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
The FCC dismissed an application from West Des Moines-based St. Gabriel Communications to modify the construction permit for future station KCLG/88.7 (Odebolt). The station was originally granted 100kW/51m from Odebolt and applied to move to a location east of Odebolt using 31kW/84m, cutting in half the number of people who would receive their first non-commercial educational service from the new station. That prompted an informal objection from Albert Adam David, who contended that the change violated the FCC’s four year “holding period” for new non-comm stations. On June 13, the FCC issued a letter granting David’s objection and giving St. Gabriel Communications 30 days to modify its application. No modification was filed and the application was formally dismissed on July 16. The original CP for 100kW from Odebolt remains valid until April 2025 and the station can apparently still file a new modification application.
The FCC granted Sinclair’s KGAN/2.1 (Cedar Rapids, RF 29) an increase in antenna height from 585 to 604 meters above average terrain. As reported here in previous weeks, the move is part of a larger project that will result in a combined antenna shared with Gray’s KCRG-TV/9.1 (Cedar Rapids, to be RF 32) and Iowa PBS’ KRIN/32.1 (Waterloo, RF 35).
The FCC granted Iowa Public Radio’s K231DI/94.1 (Des Moines) a slight power increase from 119 to 140 Watts, changing to a different directional antenna that slightly adds coverage to the north without much change to the south. K231DI also will switch its input to KICJ/88.9 (Mitchellville); it has relayed WOI-FM/90.1 (Ames) since moving to 94.1 a few months ago.
Michigan
VCY America’s WVCN/104.3 (Baraga) reports that it went off the air June 18. The station has requested special temporary to remain silent while efforts are underway to replace the station’s main feedline. In January, the station had been granted special temporary authority to transmit at reduced power of about 3kW, rather than its licensed 100kW, after winds damaged the station’s antenna on Dec. 27.
The FCC has approved West Central Michigan Media Ministries’ $13,000 purchase of the construction permit for future station WLWS/89.1 (Iron Mountain) from Cornerstone Community Radio. The buyer operates the “Strong Tower Radio” network.
Minnesota
The Salvation Poem Foundation applied to modify the construction permit for future station WEQH/88.3 (Harmony) to reduced the planned power from 10kW/64m (class C3) to 2.2kW/91m (class A). The planned transmitter site would remain in Iowa, rimshotting Decorah and Cresco.
Edge Spectrum’s K25QC-D (Lake Crystal) reported that it is operating at reduced power of 250 Watts due to reflective power issues. It’s licensed for 7.5kW.
Northfield Media filed an amendment to its application to transfer the license of KYMN/1080 (Northfield) to clarify that there is no local marketing agreement between Northfield Media and the buyer, R.R. Larson & Associates LLC.
North Dakota
DTV America’s K15MR-D (Fargo) reports that it returned to the air on July 11.
Fargo Baptist Church’s KCBJ/90.7 (Jamestown) reports that it returned to full power on July 12 after antenna repairs.
Edge Spectrum’s K43JQ-D/K23OL-D (Bismarck), which is currently silent, was granted a modification to its channel 23 construction permit to move the transmitter to a site south of the city with 2kW.
American Christian Radio closed on its $1 purchase of the construction permit for future station KYPT/90.7 (Minot) from Berean Baptist Church on July 17.
South Dakota
The FCC approved Mid-Century Radio’s purchase of KRKI/99.5 (Keystone-Rapid City), KFMH/101.9 (Belle Fourche-Rapid City), and KXZT/107.9 (Newell) from Bad Lands Broadcasting on July 16, and the deal closed on July 19.
Wisconsin
AMC Partners Rice Lake’s WAQE-FM/97.7 (Barron) has applied for an upgrade from 15.5kW/88m to 10kW/157m, remaining class C3. The new facility would use a slightly directional antenna to prevent prohibited overlap with KNXR/97.5 (Rochester, MN). The change would also include moving the transmitter about two miles south from the longtime WAQE transmitter site to the WAQE/WJMC/WKFX studio site.
The FCC has granted two frequency changes as a result of the recent sign-on of WEQR/100.9 (Tomahawk).
- Albert Broadcasting II’s W264CH/100.7 (Tomahawk) will move to 97.7 as W249EJ. The frequency change is due to . The translator, which relays WJJQ/810, will remain 250 Watts.
- The New Testament Church’s WDYD-LP/100.9 (Merrill) will move to 102.5, remaining 100 Watts.
Following its earlier reduced-power notification, VCY America’s WEGZ/105.9 (Washburn) requested special temporary authority to operate at 2kW ERP while it awaits the delivery and installation of a new transmitter. WEGZ normally transmits with 100kW.
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.