106.3 translator. One mystery solved,another opens

[x]

I finally dug out the maps to try to figure out what the deal with the VFX translator on 106.3 The coordinates say the transmitter is out back behind Weber State, just on the urban side of the border with the Forest. Then it hits me.

That's what it's there for. The college crowd is exactly the audience they'd like.

Screwing around with KOSY isn't all that much of a big deal since college kids don't generally go for that anyway. (Overgeneralization, I know, but play the numbers here.)

There's just one problem. The signal strength doesn't seem to match. Roughly two air miles from the supposed xmitter site, there's already significant interference from KOSY bleeding in. Ok, that part makes sense. Now the funny part. Some 7 odd miles away, over by the booster/repeater farm in Riverdale, the signal is noticeably stronger and itself bleeds into KOSY. Could someone have moved the thing from behind Weber State over to Riverdale and forgot to ask the FCC, or is the FCC smoking dope? I do more checking.

The original construction permit (listing KRAR as primary) has the transmitter in the middle of Utah Lake or so. It's not even on my map. Ok, so that's wrong. They put 40 degrees instead of 41. No other mention is made of moving the transmitter. The only thing I've been able to come up with to reconcile the observations is that the antennas and radiation of the Riverdale location is someone amplifying/messing-with the K292EO signal, making it only appear stronger.

Comments?

[James W anderson]

This translator has been around for years, having first been put on for KSOS, and it may have been as long as 15 years ago.

I heard it just over a year ago traveling down the hill towards the I-15/I-84 merge and I heard them broadcasting KJQN on it, so putting on KVFX is news to me. The primary has changed at least three times since it came on the air, having first been KSOS then something else then KJQN and now apparently KVFX.

Had no problems with receiving KOSY at all, nor were there any signal bleed problems with the translator either. KRAR is the stronger signal also, so as long as the two are simulcasting, there probably won't be any complaints from the 'average joe' outside the industry.

[Doh]

I'm surprised that translator has not been shut down since the move of KOSY to SLC (NOT COL OF COURSE) seems to me this translator is a violation of the rules, I believe first adjacent rule,anybody else agree?

[x]

James W, are you SURE about that? It sounds like you're talking about 103.1 in Salt Lake, which was (at one time) translating KRAR (as a KOSY simulcast) and is now translating KJQ. KRAR used to be KLZX and simulcasted KSOS for a while. The 103.1 translator also translated KVFX for a while.


As for shutting down K292EO (106.3 translator) with the move of KOSY north, I agree. That's really what got me interested in it in the first place. The coverage area (regardless of the actual location) is severly compromised by first adjacent 106.5. Wish i knew where the spacing requirements for translators are. I'm also surprised it's still around. The situation with the booster for 106.1 when (if?) then ever get the move done will certainly make things worse.

[Doh]

Interesting you should bring up the KOTB booster assuming it ever gets going, that should really make a mess in Ogden on that part of the dial, I'm not sure why the owner would want to keep it on the air with it's effective coverage being cut with KOSY and when KOTB boosters go on I'll bet it really wont be worth much then. I'm amazed how little the FCC seems to pay attention to these kind of things!

[James W Anderson]

Yes, things were a mess with that translator, and they likely at one time had all of the stations you mentioned at one time or another. I believe KJQ being on it could have been an input mistake that day, as just before KRAR's translator in Utah County was broadcasting KQMB by mistake one night about two years ago. I've heard of other mistakes too like that.

As for KOSY entering the Salt Lake market, that happened in early 1984 KTMP 106.3 jacked up it's power and became 106.5 and was KBHV and that was also soft AC then oldies, then KBER. The translator went in after that, I believe.