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KFAL and KTGR-FM, Fulton, suffer storm damage

Mark Roberts

Mark Roberts

After a severe thunderstorm destroy the stations' tower, Zimmer Radio has filed STAs for KFAL (900) and KTGR-FM (100.5) in Fulton, seeking temporary operation at lower power.

KTGR-FM, which functions as a repeater for Columbia's KTGR (1580), a sports-talk station, is proposing operation from a 50-foot pole with 1 kw near the station's licensed site on Westminster Avenue in Fulton. KFAL proposes using a longwire at the same temporary site, using 250 watts daytime and 100 watts nighttime. KFAL is licensed for 1 kw daytime and 135 watts at night; KTGR-FM uses 6 kw.

KTGR-FM and KFAL both have translators in Columbia, the largest city in the region. The FM is basically a Columbia rimshot. KFAL appears to have some coverage of Fulton and Callaway County events, but its classic-country format, which until recent years had a very homespun presentation, has long had a regional audience. Until the late 1980s, when Zimmer's KCLR(FM) increased power, it was the primary source of country music for Columbia listeners.

The KTGR-FM filing seems to indicate that the station is on the air from its temporary site; I don't know if the AM is currently on the air. The KTGR-FM filing also states that the tower will be replaced.
 
Mark Roberts said:
After a severe thunderstorm destroy the stations' tower, Zimmer Radio has filed STAs for KFAL (900) and KTGR-FM (100.5) in Fulton, seeking temporary operation at lower power.

KTGR-FM, which functions as a repeater for Columbia's KTGR (1580), a sports-talk station, is proposing operation from a 50-foot pole with 1 kw near the station's licensed site on Westminster Avenue in Fulton. KFAL proposes using a longwire at the same temporary site, using 250 watts daytime and 100 watts nighttime. KFAL is licensed for 1 kw daytime and 135 watts at night; KTGR-FM uses 6 kw.

KTGR-FM and KFAL both have translators in Columbia, the largest city in the region. The FM is basically a Columbia rimshot. KFAL appears to have some coverage of Fulton and Callaway County events, but its classic-country format, which until recent years had a very homespun presentation, has long had a regional audience. Until the late 1980s, when Zimmer's KCLR(FM) increased power, it was the primary source of country music for Columbia listeners.

The KTGR-FM filing seems to indicate that the station is on the air from its temporary site; I don't know if the AM is currently on the air. The KTGR-FM filing also states that the tower will be replaced.
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Wow, worked at KFAL (KKCA-Fm) for many years. Nice solid 300 foot tall (30 plus story) guyed tower, quite visible around town. Sad to hear it finally collapased. Must have been quite a wind gust. Ron Lutz probably turned over in his grave.
 
JJFMJOCK said:
Wow, worked at KFAL (KKCA-Fm) for many years. Nice solid 300 foot tall (30 plus story) guyed tower, quite visible around town. Sad to hear it finally collapased. Must have been quite a wind gust. Ron Lutz probably turned over in his grave.
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That tower was the original KFAL tower from 1950, built very solidly. I'm told it was due for replacement.

Speaking of Ron, the Rooster Creek Boys, which broadcast Saturday mornings on KFAL, have a Facebook page. They don't post too often, and haven't posted about this yet.

Thanks to Ron and Bette Sue, KFAL pulled a surprising amount of advertising money out of Columbia. That sort of country-folk music was very much a part of the area's rural culture; KOPN in Columbia still airs some of it. KKCA was a more mainstream station. It moved from 97.7 to 100.5 when KFMZ got its upgrade.
 
I've been informed that Zimmer has decided to rebuild the tower. The main motivation is to restore the FM signal (KTGR-FM, originally KKCA) to its licensed parameters. KFAL has an FM translator in Columbia, which no doubt is a motivator as well.
 


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