Ely Radio

[RF101]

The Ely Times posted a truly amazing article about KELY activating their FM translator.

Two quotes of note. The first here highlights the purpose:

"On Feb. 5, KELY General Manager Wyatt Cox and engineer Kevin Fitzgerald put 98.5 FM K253CJ. The signal is part of the Federal Communication Commissions AM revitalization program, allowing all stations to have access to an FM signal. The FM signal is limited in coverage to Ely and portions of McGill."

The second describes the history of the station and how the former KCLS migrated to Utah over several years:

"In 1986, Reed Communications, then owners of KELY, put KCLS 101.7 on the air. The stations were then sold to Elko-based Ruby Radio Corporation, and in 2005 the two stations were split, with KELY going to current owners Ely Radio LLC, with the FM going to College Creek Broadcasting. For a time, the stations were simulcast, putting KELY’s news and talk programming on both 1230 AM and 101.7FM. College Creek Broadcasting, in a two step plan, moved the station first to Pioche, then to Leeds, UT, where the station remains on the air today, owned by Canyon Media as a part of a seven station media group in St. George, UT.."

The entire article can be found here:

New FM radio station in Ely

It seems that with the debut of a new FM Radio Station in Ely, everything old is new again. On Feb. 5, KELY General Manager Wyatt Cox and engineer Kevin Fitzgerald put 98.5 FM K253CJ. The signal is…

elynews.com

 

[renoman47]

My gosh I was wondering during a visit to Pioche last month, how that tiny town had a spacious main street window radio studio. But this may be a totally separate station, as the abandoned building's sign said "98.5 FM". There are like 5 very small businesses in Pioche, with a population of only a couple hundred. Forgot the call letters but their story was on Wikipedia.

 

[Red Plume]

It took me a while to hunt this down-- that's KBZB, which has since moved into St. George, UT, as KRQX. It signed off from Pioche in November 2006, after operating there for about 9 years.

I also found it on Google Maps, as I was curious about the storefront. It's at 673 Main Street, Pioche, NV.

It looks to have stayed in great shape for being abandoned for 17 years!

 

[boiseengineer]

College Creek was the reason for a couple related massive and disruptive moves of 26+ stations in 6 (7?) states back in 2008.
I believe the LAST scattered debris of that fiasco have finally settled out with KZDX Burley staying at 99.9 instead of moving to 93.5 and KXCD 99.9 Fairfield (moved from Salmon) landing on 93.5.
KQFC 97.9 would have moved to 102.7 and KPHD (now KZMG) on 97.7/97.9 but a swap was made at the last moment so KQFC stays on 97.9.