SMF to MOD

Sacramento and Modesto are about 75 miles apart. While I've been to Sacramento before, Modesto is all-new to me. they are connected by I-15 and also the older Route 99. I'll do as much of the trip on older roads because that's where you get to see the country. the website for the Modesto Radio Museum was invaluable in my advance research.

In between the two is Stockton, which has KQOD a decent Rhythmic Oldies station, KSTG-LP in Lodi a Christian satcaster. The Great Valley is loaded with eccentric radio stations: 89.5 KBES is the only Assyrian radio station in America, probably the world. 920 KVIN-AM runs some good standards, Capital Public radio has a stick here on 91.3 KUOP. But then we also have three LP stations right here in Modesto. 106.1 KQRP-LP, in Salida, and 106.9 KPSR-LP, and 107.9 KEQP-LP. The mayor of Modesto Carmen Sabatino does a weekend call-in program on KQRP. The station has a number of other social justice and activist programs that are really boisterous. KPSR-LP is part of the Westside Community Project. they play classic hip-hop, soul, R&B, and gospel. It's just a small community radio station airing local programming, exactly what a LP license is for.KEQP is more satellite fed religious talk, they also simulcast on 103.7 (K297AM-FM) in Turlock and as part of the international KYCC radio ministry. It's an unusual arrangement for an LP license and while not illegal, is a total violation of the purpose of the Low Power license. The purpose of LPFM, as described in J&MC Quarterly Journal, as

"... Necessary to offset the growing consolidation of station ownership in the wake of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which removed caps on radio ownership, as well as the decline of locally produced radio programming."

The city did once have a college radio station on 660 AM and later on at 107.5 FM. It was based at Modesto Junior College. You can read more here. Modesto is also home to the Modesto Anarcho catalog a fine group of fringe freaks and a big pile of their suggested reading material.
To round it off I grabbed a burrito at the Jessica #4 van. And spent a little time browsing at Salty's Record Attic. A fine source of vinyl and shellac.