AMband.org

The FCC has asked for comments and set July 23 as the deadline in response to the recommendations by the Ad Hoc AM Antenna Performance Verification Coalition. Comments that have already been filed, including the Coalition’s, may be viewed at http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/websql/prod/ecfs/comsrch_v2.hts and entering the docket number 93-177 in the search field. Your comments may be entered at http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi

More details are available in a previous AMBAND.ORG article on the subject.

The FCC has issued its Second Report and Order authorizing regular IBOC transmissions for AM and FM stations. The Report specifically authorized AM stations to operate during their regular night hours of operation with IBOC. There were a lot of additional issues covered, concerning FM, datacasting and multicasting. In the hybrid mode AM IBOC does not support multicasting, but limited rate datacasting can be accommodated.

Arbitron and Edison Media Research have conducted a study on the impact of alternate radio-like delivery methods, such as:  iPods, audio streaming, etc. You can download the report here.

• The report finds: Internet radio listening has increased 50% in the last year
• Internet radio reaches 19% of 18-34′s weekly
• Both XM and Sirius are recognized by more than 60% of the public
• Satellite listeners are an upscale audienc: 27% have incomes over $100k
• There is confusion between podcasting, internet radio and downloadable music
• More than half of those who have listened to podcasts are under 35, and 20% under 17
• Interest in HD radio is up: 8% very interested, and 27% more are somewhat interested
• Most people report the desired price point for an HD receiver at $50 to $100
• 77% of listeners report that they expect to listen to the same amount of AM and FM radio as they do now
• Digital radio users have not decreased the amount of time they spend listening to AM and FM radio

Congress’ change to the dates for Daylight Savings Time has madePre-Sunrise authorizations more important than ever. Operation of daytime stations and fulltime stations with weak night power is seriously impacted. Daylight will come even later in the morning this March and next October and November, and for each year thereafter.

As I reported earlier, the FCC’s Pre-Sunrise and Post Sunset Authorization calculator is seriously broken, and won’t be fixed until at least next fall. The Commission has implemented a stopgap measure to patch the system for this spring for many stations, but it is pretty bad news for stations with no pre-sunrise authorizations at all.

I am filing a Petition for Rulemaking that proposes a more rational set of rules that will significantly increase expanded hours authorizations to permit all class B and D stations to operate during the transitional hours on a non-interference basis. Those stations now eligible for 500 Watt (or lower) PSRA operations under the current rules would still be eligible, but those stations that can run more power without interference could do so. (more…)

Congress changed Daylight Savings time to begin three weeks earlier and end three weeks later. This means that for three weeks this month and again in October many daytime only stations don’t sign on until after 7AM. The FCC recalculated Pre SunRise and Post SunSet Authorizations (PSRA and PSSA) to try to avoid the obvious impact to these stations. The FCC ran its modified PSRA/PSSA calculator and re-issued all the PSSA and PSRAs. Unfortunately, the FCC’s program was buggy and all these authorizations have been recinded.

Now it appears that not only is the program buggy, but hopelessly so, and it won’t be fixed until at least next fall.

This is horrible for poor AM stations stuck with loss of their morning drive time. It seems to me that stations need a special three week reprieve this spring.

Heck, if the FCC can authorize a pirate with an STA, they should be able to accommodate this emergency with a fix. Just as a trial balloon – Daytimers can begin operation at 7AM for the three weeks in March 2007 at 500 Watts or their day power level (whichever is lower) without regard to interference.

Since the FCC has to start over with PSRA and PSSA authorizations, it is time to re-think the whole world of transitional hour operations. I have prepared a draft petition for rulemaking that would reform PSSA and PSRA operations to be more logical and rational. I will provide a link here when I get it posted.

All across Canada broadcasters have been moving their AM signals over to the FM band. The Canadian Radio Television C ommission will authorize only so many stations in each market – to assure that each station has the economic potential for success, and each station has to promise to meet a specific programming need. In many Canadian markets there are several FM channels available.

Most of Canada’s population is clustered on the border with the US. The FM channels are generally not limited to the north by other stations, so it has been possible to move many AM stations over to FM channels. The CRTC requires that the AM signal go off the air when the FM takes over. (more…)

The National Radio Systems Committee has released a study on the effects of reducing the bandwidth of AM transmissions from the present standard of 10 kHz.  The study used representative receivers to present transmissions of speech, sports, music and commercials with bandwidths of  5 kHz, 7 kHz and 10 kHz.  The study assumes that both the desired and undesired stations operate using the same standard.

The results showed that mutually reducing transmission bandwidth down to 5 kHz  is a big plus for speech.  There was either a benefit, or no change from the 10 kHz results when reducing the transmitted bandwidth to 7 kHz irrespective of format or first adjacent channel interference level. (more…)

Radio Ink reported today that WHAT(AM) Philadelphia is the first AM to broadcast Alternative Rock in Medium Wave HD radio.

I’m listening now to Snow Patrol on the station, but not in HD. Hopefully they will have it on later today.

This will be an interesting experiment – I just wish that WHAT had a better signal to really test whether mainstream (kind of) music can build an adequate audience on HD.

Good luck “Skin Radio”!