Delta gets 103.7/Lafayette

[C Murder]

From today's Taylor on Radio-Info, it looks like Charles Chatelain and Eddie Blanchard and their Delta Media (KLWB, KXKW) picked up the construction permit for the new 103.7 in Opelousas for $322,000.

Since the coverage area pretty much duplicates Channel 6, a simulcast of 105.3/KXKW would be wasteful and redundant, so I wonder which other old Lafayette station they'll try to cash in on the heritage of—Adult Standards KACY? Boss 96? Z-Rock 93.7? Classic Rock KRKR? Bueller?

 

[way out west]

Things with FCC construction permit auctions are not always as they appear. First, this CP can be moved from
Opelousas as there are other Opelousas stations. Second, it can be upgraded from a Class A to a Class C2.
Third, it can be re-located to either of the two tall towers in Parks LA, east of Lafayette (of course a lease from
one of the owners would be needed). Citadel & Regent own the tower KXKC and KTDY are on. Iberia Communications
owns the other one.

It looks like they could operate using 15 kW at 275 meters and have nice coverage. The station would cover 466,000
people with a city grade signal. That's a big improvement from the 184,000 they'd get as a Class A in Opelousas.
During the time they'll need to run as a Class A in Parks, they'll still have a nice signal using 0.75 kW at 275 meters
getting them city grade coverage over nearly 247,000 people. I would think they would put up the antenna for the
C2 and maybe even put in the 15 kW transmitter and just run it at 0.75 kW until the upgrade is approved. It would
be cheaper than changing out everything when the FCC approval comes.

Now before people jump all over me and say I'm wrong, this move will require a couple steps. First, Delta will apply
to change City of License in their initial application to a City like Parks LA or Henderson LA that has no FM licensed to
it. Once that is approved, they'll need to turn on their Class A signal. Then they can apply for a one-step upgrade
to Class C2. The Class C2 upgrade will require a downgrade of WCDV Hammond, LA to a Class C0. WCDV does not
operate at the minimum required height for a Class C and can be downgraded (see KXKC from a few years ago).
This will take about a year for that part of the process as WCDV will be allowed time to "show cause" from the FCC.
Once that is done, the FCC will issue the Class C2 upgrade to Delta. It's all pretty simple and just takes time.

The one thing that will stop this is if before Delta can get their paperwork filed, someone files a Rule Making
proposal with the FCC to change a frequency somewhere that will block this move. There are people that file
those type of motions with the FCC with the idea of blackmailing the other party, in this case Delta, into paying
them to go away. It's illegal but still happens more than you'd think. Delta paid $322,000 for the permit and
they'll spend another $150,000 to build it, I'm sure they'd like to cover more than KFXZ or KOGM does. I'm sure
they will cross their fingers and hope no one figures out what their plan is. (oops, I guess I just told you)

 

[way out west]

As for Delta's other purchase of 105.7 in Oak Grove LA, they got totally hosed. They paid $23,000 for a station that
covers 670 people and that was before Hurricane Rita relocated most of them. It can't be moved anywhere. There
are no other frequencies to move it to. It's total garbage. Charles Crawford filed for this allocation several years
ago to block an upgrade in Houston. At that time, he had to use the information from Oak Grove LA near Monroe
to fool the FCC into thinking Oak Grove in southwest LA was a city. It worked and Delta just bought swampland
coverage. At least they scored on the Opelousas CP.

 

[Fieldtech1]

I was told by a local engineer c3 max for the new 103.7 allocation, due to spacing with 103.5 in Alexandria, 103.3 in B.R and 104.1 in Vacherie.

 

[way out west]

fieldtech1

Before I say your local engineer is wrong, I'll say it all comes down to where you put it. If you want to
go C3 at the frequencies present allocation site, then even that won't work as it is short 5.85km to KLAA in
Tioga and 5.05km short to 103.9 in Bordelonville. There are no problems with KYRK as it is clear by 44.37km.
A Class C2 is not possible if Opelousas remains the City of License. The area in which a C2 is possible is
to the east of Lafayette and and begins about 3 miles south of I-10. The area is about 3 miles wide at the
north end and is about 7 miles wide at the Gulf. From there you can't hit Opelousas with the 70 dBu coverage
needed for a City of License.

In order to go to a Class C2 it will take a City of License change, but that should be easy. There are
other FMs licensed to Opelousas. They can apply to move the Class A to either Parks LA or Henderson LA.
The station would also cover St Martinville but there are already stations licensed to St Martinville. A move
to either of the 1040 foot towers will require the downgrade of WCDV Hammond from a Class C to a Class
C0. WCDV does not operate at the Class C minimum so this type of downgrade is possible. (see KXKC and
KIOC) There are towers they could locate on as a C2 without the downgrade of WCDV, such as tower
#1247460, but nothing over about 250 feet in height or they could decide to build their own tower, but the
two 1040 foot towers are their best shot at great coverage. On either of those towers they are clear of
KYRK by 0.22km, KLAA by 18.59km, 103.9 in Bordelonville by 1.68km. It is short spaced to WCDV by 12.67km
if WCDV remains a Class C, but as a Class C0 it is clear by 3.33km.

It will come down to if they want to get on the air fast or wait the year for the C0 downgrade of WCDV.
It probably makes sense to wait and get it all done at once. The CP would not get issued until the downgrade
is done and they'd have three years from then to build it. It might be the best option, apply for the City of
License change to Parks LA as a Class A on one of the 1040 foot towers and ask for a downgrade of WCDV
all in the initial application. The FCC allows this and it gives Delta more time. Otherwise if they apply for
the Class A in Opelousas and then ask for the move to Parks the clock on the CP would be running the entire
time. In fact, if Delta would like to pay me I'll even file their paperwork with the FCC.

 

[buttonpuncher]

What about the LPFM KOCZ already on 103.7 in Opelousas? http://www.kocz.org/

 

[way out west]

KOCZ gets to move to a new frequency if they can find one or go off the air. Their choice.
The 103.7 frequency has been allocated to be a new Class A station for many years. KOCZ
went on the air knowing that they would have to move someday. If they didn't, someone
did not do their homework. LPFMs really have no rights nor should they. In this case they
used a frequency they knew would go away someday and now that day has come. If they
don't like it they have no one to blame but themselves. Maybe they should have shelled out
$322,000+, bought the frequency and become a real broadcaster.