If you've been trying to to listen to KCCK at 106.9 (Tuesday, Feb. 12), you've probably already figured out we're off the air. We lost the signal overnight. The tower is at a rural Johnson County site, pretty far down the snowplow-priority list. Plus, the site itself hasn't been plowed, so we can't get in to fix it without getting our repair van stuck. Long story short, we're not exactly sure when we're going to be able to get in to fix it. Hopefully later this week.
We'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
106.9 Travails - Dennis
As of this writing, KCCK's Johnson County translator at 106.9 is back on the air. The recent ice and snow storms have really taken a toll on this aging unit. The current problems are compounded by the fact that our auxiliary transmitter has only been running at about half its rated power of 100 watts for several months now, a result of old wiring and an antenna that needs to be either totally overhauled or replaced.
Why aren't we doing anything about it? Well, we are, but the timetable is complicated.
First off, we've been told we need to move the transmitter and antenna from its current location (northeast of Iowa City off Highway 1). But, we haven't been given a date by which we need to do so.
That's OK, as it gives us time to plan. We wrote a grant to cover at least a portion of the cost. And we received the funds.
Full disclosure: The grant requires a 50% local match. So, look for us to ask 106.9 listeners to make a one-time special contribution to help us raise that match during the spring fund drive.
More good news: The new repeater will be able to transmit HD radio, plus its supplemental audio channels, AND the antenna will be mounted at Kirkwood's Iowa City campus, much closer to metropolitan Iowa City-Coralville.
So, please bear with us a little while longer. We hope to have the new translator up and running this summer.
Why aren't we doing anything about it? Well, we are, but the timetable is complicated.
First off, we've been told we need to move the transmitter and antenna from its current location (northeast of Iowa City off Highway 1). But, we haven't been given a date by which we need to do so.
That's OK, as it gives us time to plan. We wrote a grant to cover at least a portion of the cost. And we received the funds.
Full disclosure: The grant requires a 50% local match. So, look for us to ask 106.9 listeners to make a one-time special contribution to help us raise that match during the spring fund drive.
More good news: The new repeater will be able to transmit HD radio, plus its supplemental audio channels, AND the antenna will be mounted at Kirkwood's Iowa City campus, much closer to metropolitan Iowa City-Coralville.
So, please bear with us a little while longer. We hope to have the new translator up and running this summer.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Oscar Peterson Dies - George
Jazz great Oscar Peterson has died at the age of 82. The pianist died of kidney failure at his home in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga Sunday. Peterson was born Aug. 15, 1925, in a poor neighborhood southwest of Montreal. He played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. To read more go here -http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22389614
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Ice, Ice, Everywhere...And None For My Martini--Dennis
As of this writing, KCCK is back up to full power for the first time since December 1st. During ice storms, radio towers, like trees and power lines, get caked with ice. As ice builds up, so does electrical resistance. Our transmitter automatically starts to reduce the power sent through the line to prevent dangerous overloads.
At one point last week, we were down to a paltry 250 watts. I have fluorescent lights that put out more power.
The situation is even worse with our 106.9 translator, which has been off completely for several days. We hope to get it going again this week.
Anyway, if it seems like it's been harder to pull KCCK in of late, it's not your imagination. But, it's better than the alternative. During the February storms, we were off the air for nearly 3 days.
And, with more freezing rain predicted for later this week, we aren't out of the woods yet. But, we'll do our best to stay on the air. If the signal is a little fuzzy, you might check out the online webcast, which is not (usually) affected by transmitter problems.
At one point last week, we were down to a paltry 250 watts. I have fluorescent lights that put out more power.
The situation is even worse with our 106.9 translator, which has been off completely for several days. We hope to get it going again this week.
Anyway, if it seems like it's been harder to pull KCCK in of late, it's not your imagination. But, it's better than the alternative. During the February storms, we were off the air for nearly 3 days.
And, with more freezing rain predicted for later this week, we aren't out of the woods yet. But, we'll do our best to stay on the air. If the signal is a little fuzzy, you might check out the online webcast, which is not (usually) affected by transmitter problems.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Any Jackrabbits, Bison in the Audience? - George
There’s a big football game in Brookings, S.D., Saturday when South Dakota State and North Dakota State play for the Great West Football Conference championship. It’s also the “Battle for the Dakota Marker” – sort of their version of Floyd of Rosedale. The trophy is a replica of the border marker between the states of North and South Dakota.
The game is of special interest to me because I am an SDSU graduate, my daughter-in-law is an NDSU grad and one of my sons attended NDSU for a year before transferring to Iowa State.
There are two polls for the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision and for most of the season, North Dakota State has been Number-One and Northern Iowa Number-Two in the Coaches’ poll while UNI has been Number-One and NDSU Number-Two in the media poll. (SDSU has been in the “Among Others Receiving Votes” category.) But the Bison and Panthers won’t play this year because NDSU and SDSU are in the final year of transition from Division II and are not eligible for the playoffs.
Next year, however, the Jackrabbits and Bison will join the Panthers in the Gateway Conference. It will be a renewal of rivalries from the days when all three were members of the North Central Conference, which is disbanding at the end of this year. The Jacks and Panthers have played the past two years, with UNI winning both games. The Rabbits led at halftime before losing in the UNI-Dome in 2006. The Panthers dominated much of this year’s game in Brookings.
Both SDSU and NDSU have outstanding engineering colleges and I know many engineers from the two schools have been attracted to Cedar Rapids by Rockwell Collins. I’d be interested in hearing from any of them who are KCCK listeners.
George Dorman - News Director
The game is of special interest to me because I am an SDSU graduate, my daughter-in-law is an NDSU grad and one of my sons attended NDSU for a year before transferring to Iowa State.
There are two polls for the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision and for most of the season, North Dakota State has been Number-One and Northern Iowa Number-Two in the Coaches’ poll while UNI has been Number-One and NDSU Number-Two in the media poll. (SDSU has been in the “Among Others Receiving Votes” category.) But the Bison and Panthers won’t play this year because NDSU and SDSU are in the final year of transition from Division II and are not eligible for the playoffs.
Next year, however, the Jackrabbits and Bison will join the Panthers in the Gateway Conference. It will be a renewal of rivalries from the days when all three were members of the North Central Conference, which is disbanding at the end of this year. The Jacks and Panthers have played the past two years, with UNI winning both games. The Rabbits led at halftime before losing in the UNI-Dome in 2006. The Panthers dominated much of this year’s game in Brookings.
Both SDSU and NDSU have outstanding engineering colleges and I know many engineers from the two schools have been attracted to Cedar Rapids by Rockwell Collins. I’d be interested in hearing from any of them who are KCCK listeners.
George Dorman - News Director
Monday, November 12, 2007
Bobby D. Featured in Gazette - George
A nice article in the Monday, Nov. 12 Cedar Rapids Gazette about KCCK's DaBlues host Bob DeForest. Check it out at http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071112/NEWS/711120021/1002/NEWS
George Dorman - News Director
George Dorman - News Director
Friday, November 9, 2007
KCCK's Veterans
With the coming of Veterans Day, it's worth noting that several veteran KCCK staffers are also veterans of military service.
KCCK Morning Man, Talking Pictures co-host and Got-a-Minute's Mark Yother was in the Air Force for three years. He was editor of the base newspaper at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado, then worked in radio and television with the American Forces Korea Network (AFKN) for a year.
News Director George Dorman spent two years in the Army, including a year in Korea -- the first six months in field artillery, the next six months as a reporter/photographer for the 2nd Infantry Division newspaper and as a weekend radio newscaster and occasional television sportscaster for the American Forces Korea Network (AFKN).
Big Band Memories co-host Cary J. Hahn served four years in the Navy, broadcasting on Armed Forces Radio aboard the USS Hancock aircraft carrier during Vietnam service and on the island of Kodiak, Alaska.
Our other BBM co-host, Murray Kent, was a news and sports announcer for American Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN) and an FM radio music host.
Gentle Jazz's Bob Naujoks spent his entire two-year army tour at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., managing an enlisted men's service club and did some interviews for the Public Information Office.
George Dorman - News Director
george@kcck.org
KCCK Morning Man, Talking Pictures co-host and Got-a-Minute's Mark Yother was in the Air Force for three years. He was editor of the base newspaper at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado, then worked in radio and television with the American Forces Korea Network (AFKN) for a year.
News Director George Dorman spent two years in the Army, including a year in Korea -- the first six months in field artillery, the next six months as a reporter/photographer for the 2nd Infantry Division newspaper and as a weekend radio newscaster and occasional television sportscaster for the American Forces Korea Network (AFKN).
Big Band Memories co-host Cary J. Hahn served four years in the Navy, broadcasting on Armed Forces Radio aboard the USS Hancock aircraft carrier during Vietnam service and on the island of Kodiak, Alaska.
Our other BBM co-host, Murray Kent, was a news and sports announcer for American Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN) and an FM radio music host.
Gentle Jazz's Bob Naujoks spent his entire two-year army tour at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., managing an enlisted men's service club and did some interviews for the Public Information Office.
George Dorman - News Director
george@kcck.org
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