Yep, The KAFE swapped out their antenna

[FMSteve]

FCC filings today show the consumation of the KAFE antenna swap up at Mt. Constitution on Orcas Island. They received an STA to reduce power to just 1.75 Kilowatts in late November, and now they're certified and up and running with their new directional pattern on 104.3 (tuned to 104.1----won't that throw the VSWR off at 60,000 watts?) to effectuate the change of CHRR Shore FM to 104.3 from 104.1. This will enable KMCQ to move up to Cougar Mtn here in Seattle.

Here's the engineers' certification of the swap:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS...?appn=101344963&qnum=5090&copynum=1&exhcnum=4

And here's Shively's Proof of Performance Cert:

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS...?appn=101344963&qnum=5090&copynum=1&exhcnum=2

So now it's up to the Canadians! They'll probably want to wait until after our, uh.... "deep freeze" we're having in the Northwest this week.

 

[Dan Sys]

This from Northwest Broadcasters today:

12/09/09 - KAFE-FM 104.3 Bellingham is back up to full power of 60 kW after a systematic switch to its new directional Shively antenna array on Orcas Island. Much of the antenna work was done between windy days last month. KAFE will be co-ordinating with CHHR-FM 104.1 Vancouver for their frequency swap on the morning of January 14, 2010. The morning shows of both stations will be meeting at Peace Arch Park that day to swap a giant styrofoam Point Three for a similar Point One to preserve the historic change on YouTube. Both stations plan numerous on-air announcements to help listeners "make the switch”.

http://members.shaw.ca/nwbroadcasters/recentnews.htm

 

[SeattleRadioPro]

KAFE's running promos about a joint press conference tomorrow @ 8:15am to "officially" announce the swap.

 

[SeattleObserver]

Why is KAFE
a) not mentioning they're just moving (not disappearing) to 104.1
and
b) making it out like the Canadians are "evil" and forcing them to leave the airwaves after 20 years

Personally, I find the tone of the on-air promo. very misleading and surprising.

 

[Steenman]

So now we wait for the 'other shoe' to drop, that shoe being who is buying/has bought this thing and what they plan to do with it. According to reports on this board, they are on one of Entercom's towers, my inquiry to them a few weeks ago produced no definitive information although it's hard to believe they'd let a competitor onto their tower. An independent maybe. And if there is a done deal, why not start programming it now, start shaking out the bugs, get the team in place. Although not as robust as in previous years, more annuals will be placed this year than last year and so there is somewhat of a time critical nature to grab any of that business that's out there (we're placing now), even if it's 'bonus' or 'combo' spots to help secure a buy on a sister station. Waiting till mid January to do anything could cost some of that business.

 

[Dan Sys]

I too found KAFE GM Michael O'Shea's on air announcement this morning a bit misleading. Not once did he mention the REAL reason why this frequency swap will happen (ie-KMCQ's desire to become a Seattle station), but instead implied that because CHHR is increasing power KAFE will be forced to move to 104.1. The press release reflects this as well:
http://kafe.com/Press-Release/5868196
While it's true that CHHR will be raising their power from 8KW's to 10KW's I find that a bit irrelevant in the whole overall scheme of things. Especially when compared to KAFE's 60KW's.

However Mr. O'Shea was a bit more conciliatory towards the end of the announcement saying how much fun KAFE & CHHR will have at Peace Arch Park exchanging gifts and the giant styrofoam frequency signs on January 14th.

 

[FMSteve]

What a great idea exchanging giant styrofoam frequencies! Somebody should have a camera there and post it on Youtube! And don't forget Saga was paid a nice sum of money by First Broadcasting to do this, so nobody should feel real sorry for them (KAFE).

 

[jdweaver]

Stations share technical facilities all the time. Both AM and FM...just too expensive to have your own operation on a mountain top when you can share with other stations. So housing the Q in an Entercom facility is no indication that anything is happening in terms of ownership.

 

[e-dawg]

Speaking of KMCQ. Why does KMCQ have to be directional at their new location in Cougar Mtn.

 

[swhyde1980]

Speaking of KMCQ. Why does KMCQ have to be directional at their new location in Cougar Mtn.

I think, to protect KMNT in Centralia, KFNK in Eatonville, KDUX in Aberdeen, and KKRV in Wenatchee. (1st and 2nd Adjacent channels, even though the Cascades do a good job themselves of protecting KKRV)

 

[Bongwater]

What a great idea exchanging giant styrofoam frequencies! Somebody should have a camera there and post it on Youtube!

Somebody will. Who knows, we've seen everything else on YouTube, might be viral. And knowing Canadians....

"....we would also like to thank First Broadcasting who also paid for the styrofoam frequencies, the cake, Kool-Aid, ice cream and autographed copies of Delilah's latest book we're serving on this side of the Peace Arch and on the Canadian side.....wait.....THE CANADIANS BROUGHT TIM HORTON'S DONUTS, BC BUD AND FIVE KEGS OF MOLSON!! Well, umm...we'll be back to you in Bellingham.....on KAFE 104 point....something...in just...whenever....HEY! WAIT FOR ME!!".....

 

[Dan Sys]

Bongwater.......Molsons is old hat up here now, Kokanee is the beer of choice these days. What about Nickelback? Do you guys want them? If so, you can have them. Chad Kroeger could start anew in Bellingham and he wouldn't have to worry about those Canadian DUI & assault charges coming back to haunt him. I'm sure the fine folks at SHORE FM can rent a U-Haul and arrange delivery of the band and their equipment to Peace Arch park on Jan. 14th.

 

[BurntOutRadio]

e-dawg asked why KMCQ has to be directional at their new location. swhyde said it was to protect other stations. From their FCC filing here is the real reason: THE PROPOSED NEW KMCQ SITE IS AN EXISTING TOWER WHICH IS ALREADY REGISTERED. THE ANTENNA IS A SHIVELY 6 BAY DIRECTIONAL PANEL ANTENNA SHARED BY SEVEN OTHER FM STATIONS (SIX ARE AUXILIARY). THE DIRECTIONAL IS VOLUNTARILY ON THE PART OF KMCQ AND IS NOT MANDATED BY THE RULES. THE COMPUTED HAAT IS 381 METERS, HOWEVER, KMCQ HAS ELECTED TO USE 388 METERS WHICH IS THE HAAT USED BY ALL OF THE OTHER STATIONS SHARING THE ANTENNA. THE PROPOSED KMCQ ERP IS 7.1 KW WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO A MAXIMUM C2 FACILITY.

 

[HowardMBurgers]

That's true. Their original application was for their own non-directional antenna. Now they they're going to be sharing and existing antenna, the directional pattern comes into play. They just have to reduce ERP to remain in compliance for the class of station.

 

[Steenman]

So this is an auxiliary tower meaning it's a 'back up' facility for all the other stations licensed to use it meaning they are only ones using it as a primary tower? Because it's not that good?

 

[BurntOutRadio]

I imagine it is being used since they don't have to pay to erect their own tower. Since they are selling it ASAP it doesn't make sense to spend more money. Also, it is more than likely a backup for the stations that have their main antennas on West Tiger Mountain.

 

[Bongwater]

I imagine it is being used since they don't have to pay to erect their own tower. Since they are selling it ASAP it doesn't make sense to spend more money. Also, it is more than likely a backup for the stations that have their main antennas on West Tiger Mountain.

Well, they did move the main towers to Tiger for some pretty good reasons (the best signal punch in all the right areas for half the wattage.)

I also believe KNHC, KCMS, KJR-FM, KUBE, KPLZ and KRWM are still up there on Cougar. Three of the top stations in the area actually....not too shabby of a place really...

 

[Bongwater]

Bongwater.......Molsons is old hat up here now, Kokanee is the beer of choice these days. What about Nickelback? Do you guys want them? If so, you can have them. Chad Kroeger could start anew in Bellingham and he wouldn't have to worry about those Canadian DUI & assault charges coming back to haunt him. I'm sure the fine folks at SHORE FM can rent a U-Haul and arrange delivery of the band and their equipment to Peace Arch park on Jan. 14th.

That's a generous thing of you wonderful Canadians to offer us Nickelback for merely mentioning a passe (yet tasty) Canadian beer. Now if you'll just (please) say, "Miller" (and put "Corner Gas" in MAJOR American TV syndication - WGN just won't do), We'll not only give you Britney Spears, We'll even throw in Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Paris Hilton, Linday Lohan, Vince Offer, Glenn Beck, etc, etc, etc.....

But back to the topic, is 7:30 the time they actually switch frequencies. Or the time they mark the switch formally. Or both?

 

[xmtrland]

I do think that C 89.5 transmits from the Entercom tower with same directional shively antenna. And Shively antennas are great.

I'm sure the new KAFE Shilveley, while made to operate on 104.1, would have no problem running at 104.3 for a while. They may have adjusted the tuning stubs on the antenna to better accommodate the "wrong" frequency while running at 104.3 and maybe at less power than full erp. Then come frequency change they just run back up the tower and put the tuning back. The smart thing to do would have been to run the new KAFE antenna for an hour at 104.1 to test and tune it. Mark the tuning stubs on the antenna and then run it at 104.3 and adjust for best match, run power up to where the reflected power is tolerant and run till you put it back to 104.3. This would make it really easy to put the antenna back to 104.1.

I wonder if they will do what KUBE did when O'shea and crew turned on the new transmitter site for KUBE in the early 80's. We dropped transmitter power for about 1 day and ran lower than normal modulation a few hours before the switch so that when we did switch on the new more improved transmitter site. It was louder with a better signal.

I wouldn't be surprised if they run up the tower a few days before the switch to re tune the antenna (if they did retune it a little to run better at 104.3) for the best 104.1 match to transmitter and run at low power for the last day and when the switch happens the new signal seems to sound better than the old signal. It’s an old trick when a station publicly announces changes to the signal.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

I wonder if they will do what KUBE did when O'shea and crew turned on the new transmitter site for KUBE in the early 80's. We dropped transmitter power for about 1 day and ran lower than normal modulation a few hours before the switch so that when we did switch on the new more improved transmitter site. It was louder with a better signal.

I remember that moment -- and Charlie segued from the transmitter pump-up to "She Blinded Me With Science" which was hot at the time. I thought that was pretty cool!