Comments on: You paid… how much?

By: Idaho Radio Buff

Idaho Radio Buff — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:11:18 +0000

Radio Fiesta is now on FM 96.7 – no idea when the simulcast began. Also, AM 980 (former KUPI-AM) is now broadcasting on a translator that was originally supposed to re-broadcast KSNA. Same ownership so I guess they got permission from the FCC to simulcast their AM signal – this happened in northern Washington in the Skagit Valley as well.

Interesting moves… interesting indeed.

By: Oldtimer

Oldtimer — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:37:48 +0000

As IRN originally reported in this post back in March, part of the deal between Radio Assist Ministry & Radio Fiesta (Ortegas) was to move the St. Anthony translator closer to Idaho Falls.
Step 1 of that process was approved by the FCC on April 24th for this translator to change frequency to 96.7 and move south about 7 miles to Sugar City ID. RAM/Ortegas will have to build it at this site before filing for another move south.
They report that KISU is their re-broadcast signal. Wonder if that is true?

By: Clueless ears

Clueless ears — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:04:37 +0000

As someone that hit this site looking for news on KISU’s pursuit of a transmitter, feel free to ask me via email… uh… Don, isn’t it? Site’s got a weird way of attributing comments and stories, so sorry if I read this wrong.

I can say unequivocally that there isn’t a 2nd KISU signal in Idaho Falls. I’ve spoken with and emailed Jerry Miller (KISU General Manager) intermittently, watching and waiting for this to happen. Not to diss Mr. Miller (who was nice enough to go into details that seem to do a good job of explaining the delays), but the news has steadily been ‘real soon now’ for the last 2 years.

As for 106.7, my (unreliable analog) office radio says the only thing close to that on the FM dial is currently playing ‘Renegade’ by Styx — ah, station ID says it is Aero 107.1…
down roughly 0.3 from there gets me En Vogue singing all gospelly ‘Don’t Let Go (love)’. Station ID is Hot 106.3.

By: RadioActive

RadioActive — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:33:50 +0000

Yes, This is one former broadcaster who would go after EMS if I were a FCC Commissioner. Heck, I would go after them if I worked as a janitor in the FCC building… as a lobbiest of sorts. They serve no purpose as they are currently organized and operated but to hog up frequency allotments and take advantage of the loopholes in the regulations and thereby keep worthy candidates from having access to the airwaves! I lost a station to them that would have served as a community asset so I know as to what I am speaking about.

By: RDS

RDS — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:57:38 +0000

I would second Peabody’s comments and add a few exclamation points. A real waste of spectrum space.

On another note — Don referrs to “ears” in the eastern part of the state. As webmaster for the History of Idaho Broadcasting site, I have a real challenge knowing what is really going on over there. The FCC records give a piece of the puzzle, but as fast as stations change formats, call letters, come and go, etc, it’s hard stay on top of the CURRENT status. If any of those “ears” could check out the stations on the History site (link is graciously posted under LINKS on this blog – thanks, Don) in that part of the state and correct any errors or missing information it would be great. I travel over that way every couple of months or so, but don’t have the time to listen to the entire dial while I’m there.

By: Peabody

Peabody — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:06:14 +0000

The Educational media foundation does have a tendancy to do things like that. In the Boise area, they have four different signals playing the exact same program material: Air 1. They have for many years. Any one of these signals could easily cover the Boise Metro area.

It is laughable that 88.3 KARJ is licensed to Kuna, 90.9 KIDH licensed to Jordan Valley OREGON, and both signals are combined into the same antenna. That antenna is pointed directly at Boise. The signal in Jordan Valley is barely City-Grade.

The sad part is, neither one of those signals are even necessary to cover Boise. 98.7 KARO (licensed to Nyssa, OR) is 100,000 watts and covers the entire valley quite nicely. If there is any doubt that the coverage in Boise from KARO is good enough, the Deer Point translator for KARO on 99.9 MHz should clear things up.

That is a total of four signals. Three of them are full power stations. Is that really necessary? Especially in a market where there is not even room on the dial for a community station?

I’m sorry, but if I could nominate any broadcaster to be banished from existance, it would have to be the Educational Media Foundation. It’s not that I have a problem with thier programming material, it’s that I have a problem with thier blatant abuse of the spectrum in several markets.

By: Idaho Radio Buff

Idaho Radio Buff — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 02:53:20 +0000

Those frequencies are not on air in Idaho Falls at least… and it would be really sweet to have (any) translators for KISU, thanks to Educational Media Foundation refusing to turn off or re-allocate their 91.3 FM translator (which repeats K-Love from a full strength signal that is very clear).

KISU did an upgrade about 4 years ago now to finally get their power from 1000 watts to 10,000 watts on an offensively named peak in the Pocatello area. It happened, but unfortunately “K-Love” ruined any improvements in coverage.