KCTA's nighttime application history

[jd]

Hopefully someone can fill in the blanks on this one. I remember past applications from the station to add nighttime service with 1,000 watts, supposedly by constructing a second tower. Unless I'm mistaken KCTA has an unusual authorization to sign on with full power of 50,000 watts at the WBZ Boston site sunrise time. Now if that's correct, I'd conclude that it would supplant their pre-sunrise authority to sign on at 6:00 AM with 217 to 245 watts, depending on the time of the year. They also have post-sunset authority with those same power levels, allowing them to operate for two hours past sunset, varying from 7:30 PM in November and December to as late as 10:30 PM in June and July.

So the questions are: do they take advantage of the morning hours full-power clause? Do they operate under the post-sunset authority or sign off at Corpus Christi sunset? Finally, did the FCC dismiss all the applications for nighttime operation strictly because of technical flaws, or in the case of the last one in 1999, did KCTA simply fail to pursue it?

 

[Iused2nothat]

As I recall, KCTA is authorized for 50 kw from WBZ sunrise to KTWO sunset. I don't think any airtime was ever relinquished.

The story was that Jim Weldon (Continental Electronics) was granted this unusual allocation in exchange for providing a "border blaster" transmitter for govt. use during WW2. I don't know if you could find that documented anywhere.

The tower was extended to put the KOUL FM antenna up higher, so it had very high RF voltage at the base. On very humid mornings at sign-on, the Austin transformer would arc over, and you would hear "god" speaking and a modulated red glow from behind the tower house. Spooky.

All night-time applications that I know of have problems protecting the 20 kw XEQR Mexico City. To protect them would take more than 2 towers and send most if the signal out to the gulf. Probably not economical to build and operate.

 

[fredcantu]

Remember KCTA's format would not add much more revenue in the nighttime hours anyway.

 

[jd]

As I recall, KCTA is authorized for 50 kw from WBZ sunrise to KTWO sunset. I don't think any airtime was ever relinquished.

I think you're right, although the authorization for operation until KTWO sunset would have been relatively new development with the breakup of the clear channels in the 70's.

The story was that Jim Weldon (Continental Electronics) was granted this unusual allocation in exchange for providing a "border blaster" transmitter for govt. use during WW2. I don't know if you could find that documented anywhere.

I haven't seen anything definitive about that but it appears that the station began in 1943 under special authorization on 1010kHz with the call letters KWBU. It appears that they switched to 1030 within a couple of years. Here's a listing from a Broadcasting Yearbook back in that era:

KWBU 1030 Baylor University Carr P. Collins, Pres.
1943 50,000-D 912 Commerce St., Homer Hogan, Mgr.
Dallas Bob McBride, Prog. Dir.

The tower was extended to put the KOUL FM antenna up higher, so it had very high RF voltage at the base.

BAck in 2001 KCTA got approval to reduce their overall height, but I couldn't find any information on how or if that affected KOUL.

All night-time applications that I know of have problems protecting the 20 kw XEQR Mexico City. To protect them would take more than 2 towers and send most if the signal out to the gulf. Probably not economical to build and operate.

Last I

 

[jd]

Sorry, I hit the send button prematurely, so let me try again on this one:

As I recall, KCTA is authorized for 50 kw from WBZ sunrise to KTWO sunset. I don't think any airtime was ever relinquished.

I think you're right, although the authorization for operation until KTWO sunset would have been a relatively new development with the breakup of the clear channels in the 70's.

The story was that Jim Weldon (Continental Electronics) was granted this unusual allocation in exchange for providing a "border blaster" transmitter for govt. use during WW2. I don't know if you could find that documented anywhere.

I seem to recall something about that and I think you're probably right, although I haven't ever seen anything definitive about it. It appears that the station began in 1943 under special authorization on 1010kHz with the call letters KWBU. It also seems that they switched to 1030 shortly afterward following interference complaints from the now defunct KLRA Litttle Rock. Here's a listing from a Broadcasting Yearbook back in that era:

KWBU 1030 Baylor University Carr P. Collins, Pres.
1943 50,000-D 912 Commerce St., Homer Hogan, Mgr.
Dallas Bob McBride, Prog. Dir.

Carr P. Collins and his affiliation with Baylor University, now there's an interesting story:

The "Border Blasters" book explains the reason there's a 50KW daytimer on 1030 in Corpus Christi and why it's religious. The name Carr Collins figures prominently in the scenario and so do "Crazy Water Crystals." There's a Salvation Army building in Dallas named after Mr. Collins.

The tower was extended to put the KOUL FM antenna up higher, so it had very high RF voltage at the base.

Back in 2001 KCTA got approval to reduce their overall height, but I can't find any information on how or if that affected KOUL.

All night-time applications that I know of have problems protecting the 20 kw XEQR Mexico City. To protect them would take more than 2 towers and send most if the signal out to the gulf. Probably not economical to build and operate.

Last I saw XEQR was supposedly operating with 50,000 watts day and 5,000 at night (notified powers), for what that's worth. I'm only going by what I heard about KCTA's plans for using just two towers; they could easily protect WBZ that way, of course, but avoiding interference to Mexico City is another story.

Remember KCTA's format would not add much more revenue in the nighttime hours anyway.

You're right, Fred, and from what I heard they simply lost interest in their most recent application due to the complexity of the antenna system that would be required. Admittedly that's hearsay but it seems plausible enough.

 

[clouseau]

Back in 2001 KCTA got approval to reduce their overall height, but I can't find any information on how or if that affected KOUL.

KOUL hs been on it's own tower just east of Sinton for years. I believe KCTA went with the shorter tower back in the early 2000's because they had to replace it and went for lower cost.

Clouseau

 

[93-3TheSurge]

KCTA should run an FM simulcast, say on 103-7.

Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas would get KCTA in FM, day or night, and those in San Antonio, Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen, Austin, Houston, Beaumont and beyond would still get to listen to the 50kW blowtorch 1030AM during the day.

I will stop short of saying KCTA should flip to a News/Talk format with a Sports lean.

 

[jd]

KCTA should run an FM simulcast, say on 103-7.

Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas would get KCTA in FM, day or night, and those in San Antonio, Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen, Austin, Houston, Beaumont and beyond would still get to listen to the 50kW blowtorch 1030AM during the day.

All right, how about taking some initiative with this? Why don't you contact the management of KOUL and KCTA, run your idea by them and then get back to us? I'd like to hear what kind of response you might get.

There's a reason KCTA has had religious programming for many, many years. This is the place where you can hear Lester Roloff sermons seven days a week, even though he's been dead since 1982! It still works on AM and adding an FM simulcast might not be worth that much to them. Besides, the stations are not co-owned so working out a simulcast deal would be difficult at best, or more likely impossible.

I will stop short of saying KCTA should flip to a News/Talk format with a Sports lean.

That's good, because I don't see it ever happening. Does that also mean you'd like to see KOUL, as a simulcast of KCTA, throw in the towel and let K-99 have almost total dominance of the format?

 

[Infamous]

It's been over a decade that I heard this story so I hope my old memory doesn't fail me on this one but from what I can recall, when Bill York (current owner of KCTA) sold all of his stations (the then KRAD 105.5, KOUL 103.3, KLTG 96.5, and KDAE 1590) back in 1998-1999 to Nueces Radio Partners (aka Jay Harpole) he couldn't sell KCTA as part of the package because of an agreement Roloff had with his family. Roloff made the York's promise two things....one, they would never sell it...and two, it would always be a Christian station.

 

[93-3TheSurge]

KCTA should run an FM simulcast, say on 103-7.

Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas would get KCTA in FM, day or night, and those in San Antonio, Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen, Austin, Houston, Beaumont and beyond would still get to listen to the 50kW blowtorch 1030AM during the day.

All right, how about taking some initiative with this? Why don't you contact the management of KOUL and KCTA, run your idea by them and then get back to us? I'd like to hear what kind of response you might get.

There's a reason KCTA has had religious programming for many, many years. This is the place where you can hear Lester Roloff sermons seven days a week, even though he's been dead since 1982! It still works on AM and adding an FM simulcast might not be worth that much to them. Besides, the stations are not co-owned so working out a simulcast deal would be difficult at best, or more likely impossible.

I will stop short of saying KCTA should flip to a News/Talk format with a Sports lean.

That's good, because I don't see it ever happening. Does that also mean you'd like to see KOUL, as a simulcast of KCTA, throw in the towel and let K-99 have almost total dominance of the format?

I did JD, and KCTA loved it!! I am being named Program Director on Monday. So guess what, JD? No more Lester Roloff for you! :'( :'( :'(

On a serious note, even you have to admit that at 50kW, KCTA is a waste and could be pulling in a lot more revenue with a news/talk format. The programming on KCTA needs to go to the end of the AM dial.

 

[fredcantu]

On a serious note, even you have to admit that at 50kW, KCTA is a waste and could be pulling in a lot more revenue with a news/talk format. The programming on KCTA needs to go to the end of the AM dial.

KCTA was started on principle, and you have to give them credit for standing firm. I thought the same way about a neighborhood convenience store owner who refused to sell beer and lottery tickets. You don't think that self-imposed ban cost him some revenue. But he was walking the talk.

 

[jd]

...he couldn't sell KCTA as part of the package because of an agreement Roloff had with his family. Roloff made the York's promise two things....one, they would never sell it...and two, it would always be a Christian station.

I heard about that part of the Roloff legacy, too, back around 1990. The subject came up in the course of a conversation about the former KFGG 88.7 (now KKLM); a local station owner claimed (the late) Lester Roloff's name had appeared on the application for transfer of the original CP. Somehow it didn't seem hard to believe.

 

[93-3TheSurge]

KCTA was started on principle, and you have to give them credit for standing firm. I thought the same way about a neighborhood convenience store owner who refused to sell beer and lottery tickets. You don't think that self-imposed ban cost him some revenue. But he was walking the talk.

Standing firm for your religious beliefs is respectable, but think of all the revenue they are giving up? KCTA could be the WBAP of Corpus Christi, and news/talk formats are extremely hot right now. A listener can pull in KCTA in San Antonio, Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen/RGV, Houston, and Austin during daytime operations, which would be make it attractive for the biggest names in talk radio, which would in turn increase ad revenue.

It is a shame to see such a powerful station not reach its potential. It's kind of like seeing your buddy with a girl that makes him miserable when he could be with another girl that would make him happier.

 

[Infamous]

KCTA was started on principle, and you have to give them credit for standing firm. I thought the same way about a neighborhood convenience store owner who refused to sell beer and lottery tickets. You don't think that self-imposed ban cost him some revenue. But he was walking the talk.

Standing firm for your religious beliefs is respectable, but think of all the revenue they are giving up?

Trust me...they are not "giving up" any revenue. KCTA is a money maker with all the paid religious programs it airs. I spoke to KCTA's David Freymiller a couple of years ago and the dollar amounts he told me KCTA pulls in every month was insane! I'll just say this...not even Clear Channel's News/Talk station here in town pulls in those kinda figures. Actually...most other FM's here in Corpus Christi don't pull in as much as KCTA does. I don't see revenue being a problem with them at all.

 

[Kent]

I, too, have a hard time believing KCTA isn't making much money. Many religious broadcasters are serious cash cows because the rent-a-preachers on the stations pay for their airtime in advance. They don't need to sell ads or have any ratings so long as the preachers keep paying up. The only way that will change, and there are some signs this might be happening, is if the preachers stop buying time on local radio and migrate more of their content to the internet.

While KCTA's daytime-only signal is a monster, I can't imagine it would be much of an attraction to talk hosts unless they just wanted a Corpus Christi affiliate. Talk shows make better money by being heard on individual stations in San Antonio, Austin, Laredo, Corpus Christi, the Valley, Houston and every small city in-between than they'd do by being heard on a single station, even if it did put a listenable enough signal into each of those markets. It also probably wouldn't increase revenue much for KCTA because spot radio has never been bought regionally. Jacor attempted to market their stations regionally shortly after the Telecomm Act of '96 passed. They abandoned the attempt quickly because it cost more than they anticipated and yielded virtually no results. Advertisers buying radio regionally would be a seismic cultural shift that isn't going to happen anytime soon, if ever.

 

[93-3TheSurge]

I, too, have a hard time believing KCTA isn't making much money. Many religious broadcasters are serious cash cows because the rent-a-preachers on the stations pay for their airtime in advance.

That's a good point, and I suppose KCTA is earning more than I suspected, but don't you believe that KCTA would earn more if they were a news/talk format? Look at the most powerful AM stations, WOAI, KLBJ, WBAP, KTRH, etc., they are news/talk formats with the best ratings of AM stations in their respected markets. If the "rent-a-preachers" were really paying that much, why wouldn't WOAI, KTRH, etc., flip to a religious format?

While KCTA's daytime-only signal is a monster, I can't imagine it would be much of an attraction to talk hosts unless they just wanted a Corpus Christi affiliate. Talk shows make better money by being heard on individual stations in San Antonio, Austin, Laredo, Corpus Christi, the Valley, Houston and every small city in-between than they'd do by being heard on a single station, even if it did put a listenable enough signal into each of those markets.

Yes, cities like San Antonio, Austin, Houston, etc., already have affiliates of the top AM talk programs, and listeners in say, San Antonio, probably wouldn't listen to Sean Hannity on KCTA instead of WOAI, but the producers of these talk shows want to be on the most powerful AM station in that market, which would be KCTA.

 

[Infamous]

If the "rent-a-preachers" were really paying that much, why wouldn't WOAI, KTRH, etc., flip to a religious format?

My guess would be because San Antonio and Houston already have a station (or stations) carrying the religious programming that KCTA airs.

 

[Iused2nothat]

If the "rent-a-preachers" were really paying that much, why wouldn't WOAI, KTRH, etc., flip to a religious format?

Yes, cities like San Antonio, Austin, Houston, etc., already have affiliates of the top AM talk programs, and listeners in say, San Antonio, probably wouldn't listen to Sean Hannity on KCTA instead of WOAI, but the producers of these talk shows want to be on the most powerful AM station in that market, which would be KCTA.

Corpus does not have the population of SA or Houston, so a 50kw am is not needed to cover the market. KCTA works for the "rent a preachers" because it reaches the suckers believers from Key West to the Yucatan for "one low price".

 

[radiogroupie]

On a serious note, even you have to admit that at 50kW, KCTA is a waste and could be pulling in a lot more revenue with a news/talk format. The programming on KCTA needs to go to the end of the AM dial.

KCTA was started on principle, and you have to give them credit for standing firm. I thought the same way about a neighborhood convenience store owner who refused to sell beer and lottery tickets. You don't think that self-imposed ban cost him some revenue. But he was walking the talk.

I'm gpoing really far back in CC history. Anybody remember Markins Grocery at the corner of Weber and Staples? Across from the old Fire Station. Old Man Markins refused to go until the city booted him off the property. I bet markins got a pretty penny for that!

 

[radiogroupie]

KCTA was started on principle, and you have to give them credit for standing firm. I thought the same way about a neighborhood convenience store owner who refused to sell beer and lottery tickets. You don't think that self-imposed ban cost him some revenue. But he was walking the talk.

Standing firm for your religious beliefs is respectable, but think of all the revenue they are giving up? KCTA could be the WBAP of Corpus Christi, and news/talk formats are extremely hot right now. A listener can pull in KCTA in San Antonio, Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen/RGV, Houston, and Austin during daytime operations, which would be make it attractive for the biggest names in talk radio, which would in turn increase ad revenue.

It is a shame to see such a powerful station not reach its potential. It's kind of like seeing your buddy with a girl that makes him miserable when he could be with another girl that would make him happier.

The York Family is totally nuts! From the Granddaddy Down.