KTTF 95.3 Tomball on the air

[rbrucecarter5]

Eclectic Christian music format yesterday - hard rock "Jesus Freak" by DC Talk to country gospel songs.

 

[Mediafrog+]

KTTF has been on the air for several months, usually simulcasting KYBY. Unfortunately it has horrible audio quality for an FM, with badly rolled-off highs.

 

[b-turner]

Have checked KTTF several times. They seem quite strong and solid. It is hard to believe they are getting the coverage they are getting. I can get them easily on a horrible little radio inside a brick building in an interior room about 6 miles away without any issue. I can't even get all the full power stations on the cheap thing. Incredible building penetration if they aren't overpowering and I am sure the City of Tomball keeps a good eye on it.

They did let one thing slip. I heard the song S**t Town by Live, unedited on KTTF.

The audio issue seems to still be an issue.

I keep waiting for them to do all the stuff they promised in the newspaper articles before they came on the air. It seems they're just simulcasting KYBY-LP in Magnolia. That had to be a fun agreement for the City Attorney to compose! The FCC is a stickler on getting it right when a LPFM is simulcasting another station since the whole idea of LPFM is to originate programming.

 

[First Fone 65]

Rome was not built in a day, and when you are dealing with a Bureaucracy which moves slower than Chevys rust, things take longer that one might think they should, The newspaper article was just that, a newspaper article, They have already had a number of local High School broadcasts along with German Fest & The Iron man bike ride coverage and recent real time flood reporting, and un like most LPFMs they actually have a walk in studio with two studio mikes and a receptionist weekdays 8 to 5 which is required by the FCC, they even have a on The Air sign, most all of the LPFMs are computer in a closet operations and couldn't do a live Broadcast if they had too, Tomball can. and will be covering the local HS graduations this week end.

 

[b-turner]

I get the speed of dealing with a Bureaucracy...making a turtle appear as a speed demon! I suppose your internal knowledge means you are directly involved with KTTF. I'm glad to hear you are more than merely a simulcast of KYBY.

You're right, many LPFMs do not have a 'walk in' studio. I don't know where you get the requirement of needing a walk in studio, receptionist and 8 to 5 hours being a FCC Rule for LPFM stations, it's sure not in the rules. Surprisingly a computer in a closet LPFM can do live broadcasts...know a few that have and do a great deal of local real time broadcasts.

Wishing KTTF the best. Will be watching the evolution as it transpires.

 

[First Fone 65]

If You will look at the lpfm rules there is a section in the application process where applicants were asked about the level of their community service and access used in a points system to determine which applicant was best qualified to serve the community, requirements under this section said the applicant agreed to maintain a "Main Studio" with local programing accessible by phone and staffed 20 hours a week between the hours of 7 AM and 10 PM.
LPFMs are also required to be owned and operated by the community they serve with a board of directors as a non profit, and it specifically stated "NO Individual may own a license".
But it many many cases that is exactly what has happened many applicants have gone to license mills in MD where one person can be incorporated as a non profit
and slip through the private ownership cracks, No community board of directors, no community involvement unless the "RADIO GOD" allows it. very few have a actual board of directors like Tomball does. and the computer in a closet boys don't have guests in their closet very often, if ever, they do remote pick ups, and is studio automation playing music and a remote DJ 30 miles away in Houston, really community programming ???

 

[b-turner]

If you look at LPFM rules, that promise was a provision for the point system. That is not a FCC Rule for all LPFMs only those that were MXed. That specifically was an option for a point a station could promise.

I fully disagree with your assumption. I know a great number of LPFMs that are literally one man bands that super serve their communities and you seem to think people have to be a guest in a closet versus being at the guest's location.

You blast stations being DJed from elsewhere but isn't it correct KTTF is essentially a rebroadcast of a Magnolia LPFM, not originating programming locally?

Is not KTTF automated? Are you not what you complain about? Actually, I should temper that with the statement your station is new and yet to fulfill it's true mission. I know that takes time.

I agree there are some that abuse the system, but really, to lump everyone automated or under a situation not to your liking is haphazard at best.

You know many stations in the most recent and first window set up under the umbrella of an existing non-profit and are lone wolves having no contact or relationship with the non-profit on a regular basis.

 

[Mediafrog+]

If you look at LPFM rules, that promise was a provision for the point system. That is not a FCC Rule for all LPFMs only those that were MXed. That specifically was an option for a point a station could promise.

Of course KTTF was part of a MX group, and was originally licensed to timeshare 95.1 with KLJJ. K236AR ran both of them off the frequency before either launched, which was a blessing in disguise, as both now have fulltime operation elsewhere on the FM band.

KTTF still needs to improve its audio quality. Pretty much sounds like an AM station.

 

[First Fone 65]

Sorry Bill must have struck a nerve,

In my previous post I said the studio was part of a points system, and with a few ? exceptions most all LPFM applicants filled out the sections promising compliance in several areas to gain a advantage if they were MXed which no one knew ahead of time, and unless they modified their license application before their license was granted they are still under obligation to make good on those promises, even if they are now a singleton, not that the FCC cares, I didn't say one man operations were all bad, I just said they were all powerful and were under no obligation to be reactive to community needs, and the FCC has said and continues to say No single person ownership, with out automation very few stations would be on the air, even the old Iron curtain supported stations. I like automation, I just don't like automated systems that are totally robotic and occupy a community designated frequency but are not responsive to their community, Simulcast is allowed by the FCC and is filling the gap without the station being too repetitive on its programing and music, and will be scaled back as local programming fills the gap and catches up. and discontinued at some point in time when all the pieces are in place. and yes I am from the old school, The first Am station I worked at You had to dial up the transmitter on a telephone dial " WHAT " and read one meter at a time, and it glowed in the dark, now its all computer operated automatic logging and works much better most of the time until lightning strikes. which it has a lot lately leaving dead air on a few channels.

 

[First Fone 65]

Thanks Mediafrog

K236AR " Frankenslator " as the FCC calls them / super translators backdoor class A 200 watts at 1800 feet hard to compete with, now We have Air 1 which We can live with ?
KTTF is looking into the audio issue, the ORBAN processor may need to be adjusted, it looks good on the instrumentation but the instrumentation does not have ears,

 

[b-turner]

In theory KTTF, as you resolved the MX, are not bound by the MX promises, if you choose. In essence, once the MX is eliminated, those promises go away. If they're 'too much', the FCC understands finances and available time can change good intentions. I have not seen a case where the FCC forced things.

I know quite a few good guys that are one person operations in Washington State, Oregon, Ohio, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and a few in Texas. They are have an attitude of making a positive impact on quality of life where they live. Needless to say, mostly it is a labor of love. One station has had zero funding, another under $500 a year and most in the $3,000 or under range in annual billing, entirely from underwriting. In a few places they are the only reliable signal in the town (if we think towns get scarce in Texas, about half of Oregon is a nice match for West Texas. I actually took a vacation or two visiting stations. In some instances there is a paper board but those names really have nothing to do with the station.

Make sure your simulcast agreement is worded correctly. I know a guy that got nailed on his: no fine but he had to spend some cash because of it. Funny the FCC thought it was fine a full power non-comm carried some of this LPFM's programming but questioned the agreement with the LPFM.

I can certainly say there are a few LPFMs in this section of Texas that are not doing things right and a couple of CPs that seem a little shady. Those are the ones that hurt all LPFM stations and bolster the rift between the full power and LPFM stations.

Continue the work to do more, but don't get in any rush. It is better to take it slow so you don't find yourself overwhelmed. In time your vision will happen. The worst you can do is to have to scale back.

 

[First Fone 65]

Thanks, it has been a labor of love, been working on this for 2 1/2 years dealing with folks that have no idea what it all about or its potential, hopefully it will all come out in the wash, I am excited about the involvement of LSC and TISD, and We just might be the first step for a future Walter Cronkite or Barbara Walters, not that I will be around to see them, I can still remember the excitement of working at KXYZ while still in high school wiring consoles, and babysitting the FM transmitter on top of the Tenneco building in downtown Houston in the mid 60s, and at night when it was still the cooling tower condensation went straight up into the antenna causing the old gates loop antenna to arc over with 20,000 watts. those were the days.