KPLU Moving It's Mount Vernon 91.1 Translator To 105.5

[Bongwater]

After years of fighting interference from CJZN. KPLU is moving from 91.1 to 105.5

http://members.shaw.ca/nwbroadcasters/recentnews.htm

I actually think 104.5 would be a better frequency because KMCQ doesn't come in at all in most parts of Skagit County and points north. But I guess somebody has their reasons......Only trouble is CBU-FM 105.7 itself is pretty strong in Skagit County (and oddly, CBC Radio Two's 92.1 Victoria signal has a stronger signal, but a real multipath problem in most of Skagit County.)

Well, in the end, it makes more sense to move the translator than to even ATTEMPT to outblast CBUX-FM2 in Victoria on 88.9. That signal is a MONSTER for 6,000 watts.....

 

[Dan Sys]

Could be another problem on the horizon for KPLU as the new CBC Radio One repeater in Abbotsford on 88.5 with 7,400 watts is about to be launched. Primary coverage extends well into Whatcom County:
http://cdbs.recnet.net:8080/fmq_pretabs.php?canfm=CBU-1-FM(2)&jaws=0

 

[Bongwater]

Could be another problem on the horizon for KPLU as the new CBC Radio One repeater in Abbotsford on 88.5 with 7,400 watts is about to be launched. Primary coverage extends well into Whatcom County:
http://cdbs.recnet.net:8080/fmq_pretabs.php?canfm=CBU-1-FM(2)&jaws=0

KPLU has a 30 watt translator on 88.7 Just north of downtown Bellingham, But the CBC Radio One repeater may be a real problem. Most people with Part 15 or pirate FM transmitters use the Seattle frequencies because most Seattle FM stations aren't listenable in most of Bellingham. They could use 94.9, since KUOW can be heard locally on 90.3 FM......

 

[Dan Sys]

Bongwater.....believe it or not that little 30 watt KPLU translator on 88.7 is audible in Aldergrove, at least until the CBC repeater on 88.5 hits the air. Is that Bluegrass pirate from Bellingham on 98.7 still on the air? Been trying for them lately and haven't heard anything.

 

[crainbebo]

Well now KPLU will fight MORE interference, now that it will have CBU one channel up. It's a 100kw BLOWTORCH in NW WA. I'd rather see the KBRC 102.1 8khz cell phone quality xlator gone and KPLU on there rather than having 3 mi of coverage due to CBU chewing it up.

-crainbebo

 

[Bongwater]

Bongwater.....believe it or not that little 30 watt KPLU translator on 88.7 is audible in Aldergrove, at least until the CBC repeater on 88.5 hits the air. Is that Bluegrass pirate from Bellingham on 98.7 still on the air? Been trying for them lately and haven't heard anything.

I haven't heard them in a long time either. I don't know if it was ever shut down. I think the people who ran the station got bored and switched it off.......

 

[FMSteve]

Let-me-get-this-straight: PLU's Mt. Vernon translator gets to move to 105.5 Mhz, yet PLU they themselves have an FCC approved facility to operate a 2.5 Kilowatt Class A station covering.......Mt. Vernon-Sedro Woolley on 88.9 Mhz!

I am not making this up! http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=173038

 

[Bongwater]

Let-me-get-this-straight: PLU's Mt. Vernon translator gets to move to 105.5 Mhz, yet PLU they themselves have an FCC approved facility to operate a 2.5 Kilowatt Class A station covering.......Mt. Vernon-Sedro Woolley on 88.9 Mhz!

I am not making this up! http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=173038

I've mentioned this. But KPLK (formerly KPYU) would really be more bother and expense than it's worth. CBUX-FM2 Victoria (Espace Musique) is also on 88.9. And it's a flamethrower for 6,700 watts. It's loud, rock solid and although it's 50 miles west (as the crow flies), it might as well be 50 feet away on Mount Vernon hilltops. You can't even hear the CSN translator on 89.1 there in most of Mount Vernon. In fact I've actually LOOKED at the transmitting antenna of the CSN translator, yet I couldn't even pick up the translator on 89.1 beneath the French-Canadian bombast from Victoria on 88.9. That's how strong it is in that area.

The KPLK app is still active and last I heard, PLU are intent on going through with it. I personally think it's a waste of everything on that particular frequency. And since KMCQ doesn't really come in at all north of Marysville, why 104.5 isn't an option for KPLU's Mount Vernon translator is beyond me. It would have FAR less interference overall than any other frequency out there.

 

[FMSteve]

Bong, I actually would agree with you about this new PLU facility. The are going to get hammered from the Canadian station on 88.9 Mhz. So why build this 2.5 kw facility? Heck, the translator at 105.5 will provided better interference-free reception!

So it begs the question, why even apply for a license at that location? What a joke!

See page 23 (the last page) of the engineering report to see the interference received from the Canadian station towards the new PLU class A facility:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS...?appn=101279194&qnum=5170&copynum=1&exhcnum=1

 

[Dan Sys]

The CBC repeater in Abbotsford on 88.5 signed on the air sometime this morning. Currently on & off the air intermittently in test mode.

Should be interesting to see what kind of havoc they create for KPLU south of the border, not to mention all the unsuspecting Jazz fans this side of the border who are KPLU fantatics.

 

[Bongwater]

Bong, I actually would agree with you about this new PLU facility. The are going to get hammered from the Canadian station on 88.9 Mhz. So why build this 2.5 kw facility? Heck, the translator at 105.5 will provided better interference-free reception!

So it begs the question, why even apply for a license at that location? What a joke!

See page 23 (the last page) of the engineering report to see the interference received from the Canadian station towards the new PLU class A facility:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS...?appn=101279194&qnum=5170&copynum=1&exhcnum=1

105.5 is just going to repeat the same problems KPLU has on 91.1 because CBC Radio Two Vancouver is on 105.7 and it also packs a serious punch into Skagit County.

Their best option, as I said before, is 104.5.

 

[Dan Sys]

Bongwater.....is the CBC repeater on 88.5 getting into Bellingham? According to the map coverage in your direction is supposed to end a bit north of Ferndale. I'm hearing reports that this thing is a blowtorch all over the Lower Mainland.

I'm also hearing that the local cable companies have removed KPLU from their radio services because of interference from this thing.

 

[Bongwater]

Bongwater.....is the CBC repeater on 88.5 getting into Bellingham? According to the map coverage in your direction is supposed to end a bit north of Ferndale. I'm hearing reports that this thing is a blowtorch all over the Lower Mainland.

I'm also hearing that the local cable companies have removed KPLU from their radio services because of interference from this thing.

It does pack a punch. I can hear it bleeding over KPLU's 88.7 Bellingham translator.. And I'm on a hill in the Fairhaven area. I sometimes used to pick up CIBH on 88.5. Guess that's over

Not good.

KPLU has an app for 101.5. It's time for them to follow up on it. So bye bye KPLZ up here....

That station just has the worst time EVER dealing with the Canadian upstarts out here.....

 

[SeattleObserver]

It does pack a punch. I can hear it bleeding over KPLU's 88.7 Bellingham translator.. And I'm on a hill in the Fairhaven area. I sometimes used to pick up CIBH on 88.5. Guess that's over

Not good.

KPLU has an app for 101.5. It's time for them to follow up on it. So bye bye KPLZ up here....

That station just has the worst time EVER dealing with the Canadian upstarts out here.....

Apparently KPLU must get a significant donor base from Bellingham, Skagit County and far northern Snohomish County to make all this trouble worth it. Or, do they relay this stuff off KVIX? You'd think they could make a sufficient daisy chain with KPLU, KVIX and an approved translator in Bellingham.

 

[Goldilocks94941]

My God, what a waste of frequency space this is quickly turning into. CBUX at 88.9 operates from a tower height around 1500 feet, so their 6kw really is a Class C designation, not unlike how any of the big FMs in Chicago or New York with a similar power and height operate. So trying to cover them up 50 miles away, just because you're 30 miles over the "border," really is what I consider a terrible waste of the spectrum. Think of CBUX as the equivalent of the other CBC 92.1 mega-signal station from Salt Spring Island, but it's site is actually closer to the city of Victoria and the US border than the xmtr for Victoria's Radio One outlet is up in the Gulf islands. And it covers the entire Puget Sound coast (OK, the Salish Sea region) from Seattle to the Sunshine Coast north of Vancouver. So, best to leave those big signals be and look elsewhere for your translators.

I say it's about time to open up those channel 6 frequencies to extend the way-overcrowded "reserved" part of the FM band. Now.

Seems like the FCC turns a blind eye toward actual terrain factors (and how open water will extend signal strength for many stations - even FM) in favor of circles on a piece of paper.

I always found the 91.1 KPLU translator covered a lot of ground, even south into Snohomish County. I never heard anyone else on 91.1, but, then again, I don't dial around much when I'm driving thru Skagit County, if I like what I'm hearing on 88.9 FM!!

Put even more interference on the FM dial, and you can kiss more and more in-car listeners on I-5, or any of the handful of routes we have in NW Washington, goodbye.

 

[Bongwater]

The 105.5 translator is on the air now, 91.1 is now silent.

And all the problems I predicted earlier with 105.5 are definitely here. The bleed over from not only 105.7, but even KCMS, Which doesn't really put a listenable signal up in Skagit County is very audible on 105.5.

There's no way you can drive and listen to this noisy mess at all.......

I'm telling you now, it's 104.5. Or nowhere at all for their Skagit County translator.....

 

[w9wi]

I say it's about time to open up those channel 6 frequencies to extend the way-overcrowded "reserved" part of the FM band. Now.

Now wouldn't work very well, but in 19 days when CHEK-TV moves to channel 49 it might work

 

[Bongwater]

I say it's about time to open up those channel 6 frequencies to extend the way-overcrowded "reserved" part of the FM band. Now.

Now wouldn't work very well, but in 19 days when CHEK-TV moves to channel 49 it might work

Better get the application in now. There's already people over the border salivating over those frequencies.

 

[Dan Sys]

There's already people over the border salivating over those frequencies.

Yeah, the CBC with more plans for redundant repeaters.

 

[Bongwater]

There's already people over the border salivating over those frequencies.

Yeah, the CBC with more plans for redundant repeaters.

For their 3rd (or 4th) French network. Or something. Then there's that crazy Jim Pattison, who's always coming with new ways to pack in just one more station....Even when the FM dial was literally at the bursting point in the Lower Mainland, he somehow managed to get CKPK on 100.5 (soon to be swapped out for CFRO's 102.7 frequency.)