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Post by David on Jun 19, 2019 13:10:25 GMT -6
As of June 6th, 2019, KSRR is back on the air using a temporary 177 foot longwire antenna with 300 watts power. What I found interesting is that according to the STA application, the antenna is being flown by heavy duty guyed balloons within a fenced area (!). That sounds like an interesting setup for a temporary antenna, and hopefully Frank (fmdj1) will post a photo or two here. KQMB is also back on the air, transmitting from a temporary location due to the licensed antenna site still being inaccessible because of very deep snow in early June when the STA request was submitted. Anyone know where the licensed site for KQMB's transmitter is?
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Post by amanuensis on Jun 19, 2019 19:10:22 GMT -6
I didn't hear anything in Lehi on either frequency as I left work at five. 1400 just had a faint harmonic from 700. And 96.7 only had faint traces of KKEX or maybe K244DH.
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Post by David on Jun 19, 2019 20:13:58 GMT -6
There haven't been any additional STA's filed in the FCC database recently, so I'm assuming both stations are still on the air. I heard a faint signal on 1400 on the radio in my Toyota Corolla this afternoon, but it was too weak to understand. Given the number of stations on 1400 and the high AM sensitivity of the radio in my Toyota, it could have been any graveyard station within 100-150 miles of Ogden.
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Post by amanuensis on Jun 20, 2019 11:01:06 GMT -6
I now know that what I can faintly hear on 96.7 in Lehi is not KKEX because I picked up KKEX adequately in West Jordan, where I live, at the start of my commute this morning and kept it on until I went around the Point of the Mountain. KKEX then went away, and was replaced by something else, but too faintly for me to figure it out. Since I can pick up KKEX in West Jordan it appears that K244DH (licensed to Fort Douglas) is not broadcasting. So I assume that what I hear in Lehi is either KQMB or K244EN (licensed to Park City).
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fmdj1
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Post by fmdj1 on Jun 20, 2019 17:01:55 GMT -6
Sorry for the delay. Just saw this. KSRR was on but is now back off. The power balancer burned up on the transmitter. If it's going to be off less than 30 days, we just send an email, which I did. I'm hoping to get it back on soon but have to ship the part off to a third party since the transmitter manufacturer is out of business.
KQMB is still on, but reception in Utah County isn't great. Our translator, which is on Farnsworth, is interfering with the main in UC. If you head up on the east bench you can get it in areas, and it's loud and clear south of Santaquin. Our main concern was to cover city of license until we could get our permanent solution in place once the snow melts. I'm hoping by the end of the summer we have two more great stations serving Utah County.
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fmdj1
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Post by fmdj1 on Jun 20, 2019 17:03:28 GMT -6
Oh, I forgot, David, on the flying the wire, the FCC, denied that and made me run a horizontal wire instead. I was disappointed because a vertical would have given us better coverage. I'm not sure why they posted the original application instead of the update.
Also, the licensed site for KQMB is on Horseshoe above Ephraim. After I couldn't get there I spotted a site on Nebo Loop, which was supposed to open Memorial Day weekend, but they couldn't clear the snow up there either, so I ended up having to refile for the site we're currently at above Nephi.
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Jun 20, 2019 22:22:43 GMT -6
Frank, I have a question which you may or may not be able to answer. You mentioned having KSRR and KQMB serving Utah County but I'm wondering about the future of K244DH. Do you know yet whether you will continue to replay KPGR or whether there will be a change? I haven't done any surveys but I would find it hard to believe there's much of a market for listening to a high school station from 30 miles away.
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fmdj1
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Post by fmdj1 on Jun 21, 2019 11:30:04 GMT -6
I have KPGR on there right now, though I need to go up and adjust the receive antenna as it is kind of rough. Unfortunately, with the melting snow and rain, the roads up to Farnsworth have been kind of rough so I'm kind of hit and miss when I can get up there.
Regarding the future of it, I have a few options I'm considering, but I can't really say anything yet as there are moving pieces and legal and competitive considerations. I have let the KPGR General Manager know that I will eventually be changing the programming on there, which he was fine with. (BTW, he does a great job over there with his kids and I hope this is not taken as a lack of support for his program. He and I have already briefly talked about how we might partner in the future and I would love to see some of his graduating students come intern for and hopefully work for us.) All of our options, though, are being considered with how we might provide a good community service with the translator.
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Post by amanuensis on Jun 21, 2019 11:44:06 GMT -6
It is interesting that in West Jordan, I can pick up a station from Logan (KKEX) better than I can a translator on Farnsworth (K244DH).
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Post by David on Jun 21, 2019 11:58:37 GMT -6
Thanks much for the update, Frank. I'm disappointed the FCC nixed the "flying antenna" idea for KSRR, as I would have really liked to see it. Best of luck with getting KSRR's transmitter fixed and getting the station's tower back up. I'm looking forward to "DX'ing" KSRR from NE Ogden! :-)
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fmdj1
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Posts: 143
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Post by fmdj1 on Jun 22, 2019 14:38:20 GMT -6
It is interesting that in West Jordan, I can pick up a station from Logan (KKEX) better than I can a translator on Farnsworth (K244DH). I'll withhold comment on what is being done with KKEX, but it doesn't surprise me. Even with K244DH's height, it's only 36 watts, so a more powerful station will wipe it out pretty easily. |
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fmdj1
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Post by fmdj1 on Jun 22, 2019 14:40:02 GMT -6
Thanks much for the update, Frank. I'm disappointed the FCC nixed the "flying antenna" idea for KSRR, as I would have really liked to see it. Best of luck with getting KSRR's transmitter fixed and getting the station's tower back up. I'm looking forward to "DX'ing" KSRR from NE Ogden! :-) Yeah, I would have liked to try it. It was an idea from another station owner that would have been great to try, especially because, if it worked well, it could have opened up something for other owners with tower failures, but alas. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm excited to get it going! |
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Post by mtndew on Jun 25, 2019 15:04:24 GMT -6
It is interesting that in West Jordan, I can pick up a station from Logan (KKEX) better than I can a translator on Farnsworth (K244DH). KKEX has an 11 kw booster on Lookout (?) Mountain in Tremonton, along with KBLQ, KVFX, and KLZX (5 kw), so maybe you're hearing that one. That's still a really long distance though. |
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Post by amanuensis on Jun 27, 2019 8:06:26 GMT -6
I went to Provo yesterday. Could not pick up anything on 96.7. Is KQMB off the air right now, or is the signal not strong enough to be audible that far away from Levan? I'm assuming that the booster is off.
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fmdj1
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Post by fmdj1 on Jun 27, 2019 11:11:50 GMT -6
The booster is off. I noticed the same thing yesterday. I was getting carrier but no music. I'm guessing I have a computer failure. The computer is at the site because I don't have an STL. This would be the second time the computer has conked out on me since I put it up there. It means I get to put together another one and drive back up the mountain. Fun fun!
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