KDES from Palm Springs to Inland Empire?

[davideduardo]

Per Inside Radio, Liberman has made a conditional purchase of KDES in Palm Springs and will seek to move it to the KRQB (Que Buena, KRQB, 96.1) tower to serve the Inland Empire. In the process, the Coachella Valley loses one FM in what many consider an overcrowded market.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Aren't they or weren't they classic hits?? Will they maintain that format to compete with KOLA?? That wouldn't make sense to me.

 

[RadioFanBoy]

If I read it right, 104.7 will go dark, its stick recalibrated for 96.1 (which pretty much fades as you go into Cabazon) which turn Que Buena 96.1 into a 42k + semi flame-thrower. This will actually help Gold Coast Broadcasting's still on the books grand plan to create a "Hip-Hop Superstation" on 104.7 with a planned upgrade of their Ventura County transmitter to 50k watts, and more then 40 repeaters to be planted as far east as Moreno Valley......and now perhaps beyond!

 

[davideduardo]

Aren't they or weren't they classic hits?? Will they maintain that format to compete with KOLA?? That wouldn't make sense to me.

They are oldies / classic hits. The assumption is that KDES will become a Spanish language station in addtion to 96.1... two stations, two formats.

 

[davideduardo]

If I read it right, 104.7 will go dark, its stick recalibrated for 96.1 (which pretty much fades as you go into Cabazon) which turn Que Buena 96.1 into a 42k + semi flame-thrower. This will actually help Gold Coast Broadcasting's still on the books grand plan to create a "Hip-Hop Superstation" on 104.7 with a planned upgrade of their Ventura County transmitter to 50k watts, and more then 40 repeaters to be planted as far east as Moreno Valley......and now perhaps beyond!

No, 104.7 will apply to move from Palm Springs to be licensed to Redlands; 96.1 continues to be a separate station... 96.1 can not increase power as it is already tightly spaced with 96.3 in LA. 104.7 becomes a new IE station.

 

[K6JHU]

And there goes the last even remotely open frequency to set my iPod FM transmitter

John

 

[jonbruce]

FOR $17.5 MILLION. 104.7 will be downgraded to a 6kw class a status station at the 96.1 site (1.4kw). The KDES call letters and format will be transfered to another unnamed frequency in the coachella valley.

 

[davideduardo]

FOR $17.5 MILLION. 104.7 will be downgraded to a 6kw class a status station at the 96.1 site (1.4kw). The KDES call letters and format will be transfered to another unnamed frequency in the coachella valley.

I'm glad to know KDES (and you) will continue to delight the Coachella Valley

 

[dbdigital]

If 104.7 moves into Redlands it could affect some pending translators (no loss, there) but also some LPFMs in the OC.

It will be interesting to look at the exhibits and see what the engineering studies show.

db

 

[Neel]

Yes!! 104.7 is the ONLY frequency that works with little static with my iPod. There goes that...

I wish they could move KCAL or the X to 104.7....so people like us in LA county can have rock music. Hopefully they won't add another Que Buena on there, which will just make it more redundant.

If 104.7 moves into Redlands it could affect some pending translators (no loss, there) but also some LPFMs in the OC.

It will be interesting to look at the exhibits and see what the engineering studies show.

db

 

[Marv-L.A.]

Can someone please explain to me what difference does it make whether or not KDES (or its successor) @ 104.7 is licensed to Redlands as opposed to Palm Springs?

Would moving the city of license from Palm Springs to Redlands allow the owner to boost the signal to increase the coverage area for 104.7 into Ontario/Corona and surrounding areas, since KDES's signal (at least in my car) vanishes by the time I reach the Riverside/Moreno Valley boundary along I-10?

I believe that there's also a rock station of some type @ 104.9 in San Diego which can be heard rather easily throughout the IE, so I'm not sure if the signal at 104.7 could be boosted to begin with.

 

[davideduardo]

Can someone please explain to me what difference does it make whether or not KDES (or its successor) @ 104.7 is licensed to Redlands as opposed to Palm Springs?

Would moving the city of license from Palm Springs to Redlands allow the owner to boost the signal to increase the coverage area for 104.7 into Ontario/Corona and surrounding areas, since KDES's signal (at least in my car) vanishes by the time I reach the Riverside/Moreno Valley boundary along I-10?

I believe that there's also a rock station of some type @ 104.9 in San Diego which can be heard rather easily throughout the IE, so I'm not sure if the signal at 104.7 could be boosted to begin with.

This is a much bigger issue... 104.7 moves from a peak in the Coachella Vally to a mountain overlooking the IE, and changes from 50 kw to 6 kw. In other words, the station moves to the 96.1 site above Yucaipa (where KRQB already is) and reduces power as a consequence of moving out of the valley to a mountain. They also lose all coverage of the Coachella Valley, becoming totally an IE station.

There is no 104.9 in San Diego... the closest is Ridgecrest in Kern County. In any case, the signal is not being boosted. In fact, I believe the 6 kw would not fall significantly outside the "flat terrain / no obstruction" coverage of 104.7 from the current site.

 

[airpab]

So, does this mean KDES as we know it, will cease to exist? KRTH or KOLA do not get in to the Coachella Valley with any steadiness, so that would kind of suck!

 

[davideduardo]

So, does this mean KDES as we know it, will cease to exist? KRTH or KOLA do not get in to the Coachella Valley with any steadiness, so that would kind of suck!

John Bruce, who is with KDES, indicated earlier that the format will move to another Coachella Valley FM if the deal goes through.

 

[vsa]

The station at 104.7 relocated from Palm Springs to Redlands would have coverage similar to KRQB at 96.1. Here's a map link:

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=KRQB&service=FM&status=L&hours=U

Actually, the new signal at 104.7 would be more easily received closer to Los Angeles than co-located 96.1 because of better separation from adjacents. 96.1 has 96.3 breathing down its neck from Los Angeles. 104.7 will only have to worry about 104.3 and 105.1 on Mt. Wilson 2 whole channels away. KCAQ in Ventura County at 104.7 should not really be a problem.

 

[transent]

The coverage area of 96.1 as noted on the map link is not very accurate as 96.1 is very weak with much static and interference from 96.3 in a substantial area of eastern Riveriside (city limits). I believe the signal is obstructed by Box Springs Mountain?

If 104.7 has the same coverage area, over 100,000+ potential listeners in this coverage area "hole" would not be served.

I would consider it to be another rimshot signal with spotty IE coverage.

The question is - can a station that has spotty IE coverage generate more profits than a full power Coachella Valley station?

The Coachella Valley population is also growing very fast and expanding geograhically eastward and the current 104.7 has the benefit of a superior signal that is "grandfather claused". In the not so distant future, this superior coverage area could be quite an advantage.

What do you guys think?

 

[davideduardo]

The station at 104.7 relocated from Palm Springs to Redlands would have coverage similar to KRQB at 96.1. Here's a map link:

The radio-locator maps are "for amusement purposes only" as it says on the website. The useful coverage (where diary returns come from) is about 20% inside the innermost red curve.

 

[davideduardo]

The question is - can a station that has spotty IE coverage generate more profits than a full power Coachella Valley station?

Yes. Palm Springs is market 133 and has $17 million in billings for 22 stations. The IE has $59 million for 27 stations in the 27th market.

KFRG in the IE bills almost as much as all the Palm Springs stations combined. KDES bills about $1 million, and has a 3.4 share.

KRQB has a 60 dbu that covers 90% of the IE market... and 104.7 will cover a lot better due to the lesser adjacent channel interference and the higher proposed power.

The Coachella Valley population is also growing very fast and expanding geograhically eastward and the current 104.7 has the benefit of a superior signal that is "grandfather claused".

KDES is a conforming class B FM. It is not grandfathered. It's 41 kw at 538 feet, and a full B is 50 kw at 500 feet.

The Palm Springs market is not "growing to the East." The East side of the valley is Coachella, which has been there for as long as Palm Springs has. The construction in the unbuilt areas are significantly filled with weekend and seasonal homes, none of whom contribute to ratings. And the radio revenue is growing very slowly. The IE is growing faster, by far..

In the not so distant future, this superior coverage area could be quite an advantage. What do you guys think?

900 watts is enough to be #1 in the market with a 19 share. The market is limited to the extent of the valley itself, and a class A is more than enough to cover it. Oh, the #2 station, with a 14 share, has 1,400 watts. The #3 station, also an A, has 4,200 watts. Those three stations have half of the commercial shares in the whole market, and none is a class B.

This move makes sense. Palm Springs is way over radioed, while the IE is underserved on FM.

 

[vsa]

The station at 104.7 relocated from Palm Springs to Redlands would have coverage similar to KRQB at 96.1. Here's a map link:

The radio-locator maps are "for amusement purposes only" as it says on the website. The useful coverage (where diary returns come from) is about 20% inside the innermost red curve.

Here's KRQB's 60 dbu coverage from the FCC website:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1160595.html

 

[davideduardo]

Here's KRQB's 60 dbu coverage from the FCC website:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1160595.html

Nearly all listening in Arbitron that is isdentified by location is within the 64 dbu contour.