K45AR

K45AR channel 45 was a low-power UHF television station located in Eagle Bend, Minnesota. It started in the late 1970s under the call sign KXG2CB, then transmitting on a 100-watt transmitter under an experimental license from the FCC. K45AR was used for the first educational instructional television (ITV) system in the state. The station was run by the schools of Bertha-Hewitt, Clarissa, and Eagle Bend.Fact|date=November 2007

History

K45AR was the idea of the Eagle Bend High School Principal Richard Lundgren. Mr. Lundgren was in search of getting a way to provide more educational opportunities to his students at a low cost way of doing it. What better way to do this then over ITV, with sharing teachers with out the teachers or students leaving their respective schools.

When K45AR first went on the air it was called KG2XCB, an experimental license granted by the FCC in 1980. Its first transmitter was located in Eagle Bend. Its power was 100 watts and its tower was about 190 ft. Along with Eagle Bend Public School, Bertha-Hewitt, and Clarissa Public Schools each owned an ITFS microwave transmitter to broadcast via closed circuit between schools. Each school was located approximately 5 miles apart from each other. With this system the schools could teach classes from each site and the students could interact with the teachers at each site. Because KG2XCB broadcasted on a conventional UHF channel in the clear, people with a regular antenna could receive the signal at home and watch the classes being offered by the schools.

In January 1981 the system was dedicated. There were people from all over that state and the country that came to see this technical marvel of its day. Fact|date=June 2008

In October 1984 the FCC granted a license to upgrade KG2XCB to become K45AR, a regular low-power UHF TV station. It now had a new tower of 365 ft. and a new transmitter capable of 1,000 Watts. Because of its new height and power the three schools added 2 more schools to its ITV system -- Parkers Prairie and Staples Public Schools.

Because of growing cost issues to the station's up-keep, the station was taken off the air and sold in 1998.

hows seen on K45AR

* Todd County Today
* Loretta’s Little People
* Sound Image
* Eagle Bend Local News
* Crafts for Kids
* Sharon’s Circle of Friends
* Jazzercise
* Strechercise
* Live Coverage of Sporting Events in each local school
* Dollars for Scholars Tele-Auction
* School Christmas Concerts

References

* [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=28512&Callsign=DK45AR FCC Record of DK45AR]
* [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=28492&Callsign=DKG2XCB FCC Record of DKG2XCB]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Eagle-Bend-Minnesota.html City-data.com: Eagle Bend MN]
* [http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/ptfp/projects/dist_lrn.html NTIA: Fiscal Year 1995 (1984 Reference to upgrade KG2XCB To K45AR)]