FCC Gives Approval for KARE Move to UHF

The FCC has approved KARE 11’s plan to move to a UHF frequency, though the station must first go through the formality of applying for a construction permit.

A report and order issued Wednesday approved the substitution of UHF channel 31 for VHF channel 11 in Minneapolis on the DTV Table of Allotments. KARE has proposed using 1,000kW on channel 31, but could continue to show up as channel 11.1 on receivers.

As previously reported here, the Tegna NBC affiliate has said that it needs to leave VHF to fix reception complaints.

The move will leave FOX owned-and-operated KMSP/9 as the only TV station transmitting on VHF in the Twin Cities, though its main FOX channel is simulcast on the RF channel 29 signal of sister station WFTC and appears as channel 9.1.

With the spectrum repack complete, numerous other VHF TV stations have also applied to move to UHF, including WLUK Green Bay, KCRG Cedar Rapids, KSNB Superior, NE, and KHGI Kearney, NE.