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Galveston Community Radio Wants Cumulus to Give Them KSTB

This might seem like a good idea for the Galveston Community Radio people, but even if it were to happen what would they receive? Not much. In fact, it would be more like nothing at all.

There's a reason the tower (the "temporary" one) is located where it is. Not only was KSTB moved several years ago, it was downgraded as well. Moving it again really isn't an option, what with spacing requirements to two stations on 101.7, KAYD Silsbee/Beaumont on one side and KNTE Bay City on the other.

Even if KSTB could return to full power (6,000 watts) and maximum height of 100 meters (which it can't), it's important to note that the distance from the tower site to the heart of Galveston is about 30 miles. A Class A with maximum facilities generally can only expect a city-grade (70dBu) contour of about 10 miles, and a "service" (60dBu) contour of about 17 miles. This scrap metal of a station just can't be moved or upgraded, and it certainly couldn't come anywhere close to covering Galveston.
 
That isn't true at all. There's still room to move KSTB to nearer the tip of the peninsula and still get city grade to both Crystal and Galveston without short-spacing KNTE/Bay City or KAYD/Silsbee. The station is already short spacing Silsbee on the FM intermediate frequency and it's not impacting radios in Winnie and Anahuac. Gauging with Google maps, KSTB could be moved 7 miles southwest and get a 60dBu contour to Galveston City Hall. Those FCC contours are pretty conservative. For audibility purposes, GCR could put a processor in there and crank the modulation and shut off the stereo pilot and gain some signal that way. KAYD and KSTB are both Cumulus signals, so Dickey & Co should already be worried about short-spacing on the intermediate frequency (10.7MHz) because KNTE & KSTB's contours barely, and I mean barely overlap. If they're not worried already, KNTE has nothing to worry about. I'm sure the KSTB stick couldn't be moved all the way onto the island, though, because then KNTE would then be short-spaced and radios in Jamaica Beach and Clute would receive interference. And if worst comes to worst, throw up an LPFM on the south of the island to cover the hole in coverage. The goal is reachable. And audiences these days are used to flipping between two frequencies if they're trained to do so.
 
Since I'm the one who first suggested KSTB to the Galveston Community Radio poster in the original thread, should I now bill them for a consulting fee? :eek: ;D
 
AirUpThere said:
That isn't true at all. There's still room to move KSTB to nearer the tip of the peninsula and still get city grade to both Crystal and Galveston without short-spacing KNTE/Bay City or KAYD/Silsbee. The station is already short spacing Silsbee on the FM intermediate frequency and it's not impacting radios in Winnie and Anahuac. Gauging with Google maps, KSTB could be moved 7 miles southwest and get a 60dBu contour to Galveston City Hall. Those FCC contours are pretty conservative. For audibility purposes, GCR could put a processor in there and crank the modulation and shut off the stereo pilot and gain some signal that way. KAYD and KSTB are both Cumulus signals, so Dickey & Co should already be worried about short-spacing on the intermediate frequency (10.7MHz) because KNTE & KSTB's contours barely, and I mean barely overlap. If they're not worried already, KNTE has nothing to worry about. I'm sure the KSTB stick couldn't be moved all the way onto the island, though, because then KNTE would then be short-spaced and radios in Jamaica Beach and Clute would receive interference. And if worst comes to worst, throw up an LPFM on the south of the island to cover the hole in coverage. The goal is reachable. And audiences these days are used to flipping between two frequencies if they're trained to do so.
Click to expand...

Even if what you say is true - and I'm skeptical - how could the station possibly serve GCR's stated goal with such a craptastic signal? They say they want it for emergencies. In an emergency, no power type situation, most people are going to be listening on cheap battery operated radios, which are inherently deaf. Are the GCR people just ill informed about the capabilities of this signal, or do they know and really have other plans for the signal? If so, what are they?
 
If emergency communications is the reason, there's nothing stopping the city of Galveston or Galveston County from licensing a TIS AM station. Fort Bend County, the city of Sugar Land, and Missouri City have done this recently. They rebroadcast NOAA and play city public service announcements when all is well, but since the studios are in their respective department of emergency services, the city can go straight to the public.

Not as sexy as an FM, nor does it let former jocks play radio, but it would be easier to keep on the air in severe weather.
 
AirUpThere said:
The station is already short spacing Silsbee on the FM intermediate frequency and it's not impacting radios in Winnie and Anahuac. Gauging with Google maps, KSTB could be moved 7 miles southwest and get a 60dBu contour to Galveston City Hall.
Click to expand...

IF separation between KSTB and KAYD is not an issue, as the stations don't protect each other as such and only have to worry about short spacing to stations located 10.6 or 10.8 mHz down from them.

There's one thing, however, that hasn't been noted in this whole scenario: as a 73.215 contour protection station, KSTB could likely moved only about 7 kilometers down Bolivar Peninsula (not 7 miles) before running into problems with 2nd adjacent KLOL. That's about 4 miles.

Let's see if the Community Radio people get serious and commit to having an official allocation search done by a consulting engineer. That would probably reveal whether they'd still want what they're asking for after seeing the study results.
 
The current signal over Galveston is pretty weak. If Cumulus gives Galveston Community Radio KSTB, then the plan would be to get FCC approval to move the tower site much closer to Galveston.
If Galveston Community Radio can't get this approval, then this dose not appear to be a viable
station for Galveston. Besides, would Cumulus be willing to donate the station? I don't think so.

I do see GCR point in that Galveston has not had a locally originated radio station in like thirty five years or so. It could use one in time of severe weather, ect. A great idea if they can pull it off.
 
I'm sure the selling point for GCR is that Cumulus isn't making money off KSTB and could get a nice tax write off for donating it. So far, Cumulus appears not to be interested, but I can't imagine they'll ever be able to make money off that signal. As I remember it, their primary reason for purchasing it was to move it so they could improve KAYD's signal in Beaumont. They originally thought they had a deal for KTFA 92.5 to replace the original KAYD, but Clear Channel came in and bid up the price at the last second.

When JD says KSTB can't be moved, I trust him. He knows his stuff on allocations and is rarely, if ever, wrong. So, even if they could get KSTB, I'd think GCR would have a tough time hitting Galveston with that stick.
 
If GCR's intent is to cover Galveston, what modifications could be made in transmission facilities where they could be in Galveston?
 
Perhaps Cumulus sees some future possibility of building a profitable service on this channel. Wonder if this is or is not a common practice amongst major broadcasting companies that own frequency channels in areas such as Crystal Beach where economic conditions are suspect at best?
 
What could be done to move KSTB closer to Galveston even short spaced ........

Plot a hypothetical reference point where KSTB could operate at max class A allocation and put a 60 dbu signal over Crystal Beach.

Then have an engineering study done to determine a location where you could put a better signal into Galveston using a directional antenna with a null in the pattern protect KLOL.

This will be a costly build out for a community station.......
 
fadedglory said:
Perhaps Cumulus sees some future possibility of building a profitable service on this channel. Wonder if this is or is not a common practice amongst major broadcasting companies that own frequency channels in areas such as Crystal Beach where economic conditions are suspect at best?
Click to expand...

The station doesn't have much value today, but if the FCC ever relaxes spacing requirements, a Crystal Beach allotment could have value. Not necessarily on its current channel, but if that kind of relaxation ever occurs, I suspect a lot of shuffling will take place.
 
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