XHLNC-FM

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XHLNC-FM
City of license	Tecate, Baja California
Broadcast area	Tijuana/San Diego
Branding	"XLNC1 104.9 FM"
Frequency	90.7 (MHz) 104.9 (MHz)
First air date	February 14, 2000 on 90.7 MHz February 10, 2008 on 104.9 MHz
Format	classical music
ERP	90.7: 1,000 watts 104.9: 7,500 watts
Callsign meaning	Excellency (the letters, XLNC, when spoken in English, sound like the word excellency).
Owner	XLNC1 (license and transmitter owned by a Mexican company)
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	www.xlnc1.org

XHLNC-FM (identified on-air as XLNC1) is a non-commercial classical music radio station in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, broadcasting on 90.7 and 104.9 MHz. It broadcasts in English and Spanish serving the Tijuana and San Diego, California, United States areas with studios in Chula Vista, California. The station was founded by Victor Diaz. Upon his death in 2004, Diaz stipulated that the station continue with a classical format.

[edit] Background

XLNC1 began as an internet radio project showcasing classical music. Station founder Victor Diaz eventually evolved it into its own regular radio station, although it is still broadcast over the Internet via its own webpage. As a Mexican-licensed station, and in an effort to serve both the Spanish and English speaking communities, nearly all the pieces it plays are introduced in Spanish, and at the conclusion of the piece the information is given in English.

There are many in-house productions showcasing classical music, many of these shows are hosted by chief announcer Kingsley McLaren. Aside from McLaren, other voices such as Lynda Martin (former news anchor for KSWB-TV, current anchor for XETV-TV), Sue Harland, Gabriela Guinea-Johnston (chief Spanish announcer), and Gordon Brown can be heard as announcers. XLNC1 also airs many opera programs, such as those from the Metropolitan Opera.

[edit] Controversy

The station was licensed for a Class A 1000 watt signal, but due to the directional signal that it transmits to the north, it interferes frequently with Los Angeles' KPFK (on the same frequency).^[1] The frequency was assigned by the Mexican government according to the terms of a treaty between the US and Mexico concerning radio stations near the Border. However, there are reports^{[citation needed]} that XHLNC-FM actually violates the treaty in several ways. In July 2007, XHLNC-FM applied for a frequency change to 104.9 FM to avoid interference with KPFK.

[edit] Frequency Change

In July 2007, [1], XLNC1 announced that they would move up the dial to 104.9 FM.^[2] This would bring less interference to the station, and will allow the station to boost its power from 1,000 watts to 7,500 watts. "The tower will also be moved from 600 to 4,200 feet above sea level, the highest point in Baja."^[3] This would also restore San Diego area listeners' ability to listen to KPFK, which since 2000, has shared a frequency with XLNC1.

The frequency change finally occurred on February 10, 2008, although when this happened, nothing was airing on 90.7, except for a pre-recorded message by Gordon Brown stating that XLNC1 had moved to 104.9 FM. Because 104.9 had a noticeably narrower coverage area than 90.7 FM, many of their listeners lost their ability to listen to XLNC1's programs. About two weeks after the frequency change XLNC1's e-mail newsletter reported that there was a faulty component in the transmitter that would take some time to replace. On February 26, XLNC1 decided to simulcast programming on both 90.7 and 104.9 frequencies. [2]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• XLNC1
• Transmitter pictures of XHLNC FM, by broadcast engineer Donald Mussell
• Aerial photo of XHLNC-FM transmitter from Google Local