Any update on this? I flipped by it the other day and the frequency was off the air, could have been temporary, I would think they might like to be off the air as much as they legally can since all it does is cost them money to keep sending us all those 'great oldies' and not make a dime of revenue. Clearly, the economy ain't gonna easily return to previous levels, what's it been the better part of a year now? I know there was a perfect storm of international events that had to happen for them to get full power, any of that ever happened?
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
KMCQ FM
- Thread starter Steenman
- Start date
Based on the FCC database, it looks as if they received their CP to move the site to Cougar Mt. @ 8.1kW with a fairly omni pattern, probably side-mount antenna based on the estimated back null. Really their 60dBu coverage isn't half bad:
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1324522.html
I'm willing to bet the reason they are down is to physically move gear to Cougar.
Building penetration won't be stellar, but in-car listening should be better in the metro than the stations located to the West like KOMO-FM and KNBQ-FM.
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1324522.html
I'm willing to bet the reason they are down is to physically move gear to Cougar.
Building penetration won't be stellar, but in-car listening should be better in the metro than the stations located to the West like KOMO-FM and KNBQ-FM.
The location is definately Cougar, but the coordinates don't line up with the Ratelco shared antenna tower (KUBE, KPLZ, KCMS, KJR-FM), or the Entercom shared antenna tower (KISW, KPLU, KNHC, KIRO-FM, KNDD, KMTT). It may be either the old KUBE/KRWM tower, or one of the other empty towers in the Ratelco farm.
I was under the impression KPLZ was going back to their OWN tower (bailing on Ratelco lease). Is that true?
LITTLEBOYBLUE said:
There isn't anything in the FCC database regarding an application to do so. To me that would be a huge mistake anyway. The Ratelco made by Jampro Spiral antenna is 100' higher and has far superior performance to just about any other antenna in the market. Also because the Ratelco antenna isn't a panel or side-mount, it has the best omnidirectional pattern. If KPLZ were to move back to their old tower that close to the Ratelco tower, the Ratelco antenna would wreck havoc on their pattern because the Ratelco antenna would re-radiate KPLZ just fine. Close-in multipath around the East side would be a real problem.
So I'm not an engineer so about half of what you said made sense to me. It sounds like they are finally on their way up to Cougar on possibly a lesser used technically not as good a stick. Do I have that right? Would they be able to move to the other tower at some point, say after they are sold so this would be a cost saving move or do you guess this is it, as good as it will get for them? It sound from a 'lay' perspective, like they mightup sounding like a 'real Seattle radio station' or is that a stretch? Wonder what the timeline is for this and what's next?
Look at the coverage map that Mr. Burger provided in the link. That easily answers your question of how well it will play from the new transmitter site.
KMCQ's shown in Google Earth as being on the tower that KMPS's AUX facility's on. Nothing else seems to licensed there.
If you don't have Google Earth, install it.
http://earth.google.com/index.html
To get the FCC info into "Places" go to http://www.fccinfo.com/fccinfo_google_earth.php & read all about it.
Download this http://ge.fccinfo.com/fccinfo.kmz. Open it in Google Earth.
If you don't have Google Earth, install it.
http://earth.google.com/index.html
To get the FCC info into "Places" go to http://www.fccinfo.com/fccinfo_google_earth.php & read all about it.
Download this http://ge.fccinfo.com/fccinfo.kmz. Open it in Google Earth.
Wow! This news just came down. Not even in the fcc daily digest yet. Apparently this was granted on August 21st. Here's the actual CP:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1324522.pdf
I looked over the tower coordinates a week or two ago and it appeared it was on a tower used by CBS.
So Shore FM 104.1 in Vancouver, BC will need to move to 104.3, then KAFE will follow swapping to 104.1, and then KMCQ will follow as a C2 up on Cougar. Hmm. 7 years to do all of that. I hear champagne corks are popping in Dallas, Texas!
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1324522.pdf
I looked over the tower coordinates a week or two ago and it appeared it was on a tower used by CBS.
So Shore FM 104.1 in Vancouver, BC will need to move to 104.3, then KAFE will follow swapping to 104.1, and then KMCQ will follow as a C2 up on Cougar. Hmm. 7 years to do all of that. I hear champagne corks are popping in Dallas, Texas!
B
BurntOutRadio
Guest
According to "Northwest Broadcasters" website, Shore FM 104.1 has been on the air in Vancouver since July 1st.
Yes generally any shuffling has to occur before a CP will be issued. KMCQ has the ability to build and begin program tests at Cougar. At least the timing was in their favor for this granting of a CP, as the weather couldn't be better for constructing a new transmission site in the mountains.
I always get stuck with building mountain-located transmitter installations around the Holidays or mid February when the weather is at it's worst.
Assuming they don't cheese it together, you'll be surprised with how well this station will play into the metro. I've had a 100kW station up on Cougar temporarily running at 1000 watts ERP while installing a new transmitter and only got a few complaints from Tacoma.
I always get stuck with building mountain-located transmitter installations around the Holidays or mid February when the weather is at it's worst.
Assuming they don't cheese it together, you'll be surprised with how well this station will play into the metro. I've had a 100kW station up on Cougar temporarily running at 1000 watts ERP while installing a new transmitter and only got a few complaints from Tacoma.
B
BurntOutRadio
Guest
Shall we start a guessing game as to who ends up with KMCQ?
From their application, the owners of KMCQ said:
"ENTITIES WITH AN ATTRIBUTABLE INTEREST IN FIRST BROADCASTING CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC ALSO HOLD ATTRIBUTABLE INTERESTS IN TWO OTHER STATIONS IN THE SEATTLE-TAKOMA, WA MARKET:
KDDS-FM, ELMA, WA (FACILITY ID NO. 33622); AND
KTBK(AM), AUBURN-FEDERAL WAY, WA (FACILITY ID NO. 33683)."
My guess is that it ends up in the Bustos stable with a Spanish format or with another operator with a Spanish format.
From their application, the owners of KMCQ said:
"ENTITIES WITH AN ATTRIBUTABLE INTEREST IN FIRST BROADCASTING CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC ALSO HOLD ATTRIBUTABLE INTERESTS IN TWO OTHER STATIONS IN THE SEATTLE-TAKOMA, WA MARKET:
KDDS-FM, ELMA, WA (FACILITY ID NO. 33622); AND
KTBK(AM), AUBURN-FEDERAL WAY, WA (FACILITY ID NO. 33683)."
My guess is that it ends up in the Bustos stable with a Spanish format or with another operator with a Spanish format.
S
SeattleRadioPro
Guest
BurntOutRadio said:
Nope. This station has Bonneville written all over it.
Restart the KIRO AM/FM simulcast with the FM on 104.5, then bring back oldies on 97.3, How's that?
I have it on fairly good authority that so far there isn't any particular player in the lead. All the suitors will be sending their offers to the broker once the IPod starts playing from Southeast of Bellevue.
The interesting thing, that we probably will never know, is how many bidders there will be. Given the economy, lack of available cash and borrowing power, I doubt there will be as many interested parties as there would have been, say three years ago. If I were First, I'd just sit tight and let the few bidders slug it out until I got close to the number in my mind (or were promised to the investors). After all they've gone though, hurrying for First won't yield the desired results. Keeping a little 8kW station smack dab in the middle of Seattle Tacoma playing generic audio, won't cost that much and it will be an annoying reminder to the prospective bidder's of what they're missing.
The interesting thing, that we probably will never know, is how many bidders there will be. Given the economy, lack of available cash and borrowing power, I doubt there will be as many interested parties as there would have been, say three years ago. If I were First, I'd just sit tight and let the few bidders slug it out until I got close to the number in my mind (or were promised to the investors). After all they've gone though, hurrying for First won't yield the desired results. Keeping a little 8kW station smack dab in the middle of Seattle Tacoma playing generic audio, won't cost that much and it will be an annoying reminder to the prospective bidder's of what they're missing.
B
BurntOutRadio
Guest
"I have it on fairly good authority that so far there isn't any particular player in the lead. All the suitors will be sending their offers to the broker once the IPod starts playing from Southeast of Bellevue."
That is probably the case.
I also would like to see an oldies station return with an expanded playlist from what KBSG ran. It about burnt me out on oldies the repeat factor was so bad.
By the way, KMCQ is back on the air from the old site I believe.
That is probably the case.
I also would like to see an oldies station return with an expanded playlist from what KBSG ran. It about burnt me out on oldies the repeat factor was so bad.
By the way, KMCQ is back on the air from the old site I believe.
Up here in the crime infested, toxic sludge Mad Max wonderland of Bellingham (as Mr. Guru believes this peace adoring, Nag Champa smelling and art-rock loving place to be), the KAFE website isn't making much note of it. Since they now got approval to switch to 104.1 (not a whole lot really, everything else still the same really, just an upgrade to all the jingles and voicers on the air and everything in a southward direction as far as signal goes.).......
I ponder if they're going to start targeting Everett and Lynnwood?
8 kW from Cougar is well.....the same power and signal strength you get off KNHC. Which isn't much. I don't see Bonneville jumping on this one. Or anybody major. I do think Bustos (which I suspected all along) might really step up if 104.5 proves powerful enough to make it solid into South Everett at least.
But not even KNHC does that......
I ponder if they're going to start targeting Everett and Lynnwood?
8 kW from Cougar is well.....the same power and signal strength you get off KNHC. Which isn't much. I don't see Bonneville jumping on this one. Or anybody major. I do think Bustos (which I suspected all along) might really step up if 104.5 proves powerful enough to make it solid into South Everett at least.
But not even KNHC does that......
KNHC uses a directional antenna pattern which puts a 60dB signal well over Everett. Proposed KMCQ is a non-directional antenna pattern that doesn't. So in simple terms, your comparison isn't accurate.
According to the census, the majority of the Latino population in the Seattle-Tacoma metro is in South King and North Pierce Counties. The Snohomish Latino population exists, but is quite a bit less.
According to the census, the majority of the Latino population in the Seattle-Tacoma metro is in South King and North Pierce Counties. The Snohomish Latino population exists, but is quite a bit less.
- Status