KENC licenced station is kaput

AFAIK, Ken Cartwright sold all his Part 15 gear. However, he is considering continuing streaming. Check it out:
http://www.kencradio.com/press.php

I haven't contacted him, but I was thinking he still might have the tower, unless he made arrangements with local HAM group(s), in which case, there is always the possibility of starting another LPFM station in the area, or at least make arrangements with the current one: KPIK-LP - 102.9 FM

There is precious little info about that station. It apparently plays oldies, and I've seen complaints about them using MP3 audio, no online presence at all. I'd say they need help ... Ken Cartwright would be the perfect catalyst for listenership, since he already has a great studio setup and a following.

That station has only 2 watts ... not very much, comes under the 10w section (there are just two, 10w and 100w). There is also a high school LPFM in the area.

First, I think it's really a shame that things
didn't work out for Ken Cartwright. (Sp?)
Maybe he just got tired of it. It happens.

About this LPFM station on 102.9 running 2 watts
ERP... I had no idea it could be such low power.
Do you guys know of any examples of other stations
that are down to that low level of output? I wonder
how it came to be? Seems to me that if that operation
is allowed that there would be a lot more LPFMs on
the air running that power level.

Best Wishes,
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700

KCKX will continue to operate, but under a Local Management Agreement (LMA) with a company that could potentially buy the station someday. Essentially, the new company gets to try out the radio station for a while for a monthly fee. There will be no local studio, which would indicate the new company is within 25 miles of Stayton, Oregon (probably Salem or Albany). Because of the LMA, the new company wants as much control over the commercial inventory as possible to be able to pay the bills. What can happen, and often does, is that the company operating under an LMA will decide NOT to buy the station.

The licensee, however, is required to continue to operate the station under the license or file, what is known as a STA or, station temporary authority with the FCC. The STA is good for one year.

After one year, if the station doesn't return to the air, the license authorization is cancelled and the station is lost. To regain the license after this time would require applying for a construction permit which runs into the tens of thousands of dollars for a new AM permit.

The current licensee, Don Coss, lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon, some 60 miles to the North of the station. To the licensee, it's just a bill to pay each month at this point. With the new LMA, at least the investment begins to net some cash. Ken's operation and programming apparently wasn't very helpful in generating finances for the station.

Let's not lose sight that KCKX is a business first, an investment second and finally a radio station. You will notice, the creative and community service parts of radio are not the top priorities. Commercial radio IS NOT a hobby.

I like the way you said that, Marshall, even though it is never what a dedicated radio person wants to hear. But making the balance sheet work is vital to staying on the air for commercial operation, and sadly enough there is no "radio savior" that comes down from the sky to make talent pay.

AFAICS, KENC was always a labor of love first. I hope Ken Cartwright can finally come up with a venue that works ... I hate to see a once-appreciated radio effort go down ... but I wouldn't blame him for losing heart after all this.

As for the 2-watter LPFM, I've never heard of one operating at power level that weak either. KLOI on Lopez island is 17 watts, but operates under the 100 watt license rules. I haven't queried them about it, but 1) It's a directional antenna, and 2) It's HAAT is fairly low (Lopez Island doesn't have big hills like Orcas Island and my own San Juan Island do).

Altogether, my best guess is the engineering was set up to prevent any interference on their frequency. On certain parts of San Juan I can hear a Canadian station on that same frequency. Their coverage area has to be very defined, but because there is just low hills, it's able to service the community pretty well.

OTOH, it looks like the Stayton LPFM station has a HAAT consistent with the area and also has a 50' ND antenna. I imagine a directional antenna with specific shadowing is more expensive to engineer and build. IOW, it might that if it had more power, it would have to be directional. As it is, they have some altitude (approx. 650') and antenna height which probably gets them LOS target coverage they can live with, even if only 2 watts.

Under the new regulations for LPFM, I'd be willing to bet applications for new LPFM community stations in cities have to have very low power as well.

LPFM stations have a specific range allowed under FCC rule making. The maximum signal level for LP-100 stations is 1 mv/m at one mile (60 dbu contour). L-10 stations would be allowed 10 db less signal at the same distance from the antenna. The L-10's would be allowed to cover approximately one-third the distance of the L-100's. Height above average terrain does calculate into the maximum range formula. The formula used to be on the FCC web site. As far as I know, this part of the LPFM rules has not and will not change.

Additionally, LPFM antennas are only allowed a maximum elevation of 100 feet. Higher elevations would cause the actual effective radiated power (ERP) to be decreased logarithmically. So, at 650 feet elevation, a normal ERP of 100 watts would be substantially reduced (2 watts). By statute the minimum allowed ERP for a LPFM station is one watt, regardless of the elevation. At one watt there is a point that the increase in elevation will cause the station to not be able to cover the one mile 60 dbu contour (the law of diminishing marginal return). Theoretically, radio signals attenuate logarithmically in all dimensions simultaneously.

Only if the LPFM station is within so many miles of the Canadian or Mexico borders, are low power FM stations allowed to use directional antennas. This is done by application to the Commission for a waiver of the specific rule. Otherwise, LPFM stations are not allowed, by law, to use directional antennas. LPFM antennas can be vertically, horizontally or circular polarized and are not considered directionalized.

I have engineered and built a couple LPFM stations over the years. I am always amazed how well they work. Hopefully, this simplified explanation of LPFM rules will answer some of the questions.

Yep, that's why the only operating LPFM station in the San Juans (KLOI-LP) - on the air 2+ years has a non-directional antenna operating @ 17 watts under LPFM Class D, but the one that is trying to get on the air here on San Juan Island had to have a directional antenna ... both must take into consideration the proximity to Canada. The one here is making a HUGE deal out of it, more than necessary IMO, whereas KLOI acquired a location, designed and built their antenna for that location, had an antenna-raising BBQ party and turned on the switches for testing ... been on ever since. 17 watts is basically just right for them.

KLOI - Google contour map:
http://maps.google.com/?q=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml?gmap=2%26appid=1247881%26call=KLOI-LP%26freq=102.9%26contour=60%26city=LOPEZ_ISLAND%26state=WA

KSJU - Google contour map:
http://maps.google.com/?q=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml?gmap=2%26appid=1244022%26call=KSJU%26freq=91.9%26contour=60%26city=FRIDAY_HARBOR%26state=WA

As you can see, there isn't a heckuvvalotta difference in the coverage area sizes. And, yes, San Juan is closer to Canada, but there isn't anything to interfere with. The only other station close to the freq is KSQM 91.5 - a 700-watter in Sequim, across the Strait of Juan Defuca ... should be no problem.

I believe KSJU lost their initial antenna site, for which they never had written confirmation or contract ... meaning the directional engineering data for the antenna is no longer valid. I think they're still trying to deal with not interfering with Canada, but I haven't seen a conflict worth the trouble they're going to. IMO they need to stop right now and look at prospective sites, run the numbers to see if they can get coverage and still come in above the 1-watt minimum ERP (if the acceptable 60db coverage area requires less than 1 watt, the FCC will not accept the application ... in this case, the change in the CP, which was issued based upon the original site engineering data).

I think they've gotten themselves in a bind, which should never have happened.

I turned the pres of the local ham radio club onto them ... maybe they can use the repeater site ... if the pres of KSJU's board doesn't let his ego get in the way (again).

Problem with that is it's way the heck up on Cady Mountain. I don't know the height, or what the determined HAAT will be up there (is it the same for the whole island?), but the ERP might even come in under a watt, and won't work. I guess they could ask for a variance. I'll be curious what happens ...

Myself, I'd be happy with a 15 watt ERP station on a smallish hill above Friday Harbor, an internet-linked Part 15 CC AM system in Roche Harbor (hmmm ... I wonder if the resort/marina has a SSID line to hook into), and a base-loaded AM monopole on the South end (pretty flat over there) if I can find somewhere to hook up to the internet. There wouldn't be a whole lot in between, but there is always the internet.

BTW, there effectively is no more 10 watt LPFM. The FCC says they have not issued a license for that class outside Alaska since 1978 ... Just FYI.

LP-10 is still a part of the LPFM rule-making and is said to be a significant part of the new rules coming with the next filing window. The main reason the FCC has not issued any LP-10 licenses is that the organizations who originally applied for them, and successfully were granted permits, didn't build and license them. The reason; not enough coverage with population to produce significant underwriting support would be my guess. The LP-10's in Alaska were built in native villages, mostly on the Western shoreline and islands of the state near the Bering Sea.

For KSJU, their major hang up is sufficient separation from 3rd adjacent stations. The rules call for a specific minimum separation in miles/kilometers no matter if terrain shielding exists. The new proposed rules may ameliorate this issue. To squeeze the signal in to the hole would probably require a directional antenna. I am doubtful they would get the waiver for the antenna due to the antenna proof requirements that close to the Canadian border. Additionally, a directional antenna application would cost mucho money just for the engineering study, not to mention the numerous letters that would be required to pass back and forth between the FCC and Canadian authorities.

And finally, the station would be required to cover as much of the city of license as possible. Moving the transmitter beyond one mile would vacate the original application. The original application was required to have a signed intent to lease agreement with the app. Things change. It may not be possible for the station to be built at all under the current conditions and agreements. Construction permits are only good for a specific time (usually 36 months) and then they expire, requiring the applicant to file during the next window in the next 18 months to 2 years.

There is a LPFM not too far from me radiating 9 watts there call is WJJA-LP East Berstadt Ky.

Here is the info from radio-locator.com
http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=WJJA&x=0&y=0&sr=Y&s=C

According to that website their fringe coverage falls in my area but that remains to be see er um heard in this case.