KDLO is one of the biggest FM signals in South Dakota. With 100,000 watts at nearly 1,600 feet from a strategic location, they are able to blanket Watertown, Aberdeen, Huron, and Brookings! The site is shared with KDLO-TV, which originally owned both the FM and TV stations. This explains KDLO-FM’s tall tower placement and magnificent coverage. Today, the FM station is owned by Three Eagles Communications.
KDLO-FM was fully automated at the time this aircheck was recorded. From what I understand, both “satellite” TV/FM facilities (KPLO/Reliance was the other) were controlled from the KELO studios in Sioux Falls. The KELO operator would press the necessary buttons and KDLO/KPLO (each approximately 100 miles away) would do their thing.
I recorded this from Apple Valley, Minnesota. Despite a distance of around 200 miles, I was able to get regular reception of KDLO-FM using my Pioneer SX-3900 receiver, Winegard 10-element FM yagi antenna, Alliance rotor, and Belden low loss coaxial cable. A Technics stereo cassette deck and Scotch Dynarange 90 tape was used to make the recording.
