The Scoop on the 101.1 Upgrade...

Since there seems to be some interest about how 101.1 got to 100,000 Watts, here is the scoop:

In 2007, Bonneville had recently switched 101.1 to "Movin'" after several reasonably successful years as Adult Alternative "The River." 101.1 had broadcast from the old Majic 108 tower on DeBallivere Avenue in the city at a power of 50,000 watts. That gave them an excellent signal in the city and inner ring suburbs, but a poor signal further to the South and West.

There however, were a few issues standing in the way for 101.1 to double its power to 100,000 watts and move to the taller WIL-FM tower in South County. The biggest fly in the ointment was tiny 3,000 Watt KTUI-FM Sullivan, MO, then broadcasting at 100.9 MHz, with a signal that did not even cover all of its county due to co-channel interference from 101.1 FM.

An engineering study showed that KTUI could move to a new frequency at 102.1 MHz, and double its broadcast power to 6,000 Watts, and increase its signal quite a bit; thus vacating the 100.9 Frequency.

However, the 102.1 frequency was assigned to an unbuilt construction permit held by Chris Devine's Marathon Media of Chicago, and another Devine station - KLPW-FM Union, MO on the third adjacent channel of 101.7 was too close to 101.1 for it to go to 100,000 Watts. But, KLPW-FM could move north to the small Mississippi river town of Elsberry, MO up MO 79 about 25 miles to the north of Hwy 70.

From the high river bluffs, it allowed the station to improve its coverage greatly into the growing "Westplex" area, but took one of the two local FMs from Franklin County, and added it to Lincoln County instead. This move to the north allowed for another 101.7 FM to open up to the south at Cuba, MO so the unbuilt construction permit could jump just a couple of notches down the dial to 101.7 (It has yet to be built).

Also, the move of 101.1 further to the South, allowed for Greenville, IL's WGEL-FM also at 101.7 MHz to double power from 3,000 Watts to 6,000 Watts.

Because of 101.1 abandoning the DeBalleviere tower, and the FCC making it a very simple minor change to change a city of license, 104.1 (WHHL) was finally able to change its city of license from Jerseyville to Hazelwood, MO and move to the old 101.1/Majic tower, and enjoy a much better signal for its core urban audience that propelled them to become the top Urban Contemporary station in town, and drove their competition to flip formats.

So in Short:
101.7 KLPW-FM Union MO ---- Moved to New City of License of Elsberry, MO same power.
102.1 New FM Cuba, MO ---- Moved to 101.7 MHz same power
100.9 KTUI-FM Sullivan, MO ---- Moved to 102.1 MHz & Doubled Power
101.7 WGEL Greenville, IL --- Doubles power from 3,000 to 6,000 Watts
104.1 WHHL Jerseyville, IL --- Moves to old 101.1 Tower, New City of License Hazelwood, MO

All Changes happened in April 2008 - then 101.1 was still with the DOA "Movin" format before killing it later in the year for a couple of months of stunting with Christmas music before the launch of ESPN 101.1 WXOS on New Years Day 2009. The move was positive for all involved stations except KLPW, but Marathon had no interest in actually operating KLPW-FM, having had leased the station to Randy Wachter several years prior. Wachter eventually purchased the relocated KLPW-FM facility, the relocated Cuba Construction Permit, and a Construction Permit for a new station 50 miles north of Springfield, MO in the tiny town of Wheatland for the sum of $345,000. This was far less than Marathon paid for the properties, and after they made their money from Bonneville, the stations were basically just leftovers to them.

Read it at the FCC Here.