Is a Translator in KBME 790AM's Future?

[BamaTX]

... except that Tijuana has no border blasters and never did have any.

Someone who isn't anally retentive would include the former 690 AM and current 1090 AM...but on a technicality (or two), you're right.

But if we really don't care about technicalities, Tijuana offers several border blasters to San Diego in both AM and FM.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Someone who isn't anally retentive would include the former 690 AM and current 1090 AM...but on a technicality (or two), you're right.

But if we really don't care about technicalities, Tijuana offers several border blasters to San Diego in both AM and FM.

The definition of a border blaster is a station adjacent to the US border with power well in excess of the maximums permitted by our FCC. The concept comes from the 30's and the era when Doc Brinkley' XER ran 500,000 watts. Later blasters in the post-NARBA era (NARBA itself was in part intended to throttle the worst of the blasters) included XELO, XEG and XERF which were 150 to 250 kw.

NARBA intended to make most of the Mexican clears stay at the US, Canadian, Cuban, Dominican and Bahamian limit of 50 kw. So in the last nearly three-quarters of aventura, there have only been three border blasters.

Of course, we could look the other way and say that many South Texas stations are sort of border blasters. KGBT in Harlingen sends the equivalent of 200 kw to Mexico and I have heard it in Tecamachalco in the Mexico City market interfering with local XEUR a few years ago.

There is a difference between being "anal" as you say and being factual.

 

[ThatVoice22]

Just for the record, WGN Radio (started by original owner Hearst Newspapers as the "World's Greatest Newspaper") is no longer the audio voice of the Cubs in Chi-Town: it's WSCR AM 670 "The Score" - - WGN-TV9 still carries some of the TV broadcasts - - http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/schedule/affiliates.jsp#radio

 

[BamaTX]

Of course, we could look the other way and say that many South Texas stations are sort of border blasters. KGBT in Harlingen sends the equivalent of 200 kw to Mexico and I have heard it in Tecamachalco in the Mexico City market interfering with local XEUR a few years ago. .

That station, along with KVNS, can be heard in Houston at times, mostly during critical hours. Quite the little blowtorches the Valley has down there.

There is a difference between being "anal" as you say and being factual

The problem with being "factual" is that there really is no definition as to what constitutes a border blaster. It's all relative, really. What else would you call XHRR, XETRA-FM, or XHTO?

The definition of a border blaster is a station adjacent to the US border with power well in excess of the maximums permitted by our FCC.

Using your own definition makes your prior statement false then.

San Diego is in Zone I-A, which means the FCC only grants up to Class B FM licenses in that area (not counting grandfathered operations, of course). XHITZ and XHRM both exceed the height and power restrictions of a class B radio station. So technically Tijuana does have border blasters.

Furthermore if we were to strictly use your definition, then that means XEG (which is considered a former border blaster by most) isn't a border blaster at all. Monterrey is at least 90 miles from the Rio Grande, which isn't adjacent af all. (Of course, I don't know where exactly XEG's transmitter is, but am I still safe to assume it's not near the border?)

 

[DavidEduardo]

Using your own definition makes your prior statement false then.

San Diego is in Zone I-A, which means the FCC only grants up to Class B FM licenses in that area (not counting grandfathered operations, of course).

San Diego is a Class B zone, but Baja California Norte is not. They have, supported by the agreements of the Comision Mixta, the treaty authorization to run full C's in Tijuana and Mexicali and elsewhere in the state.

XHITZ and XHRM both exceed the height and power restrictions of a class B radio station. So technically Tijuana does have border blasters.

And they are legal operations under the terms of the treaty and agreement. No difference than the situation that exists on the borders of B and C zones anywhere in the US. For example, Tidewater, VA, area stations are B's, but the stations serving the metro originally licensed to North Carolina can be C's.

Furthermore if we were to strictly use your definition, then that means XEG (which is considered a former border blaster by most) isn't a border blaster at all. Monterrey is at least 90 miles from the Rio Grande, which isn't adjacent af all. (Of course, I don't know where exactly XEG's transmitter is, but am I still safe to assume it's not near the border?)

XEG whose transmitter at least used to be around Salinas Victoria on the road to Nuevo Laredo, is about 110 miles from the US border. For all practical purposes, a 150 kw AM operating at such a location was definitely a border blaster as its signal was intended to be heard across the border, and it had excellent reception through the lower Midwest, Texas and parts of the Deep South all the way up to states like Kansas and Iowa and Tennessee.

Border Blaster Trans World Radio on 800 kHz on Bonaire broadcast to the Spanish speaking people of South America, and it was over 200 miles from its closest large city, Maracaibo... and 170 miles from Caracas and nearly 500 miles from Bogota. It certainly was a border blaster in its own right. A Border Blaster does not have to be right on the border... it just has to be near enough to one to be able to consider areas across its that border as primary service areas.

 

[The Rimshot]

I can understand why a small town Astros affiliate would take the deal. In Columbus, TX you're selling direct and those games can make you money. But a rock station with a direct competitor in a major market for 170 games? You're already on the beer buys, baseball or not. Makes no sense.

Hopefully a radio station in the Bay City/El Campo area steps up the way KULM (Columbus) has for all these years.

KIOX 96.1 would be my first choice, KMKS 102.5 would be my second.

This would cover the major nighttime "Astros Radio Network Desert" between Ganado (KVNN Victoria covers ground from the southwest, KBME from the northeast) and Richmond-Rosenberg.

Border Blasters have been mentioned as a way to combat nighttime problem areas that the Astros Radio Network faces. XHRF 1570AM Ciudad Acuna covers the area between Ganado to Richmond-Rosenberg like a blanket, as does XEG 1050AM out of Monterrey.

A more likely solution would be to get former members (and nighttime blowtorches) of the Astros Radio Network back on board, such as KTRH or KLVI, who have had long runs as members of the network and enjoyed success broadcasting the Astros.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

A more likely solution would be to get former members (and nighttime blowtorches) of the Astros Radio Network back on board, such as KTRH or KLVI, who have had long runs as members of the network and enjoyed success broadcasting the Astros.

KLVI actually has better nighttime coverage over Houston than its daytime coverage. It at least matches KBME coverage, if not betters it. It is a true regional monster with little of the baggage most Houston stations have with co-channels elsewhere.

 

[The Rimshot]

KLVI actually has better nighttime coverage over Houston than its daytime coverage. It at least matches KBME coverage, if not betters it. It is a true regional monster with little of the baggage most Houston stations have with co-channels elsewhere.

I agree. If I could personally choose to add one station to the Astros Radio Network, it would be KLVI.

KLVI provides great reception from Lake Charles to El Campo. KTRH can't say that.

 

[DavidEduardo]

The problem with being "factual" is that there really is no definition as to what constitutes a border blaster. It's all relative, really. What else would you call XHRR, XETRA-FM, or XHTO?

XHRR is just 50 kw in a zone that permits higher power. XETRA is a conforming Class C per the treaty. XHTO is an under-powered facility at low HAAT which, like about 8 or 9 others in their market, is simply located in a much larger city that is on the US border. None of the Cd. Juárez FMs is at a significant height and only two use the full 100 kw that applies to both sides of the border in that region.

 

[The Rimshot]

Even if KLVI nor KTRH join the Astros Radio Network next year, the nighttime "Astros Radio Network Desert" that exists between Ganado and Sugar Land can be filled with two translators.

K294DD 106.7FM (KULP in El Campo), and if KBME adds a translator on the SW side (K236AR).

KVNN 1340AM (Victoria) reaches all the way to Ganado, K294DD (El Campo) reaches between Ganado and Kendleton, and K236AR (Sugar Land) reaches Kendleton and goes all the way to Minute Maid Park.

Just like that, the US59 Corridor (Victoria to Houston) is covered.

 

[2Speakers]

Even if KLVI nor KTRH join the Astros Radio Network next year, the nighttime "Astros Radio Network Desert" that exists between Ganado and Sugar Land can be filled with two translators.

K294DD 106.7FM (KULP in El Campo), and if KBME adds a translator on the SW side (K236AR).

KVNN 1340AM reaches all the way to Ganado, K294DD reaches between Ganado and Kendleton, and K236AR reaches Kendleton from Sugar Land.

Just like that, the US59 Corridor is covered.

Assuming they're actually concerned about it, it would probably be a lot cheaper for iHeart to just give any Astros listeners in that area an HD Radio.

 

[The Rimshot]

Assuming they're actually concerned about it, it would probably be a lot cheaper for iHeart to just give any Astros listeners in that area an HD Radio.

I believe the percentage of listeners who have HD Radio capability is 16 percent, while 60 percent of folks listen to a radio at home.

This thread's purpose is aimed at solving this problem via terrestrial radio, not with HD, MLB At-Bat, Tune In.

 

[2Speakers]

I believe the percentage of listeners who have HD Radio capability is 16 percent, while 60 percent of folks listen to a radio at home.

This thread's purpose is aimed at solving this problem via terrestrial radio, not with HD, MLB At-Bat, Tune In.

I think you're barking up the wrong tree if you think iHeart or the Astros care what happens in this thread.

 

[stan]

It's obvious the Astros are inept when it comes to media. Why else would they have their radio broadcast on an AM affiliate with poor metro coverage and a TV broadcast on a network few can see.

 

[The Rimshot]

I think you're barking up the wrong tree if you think iHeart or the Astros care what happens in this thread.

They could care less.

However, I'm sure the Astros (maybe not iHeart) do care about listeners who cannot access their radio network when they live less than an hour away from MMP.

 

[The Rimshot]

It's obvious the Astros are inept when it comes to media. Why else would they have their radio broadcast on an AM affiliate with poor metro coverage and a TV broadcast on a network few can see.

This.

 

[2Speakers]

They could care less.

However, I'm sure the Astros (maybe not iHeart) do care about listeners who cannot access their radio network when they live less than an hour away from MMP.

They don't have any options.

Baseball is boring to most people. It's a tune-out on KTRH which was costing them ratings and revenue.

There aren't any other AM outlets that fully cover the metro, and nobody in their right mind would tank an FM by strapping that albatross to it.

Radio stations are like a Big Mac. When you have a Big Mac craving, how would you feel if McDonalds told you all they have that day is fish sandwiches?

Putting baseball on KTRH is serving their normal audience one of those disgusting fish sandwiches, and they leave.

We're talking about a game where the league itself is trying to figure out how to speed it up because people are bored with it and want the games to be shorter.

I can't see any broadcaster buying a translator that only covers the far western suburbs to serve fish sandwiches to maybe a dozen people. It would have zero impact on ratings and revenue.

 

[CTListener]

They don't have any options.


We're talking about a game where the league itself is trying to figure out how to speed it up because people are bored with it and want the games to be shorter..

And yet college football can hardly keep ANY of its telecasts under four hours, and it's very rare for an NFL game to finish in under three. Baseball: dull only to dull minds.

 

[BamaTX]

And yet college football can hardly keep ANY of its telecasts under four hours, and it's very rare for an NFL game to finish in under three. Baseball: dull only to dull minds.

There are maybe 12 regular season games for college and 16 for pro, and all on the weekend (for the most part).

Remind me again, how many baseball games are there per season?

 

[DavidEduardo]

It's obvious the Astros are inept when it comes to media. Why else would they have their radio broadcast on an AM affiliate with poor metro coverage and a TV broadcast on a network few can see.

Maybe the answer is that they can't get any station, radio or TV, with better coverage of penetration, to take the games?

As mentioned, the baseball season takes up over 500 hours, and includes valuable afternoon drive hours. Football, whether college or pro, has fewer games and generally takes a couple of low-advertiser demand hours on the lowest listening day of the weekend. Football can be a cume magnet to a station, while baseball today is a come destroyer.