KKOL death rays bombard Tacoma Dome, threaten jehovah's witnesses

Last month KKOL's new 50k watt transmitter at the Port of Tacoma threatened to blow up an urban oil refinery, kill innocent union dock workers, ruin the Western Washington economy, and endanger U.S security by hindering fuel supplies to McCord Air Base.

Now we learn their Big Throbber is suspected of electronic interference on nearby public address systems, making odd chatter on phone lines, and inappropriate speaker squawks at a recent Rascal Flatts concert at the Tacoma Dome.

"It's a real problem because it has made some of the intercom systems unusable," Rainier Connect's network manager Mike Bell told the Business Examiner. "Rascal Flats had the station coming in through their speakers. The Watchtower Folks have engineers working on the problem. We've got all these graduations coming up, too. I hope we can get a solution to this before then."

The 'Watchtower folks he's speaking of are the upcoming Jehovah's Witness May 18th convention- one of the Dome's biggest annual events.

KKOL, owned and operated by the ultraconservative, Christian Salem Communications, has so few listeners, it doesn't even show up in Arbitron's Seattle market ratings list, but they're hoping (praying might be more accurate) to build the station by upgrading syndicated programming, increasing wattage, and hiring local pros such as new Market Manager Joe Heslet, and former KIRO PD Tom Clendening. 

Some of their "upgraded" syndicated talkers are Laura Ingraham, Dennis Miller, Hugh Hewitt, Mike Gallagher, and Michael "The Lesser" Reagan. (o god, you shoulda heard the un-upgraded ones).

We're hearing they'd love to hire some local talkers, which would probably really help, but the uncertainty around the performance of the mighty masts has them in a limbo.

As population density increases, siting these smokin' poles gets more difficult. If they must move them again, it will be a costly setback.

Salem Communications is unabashedly Christianist and conservative, but unlike Mormon-owned Bonneville, they have no qualms pushing its non-secularism in the programming.

Rumors that they wouldn't mind that much screwing up secular concerts or that they'd be pleased to interrupt the Jehovah's Witness's convention at the Tacoma Dome is probably apocryphal. (fundamentalist Christians consider the Witnesses a devil's cult).

Founded by a couple of rich, religious, right-wing Californians to fight moral (and tooth) decay, "creeping secularism" and hell, make a few bucks at the same time, Salem has tiny stations all over the country with religious and other brokered programming, and Spanish language stations.

Salem stations don't take up much space in market ratings- but they're everywhere, and they're making money- what with all those quacks and evangels paying to get on the air to shake down old ladies for their bingo money.

They are, essentially, evil reactionaries who want to take away your birthday; but praise Cthulhu- they represent only a tiny blip in the nation's overall radio audience.

Read all about this media cabal in our epic post, Kkan Kkol Kkick Ass? or in this fine piece by Adam Piore, A Higher Frequency from Mother Jones.

(Hat tip to reader John K.)

Comments

[Brian]

Frank DUDE!!!!!!
Iam thinkin you spent to much time at the dog park, and not enough time on your show prep AGAIN!
Iam going to let this one pass because you cant spend to much time with your DOG ! But try a little harder TANKS!

[Brian]

We have been checking around , We are not sure yet ????? But we have a good tip, That New York Vinnie, is the Boy that stood in front of the BoBs Big Boy Restaurant , So you know now!! what will happen when you have more than 3 double cheese burgers , and a gallon of milk before going on the air at night !

[Ted Smith]

So let's analyze this. KHHO-850 (old KTAC) has been running 10,000 watts daytime from a site near KKKOL for many years without apparent problems. KJR-950 ran 50,000 watts day and night from this same site for several years, again without apparent problems. Now KKKOL comes along with lots and lots of problems. What's different?

KHHO/KTAC always had a strong signal and say what you will about Clear Channel (KJR), their corporate engineering department is pretty good. Conclusion: KHHO/KTAC/old KJR has a solid ground system at that site.

At AM frequencies, the RF signal must find its way back to the base of the antenna through the ground or through any metal path available. Ideally it is through a properly-installed radial ground system around each tower. If this ground system is missing or substandard, the signal uses any metal object that it can find. Power lines, oil refineries, pipelines, and the telephone system can all serve this purpose. Conclusion: KKKOL either failed to install a good radial ground system or cheaped it out.

As support, I notice that KKKOL's signal in Edmonds is nothing to brag about. Bad ground system = poor signal, and there is no way to avoid this.

[PeakLimiter]

I just had to chime in and second Ted's opinion and description of RF engineering FACTS.
For the first time in months on this site, a poster who actually knew what he was talking about! Most discussions and opinions about radio on this site are made by individuals who couldn't program a police scanner during the height of a crime wave!

[joanie]

Ah, Peak. We must bow to our betters . . . you are so superior to us in every way.

Makes me wish I'd majored in wiring and become an electrician instead of a teacher. Or whatever radio geeks are . . . board operators?

In my next life, I must remember to be a radio geek for it is the light and the way . . .

[Tommy008]

Boze and the twerp had a legal Mexican immigrant on who was championing the cause of the illegals. Some illegal Mexicans called in also. This advocate and the illegals who called in have seemed to developed an elaborate series of "groupthink" rationalizations for why they as illegal aliens should be allowed to come here , get jobs and stay here. Whenever you have this topic, illegals will cite, say, Bush'es phony government unemployment statistics, which no one with a pair of eyes really believes. One of them cited these unemployment statistics today, yet there was an American caller in his twenties who said many of his friends were looking for jobs but they were filled by illegal Mexicans.Several of these callers with similar stories pop up in every discussion of the topic , claiming they also are being aced out of work by illegals and their greedy employers. Parents complain about their teenagers not being able to get parttime afterschool and summer jobs, say at McDonalds because illegal aliens are hogging the slots. Employers of course also have their own rationalizations. I heard one scumbag roofing contractor who admitted to having a virtually 100 percent illegal hispanic work crew, claim that the "white guys" think they know more than the supervisor, thus make poor emplyess. Although this is obviously crap rationalization, he does betray in this comment, the truth that these sleazeball employers much prefer to hire docile, uncomplaining illegal Latino employees who can be easily coerced to perform in unsafe working conditions or put up with unfair pay, rather than legal American workers who come from our tradition of workers rights developed through a century of labor union activity.

[rachel]

But Tommy, we need them as voters!

[Jorge]

Fact is, they're both absolutely right. Sarcasm tossed at them won't change that.

Being educated in technology makes one a geek? Then I'd have to note that plenty of teachers out there have certain nerdish qualities about them.

So sad, that a bit of legitimate expertise around here can't be appreciated as such.

[musty]

Very well said Jorge, heaven forbid we stay on topic in an objective manner!

[cowpotpi3]

Jorge...Musty...perhaps you misunderstood what she was saying. She was not making a statement about Ted's post, it was a response to this in the following post:

"Most discussions and opinions about radio on this site are made by individuals who couldn't program a police scanner during the height of a crime wave!"

The guy trashed the 'opinions' on this blog with one of his own and she responded with a little narkyness. God forbid.

[musty]

Sorry, I forgot to wait for your filtering, can you ever forgive me.

[Andrew]

But those two are only very knowledgeable of how the delivery system works. Only nerds care about that stuff. People like PeakLimiter are a necessary evil to keep that magical shit running. Radio stations are about content and the talent.

Their smugness and overestimated sense of self-worth is truely sad and telling.

[stealth]

And you know them so well, you dumbass.

[blathering michael]

I always appreciate hearing from Ted Smith who knows the tech and can explain it clearly; but to Peak: this is "listening to talk radio so you don't have to," not "maintaining a transmitter so you don't have to."

[cowpotpi3]

I guess reality is my filter, oh Musted one. If you had stopped to read the post without YOUR 'I hate Joanie' filter, you might have gotten the point!

[Tommy008]

Laura Ingraham can be heard without kkol's static in the evenings by streaming WABC in New York. You can CLEARLY hear the arrogant witch snort,chortle, cackle and hold court while her pair of instudio eunuchs obsequiously and sycophantically play her straight men. But don't dare call in and counter this elitist talk queen with the Ivy League law degree- she'll shrivel you into nothingness with her witheringly superior tone, and contemptuous monologues.

[coiler]

Mike Webb's iTunes site has come back up again with the Korum's Puyallup "Best of series" But it's not him.

http://www.americanam.com/

[musty]

No, I was serious cowpie I am sorry I did misinterpret, are you big enough to forgive my mistake.

[Just a Joe]

Michael,

I drop by your blog occasionally when ORBUSMAX entices me with KKOL news. Maybe I'm alone in wanting to hear Bill Bennett's morning show over the streetlights' transformer buzz, but I'd be happy to have the station back to 50kw and a normal pattern.

I've noticed your general disdain for pretty much the entire KKOL lineup. Presuming Scott Simon, Carl Kasell and Daniel Shore will remain occupied indefinitely with their fifth column efforts, is their anyone on radio you'd deign to attend favorably? After reviewing your bio, it would seem you're taking a lot of time from your Ernest Hemingway re-enactment to deride a medium that can't hope to measure up.

[blathering michael]

Welcome back joe. you know, we all have our 5th columns, and you know, you may be right- this medium may never measure up. you flatter me with the Hemingway comparison- though I certainly fall short- I don't drink, fish, and I don't write novels.
I'd love it if you came by here more often though; you have just the right amount of irony, vocabulary and sense of humor to entice me to spar more regularly.
I can't stand Scott Simon, by the way... and I don't think the word indefinitely would be a good one to apply to Daniel Schorr, either.

[PeakLimiter]

No Joanie, not superior to everyone, but very clearly YOU. Whenever one wants to know about the liberal inability to rationally and logically evaluate cause and effect, one must look no further than your hours of mindless ramblings on this website. For the record, I've been a proud member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers since 1984 and am still employed as an engineer in the broadcast industry. Unlike you, I do know what I'm talking about and know for sure that even being an "electrician" is well beyond your simple mind.

[kris in kent]

why in the world does anyone care about a jahovas witness convention getting screwed up? are there any fruity religions that liberals wont bend over backwords to baby? too bad you cant do it for christians.

[joanie]

Oh dear, Peak. Guess I made my mark. If I didn't like you so much, I would say you really studied smug superiority . . . but thanks for clarifying. Now I know you're a "broadcast engineer" rather than a "board op."

Always nice to be enlightened. :)

[James]

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[The Hobo]

Ted: As someone who did support on terminals at the Port of Tacoma for several years, I would disagree with your assessment that KHHO had no apparent problems. We experienced constant signal bleed on all our analog lines. I'd frequently get better reception for a Rainiers game play-by-play by punching up one of my analog phone lines than by grabbing a portable radio.

I'd hazzard a guess that since KKOL's signal is broadcasting a much higher powered signal than KHHO did that the problems their tower's neighbors are experiencing are proportionate to 850's problems.

[xtal guy]

Some more observations: The KKOL towers are set in the middle of a parking lot used to stage imported vehicles from freighters coming into the port of tacoma.

I live in proximity to KKOL at 1300 and KKMO at 1360. There is signal mixing going on with the carriers because I hear *strong* KKOL images at 1240 and 1420 khz. Based on that -- the theory about poor ground radials looks like it holds some water to me.

[eli]

Messing up my church installation....Argh!

[air yeezys]

In science the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurs.