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Denver KPLS (1510) off the air

Mark Roberts

Mark Roberts

Seventh-Day Adventist-aligned KPLS(AM) has definitely been off the air for the last two days, and possibly longer. Websites and Facebook pages associated with the station haven't mentioned the issue, though a post from a listener in Denver indicates it's been off the air for at least a week. No silent notification or recent STA has been filed.

The station - DA-2, 10 kw daytime, 25 kw nights - was knocked off the air by lightning in the summer of 2023 but had since been repaired. The transmitter site is in Thornton, just north of Denver.

KPLS(AM) and KPLS-FM in Strasburg, east of Denver, are licensed to Radio 74 Internationale, and program an eclectic mix of preaching, talk shows on health, and religious music in a traditional genre. KPLS-FM can't be received in Denver, though there is a CP for an upgrade. Even once that's done, it may still be difficult to get the FM station in Denver due to a translator for KBNO(AM). The AM station, on the other hand, is somewhat of a blowtorch.
 
According to the website KPLS.org they're having an exceptionally difficult technical problem at their transmitter site. As of now they're not able to project a return date but it is temporarily.
 
ChaseW said:
According to the website KPLS.org they're having an exceptionally difficult technical problem at their transmitter site. As of now they're not able to project a return date but it is temporarily.
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They must have put that up on Sunday; it wasn't there Friday or Saturday. Still nothing on KPLS's or Radio 74's Facebook pages.
 
Mark Roberts said:
KPLS-FM can't be received in Denver, though there is a CP for an upgrade. Even once that's done, it may still be difficult to get the FM station in Denver due to a translator for KBNO(AM).
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A "real" FM class A-C can move assuming the FCC OKs it. And a translator has to not interfere with the "real" FM. If there is interference, KBNO's translater will to move or change frequency. The translator might be screwed.
 
secondchoice said:
A "real" FM class A-C can move assuming the FCC OKs it. And a translator has to not interfere with the "real" FM. If there is interference, KBNO's translater will to move or change frequency. The translator might be screwed.
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KPLS-FM is a C3 with a CP to go to a C2. True, the translator is a secondary service. It's currently west of Denver on Lookout Mountain - any farther west, and you're really in the Rockies; KPLS-FM is and would continue to be to the east. Both might be "screwed" in downtown Denver and/or Capitol Hill as a consequence.

KPLS's website indicates they're trying to raise $120,000 for the C2 upgrade.
 
kevtronics said:
In June 2023, KPLS went temporarily off the air due to lightning damage, but they didn't notify the FCC about it until August that year.
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I don't think lightning would be the proximate cause of problems this time, unless there was some lingering damage. We've had an unusually stable weather pattern of warm, dry days in December with only the occasional wind gusts. No storms, no snow, no rain. Lightning is a problem here in spring and summer, but not this time of year.

Since the FCC's LMS has silent notifications as one of its views, that's where I would expect a filing for KPLS to show up first. But that doesn't always seem to happen.
 
A lot depends on the actual terrain, and the C2's sixty. An example in the Atlanta market was WLJA 101.1 Ellijay and the smooth jazz translator on 101.1 (WJZA). There were actual complaints buy WLJA's listeners and the translator had to make accommodations. Thats why the AMs that count on their FM translator should spend a little money now coming up with engineering contengices just in case someone moves a class A,B,or C in their coverage or else figure an exit strategy form that market.
 
The terrain between east-central Denver and the proposed KPLS-FM C2 site in Elbert County near Byers is mostly flat. I estimate that it's about 50 miles from downtown. (East Denver and Aurora are mostly flat.) Downtown is at a lower elevation, then the terrain climbs back up on the west side.

The proposed 60 dBu barely touches far eastern areas of Aurora; DIA might also get that coverage, based on what I see from the engineering exhibit.

I got out some maps today and estimated that Lookout Mountain is about 17 miles due west of me; probably around 11 or 12 from downtown. It's impossible to get a site farther west than Lookout and still cover a reasonable amount of Denver. I suspect Lookout gets used heavily, even though translators on it have trouble covering east Denver and Aurora, because it's readily accessible most of the time.
 
KPLS changed its website message today (January 6), excerpted:

We regret to inform you that KPLS is currently off the air due to an unexpected and significant technical issue at our transmitter site. Our team is working diligently to resolve the problem, but at this time, we are unable to provide a specific timeline for when the broadcast will resume.

We understand that this disruption may be frustrating, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to restore service. In the meantime, we encourage you to continue enjoying our programming online by visiting our website and clicking on the “Listen Online” or “Listen Live” buttons. Please be aware that due to limited capacity, only 20 listeners can access the stream at a time. If you're unable to connect immediately, please try again later as listeners may come and go.
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Still no regulatory filings on the subject.
 
its interesting that KPLS is programmed seperately from the network that owns them, Radio 74 and that 1510 actually has a local show.. none of the other radio 74 stations likely have long form local programming like this .

And 1510 has some spanish programming too
 
SomeRadioGuy said:
its interesting that KPLS is programmed seperately from the network that owns them, Radio 74 and that 1510 actually has a local show.. none of the other radio 74 stations likely have long form local programming like this .

And 1510 has some spanish programming too
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Maybe it's rented blocks? Is the Spanish language program secular or religious?
 
It was still hors de service today. Still no official filing of any kind.
 
The kpls.org opening message changed slightly today:

Our transmitter is down due to a difficult, expensive technical issue. Engineers are working on it....
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Mark Roberts said:
The kpls.org opening message changed slightly today:
Click to expand...

Theyre promoting their stream.. i find it curious it can only handle 20 listeners. Streaming these days is pretty cheap and 20 listeners wont cost you much.. pretty sure my streams up here can handle more.
 
There are quite a few things about Radio 74 that I find mystifying, possibly because I'm not approaching it from a mission-driven perspective. Still, it seems that buying an AM station, powerful as it might be with decent coverage of a medium-to-large sized metropolitan area, just about five years ago for $600,000, is a recipe for financial pain. But they probably view it as a test of faith. Their criteria for success are different.
 
At the risk of talking to myself, I'll point out that KPLS is now well past the 30-day mark for a silent notification, and is still off the air as of today (2/4), yet I've seen no filing.
 
ChaseW said:
According to the website KPLS.org they're having an exceptionally difficult technical problem at their transmitter site. As of now they're not able to project a return date but it is temporarily.
Click to expand...

Even listening online is a bit difficult with only a 20 listener cap on it (In my 30 years of listening to online radio, I don't think I've EVER rtun into a listener cap like that. You'd thik they'd seek some professional hosting for that alone if not to cover Royalties too)
Denver - KPLS (1510) off the air _ RadioDiscussions - Google Chrome 2_4_2025 3_36_48 PM.png
 


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