Dallas Tower Question

[jd]

What you're seeing is erroneous and/or outdated information. There is no tower in that immediate area north of "East Belt Line Road." See this site for the three-tower antenna configuration I referred to: www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine.php?sCurrentService=AM&tabSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=314676&sHours=N

KLIF uses three towers; there is no fourth one. For more, plug in the coordinates for the "site location" listed on that page and select a radius of one kilometer on the right side of this web page: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistrationSearch.jsp You'll see that all three towers for KLIF are registered; that's required because of their height (well over 200 feet AGL).

 

[dfaulkner]

Whose towers are just south of I-30 between downtown Dallas and Arlington. Near Westmoreland, I think.

north of I-30, east of Belt Line (a stone's throw from Lone Star Park). Just to the east of there is the 6-tower array of KMNY 1360,

 

[dfaulkner]

1360 must be highly directional at night. From the Lakewood area to their tower site is only about 15 mins "if traffic is moving at the posted speeds" but they vanish at sundown. They must be about as directional as the night pattern of 1190.

 

[Lancer]

Yep only 3 towers for KLIF at Sanders Loop. I pass them every day on the way to work.

A good signal that's wasted on a lousy format is KMKI 620.

 

[dfaulkner]

620 is one of the former frequencies of KAAM. The last time I heard Walter Evans he was doing News on KAAM 620. That was in the late 1990's. They used to have a promo that said their signal went from Liberal Kansas to some point (I don't recall where.) in Texas. For many years 620 was a Wichita Falls station.

 

[TheRover]

What you're seeing is erroneous and/or outdated information. There is no tower in that immediate area north of "East Belt Line Road." See this site for the three-tower antenna configuration I referred to: www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine.php?sCurrentService=AM&tabSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=314676&sHours=N

KLIF uses three towers; there is no fourth one. For more, plug in the coordinates for the "site location" listed on that page and select a radius of one kilometer on the right side of this web page: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistrationSearch.jsp You'll see that all three towers for KLIF are registered; that's required because of their height (well over 200 feet AGL).

Yes, thanks for the info JD !!

I carefully looked at the Satellite imagery, and there are only 3 towers off Sanders Loop.

The DCAD (Dallas Central Appraisal District) website shows, for Sanders Loop, these entries:

* The Commercial Building, with the Owner/Business name of KLIF CO.

* BPP (Business Personal Property) all under SUSQUEHANNA RADIO CORP (now operated by Cumulus Media, Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.):

With three DBAs:

1. KPLX 95 5 FM

2. KLIF 570 AM

3. KDBN 93 3 FM

 

[OHTBGH]

Chalk Hill???

I thought that is for KNON? I thought they moved the transmitter there from their old "house" studios on San Jacinto St. They used to have the 10 watt exciter in the back yard and would have staff meetings sitting around it!


-BGH

 

[jd]

Yes, thanks for the info JD !!

No problem. I recall a work-related visit with an engineer friend to that facility years ago back when there were still four towers in place, and it was quite impressive. In fact, I guess I could say it was a little scary as well, being up close to the inner workings of the plant with that much RF around.

For many years 620 was a Wichita Falls station.

Yes, and KWFT deserved the title of a heritage station. Interestingly, the current pattern of KMKI is impressive in its reach but it really doesn't equal what KWFT had. They boasted coverage that stretched from the Texas Panhandle to Dallas/Fort Worth and beyond, and much of Oklahoma. Their daytime signal reached New Mexico and western Kansas as well. Of course, in terms of population coverage KMKI has a huge edge but in square miles covered the old KWFT had them beat. The main reason is that when 620 resurfaced in Plano it had to afford more protection to co-channel and adjacent-channel stations, too, since it basically lost its "grandfathered" status when it moved. That's especially true at night.

 

[Lancer]

I think Bill Mack was in Wichita Falls on KWFT at one time, I'm guessing late 50's or early 60's.

 

[bradgoehl]

Maybe its just me, but drive over there and get the ASR # off there fence and just look it up?

http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistrationSearch.jsp

 

[dfaulkner]

For many years 620 was a Wichita Falls station.

Yes, and KWFT deserved the title of a heritage station. Interestingly, the current pattern of KMKI is impressive in its reach but it really doesn't equal what KWFT had. They boasted coverage that stretched from the Texas Panhandle to Dallas/Fort Worth and beyond, and much of Oklahoma. Their daytime signal reached New Mexico and western Kansas as well. Of course, in terms of population coverage KMKI has a huge edge but in square miles covered the old KWFT had them beat. The main reason is that when 620 resurfaced in Plano it had to afford more protection to co-channel and adjacent-channel stations, too, since it basically lost its "grandfathered" status when it moved. That's especially true at night.

 

[dfaulkner]

I've had another technical mishap. Was going to add to the quote about KWFT....

What kind of tower configuration did KFWT have ? I never got to see that one. As I recall KNIN "K-NINE"
(990 in it's Wichita Falls days) had an 8 tower bay situated between Wichita Falls & Iowa Park. Their 10KW
day pattern was listenable in parts of DFW. They had a 1KW night pattern that provided local coverage. In the late 70's KNIN had a nice MOR - A/C format.

 

[jd]

What kind of tower configuration did KFWT KWFT have ? I never got to see that one.

You're really giving these old brain cells a workout! KWFT was non-directional daytime but used a four-tower nighttime array. The daytime coverage was huge, with a healthy signal into D/FW, especially in Fort Worth. The signal was still fairly good at night, too. There was moderate adjacent-channel protection for 610 in Kansas City (the old WDAF, now KCSP) which was (and still is) non-directional. The result was a northwest/southeast orientation, IIRC.

As I recall KNIN "K-NINE" (990 in it's Wichita Falls days) had an 8 tower bay situated between Wichita Falls & Iowa Park. Their 10KW day pattern was listenable in parts of DFW. They had a 1KW night pattern that provided local coverage.

Again, this goes way back. I recall hearing about high winds (likely a tornado, considering the territory) knocking down one of KNIN's three towers in the late 60's, I think. (Was it replaced, or did they build another array? Any info would be appreciated.) Throughout their existence 990 had different directional patterns for day and night, both of them basically a strong east/southeastern lobe. The nighttime lobe, however, was very narrow. They were audible at night in parts of D/FW but you really had to work at it.

 

[dfaulkner]

jd,

Thanks for the response. For a number of years one of my uncles was stationed at Sheppard & lived in Iowa Park. KNIN's transmitter site was between the two. I'm remebering as having 8 towers (this is going back to the late 70's - early 80's.) Wonder if FY Bush knows the answer ?

 

[Lancer]

Does anyone know what the 4 tower AM array is/was in Sherman? It is at the intersection of Dripping Springs Road & Fannin Street - it's about a mile east of KJIM's station/towers.

I looked on radio-locator.com but KJIM is the only active local AM. (There are a couple of FM's but not in same area by the golf course.)

 

[rr]

There were never four towers at the 570 Northlake site. It has Always been just as it is now. The departure of 820 from the site was due to the Amon Carter family trust breaking up, and the sale of the radio interests. There wasn't an issue with the Belo/Carter relationship. The new owners wanted to own their own site, and the ownership of the Northlake site was then 100% Belo. There was no tricked-up engineering on the 570 pattern or power. The coverage of the new Northlake site was identical to the Grapevine site prior to the DFW project.

There was a fourth tower at the Grapevine site before the move.

KNON was never at Chalk Hill. They went on the air at Cedar Hill on a 1000' Pi-Rod tower and a used Collins 831G 20Kw transmitter with studios on Maple in the old Haunted House Club. It is now a boutique hotel. Lorenzo Milam put it on the air--financed by Collins and the First National Bank in Dallas. KNON never made a payment, and Collins repo'd the equipment.

The 104.1 was originally on a tower South of I30, East of Dallas, adjacent to a DP&L generating station. It was owned by the Robert Strauss family. They sold the AM--KIXL 0n 1040, to Crawford Broadcasting (now 770), and the FM--KIXL to Service Broadcasting. The FM was moved to the top of the First International Building on a self supporting tower and a new 20 Kw Collins 831G transmitter. KCBI was also placed on top of the building at the same time on a second tower. The First International Building is now Renaissance Tower.

 

[MikeShannon914]

The 104.1 was originally on a tower South of I30, East of Dallas, adjacent to a DP&L generating station. It was owned by the Robert Strauss family.

You meant 104.5, right? The 1040AM tower still stands (used now by KIXL successor KGGR-1040) at Military Pkwy near Dolphin, behind the former Hancock's Fabrics store.

And one of the Strauss'es from KIXL married a future Dallas mayor...Annette Strauss.

Also, when you're talking KNON, are you also/instead referring to anything related to KCHU, its predecessor? IIRC, KCHU was also at 90.9 (KNON's original freq) long before KNON came along, same format/operation, and had to sign off the air when their tower fell and they couldn't afford to repair and re-erect it.

 

[rr]

yes--KNON was KCHU, and a frequency swap was made with KCBI later down the road.

The mayor did marry into the Strauss family, but she didn't have a connection to the radio operation. The family developed Stonebridge Ranch back in the 80's.

The current tower location for the 1040 is not the same location as before the sale to Crawford. They had to vacate the site after the sale, and it was moved West to the current site. Terry Sheffield was the CE during those days, and the studios were on South Akard, very close the the new police headquarters. I'm pretty sure that the building is still there.

Yes, 104.5. By the way--on analog radios, 1040 and 104.5 are on the dial in the same place. You could switch between AM and FM and get KIXL on both without moving the dial.

 

[MikeShannon914]

Thanks for the answers....great info!! Could you pinpoint the site of KIXL's tower then? I was under the impression that it was always at the Military Pkwy site behind Hancock's. Of course, Pleasant Grove and immediately-surrounding areas were ripe with radio towers at one time (still are, to some degree.) There were towers around Scyene Rd and Masters (possibly an early KLIF tower location?) and of course, the original KSKY towers on Bruton, and the new array (Mortensen?) way out Bruton near 175. There was some recent discussion about the KIXL towers on news.jimroseremembersradio.com if you want to check that out. And yes, the old KIXL studios are still standing at last check. I have the original KIXL building sign sitting on my patio right now!

 

[rr]

I will have to do a little research on the original KIXL tower site--I was there many times, but I don't recall the street address.

Another couple of interesting sites were the 100.3--used to be KBOX-FM. The transmitter was on the Preston Tower just North of Preston Center. The transmitter was a 10 Kw Collins 830F, located in an apartment on the top floor. The studios were on McCree road in Lake Highlands, site of the AM antenna array. Now a bunch of houses occupy the site.

Once upon a time, the 105.3 was KMAP--transmitter located on the top of the Braniff Tower just South of Love Field. The studios were in the underground mall that connected the Braniff Tower to the former EDS building. An Oklahoma oilman bought it, changed the call to KXXK, and the format was "Music for groovy grownups". The old KMAP was block programmed--folk for two hours, classical for two hours, etc.

When WFAA-FM was first on the air, the transmitter and antenna were on the Merchantile Bank building downtown, and it stayed there until the 1600' tower at Cedar Hill was completed in the mid-50's. The mast is still on the bank building.

When KLIF first had an FM, the transmitter was at the current 1190 daytime site. The transmitter was an ITA, and was only operated during daytime hours when the site was manned--and a fire extinguisher was handy for use on the ITA. Later on when KNUS was operating, the transmitter was an RCA 20 Kw, located at Chalk Hill. That transmitter caught fire, was sold as scrap, but showed up at the 99.1 when it was built.

Of course, many remember when the 1310 site was on Flagpole Hill--when the city owned it.