The following are updates to stories previously reported here and other recent FCC filings and actions:
Iowa
Weigel Broadcasting class A digital TV station KDAO-CD (Marshalltown) changed its callsign to KDIT-CD and informed the FCC that its new transmission site, midway between Marshalltown and Des Moines, has been constructed.
The FCC approved license renewal for Waldorf College’s KZOW/91.9 (Forest City) after reaching a consent decree with Waldorf operator Mayes Education resolving concerns about the station’s compliance with public file obligations.
Minnesota
Asian American Broadcasting’s KFXN/690 (Minneapolis) submitted a license to cover application indicating that its upgrade to 1.7kW non-directional daytime is complete. It also operates with 5 Watts at night. The station had been transmitting at reduced power of 120 Watts since last year, when one of the three towers the station had used since 1962 fell.
CBS’ WCCO-TV/4.1 (RF 32, Minneapolis) requested an extension of special temporary authority to transmit with 750kW/456m rather than the 1,000kW/456m specified in its construction permit. The request repeats a previous statement that the reduced power is needed to “accommodate a series of facility changes by other DTV stations at the multi‐use tower facility in Shoreview,” which included KARE’s recent move to RF channel 31 using an antenna shared with WCCO. The latest request says WCCO’s reduced power operation is not expected to exceed 60 days.
The FCC approved a frequency change for future FM translator K287CJ/105.3 (Brainerd) to 105.1 as K286DB. The translator was granted during the AM Revitalization effort to relay Hubbard Radio’s KLIZ/1380.
The University of Northwestern-St. Paul applied to move K220BI/91.9 and K288BF/105.5 (Grand Marais) to a different tower and operate them both from the same antenna, using 23 Watts non-directional. Currently, K220BI uses 34 Watts non-directional while K288BF uses 122 Watts with a directional antenna sending most of the signal over Lake Superior. K220BI carries “Faith Radio” from KLBF (Lincoln, ND) while K288BF relays “Life 97-3” (KDNW Duluth).
South Dakota
The FCC approved license renewal for Lakota Communications’ KILI/90.1 (Porcupine) after reaching a consent decree resolving concerns about the station’s compliance with public file obligations.
Wisconsin
New DTV America low-power TV station W23FC-D (Eau Claire) has signed on. Newsy had already listed W23FC as an affiliate on channel 23.3, and a report on AVS Forums indicates it’s carrying Defy on 23.1 and TrueReal on 23.2. The new station’s coverage area reaches Menomonie, overlapping on the same RF 23 frequency with KTCI/2.3 (St. Paul) and the same virtual channel 23 as WUCW/23.1 (Minneapolis).
Gray TV ABC affiliate WBAY-TV/2.1 (Green Bay) reported that it resumed full power operations of 1,000kW on Oct. 16. The station had been at reduced power of 470kW due to unspecified equipment failure.
Randal B. Hopper’s RBH Enterprises informed the FCC on Oct. 21 that new FM translator W264DN/100.7 (Fond du Lac) is operating pursuant to construction permit program test authority. W264DN was granted during the FCC’s AM Revitalization effort to relay KFIZ/1450. The FM frequency has not yet been mentioned on KFIZ’s website or Facebook page.
With its license to cover recently granted, new Magnum Communications FM translator W253DH/98.5 (Baraboo) applied to move its transmitter from its presently-licensed site between Wisconsin Dells and Portage to a taller tower near Baraboo with 210 Watts. The proposed new location is owned by American Towers and is the longtime site of Audacy’s WOLX/94.9 (Baraboo-Madison). W253DH was granted during the AM Revitalization window to relay WDLS/900 (Wisconsin Dells).