The following are updates to previously-reported items and other recent regulatory filings and actions concerning Upper Midwest broadcast stations. This report is created by the author and is not an official report of the FCC.
Iowa
Following its recent frequency change, Eldora Broadcasting’s KDAO-FM/92.9 (Eldora) has applied to increase power from 6kW to 13.5kW, upgrading from class A to C3. Its antenna height would remain 100 meters. The boost would further increase KDAO-FM’s signal strength to Marshalltown (it upgraded from 3kW with the recent move from 99.5). Though the maximum facility for a class C3 station is 25kW/100m, KDAO-FM is requesting 13.5kW due to short-spacing of its current tower site with KATF/92.9 (Dubuque).
Following KDAO-FM’s recent move, MTN Broadcasting’s K224FM/92.7 (Grundy Center) has moved to 94.3 as K232GG. The translator reduced power slightly from 250 to 230 Watts. It relays MTN’s KDAO/1190 (Marshalltown).
An application for license to cover indicates Townsquare media’s WJOD/103.3 (Asbury-Dubuque) has completed its move to the WDBQ/KLYV site in Dubuque. The station remains class C3 but switched from 6.6kW/196m to 18kW/118m. The move places WJOD closer to its community of license; it previously transmitted from a site southeast of Dubuque.
The FCC approved Weigel/TV-49’s KDIT-LD/11 (Fort Dodge) a construction permit to change its community of license to Blue Earth, MN, using 3kW from a transmitter near Buffalo Center, IA. The KDIT-LD license is unrelated to co-owned KDIT-CD/45.1 (RF 17, Des Moines), which will remain unchanged.
Nebraska
My Bridge Radio’s K257GW/99.3 (Springfield) went off the air Sept. 27 due to the pending expiration of its tower site lease, according to an application for special temporary authority to remain silent. K257GW has a construction permit to move to a tower in western Omaha and states in its filing that the new facility will begin operations as soon as a directional antenna is delivered.
The FCC has approved CSS Catholic Communications’ purchase of K205FP/88.9 (Falls City) from the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission. As previously reported here, the FCC has already approved a construction permit for K205FP to move its transmitter to a site near Schubert, change frequency to 89.5, and upgrade from 62 Watts to 250 Watts with the new callsign K208GM.
North Dakota
The FCC approved an upgrade for Prairie Public Broadcasting’s KJRE/19.1 (RF20, Ellendale), which is currently off the air due to antenna damage. Plans call for KJRE to increase from its previous 72.3kW to 158kW and move the antenna slightly higher, from 167 to 181 meters above average terrain.
South Dakota
Forum Communications closed on its purchase of KNBN/21.1 (Rapid City) and KAUN-LD/25 (Sioux Falls) from Rapid Broadcasting and J.F. Broadcasting on Oct. 2. The deal also includes four low-power TV/translator stations in the Rapid City market.
Wisconsin
Magnum Media’s WRDB/1400 (Reedsburg) has returned to full power of 1kW daytime following replacement of a tower that collapsed during a 2022 winter storm. The station is reducing power to 640 Watts at night under its new facility.
DTV America’s W23FC-D/53.1 (Eau Claire) resumed full-power operations on Sept. 16.
Digital Networks-Midwest’s K18NQ-D (Rhinelander) was granted a construction permit to move to channel 33 with the new callsign W33EW-D. It will relocate its transmitter from Crandon to Lakewood using a highly-directional 2.5kW signal.
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.