KSIQ-FM is a “move-in” from Brawley, California. The station signed on with a “top 40″ format similar to Z90, and Channel 933. The station, at 96.1 FM, was licensed to Campo. The station broadcasts at 25,000 watts. A “booster” station was approved by the FCC and was on top of Mount San Miguel, where KNSD, KUSI, and KPBS-FM and TV broadcast from east of SAn Diego.
Last fall, the booster station went silent, and Cherry Creek Radio applied for, and was approved, a “silent” authorization. Since then, the station has been primarily silent in the south San Diego area.
On March 31, KSIQ requested a Special Temporary Authority (STA) to move and operate the booster transmitter with temporary facilities from an alternate site. The site proposed is west of Sweetwater Reservoir, about four miles west of the Mount San Miguel booster location. That is in East County, near highway 125 and 54.
The STA request also includes an increase in transmitter power, from 700 watts to 5,000 watts. This request was granted on April 5. The station will use a temporary antenna at this location once it is on air.
The station owners have indicated they will file an application for permanent use of the new site if tests are good. While a significant increase in power, the station’s antenna will be below the average of the area terrain.
See the FCC authorization. This special permit expires on Oct. 5, 2011.
