Another Pirate? or is it skip?

[SportscasterJohn]

Noticed a Spanish broadcast on 106.9 yesterday and today.  It's interfering with KRVF in Kerens, which had a strong signal in eastern Dallas County.  I thought with the weather that it might be skip, but I never heard any calls.

I know we've had pirates on open frequencies (95.7, and 99.9) but not on one that actually comes into the metroplex?

Anyone else heard this?

(Where's our pirate chaser?)

John

[Robert Bass]

It's probably tropo ducting.

R

[Mediafrog+]

You are probably hearing K295BF, whose 250 watt transmitter is located just NE of Royse City.  Fairly new signal (Radio-Locator.com still shows it as "off the air") that I first noticed a few weeks ago.  I've heard it booming in along the eastern end of the Bush Tollway near SH 78.  Runs Spanish language religious programming.

The station is actually a translator for KYLP-LP 101.5 in Greenville, which only runs 100 watts...so oddly, the translator is more powerful than the parent station.

Doesn't seem to bother KZZA 106.7 on my car radio but somewhat crowds the weaker KDXX 107.1.

[rbrucecarter5]

You are probably hearing K295BF, whose 250 watt transmitter is located just NE of Royse City.  Fairly new signal (Radio-Locator.com still shows it as "off the air") that I first noticed a few weeks ago.  I've heard it booming in along the eastern end of the Bush Tollway near SH 78.  Runs Spanish language religious programming.

The station is actually a translator for KYLP-LP 101.5 in Greenville, which only runs 100 watts...so oddly, the translator is more powerful than the parent station.

Doesn't seem to bother KZZA 106.7 on my car radio but somewhat crowds the weaker KDXX 107.1.

They come in very well in Plano - much better than they did when they were on 106.5.  It is nice to have 106.5 blank again. 

Don't worry - if KZZA decides to run IBOC, you won't ever hear them again.

[C414B]

The station is actually a translator for KYLP-LP 101.5 in Greenville, which only runs 100 watts...so oddly, the translator is more powerful than the parent station.

KZQX-LP Chalk Hill (near Longview) has the exact same situation going. 104.9 is licensed for 78 watts ERP (IIRC) and both translators (K259AW/Longview and K287AJ/Kilgore) are both more powerful.

[SportscasterJohn]

What I don't understand then, is why would the FCC grant a translator that would interfere with a station's signal.  Until this translator came on the air, KRVF was wall to wall in Mesquite (and for that matter, could be picked up in Greenville).   Since I do football on KRVF, and we have a game in Mesquite this fall, I won't be able to monitor the station (I know, boo hoo).  But the last time we did a game in Mesquite, we had a great signal..... in fact, we were picking it up on a walkman on the field. 

Someone really screwed up allowing this translator to happen so close to another signal, in my opinion.

John

[CW]

What I don't understand then, is why would the FCC grant a translator that would interfere with a station's signal.  Until this translator came on the air, KRVF was wall to wall in Mesquite (and for that matter, could be picked up in Greenville).   Since I do football on KRVF, and we have a game in Mesquite this fall, I won't be able to monitor the station (I know, boo hoo).  But the last time we did a game in Mesquite, we had a great signal..... in fact, we were picking it up on a walkman on the field. 

Someone really screwed up allowing this translator to happen so close to another signal, in my opinion.

John

If the translator is within the city grade contour of the other station, the full power station has a right to demand the translator be removed. If it is within the service contour of the full power station and is causing interference, same thing. IF the translator is outside the 1mV service protected contour of the full service FM, tough nitties according to Part 73, but then the FCC is never wrong

[txchipk]

Here's the 60 dBU coverage of K295BF from the FCC: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FX1157128.html.  Here's KRVF's: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM622047.html.


Based on how strong the signal of K295BF is in Plano/Richardson and other places, it does seem to make the most of the 250 watts it is licensed for.  From downtown Dallas, K295BF is 31 mies ENE; KRVF is 53 miles SSE.  Both have the same tower height, but KRVF is 21.5 kw, not .25 kw.  Even though K295BF is closer, it doesn't seem like the two should be about the same strength.