What's happening at KTWV "The Wave"?

[davideduardo]

Today KSCA 101.9 has a 4800 watt signal on a 2830 foot tower. At one time it only had 640 watts on that same tower. KSCA's coverage might not be as good as stations like KBIG (65,000 watts at 3045 feet) or KLOS (61,000 watts at 3130 feet).

Don't mistake KSCA's 2830 foot Above Average Terrain for tower height. The main KSCA site has it's antenna mounted about 125 feet above ground on the top of Mt Wilson. While the site is about 5,000 feet above LA, the terrain averaging to the east and north of the site brings the HAAT down to 2830.

But several of the Latin stations also have limited coverage. KXOL is 6600 watts on a 1300 foot tower.

It's at the same site as KROQ, the top of the Verdugo Mountains.

KLAX is 33,000 watts on a 600 foot tower.

KLAC is on Flint Peak, and it's a great site for LA Basin coverage. It seems low, because the averaging used by the FCC includes taller mountains to the east, north and northwest which make the site facility look bad on paper. It is actually very good and nicely located.

And the K-Buena stations are 3000 watts at 465 feet, 6000 watts at 465 feet and 6000 watts at 85 feet. It seems over the years in LA, FM stations with powerful signals stayed in English-language formats. Those with limited signals went with Latin formats, figuring I suppose that Hispanic listeners looking for music and DJs with Mexican roots will seek out and put up with less optimum reception.

LA's Hispanic population as a percentage of the total was much lower in the 70's and 80's. But this changed, some good facilities went into that area. KLVE has been Spanish language since the late 70's, and then we have KXOL, KLAX, KSCA and KXOS, all Class B stations. And the operators of some of the class A stations have networked two and even three to get better coverage... the 105.5 and 94.3 trimulcast is Ke Buena, 98.3 and 103.9 is Más Variedad, and the 103.1 duo is "José" in a simulcast with rimshot KLYY.

There are exceptions. Spansish AC KLVE has a powerful signal, 29,500 watts at 3000 feet. And one of CBS's most profitable stations, Alternative Rock KROQ, is only 5500 watts at 1400 feet. Isn't it odd that all the major FM stations in cities like New York and Chicago are fairly equal, but LA's (and San Francisco's) FM stations are all over the place?

The difference is that the terrain around NYC is relatively flat with some minor hills and terrain variances. And the city's highest points are, by far, buildings. So all the B's in NYC are either on the ESB or (like the WBAI move) on other fairly tall buildings near or at the city center.

LA is surrounded by mountains. There are even mountains inside the city, like the Baldwin Hills area, Signal Hill, and the Santa Monica mountains... look at the Hollywood sign as it is on a mountain that divides the LA Basin from the San Fernando Valley!

In LA, some stations preferred early on to go onto the highest mountains, while others stayed on smaller mountains closer to the city center (where ever that is in LA). Also, LA has a lot of Class A FMs that are pretty much limited to 6 kw at 100 meters or the equivalent. These are all A's licensed inside the LA MSA: 92.7, 93.5, 94.3 (two of them), 95.9, 96.7, 98.3. 102.3, 103.1 (two of them), 103.9 (2 of them), 105.5, 106.3 (two of them), and 107.1.

 

[hm insulators]

Do






KLAC is on Flint Peak, and it's a great site for LA Basin coverage. It seems low, because the averaging used by the FCC includes taller mountains to the east, north and northwest which make the site facility look bad on paper. It is actually very good and nicely located.




.



The difference is that the terrain around NYC is relatively flat with some minor hills and terrain variances. And the city's highest points are, by far, buildings. So all the B's in NYC are either on the ESB or (like the WBAI move) on other fairly tall buildings near or at the city center.

LA is surrounded by mountains. There are even mountains inside the city, like the Baldwin Hills area, Signal Hill, and the Santa Monica mountains... look at the Hollywood sign as it is on a mountain that divides the LA Basin from the San Fernando Valley!

In LA, some stations preferred early on to go onto the highest mountains, while others stayed on smaller mountains closer to the city center (where ever that is in LA). Also, LA has a lot of Class A FMs that are pretty much limited to 6 kw at 100 meters or the equivalent. These are all A's licensed inside the LA MSA: 92.7, 93.5, 94.3 (two of them), 95.9, 96.7, 98.3. 102.3, 103.1 (two of them), 103.9 (2 of them), 105.5, 106.3 (two of them), and 107.1.

Just out of curiosity, where's Flint Peak? I've never heard of it, and I lived most my life in the Los Angeles area until I moved to Phoenix in 2004.

Another difference between Los Angeles and New York is that the L.A./Orange County metropolitan area sprawls across a LOT of territory. I think Los Angeles County might be bigger than the state of Rhode Island, if I recall correctly.

 

[davideduardo]

Just out of curiosity, where's Flint Peak? I've never heard of it, and I lived most my life in the Los Angeles area until I moved to Phoenix in 2004.

It's in the corner of Glendale, Eagle Rock and La Cañada / Flintridge. About 1500 feet above sea level. Aux site for about a dozen LA stations. Used to be site for Power 106, KUTE and others.

[/QUOTE]Another difference between Los Angeles and New York is that the L.A./Orange County metropolitan area sprawls across a LOT of territory. I think Los Angeles County might be bigger than the state of Rhode Island, if I recall correctly.[/QUOTE]

The New York MSA is 6,700 square miles. The OMB's MSA is very close to the Nielsen Metro Survey Area.

The Los Angeles MSA (LA and Orange Counties) is 4,800 square miles. The OMB and the Nielsen MSA's are identical.

Rhode Island is 1,200 square miles.

 

[Bran1993]

It sounds too much like a zebra to me. But I'll watch where the new guy takes it. It's definitely a heritage station, and if he can find a way to retain some of that heritage while adapting it to the changing audience, he's going to be a hero.

It's getting back to being an smooth AC because cuts like Calvin Richardson adult R&B cuts "We Gon' Love Tonight", L. Young "Love Is A Verb" and such are gone with the exception of Sam Smith's music, Toni Braxton & Babyface "Hurt You".

 

[Thomps2525]

I haven't listened to KTWV for a long time. Today I don't notice much change from a year ago. They've played Anytime, Do It Again, That Lady, Fields Of Gold, What's Goin' On, What's Love Got To Do With It, For Once In My Life, Just The Two Of Us, Waterfalls, You Are, Mirrors by Justin Timberlake(!), Give Me The Night, You Give Good Love, Kiss From A Rose, September, Human Nature, Minute By Minute---the same ol' songs I was hearing last year. Gato Barbieri's version of Carlos Santana's Europa was the only pleasant surprise.

 

[32james]

The direction should move more towards a smooth 98.1 FM. Type format. Soft AC. San Diego and LA. Have similar demographic and it could work here. I like smooth down in San Diego. And would like to see it here.

 

[johndavis]

The direction should move more towards a smooth 98.1 FM. Type format. Soft AC. San Diego and LA. Have similar demographic and it could work here. I like smooth down in San Diego. And would like to see it here.

You must not listen to Smooth 98.1 very often, as it hasn't been called that in quite some time.

 

[Art Landing]

KLAC on Flint Peak? I think you meant KLAX. Last time I knew KLAC and KFWB were still sharing a common transmitter site with no others in the El Serene/Lincoln Park area. David at the time we last discussed this pointed out that KLAC's lower frequency gives it a superior footprint despite the fact that both stations have the same power. Is Flint Peak the technical name for the site used by the old KIEV (now KRLA?)

 

[Art Landing]

KLAC on Flint Peak? I think you meant KLAX. Last time I knew KLAC and KFWB were still sharing a common transmitter site with no others in the El Serene/Lincoln Park area. David at the time we last discussed this pointed out that KLAC's lower frequency gives it a superior footprint despite the fact that both stations have the same power.

Here is a look to a mini-history of Flint Peak:

http://www.fybush.com/site-of-the-week-12711-flint-peak-glendale-ca/

My current question: is Flint Peak the technical name for the site used by the old KIEV (now KRLA?) No mention of the use of the site for AM is made in the ni-history, but other relationships coincide

 

[Thomps2525]

In 2006, Garrett Wollman and Scott Fybush---man, that guy is everywhere!---posted a story and several photos of the Los Angeles-area hilltop transmitters. Flint Peak is home to KLAX and KSCA and is the former home of KPPC-FM (which became KROQ).

http://gallery.bostonradio.org/2006-04/la/

 

[Bran1993]

I haven't listened to KTWV for a long time. Today I don't notice much change from a year ago. They've played Anytime, Do It Again, That Lady, Fields Of Gold, What's Goin' On, What's Love Got To Do With It, For Once In My Life, Just The Two Of Us, Waterfalls, You Are, Mirrors by Justin Timberlake(!), Give Me The Night, You Give Good Love, Kiss From A Rose, September, Human Nature, Minute By Minute---the same ol' songs I was hearing last year. Gato Barbieri's version of Carlos Santana's Europa was the only pleasant surprise.

I knew that this so-called Smooth R&B was just a fad. In my book it wasn't a true Urban AC format to begin with because they didn't have gospel on Sundays like KJLH. I've listened to the station when it was smooth jazz when I was small and it used to put me to sleep and it still does. Now I'm 21 and listen to KJLH they're the real Urban AC (at times Urban Contemporary) in LA. I hear Brian McKnight, Sade, Kenny G, Maxwell, Kem, Calvin Richardson and Sam Smith enough on KJLH. Sorry to put my cheap 2 cents in LOL.

 

[Art Landing]

In 2006, Garrett Wollman and Scott Fybush---man, that guy is everywhere!---posted a story and several photos of the Los Angeles-area hilltop transmitters. Flint Peak is home to KLAX and KSCA and is the former home of KPPC-FM (which became KROQ).

http://gallery.bostonradio.org/2006-04/la/

Mr Fybush from Boston needs to be careful in what he writes. He refers to the current KMPC being heir to the legacy of KPOL. This conforms to the Wikipedia account of the station using the call letters KMPC on frequency 1540. It is presently calling itself "Radio Korea." In my opinion his account doesn't adequately stress the history of the original and true KMPC, named after one of its early owners, the Macmillan Petroleum Company, in 1928.

Here is a link to the history of the original KMPC. the 'station of the stars," sports station of Los Angeles, part of Gordon McLendon's ill-fated Liberty Broadcast Network, originator of the Sigalert, and raised to its highest level by Gene Autry. This KMPC. located for decades on 710, had nothing to do with KPOL.

http://www.710kmpc.com/

 

[davideduardo]

In 2006, Garrett Wollman and Scott Fybush---man, that guy is everywhere!---posted a story and several photos of the Los Angeles-area hilltop transmitters. Flint Peak is home to KLAX and KSCA and is the former home of KPPC-FM (which became KROQ).

KSCA is on Mt Wilson. It has not been on Flint for several decades, although just a few years ago after the Station Fire they established a backup site there in the event Wilson is not able to broadcast.

 

[davideduardo]

KLAC on Flint Peak? I think you meant KLAX.

Pardon the typo. X is next to the C on the keyboard.

 

[davideduardo]

Is Flint Peak the technical name for the site used by the old KIEV (now KRLA?)

No, KRLA is on a hill to the east of the 2 fwy about 2 miles south of the 134. Flint is NE of there, by about 3 or 4 miles and is much higher.

 

[Bran1993]

I haven't listened to KTWV for a long time. Today I don't notice much change from a year ago. They've played Anytime, Do It Again, That Lady, Fields Of Gold, What's Goin' On, What's Love Got To Do With It, For Once In My Life, Just The Two Of Us, Waterfalls, You Are, Mirrors by Justin Timberlake(!), Give Me The Night, You Give Good Love, Kiss From A Rose, September, Human Nature, Minute By Minute---the same ol' songs I was hearing last year. Gato Barbieri's version of Carlos Santana's Europa was the only pleasant surprise.

They may go into KOST's direction, hell they play plenty KOST's left over hits. This station is in need of a new identity first they're Urban AC then they flip flop back their elevator format. All I know is that The Wave numbers were at an all time low when they were using "Smooth R&B", the songs they were playing last year i.e. Drake's "Hold On (We're Going Home)", TGT's "I Need", Tamar Braxton's "The One and All The Way Home", Miguel's "Adorn" and many of KJLH's other hits which you will find on KJLH's mediabase playlist. I've posted this weeks playlist for KJLH as well as The Wave.

Here you go...


KJLH-FM Los Angeles (102.3 FM)
Urban AC
Owner: Taxi Productions IncPD: Aundrae RussellMD: Aisha Morris
lw: Nov 20 - Nov 26 TW: Nov 27 - Dec 3
lw TW Artist Title TW lw Move Aud
4 1 KEM Nobody 24 24 0.2244
5 2 SAM SMITH Stay With Me 23 24 -1 0.2035
6 3 JAZMINE SULLIVAN Forever Don't Last 22 23 -1 0.1836
1 4 MARY J. BLIGE Whole Damn Year 20 26 -6 0.1807
3 5 RAHEEM DEVAUGHN Queen 20 25 -5 0.2012
7 6 JOE If You Lose Her 20 22 -2 0.179
8 7 ANGELA JOHNSON I Don't Mind 20 20 0.2011
2 8 TANK Stronger 20 26 -6 0.16
9 9 KENDRICK LAMAR i 19 20 -1 0.1537
14 10 Up this week MAGIC! Rude 18 16 2 0.1596
15 11 Up this week USHER I Don't Mind f/Juicy J 18 15 3 0.1533
10 12 AVERY*SUNSHINE Call My Name 16 17 -1 0.1325
13 13 SYLEENA JOHNSON My Love 16 16 0.1467
20 14 Up this week MEGHAN TRAINOR All About That Bass 16 12 4 0.1406
12 15 CHRIS BROWN New Flame f/Usher & Rick Ross 15 16 -1 0.1087
23 16 Up this week MICHAEL JACKSON A Place With No Name (2014) 15 10 5 0.116
11 17 GOAPELE Strong As Glass 14 17 -3 0.1083
29 18 Up this week SMOKEY ROBINSON Quiet Storm 13 8 5 0.0911
21 19 Up this week JOSE JAMES Heaven On The Ground f/E. King 12 11 1 0.1031
17 20 ANN NESBY Remember 12 14 -2 0.0874
22 21 Up this week CHARLIE WILSON Goodnight Kisses 12 11 1 0.1044
19 22 ESTELLE Conqueror 10 12 -2 0.0816
16 23 JESSIE J/A. GRANDE/N. MINAJ Bang Bang 10 14 -4 0.0755
36 24 Up this week MIGUEL Adorn 8 6 2 0.0842
37 25 Up this week SAM SMITH I'm Not The Only One 8 6 2 0.0618
18 26 TREY SONGZ What's Best For You 8 13 -5 0.085
32 27 MARVIN WINANS Draw Me Close/Thy Will Be Done 7 8 -1 0.0336
39 28 Up this week RICKY DILLARD & NEW G Amazing 6 5 1 0.02
27 29 MALI MUSIC Beautiful 6 8 -2 0.0393
26 30 ARIANA GRANDE & THE WEEKND Love Me Harder 5 8 -3 0.0342
83 31 Up this week ALOE BLACC Love Is The Answer 5 2 3 0.0378
47 32 Up this week TASHA COBBS For Your Glory 5 4 1 0.0185
0 33 Up this week CEE LO GREEN Mary, Did You Know? 5 5 0.0639
90 34 Up this week ANTHONY HAMILTON Best Of Me 5 2 3 0.0478
68 35 Up this week ALICIA KEYS Fire We Make f/Maxwell 5 3 2 0.0519
70 36 Up this week LEDISI Lose Control 5 3 2 0.0147
187 37 Up this week JOHN LEGEND Tonight (Best You Ever Had) 5 1 4 0.0452
72 38 Up this week TAMELA MANN I Can Only Imagine 5 3 2 0.0306
30 39 USHER Good Kisser 5 8 -3 0.0565
38 40 JHENE AIKO The Worst 4 5 -1 0.0412
59 41 Up this week ALGEBRA BLESSETT Nobody But You 4 3 1 0.0291
60 42 Up this week TONI BRAXTON & BABYFACE Roller Coaster 4 3 1 0.0327
62 43 Up this week DRAKE F/MAJID JORDAN Hold On We're Going Home 4 3 1 0.0242
33 44 ANGIE FISHER I.R.S. 4 7 -3 0.0401
65 45 Up this week M. JACKSON & J. TIMBERLAKE Love Never Felt So Good 4 3 1 0.0401
51 46 PJ MORTON Only One f/Stevie Wonder 4 4 0.0316
103 47 Up this week WILLIAM MURPHY It's Working 4 2 2 0.0181
28 48 NICO & VINZ Am I Wrong 4 8 -4 0.0327
105 49 Up this week TASHA PAGE-LOCKHART Different 4 2 2 0.0096
53 50 USHER She Came To Give It To You 4 4 0.0426
LEGEND:Up this week Up this weekaud: Audience in millions
Currents only
This is an abbreviated Mediabase Report. Access to full report available at Mediabase.com
© 2014 MEDIABASE All Rights Reserved.
- See more at: http://www.allaccess.com/mediabase/q/report/playlist/station/KJLH-FM#sthash.tV9KR0Lo.dpuf





KTWV-FM Los Angeles (94.7 FM)
Urban AC
Owner: CBS RadioPD: Ralph StewartMD: Alexa Smith
lw: Nov 20 - Nov 26 TW: Nov 27 - Dec 3
lw TW Artist Title TW lw Move Aud

1 1 Up this week SAM SMITH I'm Not The Only One 36 34 2 0.7943
3 2 Up this week MR PROBZ Waves 34 33 1 0.7806
2 3 JHENE AIKO The Pressure 33 33 0.7613
5 4 Up this week JOHN LEGEND Wanna Be Loved 32 31 1 0.7519
4 5 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Not A Bad Thing 30 33 -3 0.6486
7 6 LEDISI I Blame You 12 12 0.3137
13 7 Up this week PHARRELL WILLIAMS Happy 12 9 3 0.2628
8 8 MALI MUSIC Beautiful 11 12 -1 0.2551
9 9 TONI BRAXTON & BABYFACE Hurt You 10 10 0.2242
10 10 DAVE KOZ All You Need Is Love 10 10 0.2019
12 11 Up this week RIHANNA Stay f/Mikky Ekko 10 9 1 0.207
6 12 MARSHA AMBROSIUS Run 9 12 -3 0.1741
14 13 Up this week BOYZ II MEN Losing Sleep 9 8 1 0.171
27 14 Up this week BRUNO MARS When I Was Your Man 8 6 2 0.1294
25 15 Up this week ALICIA KEYS Girl On Fire 7 6 1 0.1539
26 16 Up this week JOHN LEGEND All Of Me 7 6 1 0.1483
29 17 Up this week SAM SMITH Stay With Me 7 4 3 0.1689
28 18 Up this week ADELE Rumour Has It 6 5 1 0.1527
17 19 ANITA BAKER Lately 6 7 -1 0.1239
24 20 DISCLOSURE Latch f/Sam Smith 6 6 0.1818
20 21 M. JACKSON & J. TIMBERLAKE Love Never Felt So Good 6 7 -1 0.1784
21 22 JOHN LEGEND You & I (Nobody In The World) 6 7 -1 0.1476
30 23 Up this week JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Mirrors 6 4 2 0.1324
23 24 ADELE Rolling In The Deep 5 6 -1 0.0874
16 25 JHENE AIKO The Worst 5 7 -2 0.1196
11 26 MICHAEL LINGTON Uptown Groove 5 9 -4 0.1397
22 27 MINDI ABAIR Haute Sauce 4 6 -2 0.0746
18 28 RICK BRAUN Get Up And Dance 4 7 -3 0.0831
0 29 Up this week RICK BRAUN Back To Back 3 3 0.0587
0 30 Up this week ERIC DARIUS Retro Forward 3 3 0.0415
19 31 RICHARD ELLIOT Givin' It Up 3 7 -4 0.1025
0 32 Up this week FANTASIA What Christmas Means To Me 3 3 0.0703
15 33 BONEY JAMES Sunset Boulevard 3 8 -5 0.05
0 34 Up this week MARY J. BLIGE Have Yourself A Merry Little.. 2 2 0.0459
0 35 Up this week MARY J. BLIGE This Christmas 2 2 0.0781
0 36 Up this week MARIAH CAREY When Christmas Comes 2 2 0.0781
0 37 Up this week CEE LO GREEN This Christmas 2 2 0.0408
0 38 Up this week DAVE KOZ This Christmas f/Eric Benet 2 2 0.0832
0 39 Up this week MARIO Someday At Christmas 2 2 0.0832
0 40 Up this week TONI BRAXTON & BABYFACE Have Yourself A Merry... 1 1 0.0043
0 41 Up this week NICK COLIONNE Windy Dance 1 1 0.0244
0 42 Up this week EARTH, WIND & FIRE Never 2014 1 1 0.0244
0 43 Up this week ROBERTA FLACK We Can Work It Out 1 1 0.0244
0 44 Up this week MICHAEL FRANKS Samba Blue 1 1 0.0244
0 45 Up this week JONATHAN FRITZEN Friday Night 1 1 0.0244
0 46 Up this week JENNIFER HUDSON I Can't Describe (The...f/T.I. 1 1 0.0043
0 47 Up this week JESSY J Listen 2 The Groove 1 1 0.0244
0 48 Up this week DAVE KOZ Let It Snow! Let It Snow!... 1 1 0.0128
0 49 Up this week KIM WATERS Free Fall 1 1 0.0244
LEGEND:Up this week Up this weekaud: Audience in millions
Currents only
- See more at: http://www.allaccess.com/mediabase/q/report/playlist/station/KTWV-FM#sthash.BrOo083L.dpuf

 

[semoochie]

Mr Fybush from Boston needs to be careful in what he writes. He refers to the current KMPC being heir to the legacy of KPOL. This conforms to the Wikipedia account of the station using the call letters KMPC on frequency 1540. It is presently calling itself "Radio Korea." In my opinion his account doesn't adequately stress the history of the original and true KMPC, named after one of its early owners, the Macmillan Petroleum Company, in 1928.

Here is a link to the history of the original KMPC. the 'station of the stars," sports station of Los Angeles, part of Gordon McLendon's ill-fated Liberty Broadcast Network, originator of the Sigalert, and raised to its highest level by Gene Autry. This KMPC. located for decades on 710, had nothing to do with KPOL.

http://www.710kmpc.com/

When Mr. Fybush says "legacy", I believe he refers to a direct connection between the current KMPC and KPOL. The new KMPC has no frequency connection to the old KMPC but it is tied to KPOL. Its only connection is that someone decided to revive the call letters. This is the same idea as 870 KRLA having no connection with 1110.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Mr Fybush from Boston needs to be careful in what he writes. He refers to the current KMPC being heir to the legacy of KPOL. This conforms to the Wikipedia account of the station using the call letters KMPC on frequency 1540. It is presently calling itself "Radio Korea." In my opinion his account doesn't adequately stress the history of the original and true KMPC, named after one of its early owners, the Macmillan Petroleum Company, in 1928.

I'm afraid you have it backwards, Mr. Landing.

What Scott was saying is that the present KMPC holds (is heir to) the legacy to KPOL on 1540. He did not mean, as you have mangled it, that 1540 is in any way but call letters related to the historic station on 710.

Somehow you managed to quote him accurately and then assign the precise opposite meaning to his words.

 

[Art Landing]

We are actually agreeing. You are correct that a close reading of what Mr Fybush wrote does make the distinction between legacy KMPC (710) and the current user of the call letters (1540). But this information was presented in a manner lacking somewhat in clarity. The point upon which we all agree in my view would not be a point easily caught by a casual reader because of the way the two outlets are discussed.

At one point 1540 was actually trying to seriously emulate the original KMPC. They had numerous sports programs including the Dodgers and Trojans games, but never caught on as a sports station as did their predecessor. Both their dial position and signal strength probably contributed to this. .

 

[K.M. Richards]

At one point 1540 was actually trying to seriously emulate the original KMPC. They had numerous sports programs including the Dodgers and Trojans games, but never caught on as a sports station as did their predecessor. Both their dial position and signal strength probably contributed to this. .

A very astute observation, and your conclusion is the most likely correct. The old KPOL had a signal which was among the first in the market to become non-viable for anything mass appeal.

However, it is strong enough in the areas with a high Korean population to be near-perfect for its present format.