E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

[Ghost]

'Ano 'ai.

Was wondering if you guys can help. I'm trying to catch a station from Maui. The call number is KLHI 101.1 FM. Its format is alternative music. The only way I can catch any semblance of this station is to noho in my ka'a (car) and tune it to 101.1 FM. But I still get patchy reception. BTW I live in Honolulu.

I want to be able to listen to this station in my apartment. Anyone can recommend a stereo receiver or radio? I've already eliminated moving to Maui as another option. Too expensive. And KLHI doesn't have a streaming webcast either.

Mahalo nui!

[mel]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

Some Maui radio stations can be heard in the Diamond Head area, parts of Kahala and Hawaii Kai, out in the Sandy Beach, Waimanalo and Kailua areas on the island of Oahu. Honolulu radio reception is spotty at best. I think the FM signals get absorbed or lost between the many high rises and valleys in the area. Also many of the city's FM stations crowd out neighbor island signals too.

That said perhaps you may want to try and get a digital receiver of some sort with a good antenna system.... still all of that is relative to exactly what part of Honolulu you're living in.

A few months ago it was mentioned that KLHI was moving their operations to Honolulu. I can't remember if it was only their studio operation or if they were going to put up a new transmitter on Oahu.

Click here for technical information regarding KLHI 101.1 FM.

I did a quick check of the FCC database for construction permits and applications for 101.1 FM on Oahu. None seem to be from Pacific Radio Group which owns KLHI. They could apply for another frequency, but I did not check. You can check for yourself at this link.

[Ghost]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

Mahalo for your response mel.


Wow, I didn't know KLHI is moving their operations to O‘ahu. They better hurry up! Well I'm pretty sure they'd get even more listeners here. Not to be mean to anyone who listens to KUCD (Star 101.9), but I don't really care much for their songs/playlist. It's like Green Day all day on that station. Ever since KPOI 97.5 (KHNR 97.5) changed formats, I really had no choice but to listen to Star 101.9 for my modern rock fixing. And then I discovered KLHI one day.

You can even hear KLHI 101.1 in Mililani, Kunia, and Ko ‘Olina. But yes, it's all relative to where you are in those areas.

Thanks again. If anyone else can recommend digital receivers or stereos please kokua.

Mahalo!

['79 KUAI Jock]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

Too Cool!

I'm a DJ on the Point (Friday night's during our flashback Thunder Rock show called Monkey Spankers) and it's great to hear that someone on Oahu listens to 101...

Don't give me a hard time about the show's name- I didn't pick it- we were having a hard time coming up with something "catchy"... and my co-host locked onto it and won't let go...

anyway- I too wish the signal were stronger- you know "state-wide" stronger...

Keep it rockin'
Captain Coconut (that's a new nickname I got during the show- long story)

:-)

[kimo55]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

"flashback Thunder Rock show called Monkey Spankers"

hmm, that whole thing there, would be a good name for a rock band. If it ain't already.

"Don't give me a hard time about the show's name"


too late.


"Captain Coconut"

uh, can we give you a hard time about yer nickname, then?

[kimo55]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

Captain Coconut (that's a new nickname I got during the show- long story)

I do believe that moniker is taken.
How about
Corporal Kumquat
Sergeant Succotash
Private Parsnip
Admiral Artichoke


yea. that should do it.

[jdub]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

is waki jaki still doing stuff at the point?

['79 KUAI Jock]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

The show is actually called "Monkey Spankers"...
not the whole thunder... bla bla bla... just Monkey Spankers...

and the Captain Coconut refers to a Hendrix tune...

Suffice it to say we play kick ass rock!

And yeah- Jacky is still very much part of the team-
have you seen her website? Too too much!

We could have called it DinoRock...
since most of what we play comes from the stone age...
you know 70's kine...
and since our on air presentation kind'a gets carried away---
Potty Rock could have been a good choice too...

(It's Potty Time!)

We just didn't want to be pigeon-holed into a "classic rock" only show-

flexibility is good...

Although my co-host seems to think the name is chiseled
in stone at the front door...
I'd actually like to throw it out to you guys for a name...

Got some sweet ideas?

I guess we're mostly playing what the cable calls- stadium rock...

Not that he'd change easily- but let's see what you got...

C C

[Ghost]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

Howzit '79 KUAI Jock.

Can you help out some listeners here on O'ahu? Some of us here know about KLHI 101.1 FM. Was wondering if you can send a message to your staff there to get a streaming broadcast on your http://www.thepointfm101.com/ website? Your programming kicks arse. I've sent many an email via the website but I think it's falling on deaf ears or it automatically gets filtered out by their anti-spam. Maybe get Pacific Radio Group to get a transmitter going so we too can hear Maui's rock.

O'ahu is seriously lacking some modern rock. KUCD 101.9 is the only option here and frankly, I don't really care about what they dish out. At least KLHI 101.1 The Point plays "new music first" which totally keeps things fresh; not a station that is a corporate radio "ho" that plays the same old stuff in a matter of minutes. Polychronopolis is some kind of genius.

I kinda find it weird that all stations who are under the WAITT Radio "Alternative Now!" format don't have a streaming broadcast of their programming.

Mahalo nui.

[mel]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

Ghost,

I just went to the WAITT website and from what I briefly saw there, indicates that streaming whatsoever exists from the programming formats they offer to local radio stations. I would think in this case it is up to the station to decide whether or not to add a music stream.

That said, music streaming is not cheap. If I vaguely recall, radio stations and certainly other streaming sites have to pay the music publishing companies fees to do a stream. Perhaps a station such as KLHI might find paying for a stream cost prohibitive for what they offer.

And while it may lose KLHI one listener, perhaps you may want to find another radio station that carries the same programming feed through their online stream.

Here is a link to WAITT Radio Networks for more information:

http://www.wrnonline.com/default.asp

It seems WAITT is a way smaller firm than say, Clear Channel with a fairly diversified business mix that mainly concentrates in the midwest and heartland markets of the USA. Their corporate page link follows:

http://www.waittmedia.com/

If non-repeating alternative music is what you want, you may want to give KTUH 90.3 FM a try. They have a lot of music ALTERNATIVES offered in 3 hour programming blocks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. KTUH is broadcast with 3,000 watts of power these days and reaches most of urban Honolulu. They also have a website and a stream:

http://www.ktuh.org/

If that doesn't work, go to Radio Locator.com and try finding a streaming station using their format search button. I tried alternative and the site offers many stations with streams. Try them out:

http://tinyurl.com/9bguk

You may be lucky enough to find another "Point" station that plays the same WAITT programming mix that you are familiar with. Then you may find a station that could be better than what you are already used to.

[Ghost]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

hey mel thanks for the suggestions.

Yeah I've been trying to check online for stations that use a similar playlist to KLHI. Found a few that I like.

I did more searching regarding KLHI's move. I found an article by Erika Engle from the Star Bulletin. The article can be found here . Here's another article related to the move from The Advertiser

I also found a Word document from the FCC regarding the change. Here is the word document (.doc)

If they get to set up their transmitter I hope they keep their format. Give Star 101.9 some needed competition.

[Composite 2992]

Re: E kokua mai. Radio reception help.

'Ano 'ai.

I want to be able to listen to this station in my apartment. Anyone can recommend a stereo receiver or radio? I've already eliminated moving to Maui as another option. Too expensive. And KLHI doesn't have a streaming webcast either.

Mahalo nui!

What you really need is a good antenna, more than a better radio.

When I was trying to catch KTUH in Leeward Oahu, I built a Yagi dipole antenna from scrap wood and wire to get the repeater station atop the Waianae Range. You might be able to do the same with a multi-element "herringbone" antenna from Radio Shack.

These antennas have multiple "directors" at the front end which amplifies the signal toward a "reflector" at the back end. The dipole antenna (the second to last pair of the entire array) then picks up the amplified signal. The whole thing looks like the bones of a fish with the directors, reflector, and dipole looking like spines coming off of a central spinal column. It's flat and you should be able to suspend it from your apartment ceiling, pointing toward Maui. Hopefully toward a window or at least through a thin wall.

The length of the dipole is determined by the frequency of signal you're interested in receiving, and fortunately the upper end of the FM band corresponds to the lower end of the TV UHF band. So it's possible to use a TV herringbone antenna to do this.

The antenna has two leads, one for the antenna and the other for ground. Hopefully your radio allows for an external antenna. For example, a car radio does -- it's a simple coaxial connector. Solder one lead to the center conductor and the other to the shield.

If your significant other thinks it's too ugly just paint it in various attractive colors and claim it's a piece of modern art.

By the way, on the very day I made my makeshift Yagi, the inventor died.