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101.9 KQES-LP: It's back!

valvashon

valvashon

Caught it this afternoon seemingly doing some testing. Audio levels all over the place, ranging from low to really low and occasionally garbled. Still in Chinese, but even I could tell it was choppy. RDS doing the "PSNAME01" then to 02, etc. Power might have been set to the correct level but it's hard to tell for sure if the coverage area is actually reduced.

Wonder if they will file to cover?

Val
 
valvashon said:
Caught it this afternoon seemingly doing some testing. Audio levels all over the place, ranging from low to really low and occasionally garbled. Still in Chinese, but even I could tell it was choppy. RDS doing the "PSNAME01" then to 02, etc. Power might have been set to the correct level but it's hard to tell for sure if the coverage area is actually reduced.

Wonder if they will file to cover?

Val
Click to expand...

I would hope not. But ever since the Bellevue FCC office closed, I'm surprised we don't have a pirate radio epidemic already because that's the only message leaving "F*** Donald Trump" on repeat 24/7 for a whole week sends.

And does the FCC compensate the engineers triangulating these signals and taking down the information/pics? Or at least for the gas money and lunch in doing it?
 
Bongwater said:
And does the FCC compensate the engineers triangulating these signals and taking down the information/pics? Or at least for the gas money and lunch in doing it?
Click to expand...

Absolutely no. There are federal rules prohibiting anything like that. Finding and reporting a pirate, or turning in an LPFM for broadcasting obscenity amounts to whistle-blowing to the government.
 
My notes on the return of the tree station:

1) Signal seems the same. I judge this on the fact that I live at the very fringe of their previous (FDT) signal, and indeed in my driveway east of Woodinville I still hear them at about the same clarity. Listened to them all the way from North Redmond/Education Hill to Renton Landing.
2) Audio drops out suddenly and gradually comes back a few seconds later. Many examples of what sounds like digital skip, like when your CD player is having problems. Also kept repeating the same audio over and over.
3) Do these guys have a license? I know they have a CP.
4) Heard what sure SOUNDED like a commercial. WHich is, like, not supposed to happen on an LPFM.
5) Never heard a Legal ID. Shocking.

What a dumpster fire.
4)
 
My notes on the return of the tree station:

1) Signal seems the same. I judge this on the fact that I live at the very fringe of their previous (FDT) signal, and indeed in my driveway east of Woodinville I still hear them at about the same clarity. Listened to them all the way from North Redmond/Education Hill to Renton Landing.
2) Audio drops out suddenly and gradually comes back a few seconds later. Many examples of what sounds like digital skip, like when your CD player is having problems. Also kept repeating the same audio over and over.
3) Do these guys have a license? I know they have a CP.
4) Heard what sure SOUNDED like a commercial. Which is, like, not supposed to happen on an LPFM.
5) Never heard a Legal ID. Shocking.

What a dumpster fire.
 
valvashon said:
Caught it this afternoon seemingly doing some testing. Audio levels all over the place, ranging from low to really low and occasionally garbled. Still in Chinese, but even I could tell it was choppy. RDS doing the "PSNAME01" then to 02, etc. Power might have been set to the correct level but it's hard to tell for sure if the coverage area is actually reduced.

Wonder if they will file to cover?

Val
Click to expand...

Val,

They were still on the air yesterday but off today (March 15th). Not sure what time the broadcast ceased but what a relief. This station has no business being authorized to broadcast. I'd rather see an unlicensed station with local content using the airwaves than the crap transmitted from this station to date!
 
Get this turned off!

98052_radio said:
Val,

They were still on the air yesterday but off today (March 15th). Not sure what time the broadcast ceased but what a relief. This station has no business being authorized to broadcast. I'd rather see an unlicensed station with local content using the airwaves than the crap transmitted from this station to date!
Click to expand...

Well, the station was back on the air this morning. Same "digital skip" programming / streaming. It sounds awful. Too bad there is virtually no enforcement anymore.
 
One reason why to not take programming directly from an Internet stream, unless you download each program to air and run it off a hard drive using free automation software. Either that or get a cheap Ku-Band dish and receiver and just have the aforementioned automation software run a station ID at the top of the hour (are they even running an ID?).
 
I have yet to hear a TOH legal ID. I have tried.

I DID hear an ad for Glade Air Freshener, though. Of course, maybe it was an underwriting message, who knows? I don't speak the lingo.
 
KQES-LP has filed form 319 on 3/23/17 for their license. Get those letter to the FCC NOW before they grant the license. FCC could rubber stamp this as soon as Monday.
 
Glade Air Freshener ad on KQES? Not OK. LPFMs cannot have advertising I believe. BTW, is this interfering with KVSH-LP in any way?
 
xmtrland said:
KQES-LP has filed form 319 on 3/23/17 for their license. Get those letter to the FCC NOW before they grant the license. FCC could rubber stamp this as soon as Monday.
Click to expand...

I'd almost be willing to do it just to see if it actually slows down the process any...I doubt it

However, I have deduced it is rebroadcasting New Tang Dynasty TV...last time I checked, its a commercial enterprise (uh oh...)

http://www.ntd.tv/advertise-with-us/

Looks like NTD TV is owned by the same folks who own the free paper Epoch Times. (The second choice for ground cover behind The Stranger for Downtown Seattle homeless folks.)

Hmm...the plot thickens...unfortunately, I have no access to a recording device and since there is zero proof that I'd be recording KQES-LP and not just the audio of NTD TV, I'm not sure if including the incriminating audio with a letter/petition to deny would even be worth it.

Radio-X
 
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Radio-X said:
Hmm...the plot thickens...unfortunately, I have no access to a recording device and since there is zero proof that I'd be recording KQES-LP and not just the audio of NTD TV, I'm not sure if including the incriminating audio with a letter/petition to deny would even be worth it.

Radio-X
Click to expand...

If you have a smartphone that will record video, drive over across the street from the tree/tower and dial up the station on your car receiver. Next take a video using your phone showing the frequency on the car radio while recording the station audio. Then go home and record a similar length of NTD-TV the same way, hopefully with similar spots or sound as the LPFM. Post the video on YouTube and send the Commission a complaint E-mail with link to the video. In the E-mail, make sure you explain the concern, that it appears this station is rebroadcasting a commercial Chinese cable TV channel over a non-commercial LPFM station.
 
Hi all,

No need to send an e-mail. There's a very easy to use online consumer complaint form on the FCC site: https://goo.gl/1hqFs3. The suggestion to document with audio or video is a great one but the main thing -- as soon as possible -- is to get the complaint submitted, including factual listing of whatever you heard, including date/time/content of broadcast of commercial(s) on LPFM (NCE license) air (such as Glade or whatever).

We know this consumer complaint form works. A KVSH-LP listener used this online system to file a complaint against KQES-LP earlier this year when it was looping the F__k Donald Trump Macklemore song for a week. She got a reply from the FCC that the complaint had been closed out within one or two business days so it does work. Like I say, the video documentation is a good idea but the most important thing is to report the issue with date/time and request investigation (and, yes, I know enforcement is not well staffed).

Immediate filing of a complaint would be helpful because KVSH-LP has filed an Informal Objection to the application to cover of KQES-LP. It went in on Friday and should show up in CDBS on Monday morning. If anyone decides to file a consumer complaint about commercials running on KQES-LP with FCC, please send the text of the complaint and who filed it to [email protected]. We may include the info in a supplemental to our Informal Objection. It's important to act quickly because Michi at RecNET says FCC normally issues licenses on Monday (tomorrow). Your support would be very helpful. (As everyone probably knows, complaints go to enforcement and Informal Objections go to Audio Division, hence the need for us to file in the Informal Objection.)

Thanks much,
Rick
 
An LPFM in a pissing match with another LPFM is nothing new to the FCC. Happens all the time. If average consumers are concerned about the operation of an LPFM by filing a complaint and make it even more public using social media as additional leverage to some extent, you'll ultimately get more traction.

That being said..The fact that this particular LPFM ran obscenity-rich programming for a week before someone other than KVSH-LP complained, seems to illustrate how much gravity the Commission gives to these stations.

As I've said in other posts, I generally consider complaining to the FCC for things like no legal ID's, or things that really don't matter, a last resort. If you're REALLY bothered about whatever violations you think this is making, then why not reach out to the licensee and let them know of your concerns? I bet that more than half of these LPFM's are either run by volunteers who are just focused on doing their own thing from a programming standpoint and aren't paying attention to operating technicalities. Why not give them an opportunity to come into compliance by reminding them of their responsibility in a adult and professional manner? It's not like a couple E-mails or a phone call is going to cost you anything.

Besides, the fact than any LPFM actually has a listener or two, in spite of the reason for listening, will probably thrill the station no end.
 
Hi Kelly,

I can't tell for sure but I think maybe you are responding to my post earlier today at 10:11am? So I'll reply here in the interests of sharing info for all.

If average consumers are concerned about the operation of an LPFM by filing a complaint and make it even more public using social media as additional leverage to some extent, you'll ultimately get more traction.


I understand we might disagree on this point, but what you suggest is exactly what we are asking the members of this forum to do. The group has discussed KQES bad actions in many posts on this forum. If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. And I'd say this goes way beyond pissing match territory. The New Tang Dynasty station is not running legal IDs, not paying attention to their program (obscenity violations), broadcast illegally for nearly a year without covering their license, running commercials on an NCE license. As you say, an e-mail (or using the FCC online form) would cost nothing and may help clean up a bad actor.

The fact that this particular LPFM ran obscenity-rich programming for a week before someone other than KVSH-LP complained, seems to illustrate how much gravity the Commission gives to these stations.

This actually got quite a bit of attention at the FCC. One of our listeners, as I indicated, filed a consumer complaint and received action from the FCC (not KVSH-LP until our Informal Objection filing on Friday). The FCC filed an enforcement advisory according to RecNET (https://goo.gl/4g4qzX).

If you're REALLY bothered about whatever violations you think this is making, then why not reach out to the licensee and let them know of your concerns? I bet that more than half of these LPFM's are either run by volunteers who are just focused on doing their own thing from a programming standpoint and aren't paying attention to operating technicalities. Why not give them an opportunity to come into compliance by reminding them of their responsibility in a adult and professional manner? It's not like a couple E-mails or a phone call is going to cost you anything.


We've done just what you said. In June when KVSH filed an complaint with the Spectrum Enforcement Division we sent a copy to KQES law firm. Likewise, we served the Informal Objection to the law firm. Do you really think KQES is being run by volunteers (which by the way KVSH-LP really is)? It's not. It's a commercial enterprise masquerading as an LPFM. Volunteers would do a way better job, actually.

Warm regards,
Rick
 
Commercials are not allowed on LPFMs. KQES-LP should be taken off the air. Any type of promotion for a product can only be a support message, like the NPRs. "Support for NPR comes from JP Morgan Chase, blah blah blah." There are a few stations that air 'commercials' as support messages, making them sound like a commercial station. I know KCEP/Las Vegas airs what sounds like commercials, but are businesses that support the station.
I just miss being in the Seattle metro on a humid, sunny day and hearing that weak tropo signal of KINK/Portland on 101.9! I rarely hear them in Yakima due to KPQ 102.1, and KZIU Weston OR on 101.9. But this thread is about KQES Bellevue and I'll leave it at that.
 
Thanks for the info, Rick. I filed a complaint via your link with the FCC. I will forward anything useful that I get back to you.
 
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