KGPX-TV (channel 34) is a television station in Spokane, Washington, United States, affiliated with Ion Television and owned by Inyo Broadcast Holdings. The station's transmitter is located on Krell Hill southeast of the city.

KGPX-TV
CitySpokane, Washington
Channels
BrandingIon
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
  • Inyo Broadcast Holdings
  • (Inyo Broadcast Licenses LLC)
History
FoundedApril 2, 1998
First air date
August 1, 1999 (25 years ago) (1999-08-01)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 34 (UHF, 1999–2009)
Call sign meaning
Pax TV (predecessor network to Ion)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID81694
ERP104 kW
HAAT450 m (1,476 ft)
Transmitter coordinates47°35′57.2″N 117°18′1.2″W / 47.599222°N 117.300333°W / 47.599222; -117.300333
Links
Public license information
Websiteiontelevision.com

History

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On April 2, 1998, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted an original construction permit to Paxson Communications for a full-service television station serving Spokane. On May 15, 1998, the FCC issued the call letters KBEU. It was the fourth television station granted such a permit on channel 34 since 1984. The previous station, low-power K34DU, reportedly signed on in 1997 and is mistakenly thought to have been the same station as KGPX.

Two months after the original construction permit was granted, the station changed its call letters June 12, 1998, to KGPX to reflect the new Pax network (the predecessor to Ion), of which the station was to be a part. KGPX signed on the air August 1, 1999. KGPX's license was issued on June 30, 2000.

Technical information

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Subchannels

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The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KGPX-TV[2]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
34.1 720p 16:9 ION Ion Television
34.2 480i 4:3 Bounce Bounce TV
34.3 Grit Grit
34.4 Mystery Ion Mystery
34.5 IONPlus Ion Plus[3]
34.6 SCRIPPS Scripps News
34.7 QVC2 QVC2
34.8 Jewelry Jewelry TV

Analog-to-digital conversion

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KGPX-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 34, on June 12, 2009, and "flash-cut" its digital signal into operation UHF channel 34,[4] because it was granted an original construction permit after the FCC finalized the DTV allotment plan on April 21, 1997.

KGPX twice attempted to secure a companion digital allocation on channel 43 through a complex Negotiated Channel Election Arrangement with 19 other stations in Washington, Idaho and Oregon, but was denied by the FCC due to interference issues.[5]

Other channel 34 stations in Spokane

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KGPX was the fourth television station to be granted an original construction permit on channel 34 in Spokane, Washington.

  • KSMW, owned by Matlock Communications, Inc., was granted an original construction permit on April 9, 1984, to expire in 18 months. Matlock Communications did not build the station in the time allotted and was denied an extension of the permit.
  • KRSK, owned by Robin C. Brandt, was granted an original construction permit on September 14, 1987, to expire December 1, 1989. Brandt also filed for an extension of the permit, but it was returned, and the original permit was allowed to expire.
  • K34DU, owned by Browne Mountain Television, was awarded an original construction permit on June 1, 1992, beating three competitors. They were unable to construct the station in the time allotted and were granted five extensions of the construction permit. They were reported to have actually gone on the air in 1997, but in June 1998, with KGPX having been granted a construction permit for a full-service station on channel 34, K34DU applied for and was granted displacement relief, to move to channel 42. The application was dismissed in October 1999 and the station was never licensed.

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KGPX-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for KGPX". rabbitears.info. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  3. ^ Keys, Matthew (June 28, 2024). "Scripps replacing Defy TV with Ion Plus on broadcast TV". TheDesk.net. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "Final DTV Channel Plan from FCC97-115".
  5. ^ http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101045072&formid=382&fac_num=81694 [dead link]
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