KUSW explained

KUSW
City:Flora Vista, New Mexico
Area:Four Corners
Frequency:88.1 MHz
Airdate:2008
Format:Adult Album Alternative
Erp:4,100 watts (vertical)
Haat:202 meters (663 feet)
Class:C3
Facility Id:124178
Coordinates:36.6711°N -108.2317°W
Former Callsigns:KUUT (2006–2007)
Owner:KUTE, Inc.
Sister Stations:KSUT
Webcast:Listen Live
Website:ksut.org
Licensing Authority:FCC

KUSW (88.1 FM) is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Flora Vista, New Mexico, United States. KUSW is owned by KUTE, Inc., and serves the Four Corners area.[1]

This public radio station broadcasts an adult album alternative music format as part of the Four Corners Public Radio and Southern Ute Tribal Radio networks. As such, a portion of its programming is a simulcast of sister station KSUT in Ignacio, Colorado.[2] KUSW is a member station of both National Public Radio and the AIROS Native Radio Network.

Due to its location at the bottom of the FM band (88.1 MHz) and transmitter's close proximity (72 km) to the other station, this station causes a small but legally permissible amount of interference with the analog channel 6 signal (87.75 MHz) of KREZ-TV, a television station licensed to Durango, Colorado. To minimize the interference, KUSW broadcasts with only a vertical polarization.

History

After a nearly five-year application process, this station was granted its original construction permit by the Federal Communications Commission on February 3, 2005.[3] In April 2006, permit holders Native American Christian Voice reached an agreement to transfer the permit to KUTE, Inc.[4] The transfer was approved by the FCC on May 31, 2006, and the transaction was consummated on June 7, 2006.[4] [5]

The new station was assigned the call letters KUUT on June 21, 2006.[6] On March 22, 2007, the station changed its call sign to the current KUSW.[6] KUSW received its license to cover on February 8, 2008.[7]

The KUSW call sign was formerly used by a commercial shortwave radio station in Murray, Utah, which at one point was under the same ownership as KRSP-FM and the former KKDS (later known as KWDZ, now defunct).[8] [9]

In August 2006, the station, then still under construction, received an $85,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for the purchase of equipment needed to make the transition from analog to digital transmission.[10] In September 2007, KUSW received an additional grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to assist in its conversion from analog to digital broadcasting.[11] KUSW was the only radio station in New Mexico to receive such a grant in 2007.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: KUSW Facility Record . United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. News: The Durango Herald . 30 years after its arrival, KSUT has 'Four Cornered' the market . June 9, 2006 . Chuck . Slothower.
  3. Web site: FCC Media Bureau . Application Search Results (BNPED-20000512AAK) . February 3, 2005.
  4. Web site: Application Search Results (BAPED-20060411ABF) . FCC Media Bureau . June 7, 2006 .
  5. News: The Durango Herald . KSUT plans to expand service . January 15, 2008.
  6. Web site: KUSW Call Sign History . United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  7. Web site: Application Search Results (BLED-20080204AAE) . FCC Media Bureau . February 8, 2008 .
  8. News: L.A. firm buys 'superpower' KUSW for $2 million . December 8, 1990 . The Deseret News (Salt Lake City, UT). 2008-11-12.
  9. News: KUSW - Utah's own commercial shortwave . March 16, 1990 . The Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah) . 2008-11-12.
  10. News: New Mexico Business Weekly . New Mexico public radio stations get dough to go digital . August 16, 2006.
  11. Corporation for Public Broadcasting . CPB Awards Grants to 89 Public Radio Stations for Digital Transition . September 20, 2007.