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KXOT, Tacoma
- Thread starter FMSteve
- Start date
I'd say they should just let the license go, and let that frequency be up for grabs for LPFM or smaller class-A non-comms. Places like Bremerton could be served well with a non-comm class-A being operated by Olympic College or even the Bremerton School Districk.
Thanks Jackson. I was going to call them. They are in quite the pickle. The party that could still use the facility is PSPR (KUOW) and we know how that ended. Since 91.7 is in the reserved band, there is limited appeal for the frequency at the price the Public Radio Capital would like.
What will need to happen is for PRC to take the loss. The best way, in my opinion, is to donate the station to another responsible party or institution. It would be perfect if the donation value could be what PRC owes to the bank, but I'm afraid it might have to be at "todays value" or mark-to-market.
Another idea is for PRC build out the Gold Mtn CP and have a local non-com broadcaster feed their program for free on 91.7 and use it as a high-power translator until the station is sold. I know of a few local broadcasters that would jump at that chance.
What will need to happen is for PRC to take the loss. The best way, in my opinion, is to donate the station to another responsible party or institution. It would be perfect if the donation value could be what PRC owes to the bank, but I'm afraid it might have to be at "todays value" or mark-to-market.
Another idea is for PRC build out the Gold Mtn CP and have a local non-com broadcaster feed their program for free on 91.7 and use it as a high-power translator until the station is sold. I know of a few local broadcasters that would jump at that chance.
FMSteve said:
No chance in a million that this would ever happen Steve. That's like saying you are going to 'upgrade your older SUV" to buy a brand new SUV ....only to then 'lend it' to me at no cost while I'm driving that shiny thing all around town! (BTW: I'll gladly take you up on that offer at no charge, as probably everyone else on this board would as well) :-*
KXOT is off the air under an STA. But STA's also run out and you can only extend them for so long. And when it finally does, they'll need to keep it going somehow. The free (and if not free, then at one HELL of a reduced rate) local nom-com simulcast is one option they'll HAVE to consider if they just can't afford to have the license deleted.
Such an arrangement would be PERFECT for Skagit Valley College's KSVR to shore up their south coverage. .....
Such an arrangement would be PERFECT for Skagit Valley College's KSVR to shore up their south coverage. .....
That's exactly right.
Mr. Player, I seem to remember a General Manager telling me many times that you can have two, consecutive STA's, 180 days each to run silent and then that's it, according to Federal Law. The Commission may offer additional time only due to extraordinary circumstances, of which a station for sale is no excuse.
The idea of getting the CP going on Gold with KXOT is controversial, I admit. However, in this way PRC can offer prospective purchasers a "test drive" of the new signal. What I am saying is that there is great value in proving the new signal, which will cover over 1 million new people (last itme I looked at the application----I'll double-check that figure).
Certainly, if the licensee perfers to save some money, they could easily connect a local non-com feed up to the Brown's Point facility.
Another, more interesting, perhaps sinister reason to do this plan (of connecting a good non-com to KXOT) is to wreak havoc with this radio market----pulling thousands of listeners away from some of the commerical stations so as to "show off" the economic power of KXOT. For example, there is a lower-power station out here locally that has a very high market share within their service contour. That station, if connected to KXOT, could have the capabilty of pulling as much as 100,000+ listeners away from the other full service station (more if the Gold CP is contructed). I'm not saying this to be mean, but rather to give PRC a way to sell KXOT---showcasing the power and capabiltiy of it's frequency.
Mr. Player, I seem to remember a General Manager telling me many times that you can have two, consecutive STA's, 180 days each to run silent and then that's it, according to Federal Law. The Commission may offer additional time only due to extraordinary circumstances, of which a station for sale is no excuse.
The idea of getting the CP going on Gold with KXOT is controversial, I admit. However, in this way PRC can offer prospective purchasers a "test drive" of the new signal. What I am saying is that there is great value in proving the new signal, which will cover over 1 million new people (last itme I looked at the application----I'll double-check that figure).
Certainly, if the licensee perfers to save some money, they could easily connect a local non-com feed up to the Brown's Point facility.
Another, more interesting, perhaps sinister reason to do this plan (of connecting a good non-com to KXOT) is to wreak havoc with this radio market----pulling thousands of listeners away from some of the commerical stations so as to "show off" the economic power of KXOT. For example, there is a lower-power station out here locally that has a very high market share within their service contour. That station, if connected to KXOT, could have the capabilty of pulling as much as 100,000+ listeners away from the other full service station (more if the Gold CP is contructed). I'm not saying this to be mean, but rather to give PRC a way to sell KXOT---showcasing the power and capabiltiy of it's frequency.
Here's an idea, KUOW is on a prime commercial frequency with a limited signal. So, the KUOW calls move to 91.7 and all of KUOW's programming moves there as well, including the HD2 and 3, then sell 94.9 to a commercial opperator. I'm not sure how much 94.9 could upgrade, could they run 100 kw from Cougar or would they have to downgrade to 50 kw or somewhere around there? This would also require them to build the Gold Mountain CP, but they could simulcast the two stations starting as early as tomorrow. I doubt that the sale would go through very soon, but you'd be ready when it does. After a transaction has been approved, can new owners file for the CP or does the transaction have to go through before that happens?
The Gold Mtn KXOT CP 60 dbu standard contour won't reach into the Issaquah-Sammamish Plateau-Snoqualmie Valley so the KUOW idea is no good.
HOWEVER, I've been sayin' for years that KUOW could increase coverage by 5 km, AND get rid of that pesky multipath in Fife, Fall City, and other screwy areas of the market if they would just move to COUGAR MTN.. Their ERP would be dramaticially lower, leading to much lower electricity bills. Currently, they are running 100,000 watts ERP at Capitol Hill, and taking into account the long heliax they run up to the top, their transmitter requires a LOT of juice. I would love to see their City Light bill. I'd probably faint after looking at it.
HOWEVER, I've been sayin' for years that KUOW could increase coverage by 5 km, AND get rid of that pesky multipath in Fife, Fall City, and other screwy areas of the market if they would just move to COUGAR MTN.. Their ERP would be dramaticially lower, leading to much lower electricity bills. Currently, they are running 100,000 watts ERP at Capitol Hill, and taking into account the long heliax they run up to the top, their transmitter requires a LOT of juice. I would love to see their City Light bill. I'd probably faint after looking at it.
I recall listening to 91.7 just before, and after, KUOW assumed management of the station. I believe they shut it down for a week or two to make some adjustments before debuting with their program service. After it returned to the air with the KUOW-2 programming in place of the KEXP simulcast, the otherwise mostly-clear signal I had received on Queen Anne Hill degenerated into a multipathed signal. I could still get it, but it was fuzzy in most of the positions to which I adjusted the antenna on my mono kitchen radio. Not even a stereo multipath issue.
Did they move the transmitter site for the station when they took charge? Whatever they did made the signal full of multipath and harder to listen to, just like their main signal is on 94.9 anywhere a few miles beyond Capitol Hill and the "University District." And I noticed that fuzzy signal for KXOT was true most anywhere I drove to listen to it in Seattle or on the Eastside. Imagine how many more listeners, and supporters you'd get, if you just put more effort into item #1 for any successful radio station: have a solid, clear signal throughout your market. i know they have to restrict the nortward signal more than the commerical Tacoma stations do to protect the small signal of the Mt Vernon station. But it used to sound pretty good in Seattle -- a little fuzzy, but it sure wasn't the always distorted audio you got from the KXOT days on 91.7.
Did they move the transmitter site for the station when they took charge? Whatever they did made the signal full of multipath and harder to listen to, just like their main signal is on 94.9 anywhere a few miles beyond Capitol Hill and the "University District." And I noticed that fuzzy signal for KXOT was true most anywhere I drove to listen to it in Seattle or on the Eastside. Imagine how many more listeners, and supporters you'd get, if you just put more effort into item #1 for any successful radio station: have a solid, clear signal throughout your market. i know they have to restrict the nortward signal more than the commerical Tacoma stations do to protect the small signal of the Mt Vernon station. But it used to sound pretty good in Seattle -- a little fuzzy, but it sure wasn't the always distorted audio you got from the KXOT days on 91.7.
bobdavcav said:
If KUOW moved to Cougar, they could operate with anywhere between 49,000 - 54,000 watts as a C! - depending on the antenna they used (395 or 388 meters HAAT, respectively)
No, I believe the are locked in to a C1 - since they never took advanage of the opportunity to upgrade. Since that time, I believe there is a 95.1 FM south of Olympia that may be the issue from upgrading further.
https://maps.google.com/?q=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/circleplot.kml%3Falat%3D46.350000alon%3D-123.016667mikm%3D0radius0%3D0.000000hue0%3Dradius1%3D133.000000hue1%3Dff7200radius2%3D165.000000hue2%3Dffbb00radius3%3D0.000000hue3%3Dffff00radius4%3D0.000000hue4%3Dbbff00ptnm%3DHere's%C2%A0my%C2%A0point%26desc%3DCenter%C2%A0point%26
Hi Bob - Here's the info from the FCC
The min distance between an "A" and C1 is 133km - the first circle in the map shows that KITI +133KM is still outside of Capital Hill (and COugar Mountain) - But at 166 KM (min separation between an "A" and "C") the line falls further north of Capital Hill and COugar - therefore KUOW can't upgrade.
However, apparently they could move to Cougar as a C1 and maximize their signal (c1 is not too shabby)
Hi Bob - Here's the info from the FCC
The min distance between an "A" and C1 is 133km - the first circle in the map shows that KITI +133KM is still outside of Capital Hill (and COugar Mountain) - But at 166 KM (min separation between an "A" and "C") the line falls further north of Capital Hill and COugar - therefore KUOW can't upgrade.
However, apparently they could move to Cougar as a C1 and maximize their signal (c1 is not too shabby)
bobdavcav said:
It's listed as "Hot AC" like it's sister station KRXY (Which KUOW also has to protect), but whenever I listen to them, they seem to be more like Jack-FM type formats.
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