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
Augustana College’s K289BI/105.7 (Davenport) was granted a construction permit to move to 98.3 as W252EM, which will be accompanied by a slight increase in power from 220 to 250 Watts. Though the station will stay at its current transmitter site, the frequency change could expand coverage by eliminating co-channel interference from other regional stations on 105.7. The college announced earlier this year that it plans to put a Classical format on the translator and switch WVIK/90.3 (Rock Island) to full-time News.
Minnesota
Family Worship Center Church’s K219FA/91.7 (Alexandria) completed a move to a more centrally-located transmitter site with an upgrade from 50 to 87 Watts.
Nebraska
Hickory Radio’s K287CB/105.3 (Glenwood, IA-Omaha) applied to move to 104.1 and upgrade from 20 to 235 Watts, transmitting from a tower near the intersection of I-80 and I-480. Though the frequency change is more than would normally be allowed, K287CB says the change is needed to escape interference from KFMT/105.5 (Fremont). The application lists “Boomer Radio” station KIBM/1490 (Omaha) as the station to be rebroadcast. The 104.1 frequency was previously used by “Boomer” translator K281CJ/104.1 from 2017 to 2019 before it moved to 106.5 as K293CX.
North Dakota
New station KQYZ/99.1 (Emerado) submitted an application for license to cover, a filing which signifies the facility has been constructed. Programming is unknown, though it has a website. The 100-Watt commercial station’s coverage area includes Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Frank Digital Broadcasting’s K31MP-D (Grand Forks) informed the FCC that it went off the air on Sept. 22 due to technical difficulties. The 300-Watt station had reported completing construction in July.
Gray TV’s K18NW-D (Minot) applied to upgrade from 150W to 15kW, while its K20BP-D (Williston) applied to upgrade from 200W to 15kW. Both would remain at their present sites.
South Dakota
Dakota Communications’ KOKK/1210 (Huron) submitted a request for special temporary authority reporting that it is unable to switch to its daytime antenna pattern, so it is using the nighttime pattern 24 hours per day with “slightly reduced power” during the day. KOKK normally transmits with 5kW shooting to the southeast during the day and 870 Watts shooting to the northwest at night.
Wisconsin
WCBN/910 (Hayward) changed its callsign to WBZH, effective Oct. 1. The station was off the air at last report as a deal for Civic Media to purchase it from Zoe Communications remains pending.
Roseland Broadcasting’s K17OO-D (Sioux Falls, SD), which has a construction permit specifying a transmitter site near Darlington, Wis., has applied to change its planned transmitter site to Mount Horeb, Wis., downgrading from 3kW to 50 Watts directional. Though near Madison, Wis., the proposed facility would not reach the capital city. Though Mount Horeb is about 350 miles and two states away from Sioux Falls, the station does not propose a community of license change as part of its application (there is no requirement that low-power TV stations reach their community of license).
Disclosure: Jon Ellis is an employee of Gray Media Group. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.