KFMB engineer Mina Zaki passed his CBNT certification in June. He also received a CBT certification by experience.

The San Diego field office of the Federal Communications Commission June 14 issued a Notice of Unlicensed Operation to Lewis A. Parks of Fallbrook. notice claimed that FCC agents found a signal on 106.1 MHz transmitting from his residence at over 10 times the maximum amount permitted by unlicensed Part 15 rules. Their letter ordered Parks to cease operating on the frequency immediately.

Michael Uhl has become an associate with Storyleaders.com, a sales training organization. He leaves a long broadcast sales career, most recently at Telos Omnia Axia. Before Telos, he sold routers at Sierra Automated Systems and audio equipment at Pacific Recorders and Engineering (now Harris).

Dean Imhof started April 2 as engineer at KFMB-AM/FM. He reunites there with Scottie Rice, who worked with Dean at Clear Channel. Dean’s previous gig was at BCA.

Steve Schwartz moved to TBC Integration where he supports the Trinity Broadcast Network master control and production efforts as engineer. He leaves TV Magic, where he held a number of roles, including TBN support.

The FCC on January 26 this year authorized KBRT (AM) to move from Santa Catalina Island to Sierra Peak between Irvine and Corona, and increase its daytime power to 50kW directional. With KFMB-AM San Diego on 760kHz and KBRT Avalon on 740kHz, the two stations have had interference issues since 1962 when the FCC gave KBRT the class D daytime-only allocation. The two are unusually close-spaced in both frequency and geography. But the matter heated up in 2007 when KBRT began broadcasting Ibiquity digital sidebands, essentially wiping out coverage of KFMB-AM north of San Diego.

The FCC said KBRT owner Kiertron must continue to operate its AM IBOC channel upper sideband at -29dB from Ibiquity standard levels of -28dBc (28dB below carrier), as it had volunteered in March of 2010 to do. The new day and night pattern gives KBRT a major lobe south-southwest toward south coastal Orange County and moderate nulls northwest toward co-channel KCBS in San Francisco and southeast toward San Diego. The FCC gave KBRT a low nighttime power that it will continue to maintain.

In correspondence filed with the FCC in 2008, KBRT owner Kiertron did not deny the interference it was causing, but claimed that KFMB had no protection of its signal outside of the San Diego metropolitan area due to the wording of the original KBRT authorization to broadcast in 1962.

According to the terms of their FCC Construction Permit, KBRT has until January 2015 to complete their move to the mainland.