KPTZ Port Townsend increases power

Includes archive of Bill Virgin's columns fromJ une 2006 - March 2009

KPTZ Port Townsend increases power

Postby bputney » Wed May 08, 2013 4:35 pm

Hi, Just wanted to let you know KPTZ 91.9 FM Port Townsend executed the
power increase the FCC granted in April. As of noon Wednesday May 8th
KPTZ is operating at 2200 Watts with the same directional pattern as
with the previous 900 Watt level.

We'd appreciate signal reports: billp@kptz.org

Bill Putney - Chief Engineer KPTZ
bputney
Newbie
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 1:15 pm

Re: KPTZ Port Townsend increases power

Postby Dan Sys » Wed May 08, 2013 7:50 pm

I'm getting KPTZ in Aldergrove right now Bill. Not a great signal as splatter from CBC Radio One 91.7 in Chilliwack and CBC Radio Two 92.1 in Victoria is causing havoc, but KPTZ is definitely there. I was sitting on the deck with a GE Superadio 2. Aldergrove is about 65 miles northeast of Port Townsend.

What is the status of the construction permit for KSJU 91.9 in Friday Harbor? I'm thinking that it must be a dead issue if KPTZ was allowed to increase power.
User avatar
Dan Sys
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1887
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:05 pm
Location: Aldergroove, B.C.

Re: KPTZ Port Townsend increases power

Postby bputney » Wed May 08, 2013 11:46 pm

Dan, thanks for the signal report.

There was an 11th hour save of the KSJU CP/License. The ownership group on San Juan Island finally signed over ownership to Skagit Valley College about a week before the CP was to expire. A minor modification was granted in a big hurry and the transmitter was installed on top of a college building with a single bay omni at 100 watts.

In February a studio waver was granted so that the KSJU studios would be in the same location as KSVR's studios. As far as I know (haven't been over there to listen) but I think KSJU is simulcasting KSVR now. I don't know if KSVR is doing San Juan Island directed programming or if San Juan Island still doesn't have a locally programed radio station.

I was in contact with Michael Brown who did their engineering and I offered on several occasions to make modifications to our CP if KSJU wanted to change or expand their operation. Michael said that he forwarded the offer but nothing came of it. I think there is quite a bit of room for them to expand their coverage before there is a conflict with the contours we are now operating with.

Bill
bputney
Newbie
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 1:15 pm

Re: KPTZ Port Townsend increases power

Postby bputney » Thu May 09, 2013 12:27 am

Follow up...

Dan,

I reread your post and it's worth me filling in a detail I think you wanted.

We had an agreement with Public Radio Capitol (PRC, the owners of KXOT) to modify KXOT's CP'd antenna pattern when they moved from Tacoma to Bainbridge Island. That agreement was in place before we built KPTZ so we designed our antenna pattern to operate at 2200 watts with the required contour protections for KSJU and KSVR at the higher power level. We operated at 900 watts which was all the power we could until KXOT modified their CP.

PRC then expressed some reservations about the changes they were to make under the agreement and we were unsure about what would ultimately happen. KPTZ filed a CP to change our antenna pattern to recapture some of the coverage area that we could serve with a 900 watt limitation to the south (towards KXOT). That was the CP that was filed in mid February and granted by the FCC in mid March.

I had heard that KSJU was mad that we filed our CP and felt it got in their way of expansion. It wasn't our intention to kill their dreams, just to protect the space with as much flexibility as we could since we had not contracted to have the antenna built and didn't know what difficulties would be encountered. Our offer to KSJU was to make whatever changes they would like to accommodate their expansion. It wasn't a big deal to us since we had not contracted to build the antenna we had a CP for. We were still waiting to see what shoes dropped at PRC.

Anyway... It was all worked out with PRC, they changed their CP and it was granted right after the grant came thorough for our antenna change. So... We filed for a change to our CP to put us back on the antenna we had always been using but at the planned for 2200 watts.

Thus, the power increase was granted by the FCC because it was planned not to step on KSJU protected contours in the first place.

Round about but all's well that ends well they say.

Bill
bputney
Newbie
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 1:15 pm

Re: KPTZ Port Townsend increases power

Postby radiofan » Thu May 09, 2013 6:03 pm

While out driving today. I checked 91.9 and there was a fairly good signal in my area of East Burnaby/New Westminster. As I drove towards Coquitlam, there was some splatter from 92.1.

I heard it again later this afternoon along Hwy 1 in the Langley/Aldergrove area.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
User avatar
radiofan
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 13719
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:24 pm
Location: Keremeos, BC


Return to Seattle / Washington State Radio News

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 96 guests