FM IBOC Power Increase Sought

[hipporadio]

Last week, I had a 40-minute conversation with Indiana congressional rep, Mike Pence – you’ve heard of him in regards to RIAA/internet issues.  He came from an AM radio talk show background [WIBC Indianapolis], and has a “heart” for radio.  We talked about “AM issues”, and I implored him to recognize the fact that many FM allotments have been removed from communities post-telcom by the Greed Mongers in corporate radio – leaving behind in the trash bin – only the local AM allotment.  I begged him for regulatory mercy on these remaining and embattled public servants in the AM radio business. 

As a veteran broadcaster, I'm sure you know that Section 307(b) of the Communications Act of 1934 directs the FCC to provide a “fair, efficient, and equitable” distribution of radio services across the nation.  This is supposedly the basis of AM and FM allocation and licensing policies.

However, when major market AM IBOC stations harm the nighttime reception of small market broadcasters on adjacent channels, a scenario which was never considered in the allocation plan, I would say this amounts to a major violation of 307(b).  Perhaps that's the point that needs to be made to Congress.

YEPPERS, but the Bush Administration FCC somehow forgot about that during their numerous coffee-breaks 

'Time to "TAKE BACK" our local media!

[hipporadio]

Now ... Listening to the degraded analog signal of “The Nations’ Station” and “The Big One”, 700 WLW, I just heard “Willy” call for corporate responsibility That’s an oxymoron considering that his employer has turned him into a broadcast frat bro of that Clear Channel-owned facility - maybe is on the threshold of being owned by Bonneville ... [Thank goodness] WHEN are they going to finally SELL-OUT, and return “broadcasting” to stasis?  This once-fine company [CCU] has become downright **** [sorry, I can't publish my pronoun]    The market has said to CCU – GO AWAY – YOU’RE TOAST... As Hannibal said in “Silence of the Lambs”: “Starling, fly fly away”... DO IT with some degree of grace, CCU.  Please allow us to pick-up your pathetic pieces.

Goodbye, CCU and your digital science-fair project... BTW, are you having a friend for dinner?

[ve3jf]

What a sham!  What was the call letters of this FM facility? PM me if you want...

It's not easy to find out about interference complaint filings.  You'd think it would be a matter of public record, but I don't know any way of finding out about them via the FCC website (feel free to enlighten me, anyone, if this info is available somewhere).

Here's one that was mentioned in a public forum:
http://lists.radiolists.net/pipermail/broadcast/2007-October/062392.html

Here's another, though specific facilities are not identified:
http://lists.radiolists.net/pipermail/broadcast/2008-February/067754.html

[Savage]

At a National Religious Broadcasters gathering a Salem engineer reportedly asked an FCC guest-moderator at a tech forum about IBOC interference complaints.  The Commission wonk flatly declared "there haven't been any IBOC complaints" and then refused to take any more questions on the subject.

And HD proponents call critics "paranoid" and "naysayers" etc., etc. whenever we point out that there have been PLENTY of problems.

Idi Amin used to piously declare that his country was a model of democracy and human rights, even as rolling power blackouts became the norm because the sluicegates of hydroelectric dams were so jammed with bodies of murdered government critics the water couldn't flow through.

Elites of various stripes are pushing the country towards fascism.  The IBOC denial-fest is just one symptom of government running amok.  It's time for The Second American Revolution.

[hipporadio]

I had a bit of fun today [from my ole radio years]... I visited a Wendy’s in Connersville, Indiana with my Mom and Dad... The community has a great big heart and a lot of pride – they are going through tough times, and are predisposed to support their-own,  We placed our orders for a chicken sandwich, salad, ‘n a Frosty at the counter... I noticed that the audio from the speakers was 96.1 WQLK from neighboring Richmond [a country station – a rather bad one at that]... I asked to speak to the manager [who was 22], and asked her WHY she was playing a Rose City radio station instead of WIFE [LOCAL oldies] from her hometown [the tower was in sight]... She knew about the station, but said the radio couldn’t pick it up... FACT – she didn’t understand that the radio had an “AM/FM’ switch,  MY God, THIS MUST BE THE DUMBEST YOUTH GENERATION EVER - or we are doing something terribly-wrong.  I readjusted her tuner... John Phillips’ “Mississippi” popped-up and the clientele clapped... And the Bogen tuner sounded good on AM!

‘Just another “I didn’t know about AM fable”, but Mom and Dad were covering their face... "We can't take baby Hippo anywhere" 

[Chuck]

If I were involved in the operation of an LPFM I probably wouldn't like it either.  I'm just trying to divine what the NAB's thinking is as to why a 10 db increase would benefit LPFM.  As you well know, Chuck, they've never been a friend of LPFM.

Well that is for sure.  This has the smell of three day old fish.

Of course on the plus side, if an LPFM were to migrate to an HD2/3 channel they would probably extend their reach well beyond the three and a half mile limit for LPFM stations, depending on the power and coverage of the host station.  No need for translators.

But on the minus side, who would be listening?

C5

Actually, most LPFM stations are receivable for about 7-10 miles, and sometimes a lot more if there is no co-channel interference. Except for major metro's, where there are no LPFM stations, I think it will be quite a while before the potential audience for a HD-2 channel exceeds what could be available to an ordinary analog LPFM station.

That said, I think it would be great if some benevolent HD broadcaster wanted to simulcast an LPFM station on their HD-2 channel.  Probably both parties would win.  The HD station gets free programming, presumably from someone who actually cares what goes on the air, and the LPFM might get a few more listeners.  I don't see much down side to it, at least until the HD station decides to terminate the arrangement.   

[Savage]

Or if the HD station decides you've got a good thing going on there and rips off the LPFM's format.  (The likelihood of this actually happening increases dramatically if it's a CBS HD station.) 

Hippo, 30 years back when I had the only AM in a three-way CHR battle in Pittsburgh, when I encountered a retail establishment or restaurant with one of our FM competitors on I'd suddenly assume a demeanor of alarm.  I'd ask gravely, "you sure you want that FM radio playing right next to you like that??"  Sometimes, for effect, I'd edge uneasily away from the radio.

Perplexed, dumbfounded look.  "Ummm...yeah, it's a pretty good station, I guess.  What's the problem?"

"Haven't you heard about how the government just found out that FM radios radiate a cancer-causing field around them for about 15 feet?"  (I'd adjust the "danger zone" to include the receiver's actual location on a case-by-case basis.)  "It was just announced this morning.  They're stopping the sale of FM radios.  That damn thing might kill you, you know."

In most cases the clerk would suddenly come to life to shut off the infernal machine.  I'd show her how to re-tune to safe, healthy AM.

[R.F. Burns]

Or if the HD station decides you've got a good thing going on there and rips off the LPFM's format.  (The likelihood of this actually happening increases dramatically if it's a CBS HD station.) 

Hippo, 30 years back when I had the only AM in a three-way CHR battle in Pittsburgh, when I encountered a retail establishment or restaurant with one of our FM competitors on I'd suddenly assume a demeanor of alarm.  I'd ask gravely, "you sure you want that FM radio playing right next to you like that??"  Sometimes, for effect, I'd edge uneasily away from the radio.

Perplexed, dumbfounded look.  "Ummm...yeah, it's a pretty good station, I guess.  What's the problem?"

"Haven't you heard about how the government just found out that FM radios radiate a cancer-causing field around them for about 15 feet?"  (I'd adjust the "danger zone" to include the receiver's actual location on a case-by-case basis.)  "It was just announced this morning.  They're stopping the sale of FM radios.  That damn thing might kill you, you know."

In most cases the clerk would suddenly come to life to shut off the infernal machine.  I'd show her how to re-tune to safe, healthy AM.

Yea, honest way of doing business. If those clerks really believed that story, then it explains where some of today's Radio Shack/Circut City/BestBuy employees come from. You know, the ones who work for stores selling a product and yet they claim not to know anything about it. I haven't found anyone like that in our local stores but I know those who post here & claim that such employees exist would never stretch the truth.

[hipporadio]

Hippo, 30 years back when I had the only AM in a three-way CHR battle in Pittsburgh, when I encountered a retail establishment or restaurant with one of our FM competitors on I'd suddenly assume a demeanor of alarm.  I'd ask gravely, "you sure you want that FM radio playing right next to you like that??"  Sometimes, for effect, I'd edge uneasily away from the radio.

Perplexed, dumbfounded look.  "Ummm...yeah, it's a pretty good station, I guess.  What's the problem?"

"Haven't you heard about how the government just found out that FM radios radiate a cancer-causing field around them for about 15 feet?"  (I'd adjust the "danger zone" to include the receiver's actual location on a case-by-case basis.)  "It was just announced this morning.  They're stopping the sale of FM radios.  That damn thing might kill you, you know."

In most cases the clerk would suddenly come to life to shut off the infernal machine.  I'd show her how to re-tune to safe, healthy AM.

I'm LOLing out of control, Bob  ...But weren't those GREAT YEARS in "radio promotion"... I just had to revisit them for a moment... Will you forgive me, please 

[hipporadio]

“Just passed 8:45PM and WIFE has dropped to 40-watts... I am FOUR MILES away, and the Meducii barely-burped... STILL – excellent near-FM quality audio.  “Nuff said – there is no reason that AM radio has to remain in the back seat.