Tower Site and Studio Theft Takes KLSN Off The Air

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The Friends of Oakley Community Foundation, the licensee of KLSN-LP in Oakley, CA, tell the FCC that vandalism at the tower site and the studio took the station off the air. Several key pieces of equipment, including its transmitter, and the computer drives containing content like EAS records and station logs, were stolen. “To date, we have been unable to retrieve any records from these computer drives,” GM Chris Ponsano tells the agency in a Notice of Suspension of Operations and Request for a Silent STA.

The theft was reported to the Oakley police and those responsible have been identified, according to Ponsano. Station officials are still assessing the damage and figuring out a plan to return the station to air. Previously, the low-power FM had an effective radiated power of 58 watts and a transmitter power output of 85 watts.  

The theft continues a string of bad luck for the station. In January 2017, KLSN sought permission to extend its construction permit because severe storms and mudslides that made the road to its tower impassable. Engineers could not get their trucks up the access road on the side of a hill, nor could they carry heavy equipment up to the site, the station told the Commission.

Additionally, their tower climber “expressed grave concerns” regarding climbing during the unstable weather, citing FCC and OSHA guidelines, according to Ponsano. The climber asked to postpone the climb until after 48 hours of clear weather, and only if clear weather was forecasted on the day of the climb.

March 8, 2018        

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