Two homegrown Alberta broadcasters are applying for FM licenses in Ponoka and Sylvan Lake. In the unlikely circumstance that both are approved, one will be looking for an alternate frequency as they are for adjacent FM frequencies. Air distance between the two communities is 32 miles, or just over 50 km.
The Ponoka applicant is Blackgold, owner of The One in Leduc, and licensee of a new station serving Spruce Grove and Stony Plain, awarded today and also to be known as The One. Power is to be 10,000 watts (ERP) non-directional on 88.7 MHz from 111 metres above average terrain.
Clear Sky is going after Sylvan Lake with a mix of Hot AC, Modern Rock and Alternative. Power is only 791 watts (average ERP) on 88.5 MHz at 150 metres height.
Website: http://www.885thelake.com
Why so little power for Sylvan Lake? Red Deer is so close that anything more would have prompted interventions from existing Red Deer stations, though they may complain about losing Sylvan Lake advertisers as it is.