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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.

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.

Representatives of most major radio broadcasting groups and the most active AM directional engineering consultants have been working on a proposal to the FCC to finalize a broad revision of the rules that specify how AM stations verify that their directional antennas are working properly.

A recent Radio World Online report details the group’s effort to come to a consensus on the new procedures. The general thrust of the process focuses on how Method of Moments modeling provides a better picture of the actual performance of an antenna system than the conventional field proof measurements, especially in areas of urban clutter. The vision includes a recognition that detuning structures that are a substantial distance from a directional antenna may be counterproductive in providing real interference protection for other stations.

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A recent article about the rollout of HD Radio in FMQB by Paul Marszalek points out some of the good things, and some big pitfalls that may be ahead for terrestrial radio in the USA.

Although IBOC radio was not the best choice for terrestrial broadcasters, with its exclusive focus on retaining the entitlement of incumbent broadcasters to the exclusion of all other considerations. Unfortunately, that choice required squeezing of ten pounds of s**It into a five pound bag.

We can look back as much as we want, but we are where we are. There was no concept of how streaming, podcasts, 802.11 radio and cellphone stations would dilute the terrestrial franchise at that time.

We need to understand that IBOC hybrid HD Radio is a TRANSITIONAL technology. In ten years, if we play our cards right, there will be no analog radio, and we can have THREE programs on an FM license and one CD quality stereo or one “FM quality” a number of voice quality programs on an AM license. All this can be achieved with NO adjacent channel interference. (more…)

There are many towers that are 200 ft tall or less that have lights. If your tower is less than 200 feet above ground, check the program on the FCC website called Towair to see if the tower requires notification to the FAA under today’s standards. If not, you can ask to delete the lighting and marking requirements (more…)

The National Association of Broadcasters proposed to the FCC that AM stations be permitted to operate FM translators within the AM 2.0 mV÷m daytime contour or 25 miles of the AM station’s transmitter site. The full text of the document is available here.