Translator Rant

[SamSpade]

I hope this doesn't get me banned by the site owner, but I just need to have my peace.

I am so frustrated by these national religious broadcasters. I was just searching through Idaho's FCC data for something and can't believe that there are 3 to 4 translators for an area on a specific frequency!!! No wonder the FCC never seems to be doing anything. How could these people in Washington sift through all this crap?!?

I understand wanting to bring your message to the people - fine, do it through some sort of local support - a congregation, a local station (ie KYFO, KUFR)... *grumbles at Radio Support Ministry, Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls*

There is no way a translator in Idaho Falls, Idaho will be receiving KBLQ from Logan off-air (or that it even should!). Then, they block legitimate translator requests from commercial broadcasters in the area (a la Clear Channel for KID-FM in Pocatello, Sand Hill For KADQ in Pocatello, etc). Bleh!

[x]

I think there are several different issues here. First we need to address the idea of feeding a translator by satellite. There was a good reason why this option was added. The original intent, as I understand it, was to enable public radio to reach isolated rural areas. Good idea. What's happened is that the national religious broadcasters have used those rules to create de-facto national networks, squeezing out local content. In fact, the translators are specifically prohibited from offering local content even if they wanted to. I agree that the proper solution would be to have local full service stations (like KYFO or KUFR) that while they may run the national satellite feed most of the time, also have at least the option of specific local programming relevant to the community. The problem with that is that even a small class A station usually doesn't fit in an area where a translator can fit, due to spacing requirements. Regardless, they are following the rules as written now and have every right to do so.

Second issue: A religious satellator network owner putting down one station as the primary when they have no intention of using that station at all. I think I found the application Sam was referring to. Radio Assist Ministry is applying for 95.7 in Idaho Falls. They're claiming the primary as KBLQ-FM (Q92) from Logan. They're claiming the same primary for 93.7 in North Salt Lake. Anyone who believes that Q92 will actually be heard on those stations if they're approved is crazy. In the first place, I'll bet nobody from Sun Valley Radio was even asked about this. Second, why would a broadcaster known for running satellite fed translators suddenly shift secular? Not gonna happen. The prevailing theory is that they (along with some other groups) are hedging their bets hoping that the FCC will allow satellite-fed translators in the commercial band. The only other alternative for them is for one translator in the commercial band to pick up the broadcast of a translator in the non-comm band fed by satellite. (This was how USU's 96.7 was able to exist in the commercial band even though it was indirectly fed by a satellite. It went through 88.7 Provo first.) I understand that these broadcasters need to put something that's currently legal down on the application to have it accepted, but I have a real problem with claiming something that they know is a lie. Besides, I don't think the FCC is going to approve that rules change anyway. Too many people are annoyed with the translator situation as it is.

As for what should be put in those spots if the satellators magically went off the air tomorrow, I'd much rather see LP100 and LP10 stations go in there than translators of far off metro stations. heck, let local affiliates of the national chains get into the act too, as some are. At least with LPFM there's some sort of a requirement for local programming, isn't there?

[admin]

I couldn't agree more gentlemen I feel it is time to kill the satellite translator rule, I feel a translator in SLC for a Twin Falls station does NOT serve the public interest especially since KAWZ does not even maintain the ones they have. The one in Provo at 88.3 is hardly ever on the air, I feel religious broadcasters are hijacking the airwave with these things, I say full power or no power

[FriendLee]

Just a point of clarification, CA. KUSU's 96.7 short-lived translator on Little Farnsworth was fed via the main channel from Clarkston. The Ensign Peak location became unusable when one of the religious satellators went on the air at 88.7 in Salt Lake. Oddly enough, the location of that satellator? The next rack over at the Little Farnsworth site! Can you say "Grrr"?

If all the translators signed off tomorrow, would anyone even notice? ;D

Friend Lee

[x]

Not that I want to doubt you Friend, but I can't find any evidence to support your statement. The only stations licensed on 88.7 in the Salt Lake valley are K204BO (the USU translator in Provo that 96.7 used to pick up off air) and KNKL (the relatively new religious station in North Ogden). There was another satellator that I'd forgotten about, but that's gone or moved.

[SamSpade]

Friend, would you be referring to "K-Love" 's 8-nine.7 translator? That one is for SLC and strong. 88.7 is KNKL in N. Ogden (also K-Love).

[FriendLee]

Gents.,

I came into that project about halfway through but I do remember the reason the old Ensign Peak location had to be scuttled and relocated was that the KUSU translator was unable to pick up OUR input signal and we were retransmitting someone else. The Little Farnsworth location was selected because we could just barely line-of-sight-it to Clarkston (with a heafty input filter!) but as we know, had to pick it up off-air as the translator was in in the commercial band and therefore couldn't be fed by satellite. I'll do a little research and find out exactly whose signal was getting rebroadcast that resulted in the the shutdown of the Ensign Peak site.

Friend Lee

[Amanuensis]

As I recall, it was the country station in Logan that was getting picked up (unless what I was hearing was the main transmitter of the country station).

[FriendLee]

I remember now, it was intermod issues and low-input signal concerns from the Utah County site that eventually rendered Ensign Peak unusable. Little Farnsworth was ok but even with the output dialed down to 3 watts, there were still interference issues with KCFM's booster in Payson and KKEX's booster in North Ogden.

Friend Lee

[x]

amanuensis said:

As I recall, it was the country station in Logan that was getting picked up (unless what I was hearing was the main transmitter of the country station).

You were hearing KKEX on 96.7. You can't have a translator that has the input and output frequencies the same. Technically, it was probably the Pleasant Grove booster KKEX-1.

And that was the overkill answer of the day.

[SamSpade]

When did KKEX get a booster all the way in Utah County???

I seem to remember KKEX and KCFM (which I don't hear in my part of SLCounty now) colliding when they (temporarily) resurrected KUSU's 96.7. Stupid boosters.

3 watts? No wonder it had such a hard time where I was.

[JamesAnderson]

I remember when KTPM signed on a couple years back. They rebroadcast KKEX when they were doing some tests before they put on their own jazz combo album as a loop.

That one hit Utah County pretty darned well. Thought it was another translator for KKEX. It soon cleared up, and I had backscatter from it and KLGL for a week, then KTPM cleaned up some stuff and hasn't been heard form since, but will be as soon as they move to Humpy.

Have been able to pick up a very faint signal of KKEX's main down here however. That is, until KCFM came on last year with its booster.

[x]

samspade said:

When did KKEX get a booster all the way in Utah County???

Sorry. Brain cramp. I meant Pleasant View (North Ogden).

I seem to remember KKEX and KCFM (which I don't hear in my part of SLCounty now) colliding when they (temporarily) resurrected KUSU's 96.7. Stupid boosters.

The boosters aren'ts upposed to increase the theoretical coverage area at all. The do sometimes though. I don't see how KKEX and KCFM could collide by adding an unrelated signal though. Did I not understand your statement correctly?

[SamSpade]

Well, I think KUSU caused radios to recognize there was a viable signal on 96.7 - the only problem was the translator seemed to not know what to re-broadcast (or maybe it was my radios). I'd get splatter of Spanish and country and (if I was lucky) KUSU.