The following are updates to stories previously reported here and smaller recent FCC filings and actions that do not merit a full story of their own at this time:
Michigan
Radio Results Network/AMC Partners Escanaba applied for a license to cover for new translator W228DQ/93.5 (Escanaba), which relays the News/Talk/Sports format of WCHT/600. The 250-Watt FM signal was granted as part of the FCC’s AM revitalization effort.
Gray TV NBC/FOX affiliate WLUC/6.1 (Marquette) was granted a construction permit to upgrade from 63kW to 100kW, remaining on RF channel 35.
Minnesota
Hmong Radio Broadcast’s K294AM/106.7 (West St. Paul) requested special temporary authority to transmit with 50 Watts as work at its licensed transmission site, a water tower, nears completion. The station has been off the air for nearly a year and says in its filing that the scheduled date for its antenna to be remounted is one day before its statutory deadline to return to the air. It’s requesting a temporary facility to ensure that it is able to meet the deadline. The station was owned by Fresh Air Radio (KFAI) when it was last on the air. Hmong Radio Broadcast plans to use K294AM to relay the HD3 signal of Northern Lights Broadcasting’s KQGO/96.3 (Edina-Minneapolis), which is already carrying Hmong programming. Hmong Radio Broadcast also owns WIXK/1590 (New Richmond, WI) and has received FCC approval to purchase WIXK translator W277CW/103.3 (New Richmond). (This item was updated 11/29 to reflect that the FCC has now approved the sale of W277CW).
Maranatha Assembly of God Church’s W219DT/91.7 (North Branch) was granted a construction permit to move its transmitter to the church property in Wyoming, MN. See the item from a few weeks ago for details.
Hubbard Broadcasting ABC affiliate KSTP-TV/5.1 (St. Paul) was granted a construction permit to upgrade from 755kW to 1,000kW, remaining on RF channel 35.
Following up on an item from a couple of weeks ago, Edge Spectrum’s K26KF-D (Duluth) and K35JN-D (Duluth) were granted special temporary authority to transmit with 100 Watts.
The FCC approved modifications for KSJN/99.5 (Minneapolis) and KNTN/102.7 (Thief River Falls) to convert their licenses to non-commercial status.
South Dakota
The University of Northwestern-St. Paul’s K288GA/105.5 (Sioux Falls) applied for a license to cover, telling the FCC the station is operating pursuant to construction permit program test authority from its new site on the southern edge of the city. The station had originally applied to also change frequency to 101.5 with the move but later amended its application to remain on 105.5. It relays sister station KNWC-FM/96.5 (Sioux Falls).
J.F. Broadcasting’s KCWS-LP/27 (Sioux Falls) reported that it went off the air Oct. 22 “due to a ventilation problem which caused the station transmitter to overheat.”
Wisconsin
Morgan Murphy Media CBS affiliate WISC-TV/3.1 (Madison) increased its power from 10.2kW to 46.9kW, remaining on RF channel 11. WISC was paid to move from UHF to VHF High as part of the FCC’s spectrum auction. Viewers had reported difficulty receiving the station on its new frequency.
The FCC granted NEWS 3 NOW permission to boost our broadcast signal. Viewers using an antenna should rescan their TVs today! pic.twitter.com/rD6bN8X5Vd
— News 3 Now / Channel 3000 (@WISCTV_News3) November 18, 2020
Word of God Fellowship/Daystar was granted a construction permit to move the transmitter of WDMW-LD/24 to a site near North Prairie, rimshotting the southeastern Milwaukee suburbs with 250 Watts. WDMW remains licensed to Janesville though it is currently licensed to transmit from a site near Whitewater.
Magnum Media applied to move the construction permit for future FM translator W277DV/103.3 (Fort Atkinson) to the southwest. W277DV would transmit with 250 Watts from a site south of Edgerton with a highly directional antenna limiting the signal towards W277AE/103.3 (Madison), WADR-LP/103.5 (Janesville), and W277BM (Lake Geneva). W277DV was granted during the AM revitalization window to relay WFAW/940 (Fort Atkinson).
WRVM, Inc. station WXVM/104.1 (Merrill-Wausau) requested an extension of special temporary authority to operate at 1.2kW ERP instead of its licensed 8.3kW ERP. WXVM began transmitting from a site in Wausau in early 2019 but reported a partial antenna failure in November 2019. The station’s latest filing says it has replaced the entire antenna system after several tower crew visits but more replacement parts are still needed. It says the project was slowed by the shortage of tower crews caused by the TV repack, the pandemic, and poor summer weather, and now faces competition with hunting season and impending winter weather.
Carroll University’s WCCX/104.5 (Waukesha) filed a license renewal application following the FCC’s notice that its license would be deleted if it did not file the application by Dec. 1.