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This is the day & night antenna patterns from 1460 KARR‘s long-time transmitter site in the suburbs of Kirkland. The station was authorized for 5 kW day, 2.5 kW nights, both using a directional antenna array. As has happened to so many AM broadcasters, KARR lost the lease to it’s site which has now been developed into a new housing subdivision. At the time it was owned by Harold Camping’s Family Radio & maintained by long-time local resident engineer Jim Dalke. Facing the deletion of the license, Jim acquired the station & is now operating it from his home with 250 watts output into a suspended “long-wire” antenna, under an “STA” authority from the FCC.
In addition, KARR is operating an FM translator licensed to Redmond. K253CG operates on 98.5 FM with 18 watts & a north-east directional antenna. The translator has an FCC “CP” (construction permit) for 250 watts with a slightly different directional antenna pattern. This should give KARR better coverage than their equivalent AM signal.
As an avid night-time “AM DXer”with elaborate equipment & well-designed antennas, not unlike the one KARR is transmitting with, I have been on a keen quest to actually receive the tiny signal albeit at a significant distance. If Jim Dalke is reading this, or there are any of our readers that can actually hear this station, I would appreciate knowing what format or programming is currently airing on KARR. This would help me a great deal, should I be able to diminish nearby 1460 KUTI Yakima enough to receive KARR. Should I hear this, I will promptly inform Jim of my conquest!
retired broadcaster: on-air, MD, PD, asst PD, Prod Mgr, IT, station technician/engineer, pioneer Internet webcaster, station installation/maintenance; 12 years in commercial radio, 17 years volunteer in campus/community radio in B.C., Alberta & Wash. Amateur radio operator & “DXer” specializing in AM night-time DX, short-wave DX/listening & remote SDR DXing/listening
Gordy K7LAU from Mike VE7SKA; that’s because AM 1460 is running 740 watts days/19 watts nights through a center-fed wire antenna – unsure of the height above ground. Too bad about the station dropping oldies for fulltime Fox News – there was a decent sized playlist & good selection of music played
For awhile, both broadcasted 24/7 oldies music, very friendly to my ears & well being. Never heard the AM in Tacoma, just the FM in spots around my house in the north end w/CCrane radios.
Now, it seems to be a FOX News outlet with increased power on FM, but still not receivable on AM.
K7LAU