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Post by radiowyoming on Apr 20, 2019 20:21:47 GMT -6
I am in Laramie, Wyoming and while I can't absolutely prove it, I don't think KDYL 1060 or KMRI 1550 power down at night. I don't think the 149 Watts of KDYL or 340 Watts of KMRI wouldn't consistently make it the 325 or so miles here
Plus, KDYL is off frequency by about 100hz, measured around 1059.91khz. It creates a low rumbling turd sound on the radio that makes a nasty mess of 1060 up here.
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Post by David on Apr 20, 2019 21:00:06 GMT -6
I'm a member of an AM radio Facebook group, and I can confirm from reception reports outside the intermountain West that both KDYL & KMRI have been "cheating" post sunset. In fact, I've read at least one report from a DX'er in Norway who has an audio recording of KDYL being received in that country recently. I'm really surprised the FCC hasn't fined either station yet, since they've been operating with daytime power 24/7 since approximately December 2018. I know the FCC has proposed allowing non class A AM stations on clear channel frequencies to operate with higher power at night, but I believe the details are still being discussed. Cheating among AM stations seems to more prevalent lately. A few nights ago, I heard KMZQ Las Vegas almost totally obliterating KBOI on 670, so I'm assuming KMZQ was broadcasting at 25 KW day power.
Ralph Carlson would be turning over in his grave if he could hear how bad KDYL sounds now. IMHO, years ago when KDYL had a standards/oldies format and was broadcasting with Kahn's CAM-D system, 1060 was one of the best sounding AM stations on the band.
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Apr 21, 2019 22:30:21 GMT -6
The FCC needs someone to complain in order to launch an investigation. Just the other day they issued a Notice of Violation for WPSO in Florida for a daytimer operating 45 minutes past sign off time. (https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-357060A1.pdf) If someone wants to complain about KDYL or the others you mentioned, I'm sure the FCC will issue NOV's as appropriate.
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Post by David on Apr 22, 2019 18:39:27 GMT -6
Forgive my ignorance, but how does one register a complaint about an AM station operating with day power after local sunset? Is there a specific form to fill out, or would a person just send an email to the head of the enforcement division?
I'm surprised no one at CKMX has filed a complaint with the FCC, since their signal is being interfered with by KDYL operating with 10 KW 24/7, as well as being off frequency. There's also about a half dozen stations in California, Nebraska, Colorado and Nevada that are licensed for 1060 with less than 200 watts nighttime power, and KDYL must be wrecking havoc with their local reception at night also.
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Apr 23, 2019 2:51:09 GMT -6
Forgive my ignorance, but how does one register a complaint about an AM station operating with day power after local sunset? Is there a specific form to fill out, or would a person just send an email to the head of the enforcement division? The FCC gets thousands of complaints a week. Emailing the Enforcement Division would be a Very Bad Idea. Everything you never wanted to know about complaints: consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/
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Post by commanderlumpy on May 1, 2019 8:58:15 GMT -6
I hate to say this. But how many people care that KDYL might be crowding out some of the AM 1060 stations out there. I don't mean to sound rude. But a lot of people don't care about AM radio anymore. I am 39 years old and people my age and younger cringe when they find me listening to an AM station. Let's face it folks. more and more people are listening to internet radio. Or, radio stations that stream on the internet. Even though I have an AM/FM radio next to me. I hardly turn it on. I am mostly listening to internet streams. Or, I am listening to music on Youtube or something like that. I don't mean to knock KDYL. it was a gread station while running an Oldies format. But let's be realistic about this tho.
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Post by David on May 1, 2019 12:12:53 GMT -6
The issue is that it's a twofold violation of FCC rules. First of all, 1060 is a clear channel frequency. KDYL isn't supposed to be broadcasting with 10 KW after sunset, and it's creating interference for those in other areas trying to listen to their local AM station after dark. Second, KDYL is operating nearly 100 Hz off frequency, which creates even more interference for the other stations on 1060. Just because only about 20% of people listen to AM on a regular basis doesn't mean the FCC should let the band become the "Wild West" of broadcasting like it was in the early 1920's, and give up on enforcement efforts. That's what the FCC did with CB radio in the 1980's, and if you listen to 11 meters, you can hear how well that worked out.
There are still plenty of areas of the US that don't have high speed internet access or streaming audio which depend on local AM stations for news, weather, and local information. Is it fair to those listeners for a station in South Salt Lake to operate off frequency with day power after sunset and interfere with other stations hundreds or even thousands of miles away? How would YOU feel if your favorite talk program on your local AM station was almost impossible to hear because a station two or three states away decided they didn't want to follow the rules? You have to consider the effects of skywave propagation after local sunset, because far more listeners will be impacted at night than during the day.
The day may come when AM broadcast is relegated to the status of a band similar to CB radio, where stations can operate without FCC rules and regulations to govern their operation, but for now the AM band is still regulated by the FCC. There are other broadcasters that share the frequencies used by KDYL and KMRI, and they have sizable investments in their station's operations and equipment. They have a right to expect the FCC to do their job.
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Post by commanderlumpy on May 2, 2019 15:46:08 GMT -6
I wonder if the other stations operating on AM 1060 have complained. I also wondering if AM 1060 in Boise Idaho has been effected from what KDYL is doing.
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Post by David on May 2, 2019 16:57:48 GMT -6
I'm guessing you're referring to KBGN in Caldwell, ID, since that's the only listing I can find for an Idaho station on 1060. Since KBGN is a daytime only station that signs off at sunset, they wouldn't be affected by KDYL operating off frequency and broadcasting with daytime power at night. The stations most likely to be impacted are CKMX in Canada, XEEP in Mexico; and the stations in Nevada, Colorado, and California that have to power down to 500 watts or less at local sunset. Before KDYL stopped reducing their power at night, I used to hear CKMX every night on 1060, and occasionally KDUS in Phoenix. KYW in Philadelphia is also a class A clear channel station, but I doubt KDYL is bothering them because Philly is 2100 miles from Salt Lake. If you look at the Wikipedia chart for 1060 AM, you can see that most of the stations in the continental US either sign off at sunset or operate with very low power after dark.
I haven't been able to find anything in the FCC database about complaints being filed for KDYL and KMRI, but that doesn't mean someone hasn't contacted the FCC. I don't think the FCC usually publishes information about technical complaints until after they've issued a Notice of Violation. Even if a complaint is filed, it can take the FCC several months to resolve the issue. KXOL 1660 remained on the air for almost a year after their license was cancelled, and the station wasn't shut down until the FCC sent out a field agent from the Denver office to prove that KXOL was broadcasting without a valid license.
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Post by CAwasinNJ on May 3, 2019 4:53:16 GMT -6
I'm not aware of any public databases of complaints. Notices if an investigation finds something, yes but not actual complaints. I'd be interested if anyone knows of such a place. I don't think the KXOL example is relevant because of the unusual nature of the problem. That was an unmodulated signal and did anyone ever determine if it was exceeding 1kw at night? In any case, according to the FCC the initial investigation of a complaint takes 30 days which is reasonable to me. I think the only way to know the timetable for sure would be to file a complaint and watch the updates as they come in.
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Post by David on May 3, 2019 7:45:38 GMT -6
KXOL was still broadcasting with audio for the first three or four months after the FCC cancelled their license. The continuous dead carrier on 1660 was only on air for two or three months before it finally disappeared.
I don't recall if the FCC ever determined that KXOL was operating with 10 KW day power after local sunset. However, there's plenty of anecdotal evidence to indicate they weren't reducing power at night, such as the DX reports from across the Intermountain West and beyond. Post license cancellation, I personally never observed any difference in KXOL's signal strength after dark as measured with several receiver's S meters, and I'm roughly 10 miles from their former transmitter site.
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Post by CAwasinNJ on May 4, 2019 1:57:32 GMT -6
I'm not a lawyer, but I believe it would have been legal to continue to broadcast while the cancellation was being appealed. It was after the appeals were denied that the trouble would start.
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Post by radiowyoming on May 4, 2019 11:45:58 GMT -6
I'm not a lawyer, but I believe it would have been legal to continue to broadcast while the cancellation was being appealed. It was after the appeals were denied that the trouble would start. Correct... while an application for an STA to stay on after license cancellation or while a license grant is pending, they technically can stay on.. in a way, that application just sitting there as accepted for filing but not granted or dismissed, is in a way.. defacto.. you can keep going till we say you cant.....
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Post by radiowyoming on May 4, 2019 11:47:16 GMT -6
Allegedly, KMI is now silent as of 4/12/2019, this from the FCC CDBS Database in their STA request
NICOLAS VICENTE, THE PRESIDENT AND SOLE MEMBER OF AASAA MEDIA, LLC HAS SUFFERED A MEDICAL CONDITION THAT HAS REDUCED HIS FINANCIAL ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE KMRI(AM), WEST VALLEY, UT (FACILITY NO. 25405). THE LICENSEE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS AUTHORIZATION TO GO SILENT FOR SIX-MONTHS IN AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE THE LICENSEE'S FINANCIAL CONDITION.
I've heard spanish on 1550 at night since that time, and assumed it was KMRI, so I didn't bother verifying here in Laramie WY that it wasn't
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Terry
Silver Level Member
Posts: 488
Usual Listening Area: east Murray
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Post by Terry on May 4, 2019 11:52:33 GMT -6
Yuh, KMRI 1550 is still on the air.
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