98.3 SLC Translator is off the air

[Terry]

98.3 has been off the air for several days now. Is it owned by Cache Valley Radio? Since K-Love began broadcasting on 107.5 maybe they don’t need the duplicate programming on 98.3.

Maybe the translator will be available to someone else. KOOL-FM hinted they’d be back on “in the fall”.

[David]

The last time I listened to 98.3 was a couple of months ago, and it was rebroadcating KVNU at that time. I have no idea why 98.3 was rebroadcating KVNU, because 610 AM already has two FM translators in Cache County at 102.1 & 102.5.

[CAwasinNJ]

David, Terry is talking about the Salt Lake translator, not the Tremonton one.

K-Love has been on 107.5 since 2010. It's only been on 98.3 since 2020 when it replaced VFX. Yes, K252DI and VFX have basically a common owner now (the Frandsens.) 98.3 couldn't continue to rebroadcast VFX since it's a non-fill-in translator, but I could never figure out what they planned to do with it. When 107.5 added digital programs I thought 98.3 might start running the HD3, which I don't think is available in analog anywhere right now. Putting KOOL there is certainly possible, but if that was the plan why would they have waited this long and would the Frandsens want a sort-of competitor on their translator? That's not to mention that Frandsen has his own Kool station in KGNT.

[amanuensis]

What is the translator on 98.3 that covers Utah County and what does it translate? I listened to it briefly this morning and it sounded like a sports talk format (although at that moment they were talking about Taylor Swift and the problems people had purchasing her tickets on Ticketmaster).

Still no 98.3 translator on the air in southern Salt Lake County.

[CAwasinNJ]

98.3 in Utah County would be K252DB which is listed as translating KKUT. I would guess it would be the main Wolf country format, which would jive with the Taylor Swift discussion. Sanpete County does a fair amount of local sports coverage I understand, so the sports doesn't seem out of place. You could compare 98.3 there with 93.7 and see if those match.

[Terry]

98.3 in SLC is still off the air.

I listened closely through the static on 98.3 and I could discern two signals. One is the Provo translator for KKUT, The Wolf. The other is the Tremonton translator for KVNU.

I wonder when something will air in Salt Lake?

— THIS SPACE AVAILABLE —

[CAwasinNJ]

If anyone's wondering, there is no application for a silent STA.

I have a query in to their engineering dept. I'll let you know if I hear anything.

[CAwasinNJ]

I did hear back. They were apparently unaware K252DI was off the air and will be contacting Canyon Media. They also referred me to Canyon about what their future plans are, which leads me to believe the use of it for K-Love isn't any long term agreement, which further leads me to believe K-Love has been a seat warmer. That's kind of what I thought back when it first happened. That would mean it might be available for the right price (buy or lease) as Terry mentioned. There are any number of stations that could use it.

[oldiesfunhouse]

My wife went into the Smith's grocery store I think on 9th South and 7th West, or maybe 7th South and 9th West, sorry, not sure exactly. Anyway, I tuned to 98.3 and listened for a while. It was KADQ, a classic rock station in Evanston. I don't know if it's new because the signal went silent for about a minute and then came back. This was around 6:30 last night. It sounds like they're trying to decide on their branding. One time it was 98.3 KADQ, what rock sounds like. Another time it was something like "taking you back to your wild days. This is Wildlife 98 3. Another time they called themselves the Rebel. I'd say the music was kind of like KBER and Rock 1067. I think Evanston was their city of license but they mentioned Woodruff and Randolph during their top of hour ID as well. I had turned it off by the time we left there so I don't know if conditions were just right for me to hear that or if they have boosters. It wasn't a great signal. I don't think it was strong enough for me to hear it in stereo and maybe it would have disappeared when we started moving and I didn't think to check it again. Has anyone else heard KADQ or know anything about it?

[oldiesfunhouse]

I should have done some research before posting. According to Wikipedia anyway, KADQ is owned by the Kent Frandsen media group which also owns KNYN 99.1. They've been around since, I think it said, 2008. It was snowing so I wonder if I was getting them on, what do they call it? sky wave or something.

[Terry]

I can hear KADQ here also if I move my antenna around the room searching. Wow, that’s 3 different weak stations on 98.3 that I can hear.

[CAwasinNJ]

Yeah, KADQ has been around a while. Skywave is the characteristic of the ionosphere that causes AM stations to be heard over a wide area at night, so that's not what's happening here. Salt Lake is near the very outer fringe area of their expected coverage, so it isn't too much of a stretch to be able to receive it when there isn't anything local covering it up.

I recall wondering back when KADQ was first authorized if Frandsen was going to turn it into a Salt Lake rimshot to replace K252DI. That was what happened with the 103.1 translator in Salt Lake that was replaced by what's now The Wave. The 103.1 programming didn't change (I think it was still KJQ at that point), but suddenly 103.1 could be heard over a much bigger area. I wouldn't put any money on KADQ becoming a rimshot, but it's possible.