Here is the FCC App. for the new 19,000 watts site. Click here:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/...xt=25&appn=101185107&formid=301&fac_num=17389
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/...xt=25&appn=101185107&formid=301&fac_num=17389
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KILE news
- Thread starter stan
- Start date
gabigley1 said:
Nine towers, fairly tight pattern. Should put a pretty substantial signal over most of Harris County. Might be somewhat challenged in Montgomery County.
Mediafrog+ said:
I'm seeing a pretty marginal signal to the east (and a gap toward downtown) with virtually no signal to the northeast, putting a real crimp in Montgomery County coverage. The same is true due south, affecting coverage into parts of Fort Bend County. Scroll down on this page for the "Theoretical Antenna Pattern":
www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine.php?sCurrentService=AM&tabSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=1185107&sHours=N
The people who install towers must be really happy with KILE. Busine$$ is good!
Daytime 6 50,000 watt site (licensed)
Night 6 1,000 watt site (CP)
Night 9 19,000 watt site (APP)
21 towers if current CP is built out, 15 if not
Time for a correction, folks. While it's not earth-shaking news, all the talk about the impending format switch and signal issues for KILE makes this relevant.
I once stated that KILE had been "operating at night without authorization for a long time." I don't know when it began, but I was surprised the first time I heard them on the air past sunset. In fact, a number of fellow posters have confirmed that the station had not only been on the air past 10 PM but also was apparently running full daytime power. I can't recall if I heard them operating after 10 PM back then, but the last time I looked the KILE website showed a particular program starting at 10 PM and lasting until midnight. It seemed to be a clear violation of FCC rules, since a daytime-only station like KILE isn't allowed to operate outside of daytime hours without special authorization. Specifically that's a pre-sunrise authorization (PSRA) or post-sunset authorization (PSSA), and I made the statement that such an authorization couldn't be issued to KILE. That isn't the case. Somehow the FCC made an exception and KILE has both authorizations.
KILE is allowed to operate until two hours past local sunset year round. The sign-off times roughly correspond to sunset times at Class A station KNZR Bakersfield CA, two hours later in the Pacific time zone. I thought KNZR had no bearing in this case since the dominant Class A station to the east (WQEW New York) already excluded KILE from qualifying for a PSSA but apparently I was wrong. The authorized post-sunset power is minuscule compared to their daytime level of 50,000 watts; it ranges from a maximum of 34 watts down to 29 watts in either two or three steps at 45 minute to one hour increments depending on the month of the year. As I understand it the present authorization is only for operation at the existing daytime site down around Rosharon. KILE may also operate with a PSRA, allowing them to sign on at 6 AM and operate at reduced power until local sunrise. The authorized power levels vary from just 29 to 149 watts for the most part, but in April they're allowed to use 500 watts from 6 AM until local sunrise.
Here are the current post-sunset and pre-sunrise authorizations for KILE:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=2161
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=4202
So there you have it. KILE actually can sign on at 6 AM year round and can operate until as late as 10 PM depending on the month of the year, but there are plenty of conditions. I apologize for stating that KILE couldn't qualify for post-sunset operation. But in light of the information I have now, I'll say this: if KILE is on the air before their licensed sign-on time or after their required sign-off time, or if they use higher power than allowed or a transmitter site other than what is authorized under the pre- and post-sunset authorization, they are violating FCC rules. Now for the record, in case anyone is wondering, I'm not opposed to the upgrade for KILE, i.e., nighttime operation. Whether it's for 1,000 or 19,000 watts I'd like to see it happen, and I hope the new owners can turn a profit.
I once stated that KILE had been "operating at night without authorization for a long time." I don't know when it began, but I was surprised the first time I heard them on the air past sunset. In fact, a number of fellow posters have confirmed that the station had not only been on the air past 10 PM but also was apparently running full daytime power. I can't recall if I heard them operating after 10 PM back then, but the last time I looked the KILE website showed a particular program starting at 10 PM and lasting until midnight. It seemed to be a clear violation of FCC rules, since a daytime-only station like KILE isn't allowed to operate outside of daytime hours without special authorization. Specifically that's a pre-sunrise authorization (PSRA) or post-sunset authorization (PSSA), and I made the statement that such an authorization couldn't be issued to KILE. That isn't the case. Somehow the FCC made an exception and KILE has both authorizations.
KILE is allowed to operate until two hours past local sunset year round. The sign-off times roughly correspond to sunset times at Class A station KNZR Bakersfield CA, two hours later in the Pacific time zone. I thought KNZR had no bearing in this case since the dominant Class A station to the east (WQEW New York) already excluded KILE from qualifying for a PSSA but apparently I was wrong. The authorized post-sunset power is minuscule compared to their daytime level of 50,000 watts; it ranges from a maximum of 34 watts down to 29 watts in either two or three steps at 45 minute to one hour increments depending on the month of the year. As I understand it the present authorization is only for operation at the existing daytime site down around Rosharon. KILE may also operate with a PSRA, allowing them to sign on at 6 AM and operate at reduced power until local sunrise. The authorized power levels vary from just 29 to 149 watts for the most part, but in April they're allowed to use 500 watts from 6 AM until local sunrise.
Here are the current post-sunset and pre-sunrise authorizations for KILE:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=2161
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=4202
So there you have it. KILE actually can sign on at 6 AM year round and can operate until as late as 10 PM depending on the month of the year, but there are plenty of conditions. I apologize for stating that KILE couldn't qualify for post-sunset operation. But in light of the information I have now, I'll say this: if KILE is on the air before their licensed sign-on time or after their required sign-off time, or if they use higher power than allowed or a transmitter site other than what is authorized under the pre- and post-sunset authorization, they are violating FCC rules. Now for the record, in case anyone is wondering, I'm not opposed to the upgrade for KILE, i.e., nighttime operation. Whether it's for 1,000 or 19,000 watts I'd like to see it happen, and I hope the new owners can turn a profit.
Ah yes, it was almost like yesterday when the late Mike O and I had a healthy exchange about KILE and its sign-off times.........(from last year)
Re: KILE
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2006, 02:15:32 pm » Quote
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>(Mike_O: KILE is a DAYTIME ONLY station....
Yes, it is. However, I must point out that KILE operates in according to local sunset in Bakersfield, California the home of KNZR radio. In the summertime, when it is 8:30PM in Bakersfield, its 10:30PM in Houston. Thus, the reason for KILE's late sign-off.
Other Texas stations on 1560:
KHBR Hillsboro 250 watts day
KNGR Daingerfield 1500 watts 60 watts night
KTXZ West Lake Hills 2500 watts day & night (Austin & Round Rock, very tight pattern)
KZQQ Abilene 500 watts day
Ya gotta miss Mike in discussions like this.
Re: KILE
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2006, 02:15:32 pm » Quote
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>(Mike_O: KILE is a DAYTIME ONLY station....
Yes, it is. However, I must point out that KILE operates in according to local sunset in Bakersfield, California the home of KNZR radio. In the summertime, when it is 8:30PM in Bakersfield, its 10:30PM in Houston. Thus, the reason for KILE's late sign-off.
Other Texas stations on 1560:
KHBR Hillsboro 250 watts day
KNGR Daingerfield 1500 watts 60 watts night
KTXZ West Lake Hills 2500 watts day & night (Austin & Round Rock, very tight pattern)
KZQQ Abilene 500 watts day
Ya gotta miss Mike in discussions like this.
Chuck Tiller said:
I had to 'fess up to a stupid mistake on the whole deal, since, lacking firm evidence from the source, I played the "Class A to the East" card. I was assuming that the FCC actually followed their own rules. Oh, well. I really miss Mike_O, too. I know he loved this kind of stuff, and could've written a book about it. (...Wait, I think he did.)
Actually JD, we could go through Radio-Info, find his posts and we could make a book. Mike_O, we still think about you, brother.
According to the Chronicle Lance Z is also gone from 610. When I heard Houston was getting a 3rd and now 4th sports station the only thing I was confident about was Kilt would surely be the favorite to stay around. Now I am not so sure.
http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/4876191.html?plckCurrentPage=1
http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/4876191.html?plckCurrentPage=1
S
snoman
Guest
I did notice that 610 has mulitple openings for air talent, full & part timers. It's on TAB's home page.
snoman said:
When some of the sports radio veterans decide to migrate up the dial to what's for now an unknown quantity, it makes you wonder. Climate of the workplace, the promises made (or the ones not kept), or a sense of adventure? Maybe we'll find out in the coming months. If nothing else it makes Houston radio a little more interesting!
B
Bill Cherry
Guest
OK, you radio history buffs. Here's one for you. Before the FCC was created by Congress, an AM station opened in Galveston and was owned by a fellow named George Clough. The final call letters were KLUF and his sole purpose was to run his political tirades against W.L. Moody, Jr. who owned the other AM station on the island.
From that, Clough invented call-in talk radio. Finally Clough found a way to be mayor and to try out all of the things he thought he could do better. He didn't. He got thrown out of office and the old mayor, the guy he beat, Herbie Cartwright, Jr., got back in.
Clough sold his KLUF to some Galveston downtown bidniz men and they decided to make a rock and roll station out of it, changed the call letters to KILE, and moved the studios into the basement of the Galvez Hotel. It was to be the Galveston KILT. The transmitter and antenna remained out on about 57th and Broadway. The most memorable of the DJs was a fellow named Steve Cohen who called himself Steve Canyon. And Galveston's Park Board manager, Lou Muller started there and ended up running the station some years later.
KILE changed hands a time or two and then changed its call letters, and now you tell me that KILE has resurrected itself there in Houston as a sports station. Good grief. What does ISLE have to do with sports?
From that, Clough invented call-in talk radio. Finally Clough found a way to be mayor and to try out all of the things he thought he could do better. He didn't. He got thrown out of office and the old mayor, the guy he beat, Herbie Cartwright, Jr., got back in.
Clough sold his KLUF to some Galveston downtown bidniz men and they decided to make a rock and roll station out of it, changed the call letters to KILE, and moved the studios into the basement of the Galvez Hotel. It was to be the Galveston KILT. The transmitter and antenna remained out on about 57th and Broadway. The most memorable of the DJs was a fellow named Steve Cohen who called himself Steve Canyon. And Galveston's Park Board manager, Lou Muller started there and ended up running the station some years later.
KILE changed hands a time or two and then changed its call letters, and now you tell me that KILE has resurrected itself there in Houston as a sports station. Good grief. What does ISLE have to do with sports?
It was KULF
KLUF is in Lufkin. In East Texas. Your history of Galveston radio is interesting though.
The KULF call letters were themselves resurrected in Houston in the 70s when new owners changed the old KTHT Mighty 790 to KULF AM and FM. Then sometime in the 90s the calls were changed again to KKBQ AM/FM.
Clear Channel bought KULF AM and changed the calls to KBME, which I believe they still are, even though the BM doesn't stand for Beautiful Music anymore. It's now the 790 Sports Animal.
KLUF is in Lufkin. In East Texas. Your history of Galveston radio is interesting though.
The KULF call letters were themselves resurrected in Houston in the 70s when new owners changed the old KTHT Mighty 790 to KULF AM and FM. Then sometime in the 90s the calls were changed again to KKBQ AM/FM.
Clear Channel bought KULF AM and changed the calls to KBME, which I believe they still are, even though the BM doesn't stand for Beautiful Music anymore. It's now the 790 Sports Animal.
"BM" stood for "Best Music", or "Best Music Ever" when K-B-M-E took to the air.
Back to Galveston, I recall some cool things about the place my Dad told me. He worked there in the late 50's:
At one time all the DJ's at KILE has the last name of Beach.
The very first reverb unit they used in their audio chain was salvaged from an electric organ that fell off the back of a moving truck that was hit on the sea wall.
I remember him talking about the PD there, what a bright, talented dude he was. I think his name was Walt Andres. Ring a bell? Anyone, Anyone? Bueller, Bueller?
There was another bright young PD there in the 70's prior to his Houston arrival by the name of Dan Gallo, who I had the pleasure of working with for about 10 years at KIL*T*.
I recently found some good tape from KILE's "Lucky 14" days if anybody is interested.
Back to Galveston, I recall some cool things about the place my Dad told me. He worked there in the late 50's:
At one time all the DJ's at KILE has the last name of Beach.
The very first reverb unit they used in their audio chain was salvaged from an electric organ that fell off the back of a moving truck that was hit on the sea wall.
I remember him talking about the PD there, what a bright, talented dude he was. I think his name was Walt Andres. Ring a bell? Anyone, Anyone? Bueller, Bueller?
There was another bright young PD there in the 70's prior to his Houston arrival by the name of Dan Gallo, who I had the pleasure of working with for about 10 years at KIL*T*.
I recently found some good tape from KILE's "Lucky 14" days if anybody is interested.
Re: It was KULF
Sorry, but Bill is right about the call letters. KULF wasn't in Galveston, however, KLUF was. (The old KTRE 1420 Lufkin held the KLUF call letters for a number of years starting in the early 90's but it's been silent for quite some time. There is a low-power TV in Lufkin on channel 5, KLUF-LP.)
Thanks to Jeff Miller's History of American Broadcasting site, I found old Department of Commerce records showing that KFLX Galveston was licensed in 1923 to operate with ten watts on 1250. The licensee was George Roy Clough. By 1934 the calls were changed to KLUF, which by then was operating on 1370 with 100 watts. In 1941 many radio stations were moved up the dial under the North American Radio Broadcast Agreement and KLUF landed on 1400. (Additional information about the station came from hrhwebmaster's great Houston Radio History site at http://houstonradiohistory.blogspot.com/)
As for when Clough sold the station and it became KILE, Bill Cherry could probably pin down the date better than I could. For the record, Clough served two terms as mayor before being defeated in May of 1959. Most of Galveston's voters apparently blamed Clough for allowing the Texas Rangers and a whole horde of other lawmen to clean up the island, closing down gambling and bawdy houses, and throwing slot machines into the Gulf. It's probably safe to assume Clough sold the station relatively soon after he left political office, since he might have wanted to maintain a little lower profile.
When the station was sold to Houston Christian Broadcasters in 1991 KILE switched calls to KHCB. The present incarnation of the KILE call letters on 1560 came along in 1996; it was formerly KGUL Port Lavaca, prior to their move to Bellaire.
As far as I can tell the first time the call letters had been used was when the old "Demand Radio-79/Mighty 790" KTHT became KULF in early 1970. It switched to KKBQ in 1982 and to KBME in April 1998.
FilioScotia said:
Sorry, but Bill is right about the call letters. KULF wasn't in Galveston, however, KLUF was. (The old KTRE 1420 Lufkin held the KLUF call letters for a number of years starting in the early 90's but it's been silent for quite some time. There is a low-power TV in Lufkin on channel 5, KLUF-LP.)
Thanks to Jeff Miller's History of American Broadcasting site, I found old Department of Commerce records showing that KFLX Galveston was licensed in 1923 to operate with ten watts on 1250. The licensee was George Roy Clough. By 1934 the calls were changed to KLUF, which by then was operating on 1370 with 100 watts. In 1941 many radio stations were moved up the dial under the North American Radio Broadcast Agreement and KLUF landed on 1400. (Additional information about the station came from hrhwebmaster's great Houston Radio History site at http://houstonradiohistory.blogspot.com/)
As for when Clough sold the station and it became KILE, Bill Cherry could probably pin down the date better than I could. For the record, Clough served two terms as mayor before being defeated in May of 1959. Most of Galveston's voters apparently blamed Clough for allowing the Texas Rangers and a whole horde of other lawmen to clean up the island, closing down gambling and bawdy houses, and throwing slot machines into the Gulf. It's probably safe to assume Clough sold the station relatively soon after he left political office, since he might have wanted to maintain a little lower profile.
When the station was sold to Houston Christian Broadcasters in 1991 KILE switched calls to KHCB. The present incarnation of the KILE call letters on 1560 came along in 1996; it was formerly KGUL Port Lavaca, prior to their move to Bellaire.
FilioScotia said:
As far as I can tell the first time the call letters had been used was when the old "Demand Radio-79/Mighty 790" KTHT became KULF in early 1970. It switched to KKBQ in 1982 and to KBME in April 1998.
KLUF in Lufkin
I lived in the Lufkin area in the 80s, and KLUF had been on the air there with those calls for years before that. It was KTRE radio at one time, but the owners sold it when they put KTRE TV on the air sometime around 1960. I don't know exact years or dates, but it became KLUF sometime in the 60s or 70s.
In the 60s 70s and 80s, KLUF was the Rock&Roll alternative to the country music all the other Luf-Nac stations played.
I'm saddened to know that it's not on the air anymore. A lot of people got their start on KTRE Radio in the 40s and 50s, in those old studios over the JC Penney store on First Street. Does anybody here remember the name Murphy Martin? He broke in at KTRE radio in the 1940s and went on to a long career in TV, with ABC News and WFAA TV in Dallas, where he was the anchor for many years.
Believe it or not, the studio is still there but it's now a downtown apartment. The owner has done nothing to change the floor plan. The lobby and the offices are now a living room, kitchen and bathroom. The control room and production studios are bedrooms. The soundproof glass separating the studios is still in place, but with curtains to provide privacy. One of the guys who lives there told me you always know you're living in what used to be a radio station.
I lived in the Lufkin area in the 80s, and KLUF had been on the air there with those calls for years before that. It was KTRE radio at one time, but the owners sold it when they put KTRE TV on the air sometime around 1960. I don't know exact years or dates, but it became KLUF sometime in the 60s or 70s.
In the 60s 70s and 80s, KLUF was the Rock&Roll alternative to the country music all the other Luf-Nac stations played.
I'm saddened to know that it's not on the air anymore. A lot of people got their start on KTRE Radio in the 40s and 50s, in those old studios over the JC Penney store on First Street. Does anybody here remember the name Murphy Martin? He broke in at KTRE radio in the 1940s and went on to a long career in TV, with ABC News and WFAA TV in Dallas, where he was the anchor for many years.
Believe it or not, the studio is still there but it's now a downtown apartment. The owner has done nothing to change the floor plan. The lobby and the offices are now a living room, kitchen and bathroom. The control room and production studios are bedrooms. The soundproof glass separating the studios is still in place, but with curtains to provide privacy. One of the guys who lives there told me you always know you're living in what used to be a radio station.
Re: It was KULF
The station was briefly KTUS "US 1400" running a country format between between the KILE and KHCB incarnations. KTUS lasted less than a year; this was around 1990. I recall the station was silent for a number of months about that time, but am not sure if that was before or after the failure of KTUS (I think after; anyone remember?)
jd said:
The station was briefly KTUS "US 1400" running a country format between between the KILE and KHCB incarnations. KTUS lasted less than a year; this was around 1990. I recall the station was silent for a number of months about that time, but am not sure if that was before or after the failure of KTUS (I think after; anyone remember?)
More KLUF History
Here's what an article on the Wikipedia says about it: If anything is incorrect, blame them, not me.
"KTRE TV grew out of 1420 KTRE AM in Lufkin, which signed on in 1947. It was a 1,000 watt day and night operation, located northwest of town.
Some years after the sale of KTRE AM-TV to the Bufords of Tyler, the AM was sold to a new company headed by a mayor (or ex mayor) of Lufkin. The AM station letters were changed to KLUF AM. It was later sold to the Hicks family in Beaumont (KLAR Laredo, KNOW Austin, et al).
The Hicks people also filed for an FM at 105.1 Mhz, and it became KLUF-FM. The FM was later sold to Rusty Reynolds and it became KYKS FM. He later sold it to Clear Channel, which is now selling it to Gap Broadcasting.
Here's what an article on the Wikipedia says about it: If anything is incorrect, blame them, not me.
"KTRE TV grew out of 1420 KTRE AM in Lufkin, which signed on in 1947. It was a 1,000 watt day and night operation, located northwest of town.
Some years after the sale of KTRE AM-TV to the Bufords of Tyler, the AM was sold to a new company headed by a mayor (or ex mayor) of Lufkin. The AM station letters were changed to KLUF AM. It was later sold to the Hicks family in Beaumont (KLAR Laredo, KNOW Austin, et al).
The Hicks people also filed for an FM at 105.1 Mhz, and it became KLUF-FM. The FM was later sold to Rusty Reynolds and it became KYKS FM. He later sold it to Clear Channel, which is now selling it to Gap Broadcasting.
Thanks, guys. My error in the first paragraph concerning KLUF Lufkin; it should have read "early '70's" (not '90's). But I've got to admit that's my best guess on it; I don't remember the KLUF calls being there before that time.
I didn't make mention of the KTUS call letters on 1400 since it was so brief. They were silent for a while, if I recall correctly, just after the sale to the KHCB folks was announced. That would have been in the latter part of 1990 until mid-February 1991.
I didn't make mention of the KTUS call letters on 1400 since it was so brief. They were silent for a while, if I recall correctly, just after the sale to the KHCB folks was announced. That would have been in the latter part of 1990 until mid-February 1991.
No problemo JD. My apologies for pulling the conversation so far off the track. I never saw a tangent I could resist going off on. I think we were talking about KILE, and what it's going to mean to this city.
FilioScotia said:
It's going to be interesting, and it's probably good that it hasn't happened yet. There's still much work to do besides getting a capable manager, lining up a couple of notable on-air people and a sales manager, of course. An aggressive sales team coupled with well executed promotion, in every available shape, form and frequency will make or break 1560, regardless of how good the "sports guy" talk is.
What's working against KILE? Brand loyalty of sports talk listeners has to be at the top of the list. As boring and predictable as KILT's morning show might get, 610 in the AM has been home-base for most Houston radio sports fans for a long time, so KILE has to put their starting line-up in on day one.
We've talked about the signal issues for 1560 and there's no getting around it. 50,000 directional watts at the top end of the dial is still not like a nearly omni-directional 5,000 watts down on 610. Sure, KILT's coverage may not be perfect, but it's not riddled with unpredictable nulls and whole slices of the metro area that receive a signal that's seemingly half (or less) of what's heard just a few miles away. The KILE signal in Kingwood, for instance, is theoretically much stronger than in Clear Lake or much of the far west side, both of which are considerably closer to the transmitter site. For someone on the road for long distances, those ebbs and flows in signal strength can be really annoying.
The nighttime signal issue is even more treacherous. Maybe not at first with the planned late summer format debut, but within a few months it'll probably become frustrating for a lot of listeners facing a long evening commute. If you think KILT's nighttime signal has problems heading way up north on 45, wait until you hear, I mean, don't hear 1560. That's regardless of whether the signal is from their approved 1,000 watt site around Eldridge north of the Katy Freeway or if it's 19,000 watts from north of Katy, which is still in the application stage.
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