Apparently, the KQFN call letters have not yet been approved. They're IDing as KHEP now.
In preparation for KHEP/KQFN's 99.1 translator, KFXY-LP has applied to move east, with their transmitter being relocated to a residence. That means East Mesa/Apache Junction/Gilbert residents will be out of luck listening to The Fanatic after sundown.
This is one of my main concerns with this new sports station: how are they going to perform ratings wise when 1/3 of the valley won't be able to even listen to the station? I live in Gilbert and 99.1 FM is KFXY-LP, Mesa, the 99.3 translator for 1580 doesn't even come in (instead, the LP from Gold Canyon, KRWV-LP, fades in and out with what is mostly static) and if 1580 AM has moved their transmitter site to west Phoenix with 95 watts of power at night, there is no way KHEP is coming in at all in the East Valley. So pretty much if you live anywhere east of the 101 (I.E. Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, East Tempe), you will not be able to listen to the Fanatic. I just don't understand the Fanatic's game plan (pardon the pun) unless the proposed 99.1 translator is going to blast KFXY-LP off the map.
In preparation for KHEP/KQFN's 99.1 translator, KFXY-LP has applied to move east, with their transmitter being relocated to a residence. That means East Mesa/Apache Junction/Gilbert residents will be out of luck listening to The Fanatic after sundown.
This is one of my main concerns with this new sports station: how are they going to perform ratings wise when 1/3 of the valley won't be able to even listen to the station?
KFXY is moving to a location near 104th St. (1/2 way between Crismon & Signal Butte Rds.) & Brown Rd. in NE Mesa. Since it's raising its power to 100 watts, it should serve our area even better than it does now with 2000 milliwatts on Usery Mountain.
This is one of my main concerns with this new sports station: how are they going to perform ratings wise when 1/3 of the valley won't be able to even listen to the station?
Paola Boivin for the Arizona Republic asks "can the Valley handle more sports radio"?
There's also a mention of additional talent, including Kevin Ray and Mike Bauer in the morning and Craig Fouhy with a daily show, and an affiliation with SB Nation Radio.
Hey Paola, can the Valley handle more newspapers? In the case of McRepublic, one is more than enough! In the case of radio, sure...a better jockstrap can be built on Ancient Modulation.
1580 KHEP-AM is broadcasting after sunset tonight for the first time in a long time in anticipation of the start of the Fantatic tomorrow morning at 6:00 A.M. The signal seems to be coming in moderately well here in Gilbert, with noticeable fading in and out, similar to when the station was broadcasting at night from the Mesa transmitter as KMIK. Anyone know if they are still using the Mesa transmitter site to broadcast? I doubt it's the transmitter site at Indian School Road and Grand Avenue in Maryvale with just 95 watts as the other station that broadcasts from there, 1280 KXEG-AM, does not come in at all down here in Gilbert at night, albeit with just 49 watts. I wonder if KHEP is still using the 50,000 watt 6 directional array from the Loop 202 and Country Club Road in Mesa?
They'd be blasting into NE Mesa like they used to as Radio Disney if they were. They're weak but audible here. Besides one of the towers fell down a couple of years ago, and even if they were to use that site, they'd be on reduced power.
When the sixth tower came down, KMIK went non-D at night with 12.5 kw. But that was when they were a Class B, now as a Class D licensed for 95 watts at night, hard to make the argument for that kind of pow-pow-power at night. The Nurse and I might drive out to Center Road on Monday and determine if they're broadcasting from that site. If the paint starts peeling on the '76 Gremlin, we'll know they're using the 50kw blowtorch!
I'm roughly 10 miles NE of there. Either they're off the air right now, or are so weak they can't be heard here. When I made my last post a couple hours ago, they were weak but plainly audible, possibly still running 50 kW from their new site. From the old site, they would have pegged the S meter on my Grundig Satellit 750, even from inside my stucco-encrusted house.
I wonder if the Fanatic is going to do what KFNN did a few years back when they wouldn't power down to their night-time authorization until well after 7:00 P.M., no matter what time of year it was. Same owners as the new 1580 right?