1490 KBRO in Bremerton...

[swhyde1980]

Hey guys!  Now that i'm living back here in Bremerton, I'm researching the possibility of LMA'ing KBRO, in exchange for creating an FM translator for it (101.9 FM was suggested) based on KONP's idea of putting an FM translaor in for their AM station.  Format would be similalr to JACK FM but with a wider playlist, with the Armed Forces Radio Network news and local news at the top of the hour.  I think we'd have some good local advertisers here.  Any ideas on taking this idea to the station's owners?  And how do you think the station would go?

[Bill Wolfenbarger]

An FM translator can only be used with an AM station if the FM translator was licensed before the rules permitting the translators.  I don't see that such a translator exists.

[toddort]

You'd have to find a translator already on the air or with a CP in order to do it. KONP "built" a translator by buying an existing license allocated to Port Angeles. It also was in the "commercial" part of the FM band. (Which you would need to translate 1490) Looking at the FCC database shows there are no translators available in the Bremerton area that fit the bill.

[Shiny Knob]

My suggestion is to get in touch with the owner first. He's pretty bright and has a serious plan that involves all 3 of the group properties, KBRO plus his stations in Lakewood and Oly as part of the ESPN Spanish language network.

The FCC contact info for KBRO is here:
https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101087732&formid=303&fac_num=48248

It's not just a sleepy little owner going nowhere by any means.

Biggest technical issue for this plan is that even if an existing translator could be located and moved into the hole, the FM signal can only fill in the 1 mV/m contour of the AM station. The contour for KBRO only covers Bremerton and the downtown part of Seattle close to the water. It's a tough project with the existing AM signal.

But I'll bet that if your idea shows him a good profit potential, he'd talk to you about it.

[swhyde1980]

Sounds like I'd have to go with the owner to the FCC, and create a new allotment for Bremerton, for a class D translator.  Either that or go translator hunting.  And obviously 104.5 would stomp on the signal if selected.

[Scoobyfan1]

I'm not really involved in radio but that sounds like a great idea; probably what I would do if I bought a radio station too.

[FMSteve]

It's my understanding that only AM stations that have very poor nighttime patterns are eligible to operate an FM translator, and KBRO operates with the same pattern night and day. Their property down in Tacoma rebroadcasts on 92.1 FM as their nighttime AM signal does not extend to their daytime 60 dbu contour and thus was eligible.

Secondly, 101.9 is already filed as a new app with Calvary Chapel in Seattle and that would certainly interfere with any new Bremerton application. Now about the merits of Calvary Chapel's 2003 "great translator invasion" application.........don't get me started...........

[FMSteve]

Oh..I should add that AM station are measured by 1 m/v per meter, not 60 dbu. Somebody correct me if that's in error as I am not an engineer.....

[swhyde1980]

I'm wondering if it would work out, to get a 3-way deal worked, to get KMTT's 103.3 translator moved out of Seattle and into Bremerton (Provided that Entercom wants to sell it).

[Bill Wolfenbarger]

Sounds like I'd have to go with the owner to the FCC, and create a new allotment for Bremerton, for a class D translator.

Because that's not how it works.  Translator applications can only be made during a filing window.  The last window a fews years back over whelmed the commission, and there are still a large number of translator apps that are in limbo, MXd to others.  And now, many of those applications (including a few of mine) may get tossed after all this time because of changes inthe LPFM procedures.

The second point, which I made many posts ago, is that AM stations can only utilize FM translators that were in existence before the Rule allowing such.  You would have to find an existing translator, and figure out within the rules whether it could be moved so that the contour matched the AM contour.

The third point is that it has absolutely nothign to do with how good the AM signals is at night.  It is all determined by the AM daytime contour in the FCC database.  An AM with 1kw day, 12 watts night, will have a 24 hour contour to match the AM daytime contour.