The stations are currently under new management, but not new ownership, and broadcasting an active rock format under FCC STA authority while transmission facilities are being reconstructed.
[7] Past penalties include a $20,000 fine for "failing to maintain the operational readiness of the EAS (Emergency Alert System) equipment (see FCC Rules/11.35(a)), as well as other equipment issues and violations and failure to maintain a complete public records file.
Rushmore Broadcasting will "not likely" have their licenses renewed once they expire, due to the history of "past violations and cavalier attitude(s) towards following and maintaining" rules and regulations, and that this and other M.R.B.
On or around July 10, 2010, Gray filed with the FCC documentation that stated KRAL had gone off the air due to "technical" problems.
What he failed to do was inform the FCC that the station had been in a non-broadcasting mode for well over 18 months prior to this filing.
Dating to 1998, managers were terminated for failure to maintain EAS equipment, as well as failing to notify the station owner of the problems in hopes it would appease the FCC.
At that time, a replacement transmitter was brought in however with a history of non-payment, broadcast contractors were not willing to install it without payment in advance.
KRAL is broadcasting from a wire antenna near the studios as well at significantly lower power than licensed.
* An exciter is the piece of equipment at the signal tower that provides low power output to the transmitter itself and determines what frequency is being broadcast.