Well, whatd'ya know....1090 KULF/Bellville is on the air.

[mrbeasley]

You're assuming, of course, that you'll be able to hear their HD-2.

 

[purpledevil]

If there was some programming on the AM band that was worth listening to, like there is in Chicago and New York City, then AM would definitely have a higher percentage of listenership here in Houston. But...since nobody wants to make the investment, monetarily or effort-wise, it's just not going to happen. Seems a little strange to say...but, this business is it's own worst enemy.

I'll tell you guys, since KYND has been mentioned on the thread, the C.R.I. afternoon programming is definitely worth a tune in. I have found myself becoming a regular listener of 1520's in the P.M. The programming originates from Beijing, China so no local flavor whatsoever (unless you count the daily weather forecast for Galveston every hour, which sounds odd in itself when its forecast is mentioned in the same sentence as places like New Delhi and Shanghai) but the music selection is superb. KYND airs a lot of songs now that haven't seen the light of day on Houston radio in many years. They focus on the 60's-90's, but do expand into the 50's on occasion. If you haven't tuned it in as of yet, I highly recommend a listen. Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, KYND is another daytimer like KULF and that does them no favors, especially when they start shutting down at 5:30 in another couple of months.

KULF is back off of the air. After I got back to Houston and went to work on Monday I tried for 1090 from where I work at the North Belt. Lo and behold, there was KULF at 1090. I thought it was odd that 1090 was coming in as well as it was, even locking at 1090 on the scan, considering my distance from Bellville at work. Didn't know they were authorized for 1,000 watts. I checked it several times over the week. Monday, it was there at every check. Tuesday it was on, then go dark for several minutes, and return. I was out of Houston on Wednesday and Thursday, and once returning Friday checked 1090 and it was silent at all checks during the day.

 

[ChuckTiller]

Earlier in this thread, someone stated that they were wondering who was actually behind all this. I think that if you looked real close, and put "two and two together," you'd probably find that a crook with the initials of D.W. is behind it. The FCC knows this guy REAL well. They don't like him. So...he stays hidden from the FCC's view.

I will agree with Andy, if his supposition is correct about the individual in question. KULF is destined to be another brokered station, mostly ethnic of some kind. "You got the money? I've got the time. Bring the cash and you will have your very own radio show.

 

[bturner]

I'm pretty blown away by what CRI is playing over KYND and KGBC. Purpledevil mentions afternoon programming and that's likely Music Safari hosted by Bob Jones who took the leap from New Mexico to China. He said he headed up an unnamed radio network in Los Angeles at one time but I don't what that was.

To me he sounds like he is on the cusp of breaking loose and really being himself on the air but hasn't quite reached that point yet. Maybe I'm reading too much in this because I worked with a jock in Bryan/College Station at Maximum Hits 92K back in the mid-80s that sounded quite a bit like him. And that jock always sounded like he couldn't quite reach that point of just being himself on the air.

Music Safari is all over the road and sidewalk musically. Reminds me of old top 40 because he goes from James Taylor to Taylor Swift to AC/DC and all points inbetween and its all comercial free.

 

[jd]

I will agree with Andy, if his supposition is correct about the individual in question.

One difference in this case is that we're talking about a station that is operating legally, unlike the one from 15 years ago. Here's part of an article that appeared in Mediaweek back in 1998:

BAY CITY, TEXAS/RADIO: Station Owner's Tall Tale Leads To Swan Song

Faced with banishment after moving his tower closer to Houston, a small station owner resorted to what he thought his only possible option: He lied to the FCC. "I was in a desperate situation," said Don Werlinger, owner of KFCC-AM in Bay City, Texas. When they said, 'Shut it down,' I just couldn't do it."

As mentioned here a while back, Werlinger had been selling airtime on KENR 1070 at that time. When he heard about the pending sale of KENR from Susquehanna to Salem, he sought a "replacement" station so that he could honor existing contracts.

The Mediaweek article went on to say that Werlinger misled the FCC when he told them that the towers in Bay City were unusable. Before the FCC discovered that they had made a mistake by allowing Werlinger to move the station to Missouri City he supposedly was told that he would have to use an existing tower. Quoting again from the article:

But Werlinger built a new tower instead, telling the FCC that it had existed all along. The agency says he was lying, plain and simple.

"I thought it was pretty damn creative myself," Werlinger offered.

KULF is destined to be another brokered station, mostly ethnic of some kind.

Imagine a reincarnation of KILE 1560, which ran that format for years and think about who was behind their move-in from Port Lavaca.

For 1090, I think the question now is when the real format will start.

 

[TexasTuner]

I listened to it this morning on the way back down 59 and the South Loop. Very interesting mix of music..even heard "Quicksilver Girl" by Steve Miller Band. Bizarre mix to say the least. For someone that's supposedly off the air, they sound pretty good!

 

[TexasTuner]

I listened to it this morning on the way back down 59 and the South Loop. Very interesting mix of music..even heard "Quicksilver Girl" by Steve Miller Band. Bizarre mix to say the least. For someone that's supposedly off the air, they sound pretty good!

I haven't measured it yet, but I did run some contours this morning...theoretical is not bad for a kilowatt...they put a 2 millivolt signal over a large part of Missouri City and Sugarland, West University, Meyerland, etc. Their 1 millivolt goes out to Pasadena, and the half mil covers the entire metro..down past Galveston. This with two towers (and short ones at that!). I suspect it'll be running some kind of brokered programming before too long.

 

[gabigley1]

I listened to it this morning on the way back down 59 and the South Loop. Very interesting mix of music..even heard "Quicksilver Girl" by Steve Miller Band. Bizarre mix to say the least. For someone that's supposedly off the air, they sound pretty good!

I haven't measured it yet, but I did run some contours this morning...theoretical is not bad for a kilowatt...they put a 2 millivolt signal over a large part of Missouri City and Sugarland, West University, Meyerland, etc. Their 1 millivolt goes out to Pasadena, and the half mil covers the entire metro..down past Galveston. This with two towers (and short ones at that!). I suspect it'll be running some kind of brokered programming before too long.

Are they still program testing? If so, when will they be at full power?

Some said they expect them to apply for more power in the future. Will they need to move their tower site to do that?

 

[ChuckTiller]

They originally applied for 10,000 watts. When I found out about it, I contacted Salem who said they would fight any attempt for an increase. It's a second adjacency to 1070. It's bad enough KNTH has a terrible west end signal due to restrictions of it's pattern, an increase on 1090 will adversely affect our signal.

The 1000 watts is coming real good. I've have enjoyed the music for the last few days.

 

[jd]

Some said they expect them to apply for more power in the future. Will they need to move their tower site to do that?

I said that, and I'm basing it in part on past behavior by other stations who have employed the same engineer. They wouldn't necessarily have to change sites but they would need to come up with a more complex pattern, hence more towers.

 

[purpledevil]

I listened to it this morning on the way back down 59 and the South Loop. Very interesting mix of music..even heard "Quicksilver Girl" by Steve Miller Band. Bizarre mix to say the least. For someone that's supposedly off the air, they sound pretty good!

It was off on Friday. It is again on the air, although yesterday (Monday) it went off of the air again around 4pm. I am not sure when it returned to the air, but at a check again at 4:30 it was still off. Today, it is again on the air. Either that, or the power is being scaled back. The playlist is rather tight. I heard "Ringo" at 3 different occassions yesterday, as well as The Mamas and The Papas' "Monday, Monday" twice in a 2 hour time frame.

On the KYND front, I am indeed talking about the "Music Safari" programming that starts at 2pm. Great mix, although when a Mandarin song is spun, I'm a bit lost. I've become a regular listener to the station, as it's interesting to see just what Neil is going to play next.

 

[bturner]

Sounds to me like Bellville is testing, likely playing a CD or running a media player supplied by a thumb drive.

I checked the net on Neal Jones of Music Safari. The network he launched was the Weather Channel Radio Network. The record setting program was his morning show on a LPFM in Ruidosa, New Mexico...wonder what that record setting was all about...seems some 'detail' is missing on that 'claim to fame'.

 

[bturner]

Failed to mention that morning show Neil hosted was on a Christian formatted LPFM in Ruidosa. Seems it was somehow the most listened to morning show ??!??

 

[purpledevil]

Sounds to me like Bellville is testing, likely playing a CD or running a media player supplied by a thumb drive.

I checked the net on Neal Jones of Music Safari. The network he launched was the Weather Channel Radio Network. The record setting program was his morning show on a LPFM in Ruidosa, New Mexico...wonder what that record setting was all about...seems some 'detail' is missing on that 'claim to fame'.

Just a bit overstated, eh? ;D

 

[stan]

I was able to pick up the station on my drive from Freeport to Beaumont quite well.

 

[TexasTuner]

Same here...down in Angleton, it does very well for 1kw. It's got my curiosity up..I'll take some time this week and do some measurements.

 

[TexasTuner]

Earlier in this thread, someone stated that they were wondering who was actually behind all this. I think that if you looked real close, and put "two and two together," you'd probably find that a crook with the initials of D.W. is behind it. The FCC knows this guy REAL well. They don't like him. So...he stays hidden from the FCC's view.

I was asked about it by one of the programmers I do some occasional studio work for...he told me that "DW" was talking about a price in the 3 million dollar range pending another power increase (as soon as they get this latest incarnation licensed). We shall see.

 

[jd]

...he told me that "DW" was talking about a price in the 3 million dollar range pending another power increase (as soon as they get this latest incarnation licensed).

It's not surprising that Don Werlinger is very much involved in this, given his affinity for selling time to ethnic broadcasters and an inclination to bend the rules. Throughout all the mess surrounding Werlinger's failed (and illegal) attempt to move KFCC to Missouri City he was still involved with KGOW's forerunner KILE and its owner Jerome Friemel's RAFTT company, and the relationship continues. Ostensibly Friemel and Werlinger came up with a way to get what they want with the purchase of KULF by someone with no prior ownership experience. While not illegal as far as can currently be determined, this is at best a questionable arrangement.

If past behavior is any indication of what lies ahead the current situation certainly bears watching. It's known that as a daytimer several years ago KILE was frequently operating at night with higher than authorized power, over and beyond the PSSA they had that allowed them to operate for two hours past sunset. KILE was routinely on the air until midnight or even beyond. That's not speculation or second-hand information; I verified it myself.

Then there's Bob Morrow's continuing association with these guys. He's the technical consultant for KULF, and I agree with the inference in the above quote about another upgrade attempt. Morrow worked on the 1560 upgrade for years and he was behind the upgrade of KTMR 1130 into San Antonio. But he wasn't successful with the attempted upgrade into D/FW for KTON Belton, a station that was allowed to die (read deleted) through RAFTT's inaction or incompetence. It's also noteworthy that a planned upgrade for KHFX 1140 Cleburne on the southern side of D/FW (like KTMR, owned by SIGA Broadcasting) is on hold because some serious questions were raised about the engineering statement that was submitted. The vice-president of engineering for GAP Broadcasting, acting on behalf of Shreveport's KWKH, basically said that there was no way that Morrow's readings could be gathered at the locations listed or within the timeframe that was given on the engineering statement:

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=16815

I figure Bob's on a first-name basis with Son Nguyen (Supervisory Engineer, Audio Division of the Media Bureau) and considering his recent efforts it would be a good idea to make sure that everything on future applications from KULF is correct. The FCC will be paying close attention to every little detail.

 

[thathoustonradiogeek]

Crazy request here:

Has anyone listened thru the whole Mamas & Papas song-block?

Can anyone tell me what's the title of the song that comes after "Monday Monday"?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Superman89]

Don Werlinger!!!!!