I see your point, and generally speaking, I agree with you. What I was saying was that, no matter if it was an LPFM or HD to translator, I'd rather have either a low-powered KRAB cloan or even the Slovick LP that's now on in Mukilteo killing my DX than a weak simulcast of a station that I can get 2 channels up the dial in full stereo. Whatever this unique signal is though, I'm not sure I care much.
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Why I don't support KUOW, and how to fix it
- Thread starter LordAntler
- Start date
I see your point, and generally speaking, I agree with you. What I was saying was that, no matter if it was an LPFM or HD to translator, I'd rather have either a low-powered KRAB cloan or even the Slovick LP that's now on in Mukilteo killing my DX than a weak simulcast of a station that I can get 2 channels up the dial in full stereo. Whatever this unique signal is though, I'm not sure I care much.
I'm a little confused about this. I remember there being a translator on 103.3 during my trips to Seattle in the 1970s. I can't remember which station was being translated but it wasn't 103.7 because this dates back to KTAC-FM 103.9, which was not the station in question. I don't think I've been there at all since the 80s.
I believe you're correct, that KTAC-FM originally had a translator downtown, but let it's license lapse in the 80's. The Entercom translator in its current form at 103.3Mhz is something like 270W ERP and a peanut antenna pattern.
I'm sure it wasn't KTAC. That would put it outside of their 60dbu contour. I believe that 250 watts is the maximum power for an FM translator but only if it's in the clear. Being a second adjacency, it's probably limited to 99 watts, unless it's grandfathered. Edit: I just checked and they're running 250 watts vertical.
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As I mentioned earlier in the thread; KLTX (K-Lite) had a translator in Olympia located on that big striped water tower on the hill north of the Capitol . For various reasons, we needed to shut that one down.
Now, not meaning to be a jerk Bob, but I'm done talking about the history of FM translators in the Seattle area. I think that we've already beat what's left of that horse skeleton.
Now, not meaning to be a jerk Bob, but I'm done talking about the history of FM translators in the Seattle area. I think that we've already beat what's left of that horse skeleton.
KIXI-FM/KLTX/KJR-FM had a translator in the downtown Edmonds "bowl" on 103.3 for many years, perhaps decades pre-dating the KHTP West Seattle translator.
95.7 also had a translator in downtown Everett on 106.3 that was taken off after 106.1 went to Tiger Mountain in 1991.
Two words: Terrain Shadows
R
Radio-X
Guest
I would imagine there are a few things keeping KUOW in Cap Hill:
1) Pretty sure KUOW owns the tower they broadcast on. At this point, they may also be collecting rent from KEXP and some of the other broadcast tenants. If that's the case, they are probably making a very small profit by keeping the station there.
2) May not be a big deal, but tower rent at Tiger or Cougar would probably be a low six-digit number annually. That's several staffers or another fund drive they'd have to figure out how to fit in the budget every year. Considering that they are a C1 station, they are only permitted to keep 100kw up to 981'. Assuming they went to Cougar, that would knock them down to around 50kw at 1200' - basically the same coverage area of 106.9. If you compare 94.9's current signal (735' @ 100kw) vs 106.9 (49kw @ 1220'), they don't have much to gain on paper by going there. A slight gain in coverage to the north, and basically the same coverage everywhere else except downtown. BTW, its unlikely 94.9 could change to a C0 or C class...in the case of 94.9, somebody nearby was prevented in upgrading because of the protection they had to give KUOW as a full 2000' class C at one point. Chances are, the upgraded-station-to-be asked the FCC to order a show cause hearing as to why 94.9 shouldn't be knocked to a class C1.
3) KUOW and KEXP are really the only signals that completely cover downtown with no issues (not including this board's favorite translator on 103.3). To give you a good idea how well their signal hits downtown, when I park my car 4 stories below ground in Belltown nightly, I only receive those two stations on my car radio. Considering the makeup of people who live in downtown and the surrounding areas, they are probably happy they get KUOW problem-free. I can assure you there would be some older hippies in Wallingford basement apartments who would cry foul when they can't pick up 94.9 at home because it's twice the distance away!
If they went to Tiger, they'd be forced to drop down to about 10.5kw. Since the signals on Tiger Mtn are somewhat iffy downtown as it is, dropping to 1/6th of the power of your neighboring signals would be bad news. So, Tiger is out of the question.
4) There is KZAL about 100 miles away to the east on 94.7. It's a C3 in Wenatchee, so I'm not sure that is an issue.
In a situation like this, the proposed (and once permitted) twin 200' antennae on Columbia Center from 20 years ago would do nicely. I think it was designed to replace Queen Anne Hill as the TV broadcast spot and would be a better spot for KUOW...Lord only knows why that idea was put in the circular file! The Longley-Rice patterns for 1080' @ 80kw (class C1) there are far better than 735' @ 100kw on Cap Hil. The only real-world coverage prediction I can provide is dusting off your handheld ham unit and try to tune in to PSRG's 444.550 repeater. They're already up there!
...plus, the engineers would have an excuse to test the new equipment one overnight with nonstop "Kokomo"!
Radio-X
1) Pretty sure KUOW owns the tower they broadcast on. At this point, they may also be collecting rent from KEXP and some of the other broadcast tenants. If that's the case, they are probably making a very small profit by keeping the station there.
2) May not be a big deal, but tower rent at Tiger or Cougar would probably be a low six-digit number annually. That's several staffers or another fund drive they'd have to figure out how to fit in the budget every year. Considering that they are a C1 station, they are only permitted to keep 100kw up to 981'. Assuming they went to Cougar, that would knock them down to around 50kw at 1200' - basically the same coverage area of 106.9. If you compare 94.9's current signal (735' @ 100kw) vs 106.9 (49kw @ 1220'), they don't have much to gain on paper by going there. A slight gain in coverage to the north, and basically the same coverage everywhere else except downtown. BTW, its unlikely 94.9 could change to a C0 or C class...in the case of 94.9, somebody nearby was prevented in upgrading because of the protection they had to give KUOW as a full 2000' class C at one point. Chances are, the upgraded-station-to-be asked the FCC to order a show cause hearing as to why 94.9 shouldn't be knocked to a class C1.
3) KUOW and KEXP are really the only signals that completely cover downtown with no issues (not including this board's favorite translator on 103.3). To give you a good idea how well their signal hits downtown, when I park my car 4 stories below ground in Belltown nightly, I only receive those two stations on my car radio. Considering the makeup of people who live in downtown and the surrounding areas, they are probably happy they get KUOW problem-free. I can assure you there would be some older hippies in Wallingford basement apartments who would cry foul when they can't pick up 94.9 at home because it's twice the distance away!
If they went to Tiger, they'd be forced to drop down to about 10.5kw. Since the signals on Tiger Mtn are somewhat iffy downtown as it is, dropping to 1/6th of the power of your neighboring signals would be bad news. So, Tiger is out of the question.
4) There is KZAL about 100 miles away to the east on 94.7. It's a C3 in Wenatchee, so I'm not sure that is an issue.
In a situation like this, the proposed (and once permitted) twin 200' antennae on Columbia Center from 20 years ago would do nicely. I think it was designed to replace Queen Anne Hill as the TV broadcast spot and would be a better spot for KUOW...Lord only knows why that idea was put in the circular file! The Longley-Rice patterns for 1080' @ 80kw (class C1) there are far better than 735' @ 100kw on Cap Hil. The only real-world coverage prediction I can provide is dusting off your handheld ham unit and try to tune in to PSRG's 444.550 repeater. They're already up there!
...plus, the engineers would have an excuse to test the new equipment one overnight with nonstop "Kokomo"!
Radio-X
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Yes they are. KUOW looked at moving to the Cougar Ratelco tower/master antenna several years ago, but decided no/low rent option was a better deal. Instead they spent capital on new transmitters and antenna on the KCTS tower. In spite of some shadowed areas, seems to me that KUOW has a history of pretty good numbers in their preferred demos.
The biggest mistake KUOW made was not putting their main program on KXOT. It would have made a great fill in for the south end for those (many) who don't have an HD radio which makes 94.9 listenable in most of that area.
As it was the second/third tier programming got the appropriate ratings and bled them financially until they could no longer afford the losses.
As it was the second/third tier programming got the appropriate ratings and bled them financially until they could no longer afford the losses.
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