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
Northwestern Media’s KNWS/1090 (Waterloo), which is currently licensed for daytime-only operation, has applied to use 57 Watts non-directional at night. The filing says the nighttime authorization is now possible due to a recent change by KAAY/1090 (Little Rock, Ark.), which dropped its nighttime power from 50kW to 3.4kW and downgraded from class A to class B.
K-Love Inc.’s K261DH/100.1 (Iowa City), which carries Air1, is operating at an unspecified reduced power “likely as a result of antenna damage.” The reduced-power operation began March 2.
Iowa Western Community College’s KIWR/89.7 (Council Bluffs) was granted special temporary authority to transmit at 25% of its licensed 100kW while the station works to resolve an antenna problem.
Michigan
Michigan Civic Media Alliance’s W221EH/92.1 (Ironwood) has applied to change to 92.3 and move its antenna 23 meters higher on the WIMI/99.7 tower in Montreal, Wis., remaining 250 Watts. W221EH relays WJMS/590.
Minnesota
Calvary Satellite Network’s K204ES/88.7 (Brainerd) has applied to move its transmitter from its current site southeast of town to a more central location, upgrading from 80 to 115 Watts.
HC2 Station Group’s K33LN-D (Minneapolis) notified the FCC that it has been operating at reduced power of 10.5kW since Feb. 23. It’s seeking special temporary authority to continue at the reduced power level while repairs are made.
South Dakota
The FCC approved special temporary authority for Gray Media’s K33MI-D (Aberdeen) to transmit at reduced power of 3kW while repairs are made.
The FCC has changed the callsign of Gray Media’s KABY-LD/20 (Sioux Falls) to K20PH-D in accordance with a new policy that TV translators must have alphanumeric callsigns rather than four-letter callsigns. It’s one of dozens of stations affected nationwide. K20PH-D relays Gray’s KSFY/13. The KABY callsign had been placed on the Sioux Falls station after Gray returned the license of the former KABY/9 (Aberdeen).
Wisconsin
Baraboo Broadcasting’s W25FT-D (Baraboo) was granted a construction permit to become W33FB-D (Madison) with 5.25kW. Meanwhile, the company’s W22FK-D (Baraboo) was granted a construction permit to become W29FW-D (La Crosse) with 7.5kW.
QueenB Television’s WPDR-LD/35 (Tomah) was granted a construction permit to move to Baraboo on channel 31, using 15kW.
QueenB Television’s WBDL-LD (Elk Mound-Eau Claire) has changed its callsign to W18FK-D. The move is apparently in accordance with a new FCC policy that TV translators must use alphanumeric callsigns (see item in South Dakota); WBDL-LD was not included on an FCC list of stations automatically assigned new callsigns. W18FK-D relays WKBT/8.1 (La Crosse).
The FCC granted special temporary authority for Gray Media’s W21DS-D (Sayner/Vilas County) to transmit at reduced power of 9kW, rather than its licensed 15kW, while transmitter repairs are made.
David Magnum’s W276CO/103.1 (Fond du Lac) returned to the air on March 10 and is now relaying WMBZ/92.5 (West Bend).
Good Karma Broadcasting’s WBEV-FM/95.3 (Beaver Dam) was granted an extension of special temporary authority to transmit with 1kW, rather than its licensed 6kW, while work continues to provide adequate air conditioning to cool the transmitter.
Cheq Bay Community Radio was granted a move of the planned transmitter site for future station WVCB-LP/97.7 (Ashland) from downtown Ashland to a state-owned tower in the industrial park on the east side of the city.