FM X-Band 76-87.7 Mhz

[otharadioman]

I see that XM Radio would carry all the local radio stations across the country free of charge through a must carry provision.  All you would need is a XM radio. For the Premium users, the regular XM subscription would apply. All your AMs along with the Low Power FMs and the non profit stations would all be on FM.  AM would be used for broadband. I forsee this 15-20 years from now, give or take.  How many television channels can Direct TV or Dish Network handle? Thousands?

That is an excellent idea!!!

[KTN Corp]

The FCC is more likely to approve longwave broadcasting. 

[MickeyD]

Here's the official word from the FCC on radio band expansion:

"Expansion of the AM or FM radio bands is unlikely to occur in the near future."

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/howtoapply.html

So while it doesn't close the door on expansion, the FCC does warn that it won't happen soon.  I'm thinking not until the issue of TV band repacking is settled which will take at least a couple of years.  Personally, I would love to see radio take channels 5 & 6 and give the rest of lower VHF to public safety while moving them off of UHF.

How long can you operate a station that no one can hear before you go broke? Radio isn't what it once was and if the sales of HD radios are any indication of the public's interest in radio, it would not be a good idea. Radio stations that are already in the regular FM bands are having financial problems. I recall during the HDTV transition when in order to renew your analog license you had to have a digital transmitter on-the-air or close to it. All the digital stations back then was to heat the air and that is precisely what an expanded FM would do for at least a decade. Sure you can buy a radio today that can receive the expanded band but who will go out to purchase one just to explore?

[LibertyNT]

Id say a radio with X-Band FM wouldn't cost near as much as an HD radio, it would be far easier to implement as well since there are no licenses needed to make a radio tune down to 76 mhz. (not to mention these radios are already being made and used in Europe and Japan)

[MarioMania]

While the FM band is getting full with new stations, The FCC isn't doing anything to expand down to 76 Mhz...

Sure, No one will listen at first

[Darth_vader]

"I recall during the HDTV transition"

When did that happen? I'm still seeing a LOT of SD video streams from the ATSC channels in my area!

[MarioMania]

or just make 87.70 a FM Frequency

[Bongwater]

or just make 87.70 a FM Frequency

To some degree 87.9 is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSFH

But everybody wants a slice of the FM pie. Canada is moving all it's AMs to FM, so is Mexico and South America. We're talking about the entire Western Hemisphere. And the UK is already trying to deal with it's own FM crunch. Even though they want to move everything to digital, I don't see that happening. Like in the US, there are too many terrestrial obstacles that make digital very hard to receive in many areas. The rest of the world has the same problems.

There are some areas where AM has a distinct advantage over FM (deepest Alaska, very rural and SEVERE terrain challenged areas.) So in those places at least, I wouldn't write off AM just yet.

But the expansion down to 76 MHz DOES make a lot of sense. And I also support an expansion UP to 128 MHz (I know 108-128 MHz is reserved for aircraft, but I have RARELY heard ANY activity on these channels.) Because EVERYBODY wants to have a place on the FM band....A 76-128 MHz Super FM band should have room enough (and then some) for everybody.

As for LW, well it too has it's place. And there's not much you can do with it but have fun. Make it AM Stereo and should we colonize underwater, it should have a ready audience......

[Chuck]

There is a lot of activity in the aircraft frequencies.  They are AM. not FM. The transmissions are usually quite brief, which may explain why you don't hear anything.    Asking for spectrum above 108 MHz isn't going to happen.

[MarioMania]

I really think the FCC is dumb...

Seems like the FM band is getting crowded and the FCC is not doing anything just give Ch 5 and 6 for Radio