Illinois
Nexstar CBS affiliate WHBF-TV/4.1 (Rock Island-Quad Cities) filed a resumption of operations notification reporting that it returned to the air with reduced power on March 13 after resolving a transmitter/tower issue. Its programming was still available on KGCW/26.4 (Burlington-Quad Cities) during the outage, which began Jan. 31.
Iowa
Kirkwood Community College’s K295AC/106.9 (Iowa City) has returned to the air after moving to a new transmitter site. It is now co-located with KZIA’s K253BE/98.5 (Iowa City) and continues to relay the college’s KCCK/88.3 (Cedar Rapids).
Iowa Public Radio closed on its purchase of K231DI/94.1 (Des Moines) from Youngers Colorado Broadcasting on March 20. K231DI was already relaying IPR’s WOI-FM/90.1 (Ames).
Educational Media Foundation’s KQKL/95.3 (Keokuk) informed the FCC that it has been operating at an unspecified reduced power since March 14 due to transmitter failure.
Digital Networks-Midwest’s K31PO-D (Des Moines), which is currently licensed to transmit from Marshalltown, has applied to move to a tower south of Collins with a highly-directional 2.5kW signal. The permit would replace a previous permit to use 2kW from a tower west of Collins. The low-power TV license began its life in Waterloo.
Manitoba
The CRTC granted Dufferin Communications’ CFJL-FM/100.5 (Winnipeg) and CHWE-FM/106.1 (Winnipeg) one-year extensions of plans their transmitters to the tower site of co-owned CKJS-FM/92.7. Dufferin says the extensions are needed to manage costs in light of other expenditures and priorities. The authorizations now expire May 9, 2025. With the move, CFJL will switch from 100kW/206m to 100kW/185m and CHWE will upgrade from 40kW/175m to 77kW/185m.
Michigan
Cornerstone Community Radio is selling the construction permit for new station WLWS/89.1 (Iron Mountain) to West Central Michigan Media Ministries for $13,000. The buyer operates the “Strong Tower Radio” network, which also has Upper Peninsula stations in Escanaba, Ironwood, and Newberry. The CP calls for WLWS to transmit with 15kW/155m (class C3).
Aurora Media’s W280GB/103.9 (Escanaba) has applied to move its transmitter to the tower of co-owned WYKX/104.7 northwest of the city, with WYKX listed as the primary station. It would continue to transmit with 250 Watts. W256EE/99.1 (Escanaba) also transmits from the tower as a translator of WYKX.
See also a Michigan-related item listed under Wisconsin
Minnesota
We Have This Hope Christian Radio’s WYNJ/89.5 (Blackduck) has applied for a construction permit to replace its expired permit to increase power from 800 Watts to 10kW, switching to a directional antenna to limit the signal towards Bemidji. The previous permit expired March 18.
Nebraska
The FCC granted Soulful Praise a construction permit for a new low-power FM station on 89.3 in Omaha, using 58 Watts. The station plans to air Gospel music, local church programming, and local talk shows.
The FCC granted Dvyne Soulz Inc. a construction permit for a new low-power FM station on 97.3 in Lincoln, using 50 Watts. The group’s application described the planned radio station as “a platform for change, a place where voices are heard, ideas are shared, and talent is nurtured” and said it will offer community members the opportunity to learn technical skills and broadcast journalism.
North Dakota
In a request for an extension of special temporary authority for K295BR/106.9 (Dickinson) to remain silent, the University of Northwestern-St. Paul reported that it is considering the sale of K295BR. The filing stated that the potential buyer’s board will make a decision at a mid-April meeting.
Ontario
The CRTC granted North Superior Broadcasting an extension of time to upgrade CFNO-FM-7 / 107.1 (Nakina). The transmitter, which relays CFNO-FM/93.1 (Marathon), will increase power from 40 to 110 Watts and change power from class LP to class A. The station said it was unable to meet the March 10 deadline due to the availability of construction crews during the winter months. Though only a six-month extension was requested, the CRTC’s website indicates a year-long extension was granted with a new deadline of March 10, 2025.
Wisconsin
The FCC granted the L.D.F. Business Development Corporation, a business arm of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, a construction permit for a new station on 92.9 in Lac du Flambeau. The new station will use 6kW/54m from a tower in Lac du Flambeau. There were no other applicants for the frequency, which was reserved as a tribal allotment.
The FCC granted Kingsford Community Radio a construction permit for a new low-power FM station on 105.9 in Goodman, using 100 Watts. The permittee currently owns WGKZ-LP/88.7 (Quinnesec, MI) and holds a construction permit for a new 130-Watt Class A station on 88.1 in Iron Mountain, MI, and has pledged to divest both authorizations prior to signing on the Goodman station. WGKZ-LP told Facebook followers last July that it intends to move its programming to a new frequency.
Magnum Communications’ W271DQ/102.1 (Baraboo) applied to move closer to Madison. Currently transmitting from a high elevation southeast of Baraboo, the translator has applied to move to a tower in northern Dane County. The proposed 200-Watt signal would reach DeForest and Waunakee, with WAUN/1350 (Portage) remaining as the translator’s originating station. WAUN is also rebroadcast on W245DQ/96.9 (De Forest), but the application notes that the overlap between the two translators is less than 50%.
Civic Media’s W255DN/98.9 (Wausau) informed the FCC that it is operating at an unspecified reduced power due to antenna damage caused by a windstorm at the end of February. W255DN is licensed for 235 Watts and has a construction permit to upgrade to 250 Watts.
Cumulus Media’s WNAM/1280 (Neenah-Menasha) reports that it resumed using its regular daytime directional antenna pattern on March 7 after resolving a problem which had kept the station in nighttime mode 24 hours per day.
Intentional Life Media’s WJTY/88.1 (Lancaster) reports that it returned to full power of 7kW on March 21. It had operated at reduced power since Feb. 3 after the failure of the main transmitter, which has been replaced.
Sinclair’s WCWF (RF 15, Suring-Green Bay) has reduced power from 700kW to 600kW after the FCC granted a construction permit for the change. WCWF transmits in ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) format.
Digital Networks-Midwest’s W21EF-D (Waupaca), which is currently licensed to transmit from a site near Oshkosh, has applied to use 2.5kW directional from a site just east of Fond du Lac. It would replace a previous construction permit to use 2kW directional from a site south of Fond du Lac.
Disclosure: Jon Ellis is an employee of Gray Media Group. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.