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KPKK Amargosa Valley - Vegas Rimshotter

R

RF101

The FCC has accepted-for-filing Sky Media's proposal to upgrade KPKK to 100 kw Class C, providing a 60 dBu contour over much of Las Vegas. It's a serious directional antenna from a remote mountain location.

It's a smart engineering trick. Please don't quote outdated studies about no-one listens inside the 60 dBu contour, Let's see if this gets approved and what airs before directing any condemnations.

In any case, the proposed KPKK will have better coverage than KDWN AM which is now zero!

Draft Copy « Licensing and Management System « FCC

Licensing and Management System
enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov
 
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This station has been off the air approximately 42% of the time it has held a license. Should the FCC approve this behavior? Also, didn't you mean outside the 60 dBu contour?
 
A similar upgrade filing has been made for KRZQ at 105.9 . A mirror in coverage and it's now acccepted for filing.

(Clarification: There has been some discussion on this board about listenership in the 60 dBu to 70 dBu zone ; supposedly ut's marginal per one survey.)
 
RF101 said:
Please don't quote outdated studies about no-one listens inside the 60 dBu contour
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Most of those outdated studies I've seen here consider indoor reception, which just doesn't happen in 2023.

These horizontal polarized upgrades open the possibility to circular polarized boosters in or close to Las Vegas. It's pretty neat.
 
Red Plume said:
Most of those outdated studies I've seen here consider indoor reception, which just doesn't happen in 2023.
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Over half of listening is indoor. Look at any diary measured market, where you can see the home, work, in-car listening separately, and you will find that there is more home and work listening than in-car listening.

Many people are confused by the diary data, which only shows "at home" and "away" because the meter can't tell if you are in a car or at work or out jogging. It just knows when it can't detect the in-home base.
 
RF101 said:
(Clarification: There has been some discussion on this board about listenership in the 60 dBu to 70 dBu zone ; supposedly ut's marginal per one survey.)
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Extensive research was done about 15 years ago when the major markets had diaries and distinguished between home and work locations. Using huge samples of about 10 of the top 20 markets over several years, 80% of FM fixed location listening is in the 70 dbu contour and 95% is in the 65 dbu contour. Only 5% is outside the 65 dbu contour, and given the fact that some ZIP Codes are at the edge of the 65 dbu curves, we can safely say that the limit for measured home and work location listening is the 65 dbu contour.
 
boiseengineer said:
It'll have to be all boosters for Las Vegas.
The "60 dbu" is not real just for allocation.
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The Horizontal polarization-only for the main signal seems like an economical and smart way to get that required 60 dBu over a future booster contour with minimal co-channel interference.

Edit to add: Thanks for the elevation profile! That looks ideal for boosters!
 
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As boiseengineer said, this is totally a booster play. That application is only for horizontal radiation and is much lower than the Spring Mountains between the tower site and the LV Valley. It will not put a 60 anywhere close to LV except on the mountain peaks.

The booster applications will be coming as soon as this one is approved.
 
Some more info:

The KRZQ application is contingent on the FCC changing the 105.5 Tecopa (CA) allocation to 99.1. The exhibit says that 99.1 is superior to 105.5 in that it could supply service to 7,700 people, compared to 192 people on 105.5.

The KPKK application is contingent on the FCC changing third-adjacent KXQQ-FM 100.5 (Henderson/Audacy) from Class C to Class C0.
 
KSNE-FM from Black Mountain is already a C0. The rest of the Class C's up there could be forced to drop class since they're HAAT is below C minimum.
They including KXQQ would have to add another 50+ meters to the tower up there.
 
boiseengineer said:
Waiting for the Environmental & BLM approval filings.
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I’m curious what goes on regarding that. Will they be allowed to use (or want to spend the money on) utility power or are they going off-the-grid?

If the stations on Humpy Peak in Utah are any indication, you’ll find the main transmitter(s) is fairly often off the air while the boosters in the Salt Lake Valley remain on and transmitting programming. Probably sketchy legal-wise, but the main transmitter isn’t bringing in many listeners or revenue
 
They’re just there to put a 60 dBu on paper over Las Vegas. The mountains will eat up the signals in real life. But they could both get a booster on the Stratosphere.
The LPFM on 101.1 and the translator on 106.1 will have to move. The LPFM could move to 97.9 and the translator could move to 94.9. The 101.1 LPFM currently has a better signal than the 106.1 translator.
 
NickD said:
They’re just there to put a 60 dBu on paper over Las Vegas. The mountains will eat up the signals in real life. But they could both get a booster on the Stratosphere.
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I agree with the first part, but kind of doubt the boosters are heading to the Strat. I think it would be too directional.
 
Ryan Williams said:
I agree with the first part, but kind of doubt the boosters are heading to the Strat. I think it would be too directional.
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There are directional translators on the Stratosphere. It is the best place for a booster because it’s line of sight to everything in the valley.
Another possibility could be Potosi
 
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