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
Iowa Public Radio’s WOI/640 (Ames-Des Moines) has returned to its licensed facility of 5kW non-directional day and 1kW directional night. WOI had been using 250 Watts non-directional at night for the past several months due to a problem with its directional array.
American Christian Radio closed on its purchase of KPVL/89.1 (Postville) from Community Public Media on April 15.
The Edge Spectrum’s K22LJ-D (Mason City) and K35PA-D (Mason City), which are currently off the air, have applied to move to a different site. K22LJ would upgrade slightly from 400 to 450 Watts while K35PA would downgrade slightly from 600 to 350 Watts.
The Edge Spectrum’s K31PP-D (Sioux City), which is currently off the air, has applied to move to a different site, remaining 100 Watts.
Minnesota
Following the death of J. David Linder, the licensees of 21 radio stations in the Mankato, Owatonna, Marshall, and Willmar markets have requested FCC approval to transfer his interest in the companies to Thomas Linder. Through a trust, J. David Linder was a 50% voting member of Subarctic Media and Lakeland Media and a 45% voting shareholder of Blooming Prairie Farm Radio.
Hubbard Radio’s K235BP/94.9 (Bemidji) has returned to the air on 95.1 as K236DA. As noted here last week, the translator has moved to the group’s downtown studio. It transmits with 100 Watts and relays KBUN/1450.
Northwestern Media’s K217GP/91.3 (Fairmont), formerly K202EN/88.3, signed on April 13 carrying Faith Radio from KLBF (Lincoln, ND) via satellite. K202EN was displaced from 88.3 by a new full-power license owned by a different group.
The FCC granted a modification to the City of Cottage Grove’s construction permit for WGRO-LP/104.5 (Cottage Grove) to move its transmitter closer to the city. The permit now calls for 36 Watts from a tower on Cottage Grove’s eastern border. As previously reported here, a typo in the city’s original application placed the transmitter eleven miles south of the intended site.
Northwestern Media’s KDGR/88.1 (Grand Rapids), which signed on last month, reports that it is operating at 68% of its licensed 5kW ERP while it awaits replacement parts for its transmitter. The filing says repairs may be completed by May 9.
The Edge Spectrum’s K31LN-D (Rochester), which is currently off the air, has applied to move to a different site, remaining 100 Watts.
North Dakota
Gray Media’s K35PO-D (Bismarck) went off the air April 16 due to damage to its transmitter feed line.
Wisconsin
Columbus Community Radio is transferring the construction permit for future station WAWA/91.1 (Columbus) to Radio 74 Internationale for no consideration. WAWA faced an April 19 construction deadline; its status is not immediately known. It will serve an area near Madison.
Bellowing Ox Properties was granted a modification of its construction permit for new low-power FM station WPBO-LP/104.7 (Platteville) to relocate the transmitter to a site northeast of town, using 7 Watts at 110m.
The Edge Spectrum applied to move W30BU-D (Green Bay) to a new site and reduce power from 1kW to 500W.
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.