I've been excited about the concept of DTS Autostage analytics for a while and the possibility of getting better-than-PPM-level data. It's been in the news quite a bit lately, especially with some big radio groups eyeing it as a replacement for PPM.
But I wasn't getting any data back, and I figured it was because my "market" was just too small. Or because I was straddling the Reno and Las Vegas data regions.
Then, a few days ago, I read an article in Radio World that mentioned you don't get analytics unless you're sending "now playing" information to DTS Autostage. That had never occurred to me as a potential issue. Up until now, I'd only been using RDS for my minute-to-minute updates.
So yesterday, I started to put together a "now playing" feed and sent a few test pings to DTS. This morning, when I woke up, I had a heat map... and it goes back several months!
Wow. Wow. Wow.
First off, I'm absolutely shocked. I'm in the process of upgrading my transmitter (a/k/a waiting for FCC approval), so I'm currently broadcasting at a measly 15 watts, horizontal only. It's a difficult signal to receive. But people are listening to this very weak signal, even in places where I can barely detect it myself. They're listening for 41 miles along US 95.
The hot spots right now appear to be the two electric vehicle charging stations and the truck stop. This pleases me greatly.
I'm between formats right now, so the station is mostly international pop music, which in 2026 is very dance music-centric. It's actually doing much better than I hoped, and this bodes well for what I've been working on with the new format.
This is kind of a big deal. The biggest obstacle for most AM radio stations isn't the low fidelity or increased interference. It's the land required to install an AM antenna.
With AM, the antenna is actually the entire tower. The tower itself is what radiates the signal. That's why most AM towers don't have other antennas mounted on them.
Even the simplest AM antenna systems take up acres of land. The most basic installation consists of a single tower and a field of ground radials. Some stations use multiple towers to create a directional signal. All of these installations require fencing.
Information Station Specialists is introducing the Magnum K1 antenna. It's less than 50 feet tall and requires only a modest, flat area of ground. Or even a rooftop. It will be sold as a complete kit, and no fencing is required.
This is a game changer. It apparently meets the FCC's standards for radiation efficiency, which took quite a bit of engineering to achieve.
I heard some of the legendary Seattle DJs on C89.5 today, representing different eras: Victor Menegaux, Trent Von, and others, as they stunt for an upcoming change.
I was delighted to hear a mix I did representing the 2010s!
That's all. Sometimes I feel forgotten as a DJ. That lifted me up.
My radio station has entered what's often called a "stunting" phase. Usually, that means a station is trying to generate publicity and audience attention for upcoming changes to its programming.
That's not really what I'm doing, although the timing of traditional stunting fits. I'm simply playing a format-between-formats. What I chose for the next few weeks, as I prepare for the new format, is pop music from around the world that a traveller on Highway 95 probably wouldn't hear on Spotify or satellite radio. It's kind of fun to listen to, and it was exciting to hear "My System" by Felicia on FM in the United States.
My imaging also says, "There is no station here. Move on," playing off the ghost-town lore of the desert.
The reason for my format-between-formats is that I have a new music licensing scheme in place on 01 July, and I need the majority of my programming to be music in order to remain compliant while my various online elements come online. Those launches may be staggered, as there are multiple pieces of the puzzle that need to come together. I don't want to launch the new format until everything is ready to go, so I'm not sending listeners to dead ends.
I also get to test out the processing.
Why am I switching formats?
The old format is "Nevada.FM," a mix of local information, desert-inspired instrumentals, and ambient music at night. It was focused primarily on visitors, since it's a major tourist area. I got a lot of positive feedback from people who caught the broadcast on FM. It wasn't a failure in any way. I'm actually proud of what it accomplished.
I was able to identify what worked and what didn't. What worked was the unique format with its strong local focus, particularly the history segments I aired. What didn't work was that the content had an expiration date. Once a listener had consumed all the content I directed them to online, there was no reason for them to check back in with the station. And I can't realistically create that particular content quick enough.
So when the new format launches, that's what I'm focusing on: creating something listeners can take home with them after discovering the station on Highway 95. Fortunately, now that I've gotten to know the town pretty well, I've learned that a lot of the people passing through are truckers, international travellers, and people heading to Las Vegas or Burning Man. That's a "demo" I have a lot of experience with.
Currently listening to: Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, "Liekinheitin," on the FM dial. :)
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Note: The old format is still airing on two other frequencies farther down the highway. A local non-commercial broadcaster liked it and picked it up, so it's cool to see it still out there.
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