Beaumont locals, signal wise. It really doesn't start losing steam until you get into Lake Charles. It's not near as good westbound, though. KTRH has a tough time in San Antonio, and really isn't listenable until you near Flatonia/Schulenberg.

If you consider how much listening takes place in the home, you will realize why analysis of diary data (where specific in-home and in-car listening is separated) you realize that there is essentially no indoor listening outside the 10 mV/m contour in fixed locations.

While KTRH may have been "like a local" decades ago, it is not a local under today's noise levels and is certainly not a local at night.

Similarly, KLVI does not penetrate much of the even noisier Houston metro with a 10 mV/m signal, and certainly does not do so at night.

 

[purpledevil]

FTFY...

Don't get me wrong, I DX'ed as a kid, but I don't see the point in fighting with all of the interference from power lines and electronics to listen to much of anything on an AM radio anymore, especially when you can just stream it and send it to the car stereo via Bluetooth. I don't have the patience to deal with all of the noise from AM radio even driving in town.

I find the MLB app worth paying for to stream games, and while it blacks out the TV stream for the Astros you can listen to either home or away feed of the radio nets.

Sure glad Bill Turner doesn't feel the same way, lol. You ought to give your receiver a whirl up to 1520, John. There's some good stuff coming from KYND, my friend. Well worth putting up with the underpass drops and static around the light wires.

 

[robertsez]

While KTRH may have been "like a local" decades ago, it is not a local under today's noise levels and is certainly not a local at night.

Similarly, KLVI does not penetrate much of the even noisier Houston metro with a 10 mV/m signal, and certainly does not do so at night.

Once again, Davido, I listened to KTRH this afternoon, listening to Rush Limbaugh, driving around Downtown Beaumont, and didn't have an issue. Loud and clear.

 

[purpledevil]

If you consider how much listening takes place in the home, you will realize why analysis of diary data (where specific in-home and in-car listening is separated) you realize that there is essentially no indoor listening outside the 10 mV/m contour in fixed locations.

While KTRH may have been "like a local" decades ago, it is not a local under today's noise levels and is certainly not a local at night.

Similarly, KLVI does not penetrate much of the even noisier Houston metro with a 10 mV/m signal, and certainly does not do so at night.

Please forgive, as I spoke of only the day signals for each. Truthfully, I can't imagine anyone having the wherewithal to sit through the current KTRH programming at home in the evening, and I'd certainly consider myself to be on the elephant's side of the aisle. You are right, of course, that the interference levels to both stations have increased dramatically over the past two decades, but not to the point of rendering either one unlistenable. KLVI sends most of what it has in our direction, and coupled with the low dial position, it tends to really sing over here in Harris County. At night, it does drop off badly, which you attentively pointed out, but who is really listening to KLVI or KTRH after dark, unless there is a ballgame on and there's no access to a television set? KTRH has a far superior footprint than KBME, which is why 'Stros and Rockets games of greater importance end up simulcasted onto KTRH. It may not be like a local in SE Texas at night, but it is certainty worlds better than most anything else licensed down here...signal wise, at least.

 

[johndavis]

Sure glad Bill Turner doesn't feel the same way, lol. You ought to give your receiver a whirl up to 1520, John. There's some good stuff coming from KYND, my friend. Well worth putting up with the underpass drops and static around the light wires.

I tried. Reception is awful on the SW side of town.

Streaming and HD multcasting isn't perfect, but it's superior to the AM radio in most dashboards.

An aside on MLB Premium: they're running a promotion now where you can get the rest of baseball season for free if you buy a Frosty at Wendy's for $0.50 and post a photo on social media. If you want to catch the last games of Vin Scully's career or stream the Astros wherever you are, it's never going to be cheaper than that.

 

[Night Hawk]

Do the local broadcasters do maintenance (fine tune if you will) on their AM Transmitters and Tower site?
It appears to me as I scan around the majority, not all, have a muddy sound! And I will not name
names here!!

 

[robertsez]

Do the local broadcasters do maintenance (fine tune if you will) on their AM Transmitters and Tower site?

Yes. All the time.

 

[LibertyNT]

Yes. All the time.

Well, that is pretty debatable with a lot of these smaller AM operators. There are many a neglected AM site.

 

[purpledevil]

Well, that is pretty debatable with a lot of these smaller AM operators. There are many a neglected AM site.

Knowing that you come from the land of the not so "Wonderful K-Box in Dallas" any longer, I certainly can understand your viewpoint. However, if we're talking about the actual technical side of the facilities, and whether or not the equipment is being maintained, I think you'll find yourself hard pressed to find an MSA that has more audio and transmission quality than Houston. All you need is a radio to verify that.

The exceptions are KCOH/LTN/AMA-FM, which can't be helped since Dave Morris allowed the tower site to be used as a toxic waste dump back in the "good old days", and KULF since it found itself Werlingered. Even when it's on, it has a full sound for a 1kW daytimer.

When it's on. Bellville has lost it's dog again BTW, and so sorry, there's no reward provided if found.

 

[robertsez]

The exceptions are KCOH/LTN/AMA-FM, which can't be helped since Dave Morris allowed the tower site to be used as a toxic waste dump back in the "good old days"

They fact that the ground the tower sits on is contaminated or not has nothing to do with the aural purity of the signal.

 

[purpledevil]

They fact that the ground the tower sits on is contaminated or not has nothing to do with the aural purity of the signal.

Really? The footprint I hear coming from KCOH is a far cry from what I used to hear from Country Fresh K-NUZ, Robert. The signal struggles outside of the Loop, and it certainly wasn't that way in 1230's heyday. I listened to both La Ranchera and Radio Ranchito, during Liberman's tenure at the helm, and slowly but surely over the years KQUE kept losing more and more ground. Sure you can blame it on interference from light bulbs, computers, or what have you; having the tower slowly rotting away at ground level surely isn't helping matters.

You know, one of these days, I'm going to end up finding myself standing at the curb in front of Villa Arcos, jonesing for a couple of chorizo and egg tacos, staring at the Ennis tower surgically sliced through the building, and laying across Navigation Boulevard. I just feel it coming.

And I'm going to really want a couple of those magnificent tacos.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Really? The footprint I hear coming from KCOH is a far cry from what I used to hear from Country Fresh K-NUZ, Robert. The signal struggles outside of the Loop, and it certainly wasn't that way in 1230's heyday.

Agreed. The signal has deteriorated significantly since the KNUZ days at my Cy-Fair location (and no, I am not talking about the syncro transmitter that operated in the 90's.)

 

[robertsez]

Really? The footprint I hear coming from KCOH is a far cry from what I used to hear from Country Fresh K-NUZ, Robert.

There are other reasons for this.

You know, one of these days, I'm going to end up finding myself standing at the curb in front of Villa Arcos, jonesing for a couple of chorizo and egg tacos,

The chorizo and eggs tacos are better (and cheaper) at the Laredo Taco Company.

 

[purpledevil]

There are other reasons for this.

I have nothing but time. Feel free to divulge.

The chorizo and eggs tacos are better (and cheaper) at the Laredo Taco Company.

I don't know, Robert. Villa Arcos is pretty darn good. They are #2 on my list.

#1 is Rolando's Super Taco in San Antonio. No one else compares to the blimp sized tacos coming out of south San Antonio.

Edit to add: I had to look up Laredo Taco Company, as I've never heard of them. Holy cow, Robert! You're eating tacos out of a gas station? Stripes, nonetheless? When you're back over here in Houston, let me know. I would be happy to take you to one of my spots for some real authentic comida Mexicana. My nickel.