Nielsen figured out one of the fake translators: KFNC-F2

[HTX]

Tropos has been very strong in our area. A couple of weeks ago I actually heard a Corpus Christi translator 213 miles away.

 

[nd2023]

How is that even possible? I drive to L'Auberge Casino in Lake Charles every weekend & can't pick up KLOL,KAMA or KLTN crossing Calcasieu River Bridge. But your picking up K223CW? Something isn't adding up. K223CW must be running 100KW.

It’s tropo. I picked up most of the Houston stations in HD at the same time I heard K223CW. About 170 miles from Senior Road

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

How is that even possible? I drive to L'Auberge Casino in Lake Charles every weekend & can't pick up KLOL,KAMA or KLTN crossing Calcasieu River Bridge. But your picking up K223CW? Something isn't adding up. K223CW must be running 100KW.

I heard a 250 watt translator (400 feet up) 1250 miles away during eskip one summer and another summer, heard a 100 watt lpfm 50 feet off the ground almost 850 miles away.

almost anything is possible when it comes to radio waves. Never discount anything until yo ucan prove otherwise.

Unless, its of course, a houston fm translator

 

[nd2023]

I heard a 250 watt translator (400 feet up) 1250 miles away during eskip one summer and another summer, heard a 100 watt lpfm 50 feet off the ground almost 850 miles away.

almost anything is possible when it comes to radio waves. Never discount anything until yo ucan prove otherwise.

Unless, its of course, a houston fm translator

That’s why I don’t think it’s as remarkable as receiving a 28 watt translator 160 miles away. Because K223CW is not running 28 watts like it’s supposed to.
Earlier today I heard KTHT in Gulfport Mississippi

 

[Engineering]

Per Nielsen’s PPM Encoding Policy, translators, boosters, and repeaters are not eligible to be separately encoded and must have a host station.

Are you suggesting that the station you refer to as KFNC-F2, which in actuality is a translator whose actual call is K223CW, does not have a host station, either an AM station or one of those grey area, leased HD subcarriers?

My next question is, who owns this potentially-illegal translator? The non-existant "host station?"

Follow the money...

 

[Engineering]

That is correct. HD2 on AM is theoretically possible, at least if the analog transmitter is turned off.

I think you are confusing HD AM, which transmits both digital and analog simultaneously, and MA3, which utilizes the entire AM channel for digital transmission.

Other than as a test, the FCC has never allowed it.

Then how do you explain WTAW in College Station?

 

[Mediafrog+]

Are you suggesting that the station you refer to as KFNC-F2, which in actuality is a translator whose actual call is K223CW, does not have a host station, either an AM station or one of those grey area, leased HD subcarriers?

My next question is, who owns this potentially-illegal translator? The non-existant "host station?"

Owner of K223CW is “SDK Franco LLC”.

Originating station is listed as “KFNC HD-2” which does not exist as there is no HD on 97.5.

 

[Engineering]

Owner of K223CW is “SDK Franco LLC”.

Originating station is listed as “KFNC HD-2” which does not exist as there is no HD on 97.5.

Then it sounds like both Franco and ESPN are engaged in a fraudulent operation. It also appears that Franco has been moving the translator to locations other than what is in their license declaration, including the tower where KEYH 850 is legally operating.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Then it sounds like both Franco and ESPN are engaged in a fraudulent operation.

Another SDK Franco LLC translator, K287BQ, claims KKBQ as its originating station. However the “Power” format it broadcasts is not present anywhere on anything KKBQ is transmitting (or elsewhere) so no originating station there, either.

including the tower where 🫢🫢🫢🫢 🫢🫢🫢 is legally operating.

Friendly warning: We are not allowed to talk about that station on this board. Do not incur the wrath of the moderators.😬😶🤐

 

[HTX]

Another SDK Franco LLC translator, K287BQ, claims KKBQ as its originating station. However the “Power” format it broadcasts is not present anywhere on anything KKBQ is transmitting (or elsewhere) so no originating station there, either.

They were on KKBQ HD3 for about 2 or 3 months starting around the end of 2021. I remember that HD3 was dead air around the end of it being on. Also the whole time that HD3 was on it was 30 seconds or so behind 105.3 so I guess they were technically always originating programming.

105.3 still IDs at the top of the hour as KKBQ HD3 and KTWL

 

[HTX]

It also appears that Franco has been moving the translator to locations other than what is in their license declaration,

I don’t know where this came from. I believe 92.5 and 105.3 are actually broadcasting from downtown. I don’t know why they wouldn’t.

 

[stan]

105.3 still IDs at the top of the hour as KKBQ HD3 and KTWL

And those call letters are also wrong. Such an illegitimate operation all around.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

They were on KKBQ HD3 for about 2 or 3 months starting around the end of 2021. I remember that HD3 was dead air around the end of it being on. Also the whole time that HD3 was on it was 30 seconds or so behind 105.3 so I guess they were technically always originating programming.

105.3 still IDs at the top of the hour as KKBQ HD3 and KTWL

Id bet $20 KKBQ HD3 and 105.3 are fed with a barix box and one or all 3 are on different isps, which can account for some delay

And some rules are different for translators that are considered fill ins (contained entirely within the 70dbu of the full power fm theyre rebroadcasting)

I worked for an AM/fm translator whos translator was 2 blocks from the studio and the AM tower was a further 7 miles away.. the translator got the program feed first, as we needed that hop to clear the trees the studio site couldnt... and the am got the feed second, but it was legal.

 

[Kent]

I think you are confusing HD AM, which transmits both digital and analog simultaneously, and MA3, which utilizes the entire AM channel for digital transmission.

That could be possible. I'm not familiar with all the intricacies of HD Radio and using the technology on AM. My understanding is that a couple of stations have turned off analog AM and gone all digital. A couple of those have tried running a second channel on AM and proved that it was possible, but the FCC has never allowed them to run those extra channels as anything other than a temporary test. Current HD Radio receivers on the consumer market are not able to decode multiple digital streams on AM, or so I've been told.

Then how do you explain WTAW in College Station?

WTAW, to the best of my knowledge, does not and never has run multiple digital feeds on AM 1620.

 

[tb_]

Id bet $20 KKBQ HD3 and 105.3 are fed with a barix box and one or all 3 are on different isps, which can account for some delay

And some rules are different for translators that are considered fill ins (contained entirely within the 70dbu of the full power fm theyre rebroadcasting)

I worked for an AM/fm translator whos translator was 2 blocks from the studio and the AM tower was a further 7 miles away.. the translator got the program feed first, as we needed that hop to clear the trees the studio site couldnt... and the am got the feed second, but it was legal.

There is no KKBQ HD3 as of right now. Just exists on paper.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

There is no KKBQ HD3 as of right now. Just exists on paper.

i know.. im referring to when it did exist if youd read the post i was replying to

 

[HTX]

WTAW, to the best of my knowledge, does not and never has run multiple digital feeds on AM 1620.

It is still hybrid digital. I don't know if they've even been fully digital either

 

[stan]

It is still hybrid digital. I don't know if they've even been fully digital either

They discussed going fully digital but I don’t think they have.

 

[davideduardo]

It is still hybrid digital. I don't know if they've even been fully digital either

What do you mean by "hybrid digital"?

 

[Engineering]

Another SDK Franco LLC translator, K287BQ, claims KKBQ as its originating station. However the “Power” format it broadcasts is not present anywhere on anything KKBQ is transmitting (or elsewhere) so no originating station there, either.

Friendly warning: We are not allowed to talk about that station on this board. Do not incur the wrath of the moderators.😬😶🤐

According to the FCC station database, the licensee of "that station" is Estrella Radio License of Houston, LLC. This appears to be a Hispanic broadcaster. Are we no longer allowed to discuss Hispanic broadcasters on this board? Please clarify.