FCC Monitor: Partial Tower Collapse, Two Iowa LPFM’s Deleted

Posted on by Jon Ellis

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

Iowa

Saga Communications’ KOEZ/104.1 (Ames-Des Moines) is transmitting at reduced power after a partial tower collapse. The top 100 feet of its tower fell during a winter storm on Jan. 31 but a station filing says the rest of the tower appears to be structurally sound. KOEZ is using 58kW/166m from a four-bay antenna that was already side-mounted on the tower; it’s licensed for 100kW/308m (class C0). FCC records indicate the tower in Boone County, which was previously 1,025 feet tall, was constructed in 1985. Radio World has more on the collapse.

The FCC deleted the licenses of low-power FM stations KBOL-LP/100.1 (Waterloo) and KRUU-LP/100.1 (Fairfield) after the stations did not apply for license renewal. KRUU’s website says it ended regular programming three years ago and that its licensee, Fairfield Youth Advocacy, was interested in transferring the station to a different group, but no application to transfer the license was filed. KBOL-LP had been owned by The Community Outreach, Inc. Here’s KBOL in 2012:

Jomast Corp. signed on 250-Watt K280GT/103.9 (Sigourney), relaying the Classic Hits format of KMZN/740 (Oskaloosa). K280GT was granted as part of the AM revitalization effort. KMZN is also relayed on K258BG/99.5 (Oskaloosa), which existed prior to the AM revitalization windows.

Minnesota

Asian American Broadcasting’s KFXN/690 (Minneapolis) requested extension of special temporary authority to use 120 Watts non-directional daytime, saying it’s not yet ready to implement a recently-granted construction permit to upgrade to 1.7kW non-directional daytime. The station had used 500 Watts directional daytime for decades until a tower collapse last summer.

North Dakota

G.I.G., Inc. filed a resumption of operations notice for KCPM-LP/2 (Fargo), saying the analog low-power TV station resumed operations on Feb. 3.

South Dakota

Dakota Broadcasting’s KABD/107.7 (Ipswich-Aberdeen) is transmitting at 70% of its usual 51kW ERP after a lightning strike damaged its transmitter. The station’s filing says it may not be able to maintain the 70% power level until the new transmitter is installed and is seeking permission to use anywhere between 2kW and 51kW as needed.