From the Statesman Journal,

Stayton music shop owner plans to open radio station

August 9, 2007

STAYTON -- Ken Cartwright, owner of Cartwright's Music and Repair Shop, plans to open a new low-power radio station next month. KENC 1620 AM is planned as a local-format station, broadcasting from next to the shop at 429 N Third Ave.

Cartwright plans to handle the morning show from 6:30 to 9:30. Other programming could include segments devoted to Stayton and Regis high schools; a marketplace time devoted to buying, selling and trading; and large blocks of music.

Cartwright's station will be among stations that are limited to a half-watt of power, meaning it will barely reach into Sublimity.

-- Sheldon Traver

>>>"half-watt of power"

So, I guess he won't be referring to it as the "Stayton Blow Torch".

Sounds like a "carrier current" station but usually those don't hardly reach a half a block.
KENC is not a registered call sign with the FCC.

C'mon, give them the whole damn watt!!!!!!

Stayton already has a 1,000 watt AM station, KCKX. Unfortunately the owner, Don Coss, changed the format from cowboy country to full time spanish.

Coss is the new owner of KSND, now spanish.

I don't believe the FCC authorizes half watt stations and it's too much to be unlicensed. I wonder what's going on.

A Stayton pirate!

It would be fun to DX this one.

Do any engineer types know if a car battery would be able to generate and emit more power than 1/2 watt?

Herb

Instead of "Stayton's 50,000 watt blowtorch!", it will be "Stayton's half-watt matchstick... please don't blow us out!"

It would be fun to DX this one.

Anyone more than five hundred feet away will have to DX this one...........

The coverage will depend a lot on what type of antenna system is used. It certainly won't be a 1/4 wave tower because of cost. I think that the following might be more probable choices:

* Random length horizontal or sloping long wire
* Short (10-20ft) series-fed vertical with big loading coil
* Tall metal pole/lighweight tower (>20ft), shunt-fed
* 20-30 ft of wire up a wooden pole, series fed (this is what some TIS stations use)

It will be interesting to see what is used. 500mW is roughly the transmit power of a cell phone.

A Stayton pirate!...

Now, say it with meaning......

YAR! It be a Stayton Pirate....Arrrrrrrgh!

Low power AM radio transmitters:
http://www.ontheair3.com/

Hey, I know Ken Cartwright! He's a fellow member of the Northwest Bluegrass Ass'n and a heck of good mandolin picker in addition to being one sources of inspiration for stringed-instrument repair.

Anyway, I know that Ken puts his heart & soul into everything he tackles, so I expect nothing less out of KENC-FM. By the way, I'd also expect a heavy dose of bluegrass programming. Way to go, Ken!

Sounds like we're Stayton the obvious here ... (whoops, maybe that should be on one of Mrs Merkin's pun posts...)

I know this question is a bit off topic, but, does anyone know of a good bluegrass station on the net?

Thanks.

Pdxdc: dunno 'bout the net per se, but the Sirius bluegrass channel (ch. 65) is killer.... 24/7 bluegrass and commercial-free. It's streamed on sirius.com for subscribers and also may be one of the Sirius channels available on DishTV audio.

Excellent, Thanks!

We now return to: ...what was it we were talking about again?

Whatever happened to the LPFM in Stayton? I think the calls were KPIK.

KPIK is still on the air. The signal reaches Salem.

Anybody hear anything new about that full power AM on 1130 that is in process? Any idea of potential formats?

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/lowpwr.html#MINIMUM

Unlicensed operation on the AM and FM radio broadcast bands is permitted for some extremely low powered devices covered under Part 15 of the FCC's rules. On FM frequencies, these devices are limited to an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters). See 47 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Section 15.239, and the July 24, 1991 Public Notice. On the AM broadcast band, these devices are limited to an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters). See 47 CFR Sections 15.207, 15.209, 15.219, and 15.221. These devices must accept any interference caused by any other operation, which may further limit the effective service range. For more information on Part 15 devices, please see OET Bulletin No. 63 ("Understanding the FCC Regulations for Low-Power, Non-Licensed Transmitters").

The minimum power for an AM broadcast station which a construction permit applicant may request is 250 watts (0.250 kilowatts). Alternatively, if an effective radiated power of less than 250 watts is sought, an equivalent RMS value of at least 141 millivolts per meter (mV/m) at a distance of 1 km from the tower site must be proposed. See 47 CFR Section 73.21(a)(2) of the Commission's Rules. No AM broadcast station will be authorized with less than these minimums.

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Documents/bulletins/oet63/oet6 3rev.pdf

525-1705 kHz

Any: 100 mW input to final RF stage 15.219

Transmitters on grounds of educational institutions:
24000/f(kHz) uV/m @ 30 m outside of campus
boundary Q 15.221

Carrier current & leaky coax systems: 15 uV/m @
47,715/f(kHz) m from cable Q 15.221

Any: 24000/f(kHz) uV/m @ 30 m Q 15.209

You know this could be a great way to break into the Scio market, maybe I could send an aircheck/resume'. I heard Scio has a 5 watt station, on 540, lowband good ground conductivity and bandwidth characteristics, big market signal. Then from there I can hit the Lebanon-Albany metroplex.

1/2 watt on 1620 wow? They better put up a 3 tower directional array to protect the North Santiam Hwy ORDOT traffic advisory radio station from adjacent channel interference on 1610.

The lastest in an Statesman Journal article...

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070913/BUSINESS/709 130316

Stayton music store owner starts an AM radio station

September 13, 2007

With his studio set up and a computer automated system in place, Ken Cartwright was ready for the official launch of KENC (1620 AM) on Sept. 3.

"I know people are listening because I held a contest Monday and I had quite a few people call in. I would say at least a couple dozen people called," Cartwright said.

For the past month, Cartwright has been setting up the low-powered AM station, which features country and bluegrass music and local news. The studio, set up next to Cartwright's Music and Repair Shop, is at 329 N Third Ave. in downtown Stayton. A large picture window gives passersby a glimpse into the world of radio, where in the mornings from 6:30 to 9:30, Cartwright entertains, informs and runs contests.

Since early August, Cartwright has been talking with city officials from Aumsville to Sublimity, searching for locations for small transmitters. The first transmitter, on the roof of his business, can cover from Highway 22 to about the south edge of town.

Each transmitter costs about $1,000, and he is looking for donations to continue to spread the signal

Are you sure this article isn't from September 13, 1907?

Wondering if he's Part 15 compliant?

Sounds to me like he's using a Hamilton Rangemaster, which IS Part 15 compliant, AND FCC type-accepted no less. There's an operator in Flagstaff that's done the same thing with at least two synchronized transmitters to cover more of that Northern Arizona town. Last I heard they were running Fox Sports Radio and simulcasting on a Flagstaff cable TV channel. It's unlicensed...but it IS legal as long as it's Part 15 compliant!

I admire Mr. Cartwright's plan, but that can get expensive in a big hurry...

Ken Cartwright: A man of many skills

The musician and teacher has started a radio station in Stayton

BROOK GRIFFIN
Statesman Journal
September 22, 2007

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007709220302

lets hope its not a rap station. some local news talk would be great.