What the &#?!%@ was Wrong with KCPW's Signal?

[seattlefollower]

From the KCPW-FM newsletter:

For the last two weeks of April, depending on the day and time, you unfortunately heard a broadcast that was anywhere from a little staticky to downright unlistenable.

It turns out that one of the buildings currently going up in Salt Lake also began to block the microwave path from Library Square to the transmitter in the Oquirrhs.
The solution? We contracted an engineer, ordered parts, and by end-of-day April 30th, a new studio transmitter link was in place! Please accept our apologies for the disruption.

Also...

At long last (we've been waiting since 2017 for an opportunity like this!), we're gearing up this year to do a major signal expansion. The project was actually approved by the FCC in early 2020 but was temporarily shelved when the pandemic created other, more pressing priorities.

A little history: Back in 2017, KCPW's signal was consolidated from two frequencies (88.3 FM and 105.5 FM) to one (88.3 FM) when we were faced with losing 105.5 FM due to FCC rules.

Why this new project is important: While no adverse change to the signal's reach was anticipated, we found over time that approximately a third of our listeners began to have trouble with the signal - hurting not only KCPW's ability to serve the community but also our ability to raise funds. Listener-supported radio needs listeners after all.

If you have the capacity to get involved, we'd love to hear from you. The expansion is estimated at about $40,000 and requires special fundraising outside of KCPW's regular operations budget. Email Lauren Colucci at [e-mail] to learn more about project parameters, timeline (before snow returns to the Oquirrhs this fall), and how you can help.

[drpepper]

I have no idea how they stay on the air, but that's based on the ratings. seems like a tough market because of the success of KUER and KBYU. especially KUER. But glad to see them in a position to move forward with that power increase.
One thing i'm confused on though, at the time Broadway took over what is now K288gy, hadn't KDWY's move to humpy been canceled? I suppose not, but thought that was the case.

[kenglish]

What were they using for an STL, and what are they using now? Nothing is listed on their FCC files.
They are currently licensed for an ERP of only 450 watts, but have a CP for a couple of KW more. Either way, those downtown skyscrapers are going to make things tough. I'd hate to live on the wrong side of a concrete and steel high-rise apartment.

[CAwasinNJ]

I need to put on my moderator hat for a moment. I lean toward thinking KCPW wouldn't mind us reproducing a chunk of their newsletter since it isn't their primary business, but we don't actually have permission to do so. Out of caution if there's a similar situation in the future I'd appreciate it if you could paraphrase what it says rather than cutting and pasting. I don't want this forum closed down on us or worse. TIA.


Phew. Onward...

DrPepper, the ratings don't mean as much for non-commercial stations as they do for commercial ones. The ratings are used by commercial stations to show advertisers how many listeners they can reach if they buy time. Non-commercial stations obviously care about and keep track of the number of listeners they have too, but not in the same way. Listener reach from underwriting (comparable to advertising) is important, but there's also the focus on how much donation money they can get. If a non-comm has 8000 listeners who each send in $5, that would be the same net result as 800 listeners who each send $50. They get $40,000 either way. A small but very loyal fanbase could sustain a station that might not survive with a more casual fanbase. Just food for thought.

And now a brief history of what's now 105.5 Kool-FM. We start in 2015 with the move from 105.3 to 105.5 that was necessary because of that shift of all the stations above 105 (docket 05-243). At that point 105.5 was simulcasting KCPW-FM and throwing all of its signal northeast from the Oquirrh's over West Valley and SLC. In 2016 there was still the pending move of KDWY to 105.5 on Humpy which would have required K288GY to stop doing what they were doing. What they did was relicense it so that it pointed only west toward Tooele. That allowed it to co-exist with KDWY on the same channel from Humpy even though it gave up Salt Lake coverage. In 2017 KDWY filed to officially stay with the facility they had all along, which was granted. Without the pending threat of KDWY from Humpy, K288GY filed another modification to the non-directional signal they have today. In 2017 K288GY was actually briefly owned by Radio Rancho but they quickly turned around and sold the station to Broadway. And yes, that was the brief version.


Ken, the STL is WQYY535. It goes from Library Square almost exactly southwest to their transmitter site.

wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=3896023

It doesn't look like anything's officially changed. Maybe they just rejiggered it within the previously licensed parameters.

About that power increase, they have Educational Media Foundation to thank for that. The increase is only possible because what's now KNKL 88.1 (the old KWCR-FM) moved way up north.

[kenglish]

I couldn't find the STL info on the main station page...I suspect that's something to do with the FCC website re-design. They used to link to the aux licenses pretty easily.
I wonder what they changed.

[CAwasinNJ]

I agree that the FCC website is a mess and always has been. The modernization just moves it around. STL's are still available from the station main page. Start by clicking the Links & Maps tab, then go down to ULS: and then 'Related facilities in ULS'. I actually cheated though. I just used fccdata.org which is WAY easier.