I read with much amusement the Jan. 16 letter by David Freese (“KRKO towers: AM radio isn’t where it’s at anymore”). Mr. Freese urged KRKO to switch to the FM band rather than put up the proposed towers near Snohomish. He ignores the simple fact that FM stations require a tower to support their antenna!
Mr. Freese is also incorrect to assert switching bands is a possibility. KRKO can’t migrate from the AM to the FM band because there are no unused FM frequencies left in the Puget Sound region. Mr. Freese’s arguments against KRKO are moot.
Is AM radio dead? No. Virtually all local news is found on the AM radio band. Seattle has the highest per capita AM listening of any market in America. The top-rated station in Seattle is an AM station.
KRKO’s signal problems in Edmonds and elsewhere are the result of KRKO having to cancel out its signal to the south and east at night, a requirement imposed by the FCC to prevent interference with other radio stations. KRKO’s proposed new transmitter site is the only way to correct these problems and still cover outlying areas.
This is a one-time opportunity for Snohomish County to have its own full-powered commercial radio station. We all should support this Snohomish County station owner fighting to improve his coverage in the county and service to its citizens.
Mukilteo
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