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The newest Portland LPFM is on the air for testing.
99.1 KPQR/KSFL-LP’s transmit antenna is at the top of the 1450 KBPS tower, currently running about 80% power.
We’re taking reception reports at engineering@prp.fm.
Getting a pretty good signal in Happy Valley, near Causey and Stevens Rd.Being up this high does have it’s advantages. Just heard Neil diamond “Song Sung Blue”
Oh, I was thinking that one of them dropped out? Was there another frequency planning to use the KBPS tower? By the way, It comes right in on my superadio. I didn’t even have to move it around. If that’s the case, KISN should be no problem, since I’m only about three blocks outside of the 60dbu contour. Years ago, I could listen to the Madras LPFM for several miles, so maybe some of these stations will do better than we think they will.
I get very weak reception in Tualatin, using my Technics SA-AX720 with just a simple indoor wire antenna. Not bad, considering the distance and terrain between my receiver and Benson! For a while I thought I was getting KODZ instead, but I verified that was not the case.
It has more to do with who else is using the channel, how close they are, what direction their signal is coming from, where and how powerful the first adjacents are and of course the terrain. Don’t assume because you get one at a certain distance you will get another. Every single one of these will have unique reception qualities at any given location especially if you are outside their 60 dBu contour (more than 3 miles from the transmitter).
With a simple dipole wire antenna, for example, in Sellwood 99.1 is quite noisy and really not listenable even though it is lighting up 2 bars out of 4 on my HK. I’ll check out in the car shortly on the Alpine. I’m just outside the 60 dBu contour. I’m assuming that’s them playing I Can See For Miles. I’m sure hoping they aren’t going to be playing classic rock, that would be so boring.
BTW, I had to reorient the dipole 90ยบ so that it is facing north instead of west.
Now they’re playing Gloria.
I mean really, haven’t we heard these songs enough over the last 40 years on KGON and KINK. There are thousands of songs by these groups that weren’t beat to death. How about playing them.
99.1 is currently in testing mode. Once all of their equipment is fully installed, I would imagine they will be airing content that is currently on their streams.
I tuned it in and left it for awhile. I wouldn’t describe what they’re playing as “Classic Rock”, more like lesser hits. I just got back from my oil change/grocery run. I drove about a mile away and had no problem receiving the station. It was a little noisy at times but never came anywhere near fading.
Did a loop today out of Sellwood on Bybee to Woodstock to SE 82nd to Johnson Creek RD back to Sellwood.
Signal very good in Westmoreland and over the Bybee Bridge. Noisy along the Eastmoreland Golf course reaching a low point at the corner of SE 28th and SE Woodstock (SW corner or Reed College). When you get up to SE 39th it’s good again all the way out SE Woodstock to SE 82nd. I made a right turn and heading south the signal starts getting noisy around SE Duke and continues up to Johnson Creek Road. Sounds OK in the Fred Meyer parking lot if you’re not moving. Turning right on Johnson Creek and heading back towards Sellwood the signal remains noisy until you get close to SE 45th where it picks up and gets stronger as you approach the SE TAcoma overpass. All in all, this is pretty good coverage and what you can expect from most of these LPFM’s. Remember discussing coverage outside of their 60 dBu contour or along the contour is liking discussing coverage of a full power station like KGON when you are on Rt 22 going from Stayton to Mill City. LPFM’s are only supposed to have interference free coverage for 3.1 miles, so if you are beyond that and still picking them up, that’s not something that applies to all LPFM or even that one on a full time basis. The same station at the same distance in a different direction may not come in at all. Also, you should expect differences between night and day and clear skies and heavy cloud cover.
Incidentally, email sent to the address engineering@prp.fm is being returned by Google.
Listened on a drive to Cascade Locks today. Stock radio in a 2007 Nissan Versa with a rubber duck antenna. Solid signal from 205 north to 84 east (behind Rocky Butte) and started getting some mild picket fencing around 181st. Signal pretty solid all the way to the Bonneville Dam exit where things got pretty shaky. In Cascade Locks proper there’s a little co-channel interference from The Dalles but Portland mostly on top. All in all I was pretty impressed by how well 100 watts from the KBPS tower did going east. The lack of co or first adjacent interference certainly helps, but still…
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