The following are updates to stories previously reported here and other recent FCC filings and actions:
Iowa
Saga Communications’ KOEZ/104.1 (Ames-Des Moines) is seeking an extension of special temporary authority as it continues to await an FCC decision on its long-term plans for recovering from a partial collapse of its 1,025-foot tower in January. As reported here earlier, the station plans to keep the tower at its newly-reduced height, using 100kW/282m. The FCC has not yet acted on the application. In the interim, Saga wants to keep using a 58kW/166m facility from the same site.
KMGO/98.7 (Centerville) requested another extension of special temporary authority following a 2016 lightning strike. KMGO had transmitted from near Centerville with 100kW/138m but is using a temporary facility near Melrose with 19.5kW/124m. The station has a construction permit to operate from a different tower near Melrose with 100kW/321m.
Minnesota
Landover 2, LLC was granted modifications for low-power TV construction permits displaced from their current channels: K47OF-D (Oakland) to is now K30QY-D with 15kW, K50NJ-D (Rushmore) is now K19NC-D with 15kW, K39LX-D (Sauk Centre) is now K21PF-D with 15kW, K50NB-D (Wells) is now K34QZ-D with 5kW, and K26MG-D (Wells) is now K23PT-D with 5kW. K26MG-D was displaced from channel 26 by the repack of KXLT (Rochester) to that channel, while the others were displaced by last year’s discontinuation of channels 38 and up. (The number in a low-power TV callsign refers to its channel.)
The FCC approved the sale of future low-power TV station K31LP-D (St. Cloud) from DTV America to Lowcountry 34 Media, LLC. The station faces a January 2022 construction deadline and will likely also have to change channels due to the pending move of KARE (Minneapolis) to RF channel 31.
Nebraska
The FCC deleted Digital Networks-Midwest’s construction permit for new low-power TV station K27MP-D (Norfolk), which was not constructed by the July 13 deadline and did not seek an extension.
South Dakota
James River Broadcasting’s K276GT/103.1 (Pierre) applied for a license to cover, a filing which indicates the new station has been constructed and is ready to go on the air. The application does not specify whether K276GT is currently transmitting. The 250-Watt translator was granted during the AM Revitalization effort to relay KGFX/1060, which is also heard on K296FI/107.1 (Pierre). The translators transmit from the same tower. K296FI’s license is not directly tied to KGFX and could potentially be switched to relay another station.
Meanwhile, KGFX/1060 (Pierre) says hot summer weather and wildfires have prevented it from completing repairs to its directional antenna pattern, which has been operating at a variance since 2017. Previous filings have cited weather conditions, component failures, the COVID-19 pandemic, and gopher damage to wiring as reasons for delays. KGFX submitted an eighth request for special temporary authority to operate its 10kW day/1kW night facility at a variance.
Wisconsin
Gray TV ABC affiliate WBAY-TV/2.1 (Green Bay) is transmitting at reduced power due to unspecified equipment failure. The station, which normally broadcasts with 1,000kW, is temporarily using 470kW.
Milwaukee Media LLC’s WIWN/68.1 (Fond du Lac-Milwaukee) was granted an extension of special temporary authority to operate at increased power of 34kW. The station has said that the higher power, rather than its licensed 9kW, is needed to reach viewers due to its VHF Low signal on RF channel 5. The FCC has still not acted on WIWN’s 2018 application to increase to 48kW permanently.
Seehafer Broadcasting’s WLTU/92.1 (Manitowoc) is transmitting at reduced power following a July 15 lightning strike. The station’s request for special temporary authority says the strike “damaged the transmitter, the transmission line, and perhaps the antenna.” It normally transmits with 3.7kW ERP but is using a transmitter that puts out 300 Watts (the ERP was not specified in the filing).
Future FM translator W277DV/103.3 (Fort Atkinson), which will transmit from near Edgerton, was granted a move to 101.1 under the callsign W266DX. The frequency change will allow the 250-Watt signal to use a less-directional antenna, improving its signal to Janesville. It will relay WFAW/940 (Fort Atkinson).
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