Signal Shuffle Would Create New Core Des Moines FM

Des Moines would get a new core FM signal as part of a four-station frequency change submitted for FCC approval.

VCY America’s KVDI/99.3 (Huxley) proposes moving to 99.5 and upgrading to 50kW/146m (class C2) from a site on the east side of Des Moines. KVDI currently rimshots the capital city from the north with a 5.3kW/95m (class A) signal.

To make way for the move, Eldora Broadcasting’s KDAO-FM/99.5 (Eldora) would move to 92.9 and get a slight power boost from 3kW to 6kW, remaining at 100m (class A). The power boost would improve KDAO-FM’s signal to Marshalltown.

KDAO-FM’s move to 92.9 would displace K224FM/92.7 (Grundy Center), which relays KDAO/1190 (Marshalltown). K224FM has applied to move to 94.3, dropping slightly from 250W to 230W.

And to make way for KDAO-FM’s move, VCY’s unbuilt construction permit for KVPI/92.9 (Rockford) would move to 94.7 and modify its planned facility slightly to 3.1kW/65m (class A).

Longtime listeners will recall that 99.5 in the Des Moines area was previously occupied by KPUL (Winterset), which moved to 101.7 in 2015.

KVDI is the former KFGQ-FM/99.3 (Boone), which moved to its present site in 2015. VCY bought the station in 2021.