KSMI-LP


KSMI-LP, UHF analog channel 51, and KSMI-LD, virtual and UHF digital channel 30, are low-powered television stations licensed to Wichita, Kansas, United States. Owned by Luken Communications, the stations are operated by Great Plains Television Network, LLC under a local marketing agreement, making them sisters to Class A station KGPT-CD. KSMI's offices are located on North Market Street in downtown Wichita. Its analog transmitter is located on East Murdock Street near downtown, while its digital transmitter is in rural northwestern Sedgwick County.

History

The station first signed on the air on June 1, 1990. In the early 2000s, KSMI-LP became an affiliate of the Spanish-language network Telemundo; a few years later, it affiliated with Azteca América. Luken Communications purchased the station in 2010, and entered into a local marketing agreement with Great Plains Television Network, LLC to manage the station; that year, the station flash cut its digital signal into operation on UHF channel 51. Luken also began providing the station with affiliations from the company's various networks.
On October 17, 2013, KSMI-LP began transmitting its digital signal from a new, taller tower near Colwich and increased its effective radiated power to 15 kilowatts. Even though this change resulted an increase in its overall coverage area, the signal is only adequately receivable in the immediate Wichita area with marginal reception south of the city due to adjacent channel interference with Univision affiliate KDCU-DT on channel 31 and in areas north of Wichita—particularly Hutchinson—due to both adjacent channel and co-channel interference. KGBD in Great Bend, a semi-satellite of ABC affiliate KAKE, also broadcasts on UHF channel 30, making it difficult, if not impossible, to receive KSMI-LP, as the receiver cannot tell decipher between the two stations. The co-channel interference problem is amplified at night due to DXing from signals bouncing off the ionosphere, which permits the signal to travel farther than normal.

Digital television

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
ChannelVideoAspectPSIP Short NameProgramming
30.1480iRetroRetro TV
30.2720pHRTHDHeartland
30.3480i4:3FAMThe Family Channel
30.4480i4:381DRVINMovies!
30.5480i4:3TUFFAction Channel
30.6480i4:3REVN
30.7480i4:3Infomercials
30.8480i4:3Evine Live