KCTO 1160 Kansas City audio problems

[SnottyNose799]

For the past few years, it has aired a very low quality feed of Radio Maria Español along with it's 99.3 and 100.5 FM translators. It sounds like they're using a low quality Skype/VOIP connection for all the audio, now Maria is dead air so the three signals are just broadcasting weird noises. It might just be me, but these signals could use a new audio engineer.

Here is the Spanish Catholic programming they're carrying. Una sola radio, una sola misión - Radio Maria Spanish

 

[yeoldeschool]

Nothing says professional like Skype as a backhaul.

There used to be a UHF broadcaster in Los Angeles whose subchannels were all Mexican television stations from south of the border. Every now and then while skimming through them, I would be confronted with a full screen Windows desktop, with an errored-out VLC player in the middle of the screen indicating that "the RTMP streaming server cannot not be reached."

 

[SnottyNose799]

Maybe it's not Skype since that was discontinued in May. Might be Zoom.

Either way 99.3 is now off the air entirely, and 100.5 has their sound-board all compressed and quiet. Still playing the low quality feed of Radio Maria Spanish along with KCTO itself, but recently I heard KCTO 1160 playing 99.3 in Columbia (probably because they share the same STL channel). It's odd KCTO would do that, but 99.3/100.5 should stop using Zoom instead of an STL.

 

[Kent]

Either way 99.3 is now off the air entirely, and 100.5 has their sound-board all compressed and quiet. Still playing the low quality feed of Radio Maria Spanish along with KCTO itself, but recently I heard KCTO 1160 playing 99.3 in Columbia (probably because they share the same STL channel). It's odd KCTO would do that, but 99.3/100.5 should stop using Zoom instead of an STL.

While that's possible, I almost wonder if KCTO doesn't get its feed off the 99.3 translator. That's totally backwards, but it would be possible. From an engineering standpoint, that's the more likely explanation because those STL's don't typically get very far on a single hop. It's not completely impossible, but the FM is far more likely to get out like that than the STL.

In Columbia, EMF had (and I think still has) a translator that picks up KMFC 92.1 off-air and occasionally gets overpowered by WQKQ 92.1 out of the Burlington, IA area. I was quite surprised one morning to be backing out of my driveway and hearing the news from KBUR. Apparently, my ex-wife, who was an occasional K-Love listener, was listening to the translator while driving my car the evening before.

 

[Mark Roberts]

While that's possible, I almost wonder if KCTO doesn't get its feed off the 99.3 translator. That's totally backwards, but it would be possible. From an engineering standpoint, that's the more likely explanation because those STL's don't typically get very far on a single hop. It's not completely impossible, but the FM is far more likely to get out like that than the STL.

The KCTO and KCLR transmitter sites are 97 miles apart. I strongly doubt that an STL is going to make it that far.

The 99.3 pickup theory is plausible. That translator is on the East 63rd Street Trafficway tower, so, in theory (there's that word again), a pickup antenna at Cleveland could be directional enough to avoid receiving KCLR. But then there's tropo, where a C2 FM 97 miles away could easily overwhelm a 99-watt translator that's 21 miles away, where reception could already be something of a stretch.

In Columbia, EMF had (and I think still has) a translator that picks up KMFC 92.1 off-air and occasionally gets overpowered by WQKQ 92.1 out of the Burlington, IA area. I was quite surprised one morning to be backing out of my driveway and hearing the news from KBUR. Apparently, my ex-wife, who was an occasional K-Love listener, was listening to the translator while driving my car the evening before.

The original KMFC translator, in the pre-EMF days, was on 103.1 and located at Candlelight Lodge. KCMQ has that one now, and it's no longer at that location. (It looks like it's at Tower Drive where so many other translators are.) Are you referring to the present KMFC translator at 106.5 (which is also at Tower Drive)?

Especially this time of year, tropo in that part of the Midwest is frequent, especially between 4 and 10 am.

 

[Kent]

The 99.3 pickup theory is plausible. That translator is on the East 63rd Street Trafficway tower, so, in theory (there's that word again), a pickup antenna at Cleveland could be directional enough to avoid receiving KCLR. But then there's tropo, where a C2 FM 97 miles away could easily overwhelm a 99-watt translator that's 21 miles away, where reception could already be something of a stretch.

When I lived in KC, I can remember Columbia skipping into town on more than a few occasions. So, my theory is obviously that KCTO 1160 is fed by the translator. That's totally bass-ackwards and obviously not recommended, but it's doable.

The original KMFC translator, in the pre-EMF days, was on 103.1 and located at Candlelight Lodge. KCMQ has that one now, and it's no longer at that location. (It looks like it's at Tower Drive where so many other translators are.) Are you referring to the present KMFC translator at 106.5 (which is also at Tower Drive)?

I vaguely remember that translator. KMFC also had one at 100.9 in Jefferson City, which was on a water tower between Ellis Blvd and the Wardsville exit on the west side of US 54, when Clare owned it. I believe Zimmer owns that one now, too, and that it originates from the old KJMO tower at Zimmer's studios. 103.1 eventually moved to the top of the Tiger Hotel when it was translating KWJK 93.1. Didn't realize it moved to Tower Drive, but it would make sense given that Zimmer has several of its properties already there. I believe that was also where KPLA 101.5 and KOQL/KBXR 102.3 were at one time, too. I am indeed referring to the 106.5 translator that used to pick up KMFC off-air and has occasionally been overpowered by Burlington. It was also at 98.3 before KDVC signed on (also from Tower Drive). If I still worked for Zimmer, they'd probably be calling me to check that tower if the indicator ever had a fault because I can see it from my yard. Chris Kellogg once told me he used to check that light from his yard when KOQL was there and he was program director.

 

[Mark Roberts]

When I lived in KC, I can remember Columbia skipping into town on more than a few occasions.

The reverse was true as well. In the pre-80-90 days, with an outdoor antenna, I could pick up Kansas City most days, but with deep fades every 15 to 20 minutes. When tropo was active, those fades went away and the noise levels went down for the distant signals.

So, my theory is obviously that KCTO 1160 is fed by the translator. That's totally bass-ackwards and obviously not recommended, but it's doable.

The small-time operators sometimes do the darndest things.

I vaguely remember that translator. KMFC also had one at 100.9 in Jefferson City, which was on a water tower between Ellis Blvd and the Wardsville exit on the west side of US 54, when Clare owned it. I believe Zimmer owns that one now, too, and that it originates from the old KJMO tower at Zimmer's studios. 103.1 eventually moved to the top of the Tiger Hotel when it was translating KWJK 93.1. Didn't realize it moved to Tower Drive, but it would make sense given that Zimmer has several of its properties already there. I believe that was also where KPLA 101.5 and KOQL/KBXR 102.3 were at one time, too.

Tower Drive was the original KFMZ site back in 1971 when it came on the air as a class A station. The site moved to Ashland when it got its C2 upgrade. Likewise for KARO, now KPLA, which rented tower space from Mike Rice (KFMZ owner, now deceased) after its upgrade. Then Rice tried to kick the Premiere station off his tower after Premiere's KFRU reported on his arrest and conviction on various sexually related charges involving minors. The resulting dispute over tower space spurred Premiere to build the tall tower in northeast Columbia, which also permitted a partial C1 upgrade for KPLA.

If you want a good laugh: the original KFMZ tower site was specified as 6th & Broadway. Go to downtown Columbia and try to figure out where the heck you'd put a broadcast tower at that intersection. Yes, the city has a communications pole nearby, but still....

The irony is that KDVC, which lit up 98.3 again after years as a silent frequency due to the KFMZ license revocation, is back on the Tower Drive tower. I think it gets heavily used because it's a fairly convenient location with not a lot of residential development nearby. It's also tough to get tower sites approved in and around Columbia, because any tower proposal will cause the "my babies will get brain cancer" crowd to crawl out of the woodwork. KPLA was able to get its tower because that corner of Columbia was already zoned for industrial uses. I don't know when the Tower Drive facility went up, but it was before 1971. I think it was in the city limits then, though in one of the areas annexed in the 1960s.

 

[Kent]

The reverse was true as well. In the pre-80-90 days, with an outdoor antenna, I could pick up Kansas City most days, but with deep fades every 15 to 20 minutes. When tropo was active, those fades went away and the noise levels went down for the distant signals.

About the only KC station I could regularly get here was 107.3 when its tower was in Odessa. KQRC 98.9 was a fairly frequent catch, too, and KPRS and KLOU seemed to split the time pretty evenly on 103.3. Then again, the dial filled out a lot between the time you lived in Mid-MO and the time I arrived. KQRC, of course, is now listenable only via streaming since KFRU signed on its translator.

Tower Drive was the original KFMZ site back in 1971 when it came on the air as a class A station. The site moved to Ashland when it got its C2 upgrade. Likewise for KARO, now KPLA, which rented tower space from Mike Rice (KFMZ owner, now deceased) after its upgrade. Then Rice tried to kick the Premiere station off his tower after Premiere's KFRU reported on his arrest and conviction on various sexually related charges involving minors. The resulting dispute over tower space spurred Premiere to build the tall tower in northeast Columbia, which also permitted a partial C1 upgrade for KPLA.

Not sure who owns the Tower Drive site, but I'm pretty sure KARO was there (or very near there) when it was on 101.7. I remembered hearing 101.5 started on Rice's tower for the upgraded KFMZ near Ashland before it upgraded to a C1 and moved to its current site. Shortly afterward, Premier also moved 102.3 there from Tower Drive. I never heard the story about him being unhappy about KFRU reporting about him, but I knew Mike Rice hated, and I mean HATED, Al Germond and Dave Baugher. I remember hearing he was also really bitter at Al and Dave for hiring Chris Kellogg, whom he blamed for losing his licenses, and he wasn't happy that Jack Lawson, who had previously managed his Terre Haute properties, was hired by Premier after Steve Brill left to join Cumulus. Premier actually hired quite-a-lot of his former employees, and that seemed to really get under his skin. On the old Missouri Radio Message Board, he was always complimentary of Zimmer while never having a good word to say about Premier or anyone who worked there. I always took that to mean that we were doing something right!

If you want a good laugh: the original KFMZ tower site was specified as 6th & Broadway. Go to downtown Columbia and try to figure out where the heck you'd put a broadcast tower at that intersection. Yes, the city has a communications pole nearby, but still....

It was probably better 50+ years ago, but, even then, I can't imagine putting a broadcast tower up in downtown Columbia unless the plan was to park it on the Tiger Hotel. Rice, though, was, if nothing else, known for his engineering prowess and rarely, if ever, made a dumb mistake like that.

The irony is that KDVC, which lit up 98.3 again after years as a silent frequency due to the KFMZ license revocation, is back on the Tower Drive tower. I think it gets heavily used because it's a fairly convenient location with not a lot of residential development nearby. It's also tough to get tower sites approved in and around Columbia, because any tower proposal will cause the "my babies will get brain cancer" crowd to crawl out of the woodwork. KPLA was able to get its tower because that corner of Columbia was already zoned for industrial uses. I don't know when the Tower Drive facility went up, but it was before 1971. I think it was in the city limits then, though in one of the areas annexed in the 1960s.

These days, you'd also run into issues putting up towers in the city of Columbia because the land has been going for a premium. Not sure if it was the original KCMQ tower near Paris Rd and I-70, but it was there before it moved onto the KRCG tower in New Bloomfield. I want to say around a dozen years ago, it was taken down and replaced with a standard cell tower. KTGR remained there for several years after KCMQ left, but it's on the KFRU tower behind Rumors now. Can't remember when it moved, but it seems like Zimmer filed to move it when I was working there a little over 20 years ago.

 

[Mark Roberts]

About the only KC station I could regularly get here was 107.3 when its tower was in Odessa. KQRC 98.9 was a fairly frequent catch, too, and KPRS and KLOU seemed to split the time pretty evenly on 103.3. Then again, the dial filled out a lot between the time you lived in Mid-MO and the time I arrived. KQRC, of course, is now listenable only via streaming since KFRU signed on its translator.

Unless it's a weekday morning when tropo is coming in. I've heard that KQRC often clobbers the translator at times like those. I've never been lucky enough to hear that for myself when in town.

Translators can be easily clobbered; they're just not that powerful. Concerning the original topic, it feels like KCTO tried to use the 99.3 translator as a cheap STL. Perhaps there were difficulties in getting Internet access to the transmitter? I would find that hard to believe, though. It's not like KCTO is on some mountaintop somewhere that requires a 4WD vehicle to get to.

Not sure who owns the Tower Drive site, but I'm pretty sure KARO was there (or very near there) when it was on 101.7.

Yes, I should have made that clearer. KARO started out there, too. I saw the facility several times, including the filters that KFMZ was supposed to use to reduce interference from the co-location of the other station, but that Rice kept taking out. KFMZ actually splattered all over the place in those days, which is why I tend to doubt tales of Rice's engineering skill. KARO lent me some filters so that I could have some reception of St. Louis, at the cost of a bit of insertion loss.

Premier actually hired quite-a-lot of his {Rice's} former employees, and that seemed to really get under his skin. On the old Missouri Radio Message Board, he was always complimentary of Zimmer while never having a good word to say about Premier or anyone who worked there. I always took that to mean that we were doing something right!

What also isn't remembered is that, at least in the 1970s, KFMZ was more tolerated than liked, particularly by the student population. There just weren't many choices then. KTGR-FM was still in mono. KJMO was difficult to receive. KKCA from Fulton was amateurish. KTXY's predecessor was an easy-listening station. So was KWWR from Mexico. I could go on and on. KFMZ's automation was a joke, with the same two tunes always appearing next to each other.

I will say that KFMZ started improving in the 1980s and by the 1990s was a pretty respectable rock station before jumping on the alternative bandwagon where it also seemed to do well.

It was probably better 50+ years ago, but, even then, I can't imagine putting a broadcast tower up in downtown Columbia unless the plan was to park it on the Tiger Hotel. Rice, though, was, if nothing else, known for his engineering prowess and rarely, if ever, made a dumb mistake like that.

I suspect that was a placeholder. That intersection isn't much different today from what it was 50 years ago. No way a tower could ever have gone there.

These days, you'd also run into issues putting up towers in the city of Columbia because the land has been going for a premium. Not sure if it was the original KCMQ tower near Paris Rd and I-70, but it was there before it moved onto the KRCG tower in New Bloomfield.

Yes, that was the original KTGR-AM/FM tower. The FM was added late in 1967 as a nighttime extender for the AM ; otherwise, they simulcasted. KTGR-FM became KTGC in 1977, with the "C" standing for "country", finally starting to broadcast in stereo as well. Then the AM and FM swapped formats in 1978, with the FM becoming KCMQ. It was a pretty good little combo for several years after that.

I want to say around a dozen years ago, it was taken down and replaced with a standard cell tower. KTGR remained there for several years after KCMQ left, but it's on the KFRU tower behind Rumors now. Can't remember when it moved, but it seems like Zimmer filed to move it when I was working there a little over 20 years ago.

That sounds about right. It still amazes me that KCMQ is almost a full C1.