KSKY (AM)
Encyclopedia
KSKY is an AM
radio station
in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
under ownership of Salem Communications
with a talk format
which generally favors views that are politically, culturally, and economically conservative
or libertarian
. KSKY broadcasts on 660 kHz in AM Stereo
and is currently simulcasting on an FM repeater on 92.9 MHz in Dallas and an FM repeater on 95.5 in Tarrant County.
, which was longest running up until 2004 when it made its final switch to conservative talk. KSKY was sold to Salem in mid 2000. KSKY was also originally a daytime only station until the recent format change and city of license change from Dallas to Balch Springs. KSKY applied for an FM frequency at 106.9
in 1948, then turned down a chance to buy the 98.7 frequency in 1957, and was awarded 91.3 in the 1960s (but no proof that they ever signed on has ever been found, and since the 91.3 has become a part of the educational band.)
During the "entertainment" era, notables such as Jackie Gleason
, Skitch Henderson
, Vincent Price
, Jane Russell
, Jack Webb
and Charlton Heston
visited the station in person and performed live on KSKY.
stations XEDTL, San Lorenzo Tezoneo, DF and XEEY, Jalpa, ZA. The Mexican stations are notified to and accepted for nighttime operation with power levels limited to 1.0 kW. However, both stations appear to be operating with a nighttime power level on the order of 50 kW. Mitigation efforts of both the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and KSKY (AM) with the Mexican government and the offending stations have been unsuccessful. Therefore, the applicant herein seeks extraordinary relief from the interference by proposing to re-transmit the KSKY (AM) programming on three low power FM repeaters throughout the KSKY(AM) nighttime loss area to restore lost KSKY(AM) service to the public." - from a document filed with the Federal Communications Commission. The request for FM repeater STAs could be an attempt to gain an FM license for KSKY.
In and near Dallas:
Special Temporary Authorization (STA) in operation
92.9 MHz, Channel 225, has an Effective Radiated Power of 800 Watts
Antenna Location Coordinates (NAD-27) 32-46-43 North at 96-43-51 West
FCC Antenna Structure Registration Number 1221248
Overall Tower Height Above Ground Level 160.9 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Mean Sea Level 270 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Ground Level 144 meters
In and near Fort Worth:
Special Temporary Authorization STA
95.5 MHz, Channel 238, has an Effective Radiated Power of 140 Watts
Antenna Location Coordinates (NAD-27) 32-47-33 North at 97-13-47 West
FCC Antenna Structure Registration Number 1211877
Overall Tower Height Above Ground Level 32.9 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Mean Sea Level 190 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Ground Level 30 meters
In and near Arlington:
Proposed STA
92.1 MHz, Channel 221, has an Effective Radiated Power of 99 Watts
Antenna Location Coordinates (NAD-27) 32-44-26 North at 97-03-33 West
FCC Antenna Structure Registration Number 1225675
Overall Tower Height Above Ground Level 62.8 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Mean Sea Level 240 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Ground Level 59 meters
The proposed station on 92.1 would cause interference to 92.1 KTFW of Glen Rose
(32° 16' 31.00" North Latitude at 98° 01' 22.00" West Longitude (NAD 27))
RadioWorld magazine reports that Mexico plans to move most of its AM stations off the medium wave band within five years.
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
under ownership of Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
with a talk format
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
which generally favors views that are politically, culturally, and economically conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
or libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
. KSKY broadcasts on 660 kHz in AM Stereo
AM stereo
AM stereo is a term given to a series of mutually incompatible techniques for wireless radio broadcasting stereo audio in the AM band in a manner that is compatible with standard AM receivers...
and is currently simulcasting on an FM repeater on 92.9 MHz in Dallas and an FM repeater on 95.5 in Tarrant County.
History
KSKY was first established on September 28, 1941 by Chilton Radio Corp. with an Entertainment format and in 1963, Chilton sold KSKY. Prior to the sale, it was flipped to a Christian formatChristian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
, which was longest running up until 2004 when it made its final switch to conservative talk. KSKY was sold to Salem in mid 2000. KSKY was also originally a daytime only station until the recent format change and city of license change from Dallas to Balch Springs. KSKY applied for an FM frequency at 106.9
KRVF
KRVF is a country music formatted radio station licensed to Kerens, Texas. This station transmits on rimshot frequency 106.9 FM and is owned and operated by LKCM Radio Group....
in 1948, then turned down a chance to buy the 98.7 frequency in 1957, and was awarded 91.3 in the 1960s (but no proof that they ever signed on has ever been found, and since the 91.3 has become a part of the educational band.)
During the "entertainment" era, notables such as Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The...
, Skitch Henderson
Skitch Henderson
Lyle Russell Cedric “Skitch” Henderson was a pianist, conductor, and composer. His nickname reportedly derived from his ability to quickly "re-sketch" a song in a different key.- Biography :...
, Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
, Jane Russell
Jane Russell
Jane Russell was an American film actress and was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s....
, Jack Webb
Jack Webb
John Randolph "Jack" Webb , also known by the pseudonym John Randolph, was an American actor, television producer, director and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in the radio and television series Dragnet...
and Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes...
visited the station in person and performed live on KSKY.
Interference from Mexico and Emergency FM repeaters
KSKY claims that the Nighttime Interference Free (NIF) contour has been "reduced by cochannel interference from illegal operations at MexicanMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
stations XEDTL, San Lorenzo Tezoneo, DF and XEEY, Jalpa, ZA. The Mexican stations are notified to and accepted for nighttime operation with power levels limited to 1.0 kW. However, both stations appear to be operating with a nighttime power level on the order of 50 kW. Mitigation efforts of both the 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) and KSKY (AM) with the Mexican government and the offending stations have been unsuccessful. Therefore, the applicant herein seeks extraordinary relief from the interference by proposing to re-transmit the KSKY (AM) programming on three low power FM repeaters throughout the KSKY(AM) nighttime loss area to restore lost KSKY(AM) service to the public." - from a document filed with the Federal Communications Commission. The request for FM repeater STAs could be an attempt to gain an FM license for KSKY.
In and near Dallas:
Special Temporary Authorization (STA) in operation
92.9 MHz, Channel 225, has an Effective Radiated Power of 800 Watts
Antenna Location Coordinates (NAD-27) 32-46-43 North at 96-43-51 West
FCC Antenna Structure Registration Number 1221248
Overall Tower Height Above Ground Level 160.9 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Mean Sea Level 270 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Ground Level 144 meters
In and near Fort Worth:
Special Temporary Authorization STA
95.5 MHz, Channel 238, has an Effective Radiated Power of 140 Watts
Antenna Location Coordinates (NAD-27) 32-47-33 North at 97-13-47 West
FCC Antenna Structure Registration Number 1211877
Overall Tower Height Above Ground Level 32.9 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Mean Sea Level 190 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Ground Level 30 meters
In and near Arlington:
Proposed STA
92.1 MHz, Channel 221, has an Effective Radiated Power of 99 Watts
Antenna Location Coordinates (NAD-27) 32-44-26 North at 97-03-33 West
FCC Antenna Structure Registration Number 1225675
Overall Tower Height Above Ground Level 62.8 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Mean Sea Level 240 meters
Height of Radiation Center Above Ground Level 59 meters
The proposed station on 92.1 would cause interference to 92.1 KTFW of Glen Rose
Glen Rose, Texas
Glen Rose is a city in Somervell County, Texas, United States. It is the county seat of Somervell County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,444. Glen Rose is part of the Granbury micropolitan area.-19th century:...
(32° 16' 31.00" North Latitude at 98° 01' 22.00" West Longitude (NAD 27))
RadioWorld magazine reports that Mexico plans to move most of its AM stations off the medium wave band within five years.