FCC Monitor: Another Iowa Signal Returns, Numerous LPTV Filings

Posted on by Jon Ellis

The following are updates to stories previously reported here, and smaller recent FCC filings that do not merit a full story of their own at this time:

Iowa

KROS Broadcasting received special temporary authority to operate K290CL/105.9 (Clinton) from an alternate tower following the Aug. 10 Iowa Derecho. The storm downed the tower that both KROS/1340 and K290CL had used. The translator is now broadcasting with full power of 250 Watts from a shorter tower at the KROS site. KROS itself returned to the air at reduced power days after the storm.

DTV America returned the licenses of a dozen low-power TV stations nationwide, including K30NF-D (Keokuk), KGLU-LD (Ottumwa), and KEJK-LD (Sioux City). No explanation for the decision was included in the cancellation applications. DTV America had reached a deal to sell KGLU-LD to SagamoreHill Broadcasting in 2017, but the sale never closed.

Minnesota

Independent Communications’ K18MO-D (Worthington) went off the air July 29 due to antenna damage. The translator relays FOX affiliate KTTW (Sioux Falls, SD).

North Dakota

iHeartMedia’s KMXA-FM/99.9 (Minot) has applied for a license to cover for its new 42kW/169m facility. The station’s former tower collapsed earlier this year and has co-located with two other stations at a different tower. Though its power has been dropped from 100kW, the station’s coverage area is largely unchanged due to the higher antenna height at the new site.

The FCC granted an application from Real Presence Radio’s K216DI/91.1 (Harvey) to move to a different site, upgrade from 50 to 250 Watts, and change frequency to 91.3 after a fire earlier this year. The new callsign will be K217GL. The station’s new site is farther from town, but it will retain its previous coverage area due to the higher power level.

Digital Networks-Midwest’s K21GQ (Minot) has applied to flash-cut from analog to digital. It would use 2kW.

Digital Networks-Midwest analog low-power TV station K40DE (Williston) has applied to move to channel 28 with 1kW digital. Broadcast channels 38 to 51 were discontinued as part of the recent spectrum repack.

Gray TV’s K30LR-D (Grand Forks) returned to the air on Aug. 19. The station, which relays CBS/CW affiliate KXJB-LD (Horace-Fargo), had gone off the air June 29 due to equipment issues.

South Dakota

The University of Northwestern-St. Paul applied to change the frequency, transmitter site, and primary station for K288GA/105.5 (Sioux Falls). K288GA would move to 101.5 and relocate to a tower site on the southern side of the city also used by UNWSP’s K298CY/107.5, where it would continue to use 220 Watts. The application states 101.5 would relay UNWSP’s KNWC-FM/96.5 (which could mean a future HD subchannel). K288GA was one of the signals UNWSP received from the “Refuge” donation last year and went silent in December after losing its tower lease. Prior to that, filings had listed “Faith Radio” station KNWC/1270 as K288GA’s primary station; K298CY also carries KNWC.

As noted above, DTV America returned the licenses of a dozen LPTV stations, including K20KI-D (Rapid City) and K22JU-D (Rapid City).

Digital Networks-Midwest applied to move analog low-power TV station K56GF (Sioux Falls) to channel 23, where it would transmit digitally with 2kW. The station had previously had a construction permit to move to channel 23 but it expired in 2015. The FCC discontinued broadcast channels 52 to 69 about a decade ago.

Wisconsin

Gray TV’s WEAU/13.1 (Eau Claire) is back up to full power after moving to RF channel 17 as part of the spectrum repack. It uses 740kW/615m from a tower near Fairchild.