A small slice of radio spectrum in the United States
The SCV just became a little less dark, radio-frequency wise. KROQ, the famous LA rock ‘n roll radio station,has added an FM booster to a mountaintop nearby that blankets the SCV in KROQ’s altogether too predictable mix of over-processed rock and pop bands plus Kevin and Bean in the morning, whoever they are:
It has come to our attention that, a mere three decades after taking to the airwaves in Southern California, our crack Engineering team has installed boosters that (we’re told) allow KROQ to be heard in the following cities:
- Santa Clarita
- Valencia
- Newhall
- Canyon Country
- Agua Dulce
- Stevensen Ranch
- Saugus
- Val Verde
The last time I listened to KROQ was when I bought the first Green Day album, so I’m not particularly excited about this news. However, I am ecstatic that big Los Angeles broadcasters are finally realizing there’s a market of 250,000 up here.
You see, I’ve been bitching for years that radio reception sucks in the Santa Clarita valley. Mostly, I’ve been upset that I can’t get my NPR reliably; KCRW 89.9 has boosters all around Southern California (even Lancaster!!) but nothing for us in the SCV. As a result, in certain parts of town, their signal gets washed out by a religious broadcaster in Kettleman City, CA (I kid you not, I did a full investigation with recordings a few years ago and contacted both stations and the FCC).
But many of us don’t listen to “terrestrial radio” anymore anyway, so who cares? Well, we all should. The VHF and UFH spectrum that carries FM radio carries broadcast television too, and it just so happens that if you want to get the best high-definition television experience (and the cheapest!), you don’t go with the compressed HD signals on Satellite TV, Cable, or even AT&T’s Uverse. No, you go with uncompressed Over the Air HD (OTA-HD) reception. The problem is, we have some big mountains in the way of LA’s VHF/UHF transmitters.
Six years ago, a colleague of mine tried to get OTA-HD from his home in Valencia. He hung a large Yagi UHF/VHF antenna in his attic in his house by the hospital. He used online tools like AntennaWeb.org to orient his antenna, and he was disappointed to receive only ABC 7 in HD and a few other channels. “It just sucks out here, you can’t receive anything,” he told me, his experiment largely failed.
Yet in other areas of town, results can be much better. Last year, my dad, a veteran radio engineer, hung a $100 Yagi UHF/VHF antenna on his roof and received over 50 LA-area television channels in full 1080p. ABC, NBC, CBS, KCAL 9, and scores of others. Free. And the quality is spectacular because the signal is not compressed in any way.
He lives in Sunset Pointe with a clear view of transmitters to the south east, yet AntennaWeb.org predicts very poor results for his location. Knowing that big LA broadcasters haven’t really bothered to install repeaters or boosters for our valley, what could explain his great reception? We think his house is more or less in the line-of-sight of Mt. Wilson, where most of LA’s Broadcasters have towers. Folks in Stevenson Ranch, West Ridge and parts of Canyon Country may also be able to receive these signals.
In contrast, I live on the valley floor and if I were to try to hang a Yagi to receive HD or even FM, the results would almost certainly be poorer. So I’m stuck with my sub-standard & expensive Dish Network HD signal and my Logitech wifi radio to pick up KCRW.
In the future, Santa Clarita’s poor radio frequency coverage may not be an issue at all. Why? Well within 10-15 years, I believe radio and TV signals will be largely irrelevant because broadcasters will start using the newly-opened 700 mhz spectrum to deliver data & internet traffic, voice calls, radio and HD television. Any device you carry will be able to tap into this, and coverage will be widespread, even better than today’s cell phone coverage. Speeds will be phenomenal and indeed, there won’t be any demarcation between different types of media; it will all be IP based right to your mobile device.
Until that glorious day arrives, enjoy your KROQ!
Interesting topic Jeff. Just to clarify you are mixing your labels. You are incorrectly listing as a city several communities. The only actual City you list is Santa Clarita. Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, Valencia are all communities which have some territory within the City of Santa Clarita but also have some areas which are designated as Unincorporated Los Angeles County.
Agua Dulce, Stevenson Ranch and Val Verde are all communities in Unincorporated Los Angeles County. You do not mention Castaic at all but in falls into the latter category also.
Great post. There is hope for OTA-HD in SCV!
I miss the pirate radio stations that use to pop up around the SCV on occasion. Even before that douchebag movie “Pump Up The Volume” lumbered into town. Some good stuff used to happen. I only listen to snippets of traffic/weather/sports nowadays.
KROQ has almost always been garbage. But I’m sure there are some Ugg boot wearing soccermoms who are SO STOKED they can get a better signal.
I might live in the part of CC that can get these signals. Thanks for the report Jeff. I am going to look into getting an antenna.
Berta,
Jeff wasn’t mixing any labels. He was using a direct quote from KROQ’s site. Yes it is inaccurate as you pointed out, but really isnt relevant to the story.
WooHoo! That rocks my socks! I’ve had satellite for the last couple of years because the reception is so bad out here, but every once in a while I Jones for some good ol’ fashion local radio.
Berta, I’m kind of laughing that you commented that Jeff didn’t know those weren’t individual cities. Just sayin…..
I used a rooftop FM antenna with an amplifier and a rotator (thank you Radio Shack) for years, and it was still pretty marginal… had to set the receiver on mono or I got quite a bit of static. But I could get Click’n'Clack, Prairie Home Companion, and Roger Steffen’s Reggae Beat programs on KCRW up Seco Canyon in Saugus (oops, North Valencia!).
Funny that you should write this, just this past week I was telling my husband that I haven’t been able to listen to KROQ since we moved here in 1990. I was wondering what it’s like now.
“But I’m sure there are some Ugg boot wearing soccermoms who are SO STOKED they can get a better signal.”
Well, I guess that would be me. When I was 15 and found KROQ in 1980, it was like finding a music home. KROQ was playing stuff that no other station was playing at the time. While everyone else was listening to Journey and J. Geils Band on KLOS, KMET or KISS, I was listening to X, U2, and REM on KROQ.
Linda Brown says, “He was using a direct quote from KROQ’s site. Yes it is inaccurate as you pointed out, but really isnt relevant to the story.”
I disagree. Whether it is KROQ’s error or Jeff’s is what is irrelevant. There was an opportunity by Jeff himself to note the error in his post. Imparting correct information is always relevant in my book. That you do not care is a different story.
Me thinks Berta needs to find better things to do with her life. What a silly thing to bitch about.
We noticed the KROQ signal a couple of weeks ago, but their web site hadn’t been updated at the time. However, the info screen on our radio had an SCV shout-out. But I’ve noticed the repeater is slightly out of sync, on Newhall near the 14 and up by West Ranch High the signal skips back and forth, producing a weird stuttering effect. Soccermom, remember “ROQ of the Eighties”? Good times.
what’s ‘radio’?
KROQ always tried to market itself an genre bending, play whatever we want, etc. And they were far from it. Set playlists, a few good late night shows, but predictable and hopped on bandwagons as they were dead. And could never hold a candle to KXLU and other stations that truly played anything they wanted without bowing to advertisers. Or better yet, getting out and finding new bands for yourself was where it was/is at. Depeche Mode & Oingo Boingo can get stuffed man! Down with Thatcher!! Oh wait….
UGG BOOTS? Say it ain’t so!!! Do they have that lame KROQ logo on it?
Walker
says: Me thinks Berta needs to find better things to do with her life. What a silly thing to bitch about.
Methinks you should worry about what you b@#%& about and what you do with your life. Perhaps in your world ignorance is bliss. I do not find it at all silly to provide or to be provided the correct information.
Berta,
If imparting wrong information is relevant, then you need to make a correction to your original post in that you were commenting that Jeff was mixing up labels as it was clear he was using a direct quote as notated by the quotation mark in his post.
Please practice what you preach.
Linda and Berta: GET IN THE JELLO FILLED KIDDIE POOL NOW!!
You two are currently encapsulating what I hate most about television, politics, and bad neighbors. Pointless dorky arguments.
So, wrestle it out ladies!!
I luv KROQ in the morning…I enjoy Ralph especially the Sean Connery impersonation….remember if not for KROQ there would be no Adam Corrola, Jimmy Kimmel or Mad Money Smith….
Gangfang et al: I get tired of you telling me what I should or should not say or what should or should not matter to me. You all have discussed things that are of no interest to me at some point but I have given you the courtesy of listening to your opinion. Funny how you all believe in free speech unless it involves someone you disagree with or do not like. I intend to continue to enjoy my right to free speech. You do not have read my posts.
It was not clear to me that Jeff was simply quoting KROQ but even if he was, as I said there was an opportunity to correct the erroneous information in his post.
Jello, Berta. JELLO.
Berta, I’m all for free speech, I’m just thinking your kinda wack
More power to ya, though!
I meant you’re, BTW. Not your
Just a little disclaimer before the grammar police come after me.
“While everyone else was listening to Journey and J. Geils Band on KLOS, KMET or KISS, I was listening to X, U2, and REM on KROQ.”
Journey rocked! They are still one of the greatest bands ever.
“remember if not for KROQ there would be no Adam Corrola, Jimmy Kimmel or Mad Money Smith”
Who???
Who needs KROQ when we have Sirius!
Bababooey!
Here we go again, but this time a simple informative post about a radio station gets turned into writing about he said, she said, he posted, she posted, I meant, she meant, who cares people…
Welcome to the SCV KROQ! This non-soccer mom is glad to add it to the stations I flip around on when driving around the valley.