Channel 9 Signs On in San Diego 1-5-04!

Mike Oberbauer sends in an alert that a new station signed on recently seemingly to be originating from the Mount Soledad area.

KOXM, or K09XM-LP, is broadcasting on the VHF band at channel 9, covering at least parts of Kearny Mesa as far as I know, but causing co-channel interference with KCAL 9 out of Los Angeles.

Furthermore, KOXM receives adjacent-channel interference from strong local broadcaters KFMB 8 and KGTV 10, and try as I might, I can't get a clear picture of KOXM on my portable TV because of the adjacent channels nearby.

The new station is showing promos for upcoming programming suggesting it's a Multi Language Programming type. Oberbauer says he could pick it up as far away as El Cajon. The channel seems to be affiliated with the church of Jesus Christ of the latter day saints. The signal is still in the testing stage.

Whether it will stay on channel 9 or move to another channel slot is a mystery. It was originally going to be on channel 61, but K61GH is broadcasting on that frequency on a transmitter from Poway.

I have no reports of KOXM causing adjacent-channel interference with channels 8 and 10 yet.

Here's an FCC report on a Broadcast Action from 12/20/2002 (not a typo)

TV TRANSLATOR OR LPTV STATION APPLICATIONS FOR MINOR MODIFICATION TO A CONSTRUCTION PERMIT GRANTED

State and File Number: CA BMPTTL-19990323JA

E/P: E

Call Letters: K09XM 56830

Frequency: CHAN-9

Applicant: TV-61 SAN DIEGO, INC.

Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA

Nature of Application:

MODIFICATION OF CONSTRUCTION PERMIT
(BPTT-870629NO, FOR A NEW 
STATION) TO CHANGE
CHANNEL 61 TO CHANNEL 9; 
PRINCIPAL COMMUNITY:
SAN DIEGO, CA; TL: UCSD MT. 
SOLEDAD COMMUNICATION
TOWER, KMCG-FM TOWER, LA JOLLA, CA
32-50-24  117-14-52; TPO: 
.718 KILOWATTS; ERP: 21.9
KILOWATTS; ANTENNA: ANTENNA 
CONCEPTS, ACS8CR;
RCAMSL: 304.87 METERS AND 
ORIENTATION: 105
DEGREES TRUE.
(DISPLACEMENT APPLICATION)

San Diego Radio Wires 1-6-04!

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  CHANNEL 9, K09XM, IS ON THE AIR IN SAN DIEGO

  I'm getting reports that LPTV station K61GH has "moved"
to Channel 9.  It's an LPTV based in National City.  New call:
K09XM.  Can't "see" the CH-9 signal in Oceanside, but others
claim it's interfering with the reception of KCAL-TV, CH-9,
out of Los Angeles.

  Chris Carmichael, mailto:me@christophercarmichael.net

  [K09XM is a highly directional low power station that is
not permitted to cause interference to full service stations such
as KCAL, KFMB and KGTV, and must accept interference from all
full service stations.  K09XM transmits from the UCSD tower
on Mt. Soledad.  The displaced facility, K61GH, transmitted from
Mt. Woodson under an STA, the latest extension of which expires
on 1/16/04.  Ownership of K61GH is now the subject of a
Transfer of Control Application.

  John Russell has asked to be notified if K09XM causes any
interference to the normal over-the-air reception of KCAL-TV,
Channel 9.  He can be reached at (323) 460-3415 or
mailto:jarussell@cbs.com.  A copy of the K09XM CP can be found
at the URL shown below. -Ed.]

  http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/619150.pdf

******************************************************************

The Readers Strike Back Jan 7, 2004

My brother who lives in the Del Mar area says he's getting interference from that new station in La Jolla on channel 9. He somehow manages to tune in his antenna to get his Lakers games on KCAL, but still gets bars from some silly recorder music in the background from KOXM 9. How can the FCC let KOXM put a station on channel 9? I can't get the Lakers games on TV anymore, and on KLAC 570 radio either thanks to some stupid Mexican broadcaster on 560. Is there a conspiracy against the Lakers fans in San Diego? Are the Clippers hexing San Diego by any chance?

From Robert Prescott:

How do you file a complaint against channel 9 San Diego? I want my KCAL back.

From Jared Wilson:

They can put low power channels between major strong channels? Why? KOXM on 9 comes in like crap, and I'm even somewhat in the line of sight of the tower that's broadcasting it. The government should look into the error of their way when they assigned a new broadcaster to be placed smack between two existing strong broadcasters. There are still open spaces on the UHF band to place it. I'd like to write KOXM myself and personally tell them where they really can place the channel.