I hate K-Love, and other Low power religios stations.

[Mid West Clubber]

They are hogging all the good DX and part 15 Legal Radio frequincies . they put their 20 watt pee shooter towers and set one up every 20 or so miles, instead of just getting a few good Class Bs to brodcast on. Where I live, I can honestly tune in to 5 different K love affiliates. I know Indiana has alot of Christians, but this beyond acceptable. The dial in bloomington is so clogged full of religious low power stations that you can even DX Indianapolis or Louisville anymore on Frequencys that were once clear. X 1003 in Indy used to have a good signal into Bloomington, but nothing at now because of a religious broadcaster on 103.1 Used to be able to DX 107.7 SFR, and Z 1077 St louis in Bloomington as well, not now because Spirt 95 decided they needed another frequency on 107.7, just incase someone cant pull in their strong azz 95.1 signal. In Bedford, used to get 97.5 WAMZ, and 97.1 Hank FM..... But now Bedford has K-love on 97.3,,, so guess what, no more DX there either......... Who can we write to about all these Religious stations clogging the dial and causing interference to COMM stations that have had listeners in the areas they now block out. Also, how many tranlaters does WFHB Bloomington need, they have 91.3 which is plenty enough, 98.1 serves no purpose other than block DXing, and now WFHB puts a tranlator in the middle of the woods near Morgantown Indiana, which blocks out my reception of WMGI here, which used to have a good signal here, it also sprays interference into RADIO NOW WNOU inside their protected contour.

 

[AndTheLambGoesBAA]

They are hogging all the good DX and part 15 Legal Radio frequincies .

You tell 'em, Clubber. I couldn't agree more.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

There aren't even 5 KLove stations in Indiana.

But I tend to agree about the proliferation of 10 and 20 watt stations.

 

[justalurker]

There aren't even 5 KLove stations in Indiana.

Seven EMF Owned Stations in Indiana: (also Listed on KLove's website)

88.3 MHz WARA New Washington
88.3 MHz WKMV Muncie
88.5 MHz WQKV Rochester (plus CP for 88.7 MHz)
89.3 MHz WIKV Plymouth
90.5 MHz WIKL Greencastle
91.5 MHz WJLR Seymour
106.7 MHz WGLM Lafayette

But I tend to agree about the proliferation of 10 and 20 watt stations.

EMF Licensed Translators:
88.5 MHz W203BL Kirksville
88.9 MHz W205BT New Albany
95.1 MHz W236AN Floyd's Knobs*
97.3 MHz W247AY Bedford*
97.5 MHz W248AW Franklyn*
101.7 MHz W269BP Richmond
102.1 MHz W271BG Columbus*
102.9 MHz W275AJ Muncie*
103.1 MHz W275BF Bloomington
104.7 MHz W284AD New Albany
* listed on KLove's website

 

[Mid West Clubber]

Klove seems to have alot of undocumented signals, not to mentiont the fact that, if it isnt k-love blocking my reception, its another religious outlet. Religious groups are the true pirates of the FM band, clogging all the frequencys that cause more interference complants than they get listeners. Honestly who actually ever even notices these weak signal stations with a 3 mile coverage for the average listener, yet they cause interference 15 miles out.

 

[austingrace]

same thing here in florida. we have reach fm witch does the same thing over here. it is pure bullshit. it's pointless.

 

[ChiefEngineer]

Klove seems to have alot of undocumented signals, not to mentiont the fact that, if it isnt k-love blocking my reception, its another religious outlet. Religious groups are the true pirates of the FM band, clogging all the frequencys that cause more interference complants than they get listeners. Honestly who actually ever even notices these weak signal stations with a 3 mile coverage for the average listener, yet they cause interference 15 miles out.

Pirates are unlicensed. Like it or not these are LICENSED stations. Any station on the air is there because mileage to another station is secured through tried and tested rules.

Some of the translators have coverage up to 30 miles. It's all terrrain based.

Given the fact that these are LICENSED and available for anyone to apply for the argument doesn't hold water if you are concerned about the format. Comparing religious vs non religious there are many fewer religious stations.

The other comparison (disco vs religious) would probably be weighed poorly also. There is contemporary christian, southern gospel, catholic, ac, rock, talk, inspirational, hymn music, etc. Lumping all formats together makes sense like comparing talk to any format involving music not taking into account the type of music. For example there are less than 5 Catholic stations in Indiana in the religious format section.

Are you upset that NPR has so many stations with the same programming?

I agree klove (rush limbaugh for algore) is even a problem for most christian broadcasters because there is no local involvement and the endless fund drives ("We're going off the air tomorrow if your cash doesn't get here now") have no local impact.

Being involved with a group that has several translators I have only had a single interference complaint noted. It was in an area outside of a stations protected contour by many miles. In each location where we have a translator we use this to promote local events and become a local asset to the community we are serving. (as opposed to never acknowledging the local community)
In every area this is usually the only local fm signal in our format.

What music do you want "religious" music replaced with? Knowing now that this has as many possibilities from oldies , classic rock, true oldies, swing, ac, rock, aor, country, young country, urban, churban, etc? If the music you really liked were universally acceptable wouldn't there be one on every corner?

 

[BoreUsMalenko]

Used to get WWWY 106.1 out of North Vernon (Y-106) up in Muncie until WBCL started a translator on 106.1 here.

 

[kenglish]

I think the OP is just upset that he gets EXACTLY the same programming on numerous frequencies, thus blocking out "competing" channels he used to hear.

Why CAN'T they use one (full-power) frequency in a market? And, truth is, I would not mind some LOCAL Christian broadcasting. Something that ties in with the local community would be welcome...just not 5+ channels of the exact same programming in a market.

 

[AndTheLambGoesBAA]

...just not 5+ channels of the exact same programming in a market.

There may be space for an allocation. That doesn't mean there's a need for that allocation.

 

[raccoonradio]

They just took over a full powered station too (prob have a bunch of those), the former WMEX
(oldies) 106.5 in Rochester NH area.

>>
There may be space for an allocation. That doesn't mean there's a need for that allocation.

agreed, more variety/opportunity needed

 

[skippertthomas]

Havinga a 'split' career in commercial mainstream and Christian radio, and working as a lower level engineer on several translator projects, I can understand frustration on receiving, what used to be, listenable signals within a station's 40 dbu (on common tuners or "DX'd" receivers).. However, I think there are abuses on both sides of the issue... "Firehouse" radio was early into putting questionable translators on in Bloomington..BUT, they were within the FCC guidelines that evolved over time..Relagating back to old rules will not happen.. The cat is out of the bag.. Of the three to four big translator networks with Christian programming, AFR was the first to file 'anywhere' they could find an opening...It was a headache for the FCC, but Congress has backed up the service and the FCC can't run as independent as it did before 1986... K-Love are neat people (as far as good solid folks are concerned), but I do have a different take on how to run a network... If they were to regionalize their programming, as Way-Fm does, then LOCAL and REGIONAL needs and accertainment could be successful in reaching communities on a personal level.. That would make them more than a generic CCM format in the woods... The last open filing was the kicker...These networks were given the green light to 'mad-filings' and do what AFR did earlier in the America's translator expansion... On LPFM's, that's a whole different world.. The paradox is: Secondary Service Translators can go as hot as 250 watts at 100 feet, and yet, LPFM's which should be considered above translators (which are repeated service), and are to be 'local' in some order (gray area on use of outside programming that will be challenged in the first renewel cycle, in a few years..ie..Network, local automation, etc. within the localization of programming), only get up to 100 watts at 100 feet (or the tradeoff variation of height and wattage)...Just because a LPFM has a 3.5 mile protected contour, spacing and terrain will determine the reception beyond that (as in any FM signal's propagation)...And WNOU's (new location on the dial) protected contour is as a Class "A" fm.. 60dBU is the protected contour and basically covers from the center of New Whiteland to the middle of Noblesville, and from the far east side of Greenfield to the west ends of Brownsburg and Plainfield... Thus, all of Marion County and out a few more miles.. Their signal in Bloomington is far from a protected signal.. Heck, I remember getting the old WNAP at 93.1 in southern Indiana on a good night, 25 miles north of Evansville.. With the exception of occasional inversion, those days are gone....

 

[dxer720]

The good about translators is they allow a broadcaster to cover more areas.

The bad about translators is that the local areas are so often under-served by this new signal. The only "local" thing on a translator is the legal ID.

Want to see a HUGE list of translators...Look up WRVM in Surring, WI.

 

[gr8oldies]

Before 80-90, there were even more DX frequencies. Before even the smallest stations were 24/7, there were plenty more at night. Growing up in West Central Ohio I could regularly hear Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and more distant markets. I do believe translators should be for their original purpose, filling in holes in coverage, not bringing in signlas from thousands of miles away.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

Just to clarify, im not against religious broadcasters in general, I would feel the same way about any format that felt the need to clog the dial with unlocal programing on several frequencies, and blocking out listenable signals within the listeable coverage area. I dont expect stations 200 miles away to stay protected for DX, but 50kw stations that are 50-70 miles away should be listenable, and they once were. I dont know who's bright idea it was to clog the dial in Bloomington, but you can get indianapolis, Terre Haute, or Louisville signals there anymore, even though their local Cable TV provides the tv channels from all those cities.

What I want to know,,,,, Where in Bloomington can you not pick up WTTS or Spirit 95,,,, Both have strong signals in Bloomington, Neither station needs a translator, their full power sticks are merely 15-20 miles from town. WTTS has the equilivant of a 100kw signal with a nearly state wide signal, even covering parts of KY, Ill, and OH,,, Why do they need to hog 95.9 in Bloomington.

Vern, up at WSHW is just about as bad.........

 

[AndTheLambGoesBAA]

I do believe translators should be for their original purpose, filling in holes in coverage, not bringing in signlas from thousands of miles away.

Make that 50 miles. Want a signal there? Can't afford a signal there? Learn to do without.

Radio would be in better shape without the carpetbagging that started with 80-90.

 

[radiorob2.0]

What I want to know,,,,, Where in Bloomington can you not pick up WTTS or Spirit 95,,,, Both have strong signals in Bloomington, Neither station needs a translator, their full power sticks are merely 15-20 miles from town. WTTS has the equilivant of a 100kw signal with a nearly state wide signal, even covering parts of KY, Ill, and OH,,, Why do they need to hog 95.9 in Bloomington.

Vern, up at WSHW is just about as bad.........

The WTTS translator goes back to the early days of not so good FM radios, it stays on sorta out of tradition. It's impact wasn't much, the old 96STO used to get calls from Bloomington during skips or from the dorms.

The translator, just like 80-90 and LPFM, has been abused because the rules are vague and the interpretation is vast. FCC and Congress will do nothing in fear of repercussions in the form of letters, emails and basic extortion from a very organized segment of the population.

 

[mrcnokc]

Amen, brother! We've got six or seven LP's in Oklahoma City, and they are a royal pain! Same dribble on all of them.

 

[fwmw]

Same dribble on all of them.

If one doesn't like the programming on a radio station, nobody requires you to listen. Why complain about it here? This isn't the good ol' days, however, I appreciate that this thread sorta skewed towards fond reminiscing of the good ol' days instead of bashing a particular format. Besides, I could rant and rave about all those stupid stations in the formats I don't like.

 

[radiorob2.0]

Same dribble on all of them.

If one doesn't like the programming on a radio station, nobody requires you to listen. Why complain about it here? This isn't the good ol' days, however, I appreciate that this thread sorta skewed towards fond reminiscing of the good ol' days instead of bashing a particular format. Besides, I could rant and rave about all those stupid stations in the formats I don't like.

The issue surrounds the population explosion of translators mostly importing a national format. Yes it is worth a thread.