KSKQ-LP
Encyclopedia
KSKQ was a low power
(100 watt) community FM radio
station licensed by the United States Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to Eagle Point
, Oregon
, United States, until it was upgraded to a full-power station in June 2011. Its studio is located in Ashland
. The original transmitter was just southeast of the city, but has now been dismantled. KSKQ has been streaming locally produced and nationally syndicated programming over the Internet since 2005. In 2007, it also began broadcasting over the airwaves at 94.9 FM.
.
of Medford, Oregon
reported that KSKQ planned to increase its broadcasting signal to full power, which would allow coverage over the bulk of Jackson County, in addition to local home radio. The plan at the time was to have a full-power transmitter operational on Table Mountain by November, 2010. KSKQ 94.9 FM, which is operated by the Multicultural Association of Southern Oregon in Ashland, was scheduled to transform into KORV 89.5 FM, broadcasting from the new transmitter. In April 2010, the KSKQ Advisory Committee decided to keep the KSKQ call letters for the full power station.
On Friday, June 24, 2011 KSKQ ceased broadcasting on its low-power frequency 94.9 FM. It is now broadcasting on the new frequency, 89.5 FM from a new transmitter on Table Mountain, east of Ashland. The station also plans to boost the signal to 300 watts.
, for permission to connect to a transformer owned by that wireless telecommunications
firm on the same site.
On the day following the outage, two truck drivers from Ferrellgas of Central Point were finally able to deliver the propane to KSKQ's 200-gallon tank on the mountain. A dialogue was initiated with U.S. Cellular to resolve the impasse over the sharing of power, and the problems with propane refueling only underscored the urgency of these talks. KSKQ's license with the Federal Communications Commission requires that it remain on air, barring unforeseen circumstances. If power had not been restored so quickly, the station would have had to apply for a 30-day reprieve to allow for restoration of power.
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
(100 watt) community FM radio
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
station licensed by the United States Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) to Eagle Point
Eagle Point, Oregon
Eagle Point is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 8,469 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-2000 Census data:...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States, until it was upgraded to a full-power station in June 2011. Its studio is located in Ashland
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
. The original transmitter was just southeast of the city, but has now been dismantled. KSKQ has been streaming locally produced and nationally syndicated programming over the Internet since 2005. In 2007, it also began broadcasting over the airwaves at 94.9 FM.
First FCC license
In December 2004, KSKQ received its LPFM license, limited to 100 watts of transmitting power, and requiring 16 of every 24 hours of KSKQ programming to be locally produced. Producers, who are trained in the technical aspects and protocols of radio broadcasting, are members of the station. The station represents non-partisan, community radio, and encourages participation from any group or individual. KSKQ is also an affiliate of Pacifica RadioPacifica Radio
Pacifica Radio is the oldest public radio network in the United States. It is a group of five independently operated, non-commercial, listener-supported radio stations that is known for its progressive/liberal political orientation. It is also a program service supplying over 100 affiliated...
.
New transmitter for KSKQ
In January 2010, the Mail TribuneMail Tribune
The Mail Tribune is a seven-day daily newspaper based in Medford, Oregon, United States that serves Jackson County, Oregon, and adjacent areas of northern California....
of Medford, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
reported that KSKQ planned to increase its broadcasting signal to full power, which would allow coverage over the bulk of Jackson County, in addition to local home radio. The plan at the time was to have a full-power transmitter operational on Table Mountain by November, 2010. KSKQ 94.9 FM, which is operated by the Multicultural Association of Southern Oregon in Ashland, was scheduled to transform into KORV 89.5 FM, broadcasting from the new transmitter. In April 2010, the KSKQ Advisory Committee decided to keep the KSKQ call letters for the full power station.
On Friday, June 24, 2011 KSKQ ceased broadcasting on its low-power frequency 94.9 FM. It is now broadcasting on the new frequency, 89.5 FM from a new transmitter on Table Mountain, east of Ashland. The station also plans to boost the signal to 300 watts.
Issues with power generation for the transmitter
On November 14, 2011, a power outage was experienced by the transmitter on Table Mountain. This caused an interruption of broadcasting over the airwaves for two days, although the internet stream continued as before. New snowfall had made the road nearly impassable for the delivery truck to refill the propane tank connected to the generator, which was the only source of power to the transmitter. This incident reinforced the need for an alternate source of power. An official request had already been submitted months before to U.S. CellularU.S. Cellular
United States Cellular Corporation, d.b.a. U.S. Cellular , owns and operates the sixth largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, behind Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA, and Metro PCS. , they serve about 6.1 million customers in 126 markets in...
, for permission to connect to a transformer owned by that wireless telecommunications
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
firm on the same site.
On the day following the outage, two truck drivers from Ferrellgas of Central Point were finally able to deliver the propane to KSKQ's 200-gallon tank on the mountain. A dialogue was initiated with U.S. Cellular to resolve the impasse over the sharing of power, and the problems with propane refueling only underscored the urgency of these talks. KSKQ's license with the Federal Communications Commission requires that it remain on air, barring unforeseen circumstances. If power had not been restored so quickly, the station would have had to apply for a 30-day reprieve to allow for restoration of power.