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WKLB-1290 Manchester KY

G

gr8oldies

I've been interested in a station that I've heard for a few years underneath our local news-talker, WHIO in Dayton. I knew it was from Kentucky and had assumed it was WCBL in Benton operating with daytime power before it should. I was headed over to Indiana in the pre-sunrise hours yesterday and turned on 1290 when I didn't have WHIO's signal and apparently this is the station that in some parts of the Dayton area even drowns out WHIO in the early morning.

The station's format is apparently country except that it's playing Christmas music now. There are no announcers (but there are promos for swap shop or something similar), there is a jingle that just sings "weather"
leading into a telephonically recorded forecast, and lottery numbers apparently recorded off of a state lottery number line. They are listed as 5kW day and 34 watts at night (Radio-Locator apparently does not list PSA power but they sound like they're blasting the full 5kW).

What does anyone on the board know about this station?
 
That reminds me of a conversation with the owner of another 1290. His station was being clobbered by WKLB at night. He took a vacation in the direction of Manchester and brought along a field strength meter. After arriving in Manchester, he performed a set of monitor points and determined they were cranking out about 10kw. He called a friend at the commission and told them about the 10kw and the excessive night wattage. The commission paid WKLB a visit. That was in the late nineties, it seems they haven't learned their lesson.
 
Wow! I don't know whether or not they're on high power all night, but definately by at least 6:30am. Before the time change it seems I always heard them pop in at 7:30am, but on my trip they were loud and clear by 6:45am.
 
I'd guess that if a copy of this thread were printed & mailed to them (as they seem to have no website), the problem would probably disappear promptly.
 
I'd be quite happy to tape it to the door of the radio station if anyone wishes.
 
catqcat said:
I'd be quite happy to tape it to the door of the radio station if anyone wishes.
Click to expand...

I'm scheduled to be at a client's in Williamsburg, I can take my FIM-41 and swing by Manchester and check on him.
 
kyscott said:
catqcat said:
I'd be quite happy to tape it to the door of the radio station if anyone wishes.
Click to expand...

I'm scheduled to be at a client's in Williamsburg, I can take my FIM-41 and swing by Manchester and check on him.
Click to expand...


Scott aren't you going to have to get up awful early for that? But do let me know what you find out.

I think I'll give them a call on Monday.
 
This station has been operating illegally for at least 20 years. WHKY in Hickory, NC and WATO in Oak Ridge, TN have both turned them in over the years multiple times. They have been visited, and field strength measurements have been submitted to prove their illegality.
But they rock on at night with full power as they have for years.

I always assumed that Larry Barker had a US Senator in his back pocket like that pirate in the Nevada desert.
 
greg.hahn said:
kyscott said:
catqcat said:
I'd be quite happy to tape it to the door of the radio station if anyone wishes.
Click to expand...

I'm scheduled to be at a client's in Williamsburg, I can take my FIM-41 and swing by Manchester and check on him.
Click to expand...


Scott aren't you going to have to get up awful early for that? But do let me know what you find out.

I think I'll give them a call on Monday.
Click to expand...

I usually get up about 5 for the trip down there. I doubt I'll be done before 6 so that will put me well after sunset coming back through Manchester.
 
kyscott said:
greg.hahn said:
kyscott said:
catqcat said:
I'd be quite happy to tape it to the door of the radio station if anyone wishes.
Click to expand...

I'm scheduled to be at a client's in Williamsburg, I can take my FIM-41 and swing by Manchester and check on him.
Click to expand...


Scott aren't you going to have to get up awful early for that? But do let me know what you find out.

I think I'll give them a call on Monday.
Click to expand...

I usually get up about 5 for the trip down there. I doubt I'll be done before 6 so that will put me well after sunset coming back through Manchester.
Click to expand...

That's awesome. Let me know what you find out.
 
I usually hear them early mornings more so than evenings. Could be they're just cranking up at 6am with full power or more. Definately love to know what you find out!
 
I just got off the phone with Larry Barker of WKLB. Apparently some gutless reader of this board decided to print out the thread and post it on the door of his radio station, including an accusation that he is operating at 10,000 watts, which is unlikely in the extreme.

I've had a few phone discussions with Mr. Barker over the past week, and he sent me a copy of his license. That license shows that he is allowed to turn up to full power watts at 5:30AM in December. Of course that is a mistake by the FCC, as the daytime power for all stations in this area is 7:45 for December. But the fact remains that Mr. Barker has an FCC license that says 5:30AM. That is the cause of the interference to WHIO, and I think it will be resolved with professionalism, respect, and dignity, rather than anonymous notes taped to a door.
 
greg.hahn said:
I just got off the phone with Larry Barker of WKLB. Apparently some gutless reader of this board decided to print out the thread and post it on the door of his radio station, including an accusation that he is operating at 10,000 watts, which is unlikely in the extreme.

I've had a few phone discussions with Mr. Barker over the past week, and he sent me a copy of his license. That license shows that he is allowed to turn up to full power watts at 5:30AM in December. Of course that is a mistake by the FCC, as the daytime power for all stations in this area is 7:45 for December. But the fact remains that Mr. Barker has an FCC license that says 5:30AM. That is the cause of the interference to WHIO, and I think it will be resolved with professionalism, respect, and dignity, rather than anonymous notes taped to a door.
Click to expand...

LMAO!!!! Behold, the power of the Kentucky Radio-Info Board.
 
Instead of the 95 theses, it's the dozen posts attached to the door! I did hear WKLB pop in under WHIO about 7:37am, which is still a little early but, if they have a license to be on high power in December early, they have one!
 
gr8oldies said:
Instead of the 95 theses, it's the dozen posts attached to the door! I did hear WKLB pop in under WHIO about 7:37am, which is still a little early but, if they have a license to be on high power in December early, they have one!
Click to expand...

Today? Becaause even his license says 7:45 in January. December is the only month with a typo.
 
greg.hahn said:
I just got off the phone with Larry Barker of WKLB. Apparently some gutless reader of this board decided to print out the thread and post it on the door of his radio station, including an accusation that he is operating at 10,000 watts, which is unlikely in the extreme.
Click to expand...

10k huh? Yea, considering he is licensed for only 5k daytime. I doubt he'd purchase a transmitter with twice the licensed power to operate illegaly.



I've had a few phone discussions with Mr. Barker over the past week, and he sent me a copy of his license. That license shows that he is allowed to turn up to full power watts at 5:30AM in December. Of course that is a mistake by the FCC, as the daytime power for all stations in this area is 7:45 for December. But the fact remains that Mr. Barker has an FCC license that says 5:30AM. That is the cause of the interference to WHIO, and I think it will be resolved with professionalism, respect, and dignity, rather than anonymous notes taped to a door.
Click to expand...

Does the license say "standard time"? I'm sure you know the FCC prints out licenses in standard time for pattern/power change. We have to make the adjustment for savings time.

Guess this means you don't need me to stop by Manchester with my field strength meter then?
 
RE the 10kw:

When this engineer did a set of points he said the field strength was equal to 10kw. Apparently the extra gain was from a tower that wasn't kosher with the FCC.
 
radiorob2.0 said:
RE the 10kw:

When this engineer did a set of points he said the field strength was equal to 10kw. Apparently the extra gain was from a tower that wasn't kosher with the FCC.
Click to expand...

KLB is non-directional. Why would anyone be doing monitor points?
 
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