Comments on: BCR gets money… maybe

By: aka_peabody

aka_peabody — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:51:46 +0000

Ah, yes. The convertible part was cool, but too bad it was only a four-banger. If it had the 5.0, perhaps I would've scored better with the chicks.

By: bustedifwritingfromwork

bustedifwritingfromwork — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:19:35 +0000

LOL…Mr. Microphone. Spoken from the back of a convertible Mustang…Hey good looking…we'll be back to pick ya up later…

By: aka_peabody

aka_peabody — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:07:10 +0000

I would also hope that the 93.5 translator will perform a bit better than what we are hearing now. I was under the assumption that it was running at a lower power for the sake of retaining it's license. It sounds worse than horrible. Obviously, the program material being piped into it now is about as clean and transparent as a mud puddle. That doesn't help. It's signal is also extremely weak in Boise. In most places a car radio will not detect the signal while scanning. Is it currently operating at full power? I hope not. A Mr. Microphone connected to a coat hanger on Table Rock would probably cover Boise better.

By: Bill Frahm

Bill Frahm — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:16:21 +0000

KQTA 106.3 is at the same proposed site as 89.9. But, they run 100,000 watts horizontal & 100,000 watts vertical whereas 89.9 will be 16 watts horizontal and 7,900 watts vertical.
If the FCC decides it’s OK not to protect a now vacant channel 6 they might be able to bump that 16 watts up to 7,900 watts.

KQTA’s 60 dBu covers Boise OK. In fact Longley Rice calculation (closer to actual) shows they cover nearly all of Boise with a 70 dBu signal.

7,900 watt 89.9 Longley Rice shows most of the downtown Boise and part of the first bench to have less than 50 dBu. That 93.5 translator they plan to use in Boise will need a bit more power than it has now to fill all that.

By: aka_peabody

aka_peabody — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:42:01 +0000

The reality is that radio reception is a complicated thing. Your ability to receive BCR is going to depend on your location in Boise, and the amount of effort you want to put into receiving he signal. Regardless of what you hear from BCR, their 89.9 signal will not be nearly as easy to receive in any part of Boise as local Deer Point signals. However, this signal may offer better coverage in some areas than others. For example: the Broadway-Boise Avenue area for instance, will have worse reception than on the bench in the Overland-Cole area. This means that the tuners in Zunes, cheap boomboxes, or clock radios will likely not tune in BCR's signal. Residents in these tough areas will likely have to improve their antennas, relocate their radios, or purchase better quality FM receivers. Usually, if there is a will, there is a way to receive a weak signal. You may have to put up with the nuisance of a little fuzz and static in spots, but if you enjoy the program material enough, you might find that worthwhile to put up with.

BCR has also talked about adding a translator to improve the signal in these areas.

By: Concerned

Concerned — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:21:51 +0000

I'd donate if I felt like I'd ever be able to hear the station from my home in Boise. I'd love it if this blog would take a look at the map of the coverage area the FCC made for the future BCR (if you search their application on the FCC website, you'll see it there). The signal doesn't reach most of Boise. I'd love to hear from a non-BCR expert: should I be taking this map seriously? Or should I believe BCR when they say it will?
Also: I'd be more likely to give with a more experienced leader/fundraiser/radio person at the helm.

Editor's note: We've actually done that - about a year ago. BCR says it will reach Boise. The FCC doesn't. The truth is anyone's guess.