K251am 100.7 fm

...is on the air in Ft. Bend County. As expected, it is restricting KKHT's coverage. I drove it Friday afternoon and KKHT is non-existent on Harwin at Beltway 8. From Westpark to 249 on Beltway 8, KKHT breaks in and out.

What is it rebroadcasting?

Kque 980.

Why would they want another translator over there? Don't they have enough?

This translator is making KKHT unlistenable all the way up to the west loop coming into town on the Southwest Freeway.

stevenNOLA said:

This translator is making KKHT unlistenable all the way up to the west loop coming into town on the Southwest Freeway.

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Write to the FCC and get them to take action.

AnyHuman said:

Write to the FCC and get them to take action.

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The FCC doesn't listen to citizen complaints. The only way they will listen to an objection is if it comes from Salem.


Ironic isn't it? Salem is now experiencing the same type of interference that they are causing to KJOJ-FM. I'm very interested in seeing what they do. Admit that co-channel interference is a nuisance? Or let KQUE continue to cut into their coverage?

What you do is send Chuck a letter he can use to document things with the FCC. That's the best step to take.

BamaTX said:

The FCC doesn't listen to citizen complaints. The only way they will listen to an objection is if it comes from Salem.


Ironic isn't it? Salem is now experiencing the same type of interference that they are causing to KJOJ-FM. I'm very interested in seeing what they do. Admit that co-channel interference is a nuisance? Or let KQUE continue to cut into their coverage?

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Not when I hear that 100.7 translator on the edge of downtown Houston at Richmond Ave and the Southwest Fwy cut off. It's not the same.

b-turner said:

What you do is send Chuck a letter he can use to document things with the FCC. That's the best step to take.

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Don't get me wrong, I hope you shut down the translator. But I can't be the only one who sees the irony here? Anyone?

Here is what those not in radio do not understand: The FCC has set rules on where a translator can go. You cannot get a Construction Permit or License unless you meet the minimum separation requirements. The FCC allows complaints of interference because what works on paper may or may not reflect real world coverage. More often than not, a station 'blocked' by a translator was never supposed to have that coverage area in the first place. In other words, stations reach beyond their permitted coverage area when the radio dial is not full.

Any someone filed an informal objection on this one, too. Unless they amendnor modify, I'd consider it locked up for the next year or two.

I was in Missouri City this morning and checked 100.7. The translator is broadcasting dead air, but I could hear KKHT trying to punch through. This was with the MC sticks close by. While the translator is severely damaging KKHT reception, the translator's own signal will also be shredded by KKHT.

I'm not sure who are the biggest idiots: the consulting engineers who thought this was a great idea, or the FCC engineers who approved it. Neither appears to have any clue about real world reception and coverage areas of 100kw signals on 2000' towers.

Mediafrog+ said:

I was in Missouri City this morning and checked 100.7. The translator is broadcasting dead air, but I could hear KKHT trying to punch through. This was with the MC sticks close by. While the translator is severely damaging KKHT reception, the translator's own signal will also be shredded by KKHT.

I'm not sure who are the biggest idiots: the consulting engineers who thought this was a great idea, or the FCC engineers who approved it. Neither appears to have any clue about real world reception and coverage areas of 100kw signals on 2000' towers.

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I need to point out a couple of things. The reason you cannot hear the translator is because those guys are running their audio very, very low. I recently parked my car in a lot at the 59 split off at Richmond Avenue, near downtown. I could hear KKHT, however, when I moved my car couple of feet I heard nothing. So, that nothing zone, I cranked up the audio in my car and could hear the translator. It should NOT be there. That area is well within KKHT's primary signal. My conclusion that it may be operating with more power than it's 100 watts.
Now, the other thing. KKHT's transmitter is on the Devers tower, halfway between Beaumont and Houston. It is not a MC stick. This is one of the problems that is experienced by the so-called 'move-ins.' I was against the 'move-ins' since it was 1st allowed. You cannot win against the MC sticks, when you can't cover the entire city, unless you have a niche format that you are specifically targeting. KKHT does have clients in both areas. (I do not consider 106.9 and 107.5 as 'move-ins.' These stations have always covered the majority of Houston. In fact, the "Eagle" is doing well, because it is on both frequencies.) The other stations that are 'move-ins,' struggle to compete.
By the way, I agree with B-turner "....More often than not, a station 'blocked' by a translator was never supposed to have that coverage area in the first place. In other words, stations reach beyond their permitted coverage area when the radio dial is not full." Again, I must repeat what I stated earlier, K251AM is broadcasting within KKHT's primary signal. Yes, steps are being taken.

Wow you know who the consulting engineer for 100.7 translator is?

Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc.

That's the owner of http://www.FCCInfo.com, the database I use to look up stations within a specific radius. It provides more information than http://www.FCCData.org does when looking at multiple stations. I liked FCCInfo for that purpose, but now I'm finding out they're working with these illegal translator operators I'm starting to re-think which one I like more.

Salem was aware of the potential for interference from this thing when Radio Aleluia applied for it last year. They could have filed a simple one page opposition back then that would have locked up the application for years. But apparently their lawyers advised them not to. Why? If you stop and look at all these translator filings, engineer studies, modifications, amendments, oppositions, etc., you will see the parties making all the money here are communication lawyers. They want an interfering translator to get on the air. That way they make a lot of money fighting it.

AnyHuman said:

Wow you know who the consulting engineer for 100.7 translator is?

Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc.

That's the owner of http://www.FCCInfo.com, the database I use to look up stations within a specific radius. It provides more information than http://www.FCCData.org does when looking at multiple stations. I liked FCCInfo for that purpose, but now I'm finding out they're working with these illegal translator operators I'm starting to re-think which one I like more.

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They are paid to do a job..They don't know the history of the client and really don't care...they file legal paperwork and are paid for their services...if the translator does not overlap into the other station 60dbu contour, it's legal in the eyes of the FCC...

Makes sense, CW.

N5TZQ said:

Salem was aware of the potential for interference from this thing when Radio Aleluia applied for it last year. They could have filed a simple one page opposition back then that would have locked up the application for years. But apparently their lawyers advised them not to. Why? If you stop and look at all these translator filings, engineer studies, modifications, amendments, oppositions, etc., you will see the parties making all the money here are communication lawyers. They want an interfering translator to get on the air. That way they make a lot of money fighting it.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYzrSGRzttk