AM now allowed to rebroadcast on FM translators

[Force Commander]

About time they pooped or get off the pot on this matter. Although a disapointment to Hoosier Daddy, it will help AM's with struggling night issues where current translators are available. Not allowing new TX service for AM is a downer, but some relief is better than none I suppose. Your thoughts?

NAB's statement:
http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Sect ... isplay.cfm

Radio Link:
http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id= ... spid=24698

The FCC release:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/a ... 9-59A1.pdf

[Hoosier Daddy]

"It's unfortunate that local radio listeners will be the unintended victims of the inevitable interference that would result from shoehorning more stations onto an already overcrowded radio dial."

-Edward O. Fritts
President and CEO
National Association of Broadcasters
press release issued July 22, 2004



My disappointment has nothing to do with distressed AM stations (MTocco's Grafton situation is a perfect example) but with the fact that the FCC has **intentionally** (at the urging of the bastards at the NAB) been dragging their feet since 2000 in licensing low power FM stations. It's now 2009, and LPFM has been frozen in place since 2003, supposedly because of MX and, <cough> "interference" issues.

Yet we licensed thousands of FM stations since then, including the St. Patrick's Day Massacre of March 17, 2003 where the FCC gave the green light to thousands of FM translators, many authorized on second adjacent channels next to full power FM stations. Most of these were never built, but they clogged up the licensing mill (which was the intended plan) and the ones that did go on the air effectively blocked an LPFM assignment in that city, which was also part of the intended plan.

Oh yeah, we also opened up a full power non-comm window in there recently (in a band supposedly too congested to accept any new low powered signals) and the Commission refused to deal with a petition to expand the FM broadcast band into TV channels 5 and 6, which would have given wide open, interference free spectrum to LPFM and other broadcast interests, something that could have been done painlessly with the DTV migration. Even in small, rural markets where LPFM allocations have been available since the 2000 inception, the licencing process (a.k.a., "the windows") is nailed shut with no timetable at all about when, or if, they'll ever open.

So which way is it, Eddie? Is a low powered radio signal a godsend for a local community or is it "an unnecessary source of interference" to the FM radio spectrum? This is Reason #5000 showing why the NAB stands for everything that is wrong with radio.

Just so everyone is up to speed on how I feel about this matter and why ...

[Force Commander]

Hey Hooz, I understood your concerns and agree. LPFM has been given the shaft badly, and the great translator invasion didn't help. It was widely believed by many in the industry that this ruling would also deal with the invasion issues so that LPFM could finally get it's turn at bat. I am very disapointed they didn't touch either. This could have and should have the chance to have taken care of all three once and for all. Typical goverment to screw up a perfectly good opportuntiy to fix some big messes al the way around. When will they ever learn?

[Hoosier Daddy]

Government screwed this up by listening to and following the orders of money-dripping, fat, rat bastards like Eddie Fritts and his merry band of full powered broadcasters. If you want to truly fix this and make restitution to the low power FM broadcasters, start cancelling full power FM and FM translator licenses. Clear out the broadcast spectrum. Hurt the big boys who had a hand in this. MAKE ROOM for a group of people who have been shit on time and time again since the LPFM idea was originally hatched in the late 1990s.

Look, I am all about fair play and honesty. All you have to do is do the right thing. Make your business dealings ethical and above board. Don't tell lies, even if they're self-serving. Tell the truth. The NAB did none of this, and the FCC served as the NAB's bitch in passing some very dubious rules and regulations. The FCC needs to - one and for all - FIX the LPFM problem and not keep defering to the next Presidential election or FCC Commissioner appointment.

[Force Commander]

Government screwed this up by listening to and following the orders of money-dripping, fat, rat bastards like Eddie Fritts and his merry band of full powered broadcasters. If you want to truly fix this and make restitution, start cancelling FCC licenses. Clear out the broadcast spectrum. Hurt the big boys who had a hand in this. MAKE ROOM for a group of people who have been shit on time and time again since the LPFM idea was originally hatched in the late 1990s.

Look, I am all about fair play and honesty. All you have to do is do the right thing. Make your business dealings ethical and above board. Don't tell lies, even if they're self-serving. Tell the truth. The NAB did none of this, and the FCC served as the NAB's bitch in passing some very dubious rules and regulations. The FCC needs to - one and for all - FIX the LPFM problem and not keep defering to the next Presidential election or FCC Commissioner appointment.

I don't know how to make the licensee turn in the paper based on grandfathering rules, but I definately agree with everything else you have said. I hope because I operate AM's that doesn't make you think we are not in agreement. I think LPFM would be great for our industry. Too many corporate fat cats have really screwed this industry up. Competion from LPFM might help level the playing field. I think LPFM should also be ammended to be commercial if they choose.

[Hoosier Daddy]

We are not in disagreement, FC. There are so many similarities between struggling AM stations and fledgling LPFMers. I never understood why power brokers like the NAB didn't recognize low power FM for the jewel it is and guide and support its growth. I guess when you're trying to please Clear Channel's CEO and their shareholders 110% of the time, you lose that perspective. For what its worth, I have mixed feelings on commercial LPFM. Commercial operation would make LPFM more financially viable, but the $$$$$ involved in the FCC's spectrum auction process would sink 99.999% of the potential locally based, community service group (target demographic) licensees before they ever got started.

[genlock]

Perhaps you attended the NAB on Vegas about ten years ago.
That was during the birth of LPFM. There were hundreds in attendance that
were LPFM advocates that did more damage to the cause than Clear-Channel
could ever do. Poorly dressed, dirty, unkempt hippies would block the entrances and
shout slogans and pass out their literature alongside the mexicans handing out
porn promotionals and strip club invitations. Smelly, threatening people that managed to somehow
gain entrance to the show. Station owners, engineers, production people and other
visitors were bombarded with slogans and foul language. I can only imagine how the FCC represenatives were treated.
Most of the FCC I saw wore no badge id's for this reason. When FCC hears about LPFM, they think of these people.

[rfhertz]

Perhaps you attended the NAB on Vegas about ten years ago.
That was during the birth of LPFM. There were hundreds in attendance that
were LPFM advocates that did more damage to the cause than Clear-Channel
could ever do. Poorly dressed, dirty, unkempt hippies would block the entrances and
shout slogans and pass out their literature alongside the mexicans handing out
porn promotionals and strip club invitations. Smelly, threatening people that managed to somehow
gain entrance to the show. Station owners, engineers, production people and other
visitors were bombarded with slogans and foul language. I can only imagine how the FCC represenatives were treated.
Most of the FCC I saw wore no badge id's for this reason. When FCC hears about LPFM, they think of these people.

Perhaps the FCC folks should have had this machine to deal with the hippies?

[genlock]

RFHertz was there.

[rfhertz]

Yes I was . At least there were no hippies at the Dielectric breakfast!

[Hoosier Daddy]

Perhaps you attended the NAB on Vegas about ten years ago. That was during the birth of LPFM.

Nope. Sorry. Didn't make that one. Or any NAB Show, for that matter!

Poorly dressed, dirty, unkempt hippies would block the entrances and shout slogans and pass out their literature alongside the mexicans handing out
porn promotionals and strip club invitations.

I'll bet the majority of NAB folks didn't turn a cold shoulder to the porn and titty bar stuff.

When FCC hears about LPFM, they think of these people.

Every "movement" has its underbelly. Hell, the Republicans still have Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh. I guess you saw the underbelly of LPFM. In all honesty, what you just described does not illustrate a single LPFM operator I know. I DID work with some stinky, slovenly, unkempt disc jockeys and chief engineers in my day, though.

[Cameron]

I know of at least 3 LPFMs in a 40 mile radius in Florida that were running wildly-illegal ERPs, had unlicensed STLs, unlicensed "translators", and had no EAS equipment.
These were 3 different licensees. 3 have been fined by the FCC and one was so illegal, the "church" that was the front for the real operator recently turned in their license. A lot of the "alternative" thinking folks that get LPFMs push the technical-limits a lot further than commerical-operations ever would. They think their new "free-speech-boxes" entitle them to do as they please.

The best thing to come out of the new translator rules is the permission for Class-D AMs to operate their FM translators 24x7 - even when their AM is slated to sign-off at sunset. I see that rule allowing for MORE localism. Many of these flea-powers and former stand-alones will finally have the ability to to local high school sports. Nighttime national sporting-events will also allow these smaller operations to hang-on.

[MTocco]

Well, here's my 2 cents... When we were in Schenectady 2 weeks ago, Bernie (makes Energy Onyx transmitters) tried to sell Steve and me on the idea of getting one of these FM translators... His quote -- " It would only take around $25 - $30 THOUSAND DOLLARS for the electronics to put this in place." Now, I've done this radio thing for 7 years... not a lifetime compared with almost everyone who posts here... but it's been my experience that for every dollar I've spent on electronics, I've spent 2 or three times more than that on all the other things that has to go along with the purchase that ISN'T electronics... like all the FCC fees that go with it, and the attorney who does all those fees, shipping, hiring someone to do the install, yadda yadda yadda. For all us little guys with an AM - yeah - that idea of evening out the power during the night and daytime power, and filling in the gaps on the coverage map sounds reallllllly swell. It's exactly what I want to spend another $75 - $90 THOUSAND dollars on. You tell me - is it worth the investment? Not for me, and I'll bet my sweet great-granny's bloomers that others feel the same way... Yeah, the ability to do it is there now... But who can afford it? On the other side of the issue is my husband. He WOULD invest in it, and damn the cost, because his reasoning would be, "Think how much our station would be worth! If we get this, honey, we could raise the asking price for the station!! We wouldn't have to sell it for $75,000!"

Right-o.

Personally, I don't think too many folks - especially we small stuff owners - can afford it. Nice thought, though. Glad someone was thinking of us small fries...

[Hoosier Daddy]

I know of at least 3 LPFMs in a 40 mile radius in Florida that were running wildly-illegal ERPs, had unlicensed STLs, unlicensed "translators", and had no EAS equipment. These were 3 different licensees. 3 have been fined by the FCC and one was so illegal, the "church" that was the front for the real operator recently turned in their license. A lot of the "alternative" thinking folks that get LPFMs push the technical-limits a lot further than commerical-operations ever would. They think their new "free-speech-boxes" entitle them to do as they please.

Running afowl of the law isn't limited to "those LPFM hippies". I seem to remember WCMI moving their transmitter and tower to another state without FCC approval (and getting caught), and WRVC's entire transmitter plant was in a shambles prior to your employment with trees growing out of the roof of the transmitter building. I wonder how close to FCC specs AM 930 ran back in those days. And when Clear Channel operated AM 1470, I know of several timesthey were on 5000 watt full daytime power at 10 or 11pm. And that's just in Huntington, West Virginia.

The best thing to come out of the new translator rules is the permission for Class-D AMs to operate their FM translators 24x7 - even when their AM is slated to sign-off at sunset. I see that rule allowing for MORE localism.

It would be if the station owners actually ran local programming. My guess is that most of these AM operators with their shiny new FM translators will simply plug the audio feed into ESPN, FOX Sports, Glenn Beck, Music Of Your Life, or The Jones Network, then go out and sell the advertisers again with inflated rate cards, saying "hey, we just bought an FM station!!!". Doing a high school football game six times a year for three hours on a friday night isn't reason enough in my book to get an FM translator license under the guise that you're offering "all this great new local programming".

[Hoosier Daddy]

It would only take around $25 - $30 THOUSAND DOLLARS for the electronics to put this in place...

That price seems a little high if you already own the tower and have a transmitter shack. The equipment costs, including an FCC certified transmitter, feedline, audio processing, and antenna could be had for less than $15K. You always have the option of buying gently used stuff just to get the FM signal up and running. I do agree with your hubby, though. Adding an FM translator should increase the value of your station, because you can advertise it as an AM/FM combo simulcast operation.

For what its worth, I checked the LPFM (recnet) database for Grafton. In their rather conservative signal/distance estimates, it appears that 99.5 and 99.7 are available for a non-directional 100 watt FM signal. Non ditectional 10 watt signals are available on 97.1 and 99.3, but there may be potential interference. A good engineer could probably find some other frequencies with the variable power and directional antennas available to FM translators.

Personally, I don't think too many folks - especially we small stuff owners - can afford it. Nice thought, though. Glad someone was thinking of us small fries...

I really doubt anyone at the top was really thinking about or cared about the small fries on this one. Rural, stand alone, daytime-only or flea-powered nighttime AM stations wanting to serve their city of license were held out as poster children, but I'll bet the real trophy winners were the Clear Channels who bought up a bunch of one-lung AM stations just to get the companion FM and tower dance it into the nearest major market. These AM stations have become neglected bottom feeders. Adding any type of simulcasted FM signal will make them sellable, adding an infusion of cash into a company teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

Follow the money. It's always all about the money.

[Force Commander]

Well, here's my 2 cents... When we were in Schenectady 2 weeks ago, Bernie (makes Energy Onyx transmitters) tried to sell Steve and me on the idea of getting one of these FM translators... His quote -- " It would only take around $25 - $30 THOUSAND DOLLARS for the electronics to put this in place." Now, I've done this radio thing for 7 years... not a lifetime compared with almost everyone who posts here... but it's been my experience that for every dollar I've spent on electronics, I've spent 2 or three times more than that on all the other things that has to go along with the purchase that ISN'T electronics... like all the FCC fees that go with it, and the attorney who does all those fees, shipping, hiring someone to do the install, yadda yadda yadda. For all us little guys with an AM - yeah - that idea of evening out the power during the night and daytime power, and filling in the gaps on the coverage map sounds reallllllly swell. It's exactly what I want to spend another $75 - $90 THOUSAND dollars on. You tell me - is it worth the investment? Not for me, and I'll bet my sweet great-granny's bloomers that others feel the same way... Yeah, the ability to do it is there now... But who can afford it? On the other side of the issue is my husband. He WOULD invest in it, and damn the cost, because his reasoning would be, "Think how much our station would be worth! If we get this, honey, we could raise the asking price for the station!! We wouldn't have to sell it for $75,000!"

Right-o.

Personally, I don't think too many folks - especially we small stuff owners - can afford it. Nice thought, though. Glad someone was thinking of us small fries...

While I can understand your concerns, I am not sure the financials you mention is always so cut a dried. I wonder if Bernie was taking into account the expected cost of a CP or license?

Some good news, I put my AM on FM TX up for literally slightly less than $4,000 including engineering and FCC fees. The rest of the story, I already had a tower that we owned that also had the correct height we needed to make the licensed ERP. So we just mounted the antenna and coax (the only new items we purchased), used a small FM transmitter we already had on the shelf, an afternoon worth of work from our engineer and we were on the air. Mind you I was VERY fortunate and purchased our CP for the grand sum of $1,500. That was a pure blessing.

To me the operator that does mind mounting it to their own tower can often put up one without a ton of expense. It's when you have an issue requiring a second one and don't have another tower you can mount on without having to pay rent is where this really gets expensive. I also expect now that this has passed the costs of purchasing a translator license or CP will really start going up. I have been watching transactions and already the prices were on the rise, this can't do anything but make it go up further.

From one who as done it I would recommend you take a look and see if it is right for your situation. Definately don't pass up at least researching it further. It has been a big help for us.

[contracteng]

Considering you have your own tower allready I should think the electronics should easly be done for less than $10,000 probably closer to $5,000. A two bay low power antenna for less than a $1,000 new transmitter between $4 to 5,000. Probably need an isocoupler depending how your AM tower is fed (don't know the cost on an isocoupler). Transmission line and your in business.

Certainly make your station more valuable.

[MTocco]

I was just sharing what Bernie had to say about cost... then again, he's out to make money, too.

I don't know what an isocopler is, but I know I've heard that word in the past year.

Steve probably would try to scrape together 5K. I hate to make decisions anymore, because my crystal ball never is working the days I need it...

[sportsvoice]

I

I know of at least 3 LPFMs in a 40 mile radius in Florida that were running wildly-illegal ERPs, had unlicensed STLs, unlicensed "translators", and had no EAS equipment.
These were 3 different licensees. 3 have been fined by the FCC and one was so illegal, the "church" that was the front for the real operator recently turned in their license. A lot of the "alternative" thinking folks that get LPFMs push the technical-limits a lot further than commerical-operations ever would. They think their new "free-speech-boxes" entitle them to do as they please.

The best thing to come out of the new translator rules is the permission for Class-D AMs to operate their FM translators 24x7 - even when their AM is slated to sign-off at sunset. I see that rule allowing for MORE localism. Many of these flea-powers and former stand-alones will finally have the ability to to local high school sports. Nighttime national sporting-events will also allow these smaller operations to hang-on.

I call high school sports on a LPFM, but we aren't very "alternative" thinking. No politics, and religion only on Sundays. The STL and RPU are very much licensed (lots of fun getting that done, since they changed the center freqs in the RPU bands right about the time the app went in).

I can think of a few places that might benefit if their Class D or other small AM's could get a translator. Mainly places where their local FMs have either been moved away, program as a rimshot to a larger market, or have become sat-fed God boxes, and the only thing left is a daytimer or other AM peashooter as a "local service." High school football and basketball could be good money makers for those stations, plus there's other stuff like election returns and so forth that they can't run after dark right now.

[Tom Taggart]

In this terrain--a translator could be put in for less than $10,000. Indeed, our last upgrade on our Sistersville translator cost about $4,500 using a used Crown 250 watt exciter with built in FM receiver, and a new one bay CP antenna. 25 watts at 51 meters antenna height above average terrain. Look at W226BE.

1. A rough rule-of-thumb is that the maximum power you can get on a translator is equivalent to 100 watts at 200 feet AHAAT. Since the limit is determined by contour, the higher you go, the lower the power.

2. This will get you about 3 miles of good signal. Enough to cover most small cities in this state. The best site for a translator is on a hill where you can see most of the town. Once you find that point, all you need is a short tower to get above the trees. At that point, you may find your ERP is around 50 watts--or less, for a maximum facility.

So, costs:

Tower: 50 feet of light-weight 12" stock, such as you would use for a TV antenna: $80 per section = $400
Antenna: SWR FM1/1 c.p antenna $545
Coax: 50 to 75 feet of 1/2 foam coax: Around $250 or less.
Transmitter PTEK FM 300ES with built in stereo generator $4,600 (feed it mono but leave the pilot on)
An audio Processor, such as the Inovonics 261 $1,200

Total Cost: About $7,000 with all new equipment
Add to that tower site rent for $40~$50 /month and a way to feed the audio to the site. Used Marti STL-10 systems can be found for $2K, plus another 1K for antennas, feedline. Some local telco's will still supply unloaded "burglar alarm" circuits that can be equalized.

Of course, you need the translator license, and the new rules require that you use an existing translator...

But Bernie's estimate of $75K is just out of fantasy land.