KKWF HD2 KMTT HD2

[JakeMott]

100.7 HD2 and 103.7HD2 are playing the same programming. The Delta blues program. 100.7 HD2 was playing smooth jazz for months. The Delta was already on 103.7 HD2.

Did some one hit the wrong button? Or is smooth jazz moving somewhere else?

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

KKWF HD2 was playing Smooth Jazz last weekend. The HD signal on KMTT has been off and on for weeks now. I complained to Entercom corporate about two weeks ago when both stations HD signals were off, and they were back on with the correct programming within 24 hours. It could be that they are tweaking the Smooth Jazz format, and the Delta blues format is only a temporary placeholder while they do an update.

If you have access to a computer, an Albuquerque station 103.7 The Oasis streams. Go to www.1037theoasis.com. This format is programmed by the former PD of the Jones Radio Networks Smooth Jazz format. It has a great playlist, listened for hours yesterday. This is a unique situation where an AM station, 1510, in Albuquerque is using an FM translator to rebroadcast their programming on 103.7 FM in Stereo. The signal does a great job of covering the city of Albuquerque and Smooth Jazz fans there are ecstatic from what I've been reading on the board.

 

[crainbebo]

"It could be that they are tweaking the Smooth Jazz format,"

Don't say that it will turn into...Smooth AC? No thanks. If SJ comes back, please simulcast on 94.5 (KMIH can keep 88.9 and boost power a little bit) or 103.3, if not maybe 1460 AM at the very least.

And I'm a fan already of 103.7 in Albuquerque. Great playlist.

-crainbebo

 

[Bongwater]

My friend won an HD Radio from KZOK a while back. I asked him what he thought of it and his exact words "Well, it really doesn't live up to the hype about it."

'Nuff said......

 

[JakeMott]

In many other cities the extra HD programing is great. But not in Seattle. No, can't do that here.

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

The only translator that Entercom has in Seattle is at 103.3 and they are using that to fill a black hole in their signal coverage of the Seattle area for "The Mountain." They can't use 94.5 as that signal is used by another company. I have noticed in many cities during my travels that AM stations are simulcasting on FM Translators; I've also seen HD2 programming run on FM translators, i.e. Salt Lake City/Provo's 99.1 FM is a translator running Clear Channel's Classic Rock format from I Heartradio on the translator. The translator originally rebroadcast 99.5 FM KJMY, that they own. The 99.1 signal does just under a one share point in the latest ratings. Amazing, that a translator can pull in that kind of rating, when they usually run on far lower wattage and have limited range.

I doubt Entercom would move to Smooth AC, as the format they have been running is nearly identical to the HD2 feed on their Kansas City station, the City 106.5 HD2.

 

[ksradiogeek]

I would get an HD Radio if their signals were better, and if I lived closer to a major city. When you live out in the sticks about an hour from a city with HD stations like I do, its pointless. And, it sucks that not everyone streams their HD feeds online. Some good stations, like Mercy Rock in Boston, don't stream online, yet they stream their Love Songs 103.3 HD2 feed.

 

[multiplex]

I was sorry when KMTT's HD returned. During its absence, got to hear Vancouver's 103.5 for the first time, which is pretty decent, but normally obliterated by KMTT's automated blues jukebox.
It's one of the better HD offerings, but no jocks, no info on the music, just an iPod with liners.
The problem withmost HD offerings is that they're just a bunch of playlists with liners inserted.
Oh, wait, come to think of it, the rest of radio is like that, too.

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

Looks like it is not a fluke, KKWF HD2 and KMTT HD2 are broadcasting very similar formats, but slightly different. It looks as though "THE DELTA" has moved lock, stock and barrel to KKWF HD 2, and I listened for an hour Saturday night to KMTT HD2 and couldn't for the life of me figure out the format. The music was all over the place, I disliked the programming immensely. They seemed to be playing obsure cuts from classic rock artists smashed in with blues music. Whomever came up with this, should be taken out behind the wood shed, and have the tar beaten out of him. Looks like Seattle is again Smooth Jazz-less.
The Tri-Cities, WA area recently lost their Smooth Jazz station too, as it flipped to CHR/Pop. Best bet is still the stream from Albuquerque, www.1037theoasis.com, or Sirius/XM's Watercolors, Channel 66.

 

[crainbebo]

In many other cities the extra HD programing is great. But not in Seattle. No, can't do that here.

Well you are one of the 10 listeners of HD Radio in Seattle...so all the HDs don't get great ratings.

The best thing to do for Smooth Jazz, is 103.3. Or get rid of Harold Camping on 1460.

-crainbebo

 

[JakeMott]

Got a response from Entercom. "Unfortunately due to demand, we've replaced smooth jazz with the Delta Blues." And replace the blues on KMTT HD2 with a new format.

Due to demand?

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

What a load of horse manure. They had no demand at all to move one HD format to another HD channel. Entercom just wants to play around with its HD 2 feeds. They had all comedy, smooth jazz, then moved "The Delta" to 100.7 HD 2 all in the matter of one year. That new format on 103.7 HD2 is like 'sharp fingernails scratching incessantly on a chalkboard.' What garbage. I've listened as much I can, because it sounds like raw sewage, and I still can't figure out what format the music is. I've been in radio over a decade and a half in my lifetime and never, ever heard what is played on 103.7 HD2. It sounds like they just let somebody play whatever they want, and it is all obscure weird music. There would certainly be NO DEMAND for that at all.
I'd rather listen to the Russian programming on KBKS 106.1 HD2, even not understanding the language than listen to 103.7 HD2.
Might as well just turn off 103.7 HD2 and not waste the spectrum.

 

[bobdavcav]

Speaking of the KBKS HD2, who is programming it? If it's Clear Channel, they must not care about it too much, every other station they own including the HD2 channels is restricted on the Tune In Radio app, but not 106.1 HD2.

 

[FMSteve]

Got a response from Entercom. "Unfortunately due to demand, we've replaced smooth jazz with the Delta Blues." And replace the blues on KMTT HD2 with a new format.

WTF? So I think what they are saying indirectly is that there wasn't any demand for Smooth Jazz in this market on HD subchannels. And to "replace" SJ with Delta Blues on 100.7 channel 2 is disingenous at best because Delta Blues was already on 103.7 channel 2. So this really doesn't make sense at all. Sounds like Seattle Entercom's chief engineer gone wild, if you ask me.

I will say this again (and I hope Entercom looks at this board), HD radio will NEVER get traction in this market unless listeners are able to sample the product through the use of the FM translator service. And Entercom is in the unique position here to propell this concept forward by utilizing their 103.3 translator licensed on top of the Canned Ham building (Met Plaza).

Furthermore, Inside Radio reports that several HD2/HD3 channels are now showing up in the Arbitron Book. They cite a station in Decatur, Illonois "Magic 98.1" that is quite successful in that market with a 2.9 share (Fall 2011 book, 12+), and they utilize an FM translator, going from digital HD to analog transmission. That station is just 11 months old.

 

[crainbebo]

Smooth Jazz is extinct again in Seattle, but if you like smooth jazz, you'll like this webstream

www.1037theoasis.com

New station in Albuquerque, NM, and it sounds good! Lots of SJ cuts I haven't heard since before KWJZ went "smooth" in 2008. Hopefully someone, just SOMEONE can bring back SJ into Seattle. It's Kenny G's hometown. Give me a break.

-crainbebo

 

[multiplex]

JakeMott, I hope Entercom doesn't take your advice. We don't need stations taking advantage of that translator loophole to enable traction for a failed transmission method.
Analog station takes up one channel.
HD takes up two additional channels.
Translator takes yet another channel. That's four channels in all.
In Entercom'scase, they'd be using facilities they already have, but other firms could tie up many frequencies this way.
HD already takesup44 frequencies, in addition to the 22analog channels assigned to them in the Seattle area,and I'm not even counting a couple of stations like KSER and the104.9, which would add another four to that.
That means that this failed technology is using nearly half of theFM spectrum.
If it needs translators to make it listenable, then let's expand the band to accommodate more signals, turn theHD signals off and allow more stations to exist on an expanded band.
We need to use specturm wisely, not just cram all possible signals into the FM band because we can.

 

[bobdavcav]

Got a response from Entercom. "Unfortunately due to demand, we've replaced smooth jazz with the Delta Blues." And replace the blues on KMTT HD2 with a new format.

WTF? So I think what they are saying indirectly is that there wasn't any demand for Smooth Jazz in this market on HD subchannels. And to "replace" SJ with Delta Blues on 100.7 channel 2 is disingenous at best because Delta Blues was already on 103.7 channel 2. So this really doesn't make sense at all. Sounds like Seattle Entercom's chief engineer gone wild, if you ask me.

I will say this again (and I hope Entercom looks at this board), HD radio will NEVER get traction in this market unless listeners are able to sample the product through the use of the FM translator service. And Entercom is in the unique position here to propell this concept forward by utilizing their 103.3 translator licensed on top of the Canned Ham building (Met Plaza).

Furthermore, Inside Radio reports that several HD2/HD3 channels are now showing up in the Arbitron Book. They cite a station in Decatur, Illonois "Magic 98.1" that is quite successful in that market with a 2.9 share (Fall 2011 book, 12+), and they utilize an FM translator, going from digital HD to analog transmission. That station is just 11 months old.

Thank you! I've been saying this ever since smooth jazz was put on 100.7 hd2. The translator does put a good signal into the downtown buildings, so if people really lobbied to Entercom that they wanted the Mountain, they could simulcast that during typical work hours and go smooth jazz evenings and weekends. Given the ratings the Mountain has been getting lately, I don't think people will be lobbying Entercom for The Mountain. I wonder if the FCC would approve a move of the translator to Isaquah? What I was thinking was to move that signal to the KIRO-FM tower, that would give it a heck of a signal! That would be about a C3 signal.

 

[multiplex]

Every time I checked earlier this week, there were two separate feeds for the Delta: one on KKWF's HD2 and another on KMTT's Hd2.
I've yet to hear a separate format on KMTT's HD2, just another version of the Delta.
Not sure why they've been broadcasting two of them,unless they're transitioning it to 100.7 and then offering something else on 103.7.
So far, though, allI've heard on 103.7 is anotherDelta. I checked on Monday, Tuesday andWednesday.
This is not a simulcast.

 

[bobdavcav]

JakeMott, I hope Entercom doesn't take your advice. We don't need stations taking advantage of that translator loophole to enable traction for a failed transmission method.
Analog station takes up one channel.
HD takes up two additional channels.
Translator takes yet another channel. That's four channels in all.
In Entercom'scase, they'd be using facilities they already have, but other firms could tie up many frequencies this way.
HD already takesup44 frequencies, in addition to the 22analog channels assigned to them in the Seattle area,and I'm not even counting a couple of stations like KSER and the104.9, which would add another four to that.
That means that this failed technology is using nearly half of theFM spectrum.
If it needs translators to make it listenable, then let's expand the band to accommodate more signals, turn theHD signals off and allow more stations to exist on an expanded band.
We need to use specturm wisely, not just cram all possible signals into the FM band because we can.

I would have to agree on the one hand, with hd channels taking more space, so I wouldn't have the position I do if Entercom didn't own the 103.3 translator, or if there wasn't one there altogether.

 

[AQH]

What a load of horse manure. They had no demand at all to move one HD format to another HD channel. Entercom just wants to play around with its HD 2 feeds.

Do you have any proof to contradict what they said, or is this just hyperbole?