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
Knoxville’s Inspiration Radio has signed on new low-power FM station KTEW-LP/93.9 (Knoxville).
St. Gabriel Communications’ KCSL/89.9 (Spencer) was granted special temporary authority to operate at 750 Watts, instead of its licensed 22kW, due to electric power issues at the transmitter site.
Minnesota
R&J Broadcasting is seeking FCC approval to buy KKWQ/92.5 (Warroad), KRWB/1410 (Roseau), and KRWB translator K275BB/102.9 (Roseau) from Border Broadcasting for $1 and the assumption of some liabilities. As previously reported here, R&J has been operating the stations under a time brokerage agreement since Sept. 1, 2024. R&J owns 13 other full-power AM and FM stations in northern Minnesota.
R&J Broadcasting’s WWWI/1270 (Baxter-Brainerd) has applied to switch to non-directional operation at night, reducing power from 5kW to 45W. WWWI is currently licensed for 5kW non-directional during the day and has a construction permit to upgrade daytime power to 12kW non-directional; the pending application would retain the plan to increase daytime power to 12kW.
The University of Northwestern St. Paul’s K205GG/88.9 (Grand Rapids) was granted a construction permit to move to the KDGR/88.1 site, remaining 250 Watts and benefitting from a higher antenna height and more central location.
Edge Spectrum’s K15IS-D (Willmar), which is currently off the air, was granted a move to a different site, remaining 100 Watts.
Edge Spectrum’s W22FD-D (Dodge Center), which is currently off the air, applied to move from its present site in Hayfield to one near Brownsdale with 100 Watts.
Nebraska
The Nebraska Rural Radio Association’s KRVN/880 (Lexington) reports that it returned to its licensed 50kW directional nighttime facility on May 22 following repairs. The station had been using 12.5kW non-directional since last December under special temporary authority. KRVN’s 50kW non-directional daytime facility was unaffected.
North Dakota
The FCC granted special temporary authority to Real Presence Radio’s K217GL/91.7 (Harvey) to operate at reduced power while it waits for repairs to its main transmitter. The backup transmitter is using 102 Watts TPO; K217GL’s main transmitter usually uses 668 Watts TPO, resulting in 250 Watts ERP.
Wisconsin
VCY America’s W286DS/105.1 (Appleton) has returned to the air with reduced power of 27 Watts. It has also switched its input station to WVRN/88.9 (Wittenberg) since its previous primary station, WVCY/690 (Oshkosh), is temporarily off the air.
The FCC granted Family Worship Center Church’s WIWN/68.1 (Fond du Lac-Milwaukee) another extension of special temporary authority to transmit with increased power of 34kW. The increased power level has been used to overcome issues with the station’s VHF Low RF signal on channel 5, which transmits from Milwaukee.
Gray Media’s W21DS-D (Sayner/Vilas County) is operating at reduced power of 8.92kW, rather than its license 15kW, due to equipment issues. W21DS is a translator of WSAW (Wausau).
The FCC approved a modification to Gray Media’s construction permit for a future station on channel 26 in Eagle River to reduce the planned power from 80kW/162m to 1.4kW/45m.
Edge Spectrum’s W19DP-D (La Crosse), which is currently off the air, was granted a move from its currently-licensed site in Trempealeau to a new site in Winona, Minn., and increase power from 100 to 200 Watts.
Manitowoc Baptist Church was granted the callsign WBJR-LP for its future low-power FM station on 105.3 in Manitowoc and then immediately requested a callsign change to WBMB-LP.
Disclosure: Jon Ellis was an employee of Gray Media Group at the time this item was posted. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.