Friends, Romans and Countrymen, lend me your ears... No, really, just tell me the hub-bub related to KENC. In this forum, from time to time, I come across people alluding to KENC, their signing off of the air-forced, perhaps? There seems to be "fear" associated with even speaking about the now defunct station? What happened to KENC? What'd they do that was so wrong? Illegal antennas, too long of a ground lead, Illegal transmitters, blah, blah, blah-What happened!? I know enough to know that they decided to end broadcasting because of the FCC regulators pressure (Right)? Tell me..., why would they end broadcasting totally and not comply with the (30) days the FCC gives one to come into compliance? If it were my station, there's no way I'd end my broadcasts. I'd simply comply and keep on serving my audience.
Quitting only empowers the zealots (probably other stations)in his region who are opposed to Part 15's, successful ones at that. I just don't understand not bringing the station into compliance and moving forward with your brand. My station, set to air this month, will certainly be aimed at a specific demographic, using multiple, FCC compliant TX's, each of them installed by a licensed engineer with over 31 years experience in the field. I worked for 13 years in radio and still co-own a minority stake in an FM station. There isn't any way we're being told to cease operations when my new Part 15 becomes successful. Especially, since we fully intend to operate as a complaint entity.
KENC.., what was the big deal-really? Just sayin'...
Be well,
Go Brewers!
Rather than me repeating what has been posted about this topic it might be better if you try the search function with KENC as the keyword. There are many posts here related to this which should provide the information you seek.
Neil
The FCC and Industry Canada tend to work via complaint. Anyone can complain (even if you feel you are compliant in every way), for any reason, and they will investigate. The more visible you are, the greater the chance of complaints, particularly from established and licensed stations in the area (who don't understand Part 15 and don't particularly want to).
The laws are sufficiently vague that it's far better to work willingly and humbly with the enforcement agencies to resolve their concerns, rather than adopting a defiant attitude. Good luck fighting them - they have the patience and the resources to keep going (and going and going), and the ability to shut you down, even if it's only the FCC investigator that thinks you aren't compliant.
I'm not saying this is applicable in the KENC incident - you should research that yourself - but it's just my experience in dealing with people (and government) over the years. You'll get far more breaks if you play nice.
First off, I submit to you, that I do agree with abiding by the law; but I feel as if there is a clear distinction between abiding by the law as its written and "playing nice". The latter, to me, conjurs images of one bending over backwards after having done all he/she can do to comply, work hard, be respectful and abide by the FCC's own rules set forth for Part 15's. To me, that is unacceptable and demeaning. If that means "playing nice" forget it. This is still America, guys. The KENC thing is akin to McDonald's having a 'beef', no pun intended, well-maybe, with a local burger stand. Mickey D's sends a health inspector to check the burger stand out, inspector finds a dirty rag under a sink, gives them 30 days to "fix the problem". Instead of getting rid of the offending kitchen rag, little burger stand guy says, "Oh, the competition doesn't like me, they've sent restaurant inspectors to check us out. I'm just going to close for good". What?! Who does that? If you're little burger stand guy, you simply get rid of the nasty rag.
Guys, I have read the case against KENC. I understood it weeks ago. My question still begs to be answered. Why would they (KENC) not make the inspector's corrections to their set-up and continue serving the community? I'm asking you guys for your opinions, basically. Hopefully, the KENC guy reads this and can offer up his views on why he shutdown his operations.
Special aside: At one of the stations I used to work for, we had a guy on the air (Talk show host) who dropped f-bombs and other vile garbage on his show daily. FCC warnings were issued monthly to the station owner based on listeners/other station's complaints. The show host was suspended twice in 13 years by management. The station? It was never, ever fined by the FCC-ever! Just warned repeatedly. I dunno guys. For me, after working in this industry for 13 years, I've seen it all. Complaints to the FCC were the norm during my tenure at the aforementioned station. Their subsequent actions were nill. Sooooo...., when I read that a Part 15er was out of compliance for some reason or another, and it failed to comply within (30) days, or just decided to end its transmissions, I, the former General Manager of a radio station in a top 50 market, tends to wonder...., why?
My question remains unanswered as of yet. Ok, back to work I go, lunch break over.
Thanks,
Be well
No need to wait for someone from KENC to see your posts.
The KENC web site and blog here:
There is both email and message phone info on the contact link and the most recent blog post looks like it was Wednesday, August 8th, 2011.
That looks like a good place to start to get questions answered and it sounds like you would already know how to reach the FCC field staff who cited KENC.
As another posted earlier, both the situation and lots of opinions are on several threads right on this very site, a quick search will take you right to those threads.
Enjoy!
KENC had one transmitter on a 40 foot metal antenna tower and the other on a 100 foot water tower. A third transmitter was also elevated, but the FCC did not write an NOUO for it. Bringing the two offending transmitters into compliance would have required taking them down to earth, which would have reduced the range so much that they would not have been useful.
KENC fought the NOUO relating to the 40 foot tower. He admits that he was not pleasant to the FCC inspector (a bad move). He got a U.S. Senator into his corner, which ultimately did not help. The manufacturer of the transmitters tried a technical fix, which was rejected by the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology. After several months of review, the FCC did not give an inch, and KENC went off the air.
Ermi Roos, thank you sir for your post. I understand fully now. Handling the FCC inspector roughly was "risky" to say the least. I can understand the disappointment with losing the station's previous range. But, and especially with multiple tx's, there are more ways to accomplish one's range goals. Thanks again, Sir.
I guess I'll try one more time.
There are always two sides to every story. The big bad FCC hounding poor little KENC is one viewpoint; I doubt that the situation from the FCC inspector's point of view was similar.
And having been in consulting for many years, I've learned that if you treat people the way you'd like to be treated, things go an awful lot smoother.
The FCC inspector is granted pretty much the final say on whether an installation is legal. If you are nasty and disrespectful to them, there is a better than even chance that they will not listen to you, and be even nastier. And it's pretty amazing - if they start off nasty, being at the very least respectful tends to change the way they behave with you.
So obviously you can do whatever you want. But there's absolutely no downside to first, really understanding and appreciating the rules (and having an elevated installation certainly falls under a gray area in those rules) and second, being respectful. I don't think anyone operating under Part 15 rules and budgets is going to win in a fight against the government (and you stand to lose a whole lot).
One positive move that has been suggested here in the past to preempt complaints is to approach other radio stations in the area and let them know what you're going to be doing (and how you're not going to take away potential revenue from them, or targeting the same audience, etc.). One thing that I did was to also approach the local newspapers and media, and also let them know what I was doing, how it was legal, etc. We ended up with an article in the Bowen Island paper (circulation - very small), the Vancouver Province (circulation - very large) and a mention on the CBC radio network (listeners - Canada wide).
All good points ... but having said that, the FCC issuing a NOUO to a Part 15 AM station which is trying to stay legal with an understanding of the engineering involved, is very, very rare ... only 4 or 5 a year.
http://lowpowerradio.blogspot.com/2011/01/fcc-enforcement-actions-for-home-fm.html
Not so for FM. Those eBay flamethrowers (the sellers obviously either haven't a clue about Part 15 transmission, or they're ruthless and don't care) are getting people in trouble and causing a lot of work for the FCC. I think that sours the agency's taste for license-free radio in the BCB's, and is no help to those of us who are trying to operate legally, while at the same time hoping to develop a small community-oriented listener base.
Considering the ambiguities in the Part 15 AM rules, even different agents may have differing opinions on operating legality ... EXAMPLE: The rules themselves are based upon one type of antenna, a vertical monopole, although nowhere in the rules does it say this is the only allowable antenna type ... which is one reason why we see so many discussions and blog entries having to do with different antenna types.
Most of us Part 15'ers have something of a passion for experimentation anyway.
Here are the two main subsections we're interested in (watch linewraps):
But a 40' tower to which a Part 15 AM TX is grounded is certainly out-of-bounds. It's too bad KENC had to shut down its Part 15 operations, but we all learned some important lessons from it.
Hi there! this is only my opinion, but
if I was able to put a Part 15 AM cluster system
on the air, there are two things that I would
do.
And this is just me. I would get the first transmitter
up and running and see what the coverage area is.
Then I would take it one transmitter at a time until
the system was finished.
I would be low key. All of my listeners have been friends
and people I have known. I would talk to a lot of people
myself and maybe even give out some good radios. I would
just take it slowly.
We all wish you the very best, and hope that you can keep
us posted.
By the way, I have listened to KENC on the internet quite a
few times. Actually, I have listened to practically every Part
15 station that I know of. They are all good and it has been
fun to hear them.
Best Wishes,
Bruce, Dog Radio Studio 2
I will do just as you have suggested, Sir. I certainly will keep you all posted. Thanks again.
Be well all,
mpmiss