KENC Radio to Cease Broadcasting

By Ken Cartwright

KENC Comes to an end: November 19, 2009
Ken Cartwright- KENC Community Radio

KENC, AM 1620 KENC Community Radio will cease broadcasting on it's 3 transmitters effective November 21 at 5:00 PM PST. We will stay on line at www.kencradio.com but local programming will be reduced.

Recently a FCC inspector, Binh Guygen, out of Vancouver Washington paid Ken Cartwright owner of KENC Community Radio a visit. Based on his field strength meter readings, he found the primary Low Power transmitter at 429 N. 3rd. Ave. Stayton, OR out of compliance with the FCC code part 15.219 regulating low power transmissions... The transmitter is a Hamilton Rangemaster 1000, and is one of three installed and in operation in the Stayton area for community radio. At issue was the grounding system used for the primary transmitter. In order to comply the ground feed was cut and the transmitter was retuned to be in compliance. The original complaint was based on a local complaint that KENC had too much range for the station. We have filed a freedom of information act notice with the FCC in Washington DC to determine who filed the complaint. We have also been in touch with a FCC attorney in Washington for help.

Now that the transmitter has been changed with no ground, we have no range, but that's not enough for the FCC. They now insist that the transmitter emit no more than 14.2 Micro volts at 30 meters.. Good for less than one block. When I asked the FCC inspector if someone had complained, he said no. When asked if our signal was interfering with any other broadcast signals in or out of this area, he said no. I then asked what he would like me to do as I followed all the rules in installing, tuning and operating the equipment and the radio station. He said the ground rule is specific in that it only allows 3 feet of ground, meaning if the transmitter is on a 40' tower, which it is, the ground lead can only be 3' feet long. He cited a chapter in the FCC guide that we were not aware of.. We have satisfied that issue by removing the ground lead and we are tuned to exactly 100 milliwatts (1/10th of a watt).. Now the other issue of 14.2 microvolts at 30 meters we can't comply with.. A field strength meter capable of reading that small measurement costs $6,000 to $8,000. I called Michael Brown Radio services in Portland about contracting for his services to come down and give us a reading with his equipment. He quoted us $400 to do that, but said that it would be useless to us if we have to comply with that voltage reading, suggesting that you couldn't hear us across the street as that is such a low reading. So by not being able to comply, we are forced to shut the transmitters down or face a $10,000 fine and forfeiture of all our equipment. And if we do comply, we won't be heard.. Until we get this issue resolved we will cease transmission on November 21, 2009 @ 5:00 PM.. This brings Community Radio to an end in Stayton for now..
Ken Cartwright
11-19-09 503-769-2778