Parable Broadcasting Files For New SW Station

[kf4rca]

Parable Broadcasting has applied for a new SW station to be broadcasting 100% DRM.
https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/104261750512086/Parable HF Application (Final).pdf
The company is located in VA. but the transmitter will be in IL.
As you probably expected, it will be a religious station.

 

[davideduardo]

Parable Broadcasting has applied for a new SW station to be broadcasting 100% DRM.
https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/104261750512086/Parable HF Application (Final).pdf
The company is located in VA. but the transmitter will be in IL.
As you probably expected, it will be a religious station.

Even if the band is "open" more than ever in the last 80 or so years, that very low power is quite unusual.

And, if they are going to use DRM exclusively, other than DXers I don't think that any nation in the Western Hemisphere has DRM receivers used by the general public.

This sounds like some people who don't know what they are doing.

 

[channel99]

Per the details, they plan to target Europe (using a very directional log-periodic antenna):

"The purpose of the construction and operation of this proposed International Shortwave Broadcast station is
specifically to serve the areas of Europe that may be authorized by the Commission. The planned broadcast content includes religious and educational programming, as well as data content provided by third parties. The applicant is positioning the proposed station to take advantage of the recent push by the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters to develop and provide content for the growing DRM Market."

This is very similar to what WINB is doing, also using an ASI transmitter, and only 15 kW:

https://www.drm.org/americas-oldest-commercial-shortwave-station-testing-in-drm/

Still hard to see the point of this... Maybe they are getting some funding from manufacturers?

 

[davideduardo]

Per the details, they plan to target Europe (using a very directional log-periodic antenna):

"The purpose of the construction and operation of this proposed International Shortwave Broadcast station is
specifically to serve the areas of Europe that may be authorized by the Commission. The planned broadcast content includes religious and educational programming, as well as data content provided by third parties. The applicant is positioning the proposed station to take advantage of the recent push by the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters to develop and provide content for the growing DRM Market."

This is very similar to what WINB is doing, also using an ASI transmitter, and only 15 kW:

https://www.drm.org/americas-oldest-commercial-shortwave-station-testing-in-drm/

Still hard to see the point of this... Maybe they are getting some funding from manufacturers?

All shortwave stations use highly directional antennas, resulting in significant gain. However, using 10 kw transmitters with gain does not compare with using 100 kw to 250 kw transmitters in the same manner.

Back in the 60's, I witnessed HCJB (which was based in the market I owned stations in) going from 50 kw to 100 kw and then 250 kw and they indicated that there was considerable payback in doing so.

The only place where DRM seems to have a real chance is in India, where it has been adopted for a huge national network of stations of up to 1 megawatt. There, the want to get national coverage which would require up to 1000 FM stations but with AM and DRM they likely need to build less than 100 facilities for the whole subcontinent.

 

[radioman148]

All shortwave stations use highly directional antennas, resulting in significant gain. However, using 10 kw transmitters with gain does not compare with using 100 kw to 250 kw transmitters in the same manner.

Back in the 60's, I witnessed HCJB (which was based in the market I owned stations in) going from 50 kw to 100 kw and then 250 kw and they indicated that there was considerable payback in doing so.

HCJB used to blast into the midwest in the 60s. They were the strongest SW station in this area back then.

 

[cyberdad]

HCJB used to blast into the midwest in the 60s. They were the strongest SW station in this area back then.

I don't quite remember HCJB as THE strongest SW station. Maybe they were. But in any case if not, they were right up there with whatever was.

 

[KeithE4]

I don't quite remember HCJB as THE strongest SW station. Maybe they were. But in any case if not, they were right up there with whatever was.

They were certainly the strongest shortwave station broadcasting from South America. In fact, I can't think of any other South American station at the time that tried to broadcast to the US and Canada.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Aren't analog Shortwave licenses granted in terms of peak power, in the same way that analog television broadcasting was? If so, the apparent low power is likely partially because the digital power is in terms of average power. Peak power is difficult to define when it comes to digital.

Power regulations are one of the items the FCC has to iron out with MA3 full digital AM before fully authorizing it.

 

[gr8oldies]

In my area of the midwest (anecdotally, not with a signal strength meter), it seemed to be Radio Canada International, followed by HCJB, Radio and Nederland via Bonaire.

 

[davideduardo]

I don't quite remember HCJB as THE strongest SW station. Maybe they were. But in any case if not, they were right up there with whatever was.

What was amazing was to see the HCJB campus in the northern part of Quito in the 60's. About a dozen building, even a school for the missionary kids. A dozen or more studios, and multiple languages being done all at the same time. A local 50 kw AM, and a transmitter site with its own dam and hydroelectric power. There was a whole living complex for the engineers at the transmitter site, as it was a good hour and a half drive from Quito on cobblestone roads, all at around 9000 to 10000 feet above sea level.

 

[boombox4]

Who knows what the real plans are? Some of the religious broadcasters seem to know what they're doing (TWR seems to know about the necessity of SW to get to much of the Eurasian and African continents), with others its harder to tell.

I haven't tuned SW much recently, but the super station out of Maine hasn't been reported much recently. Are they even on? World's Last Chance Radio. They had a strong signal in 2016 or whenever they were testing. After that, they seemed to disappear.

 

[channel99]

Who knows what the real plans are? Some of the religious broadcasters seem to know what they're doing (TWR seems to know about the necessity of SW to get to much of the Eurasian and African continents), with others its harder to tell.

I haven't tuned SW much recently, but the super station out of Maine hasn't been reported much recently. Are they even on? World's Last Chance Radio. They had a strong signal in 2016 or whenever they were testing. After that, they seemed to disappear.

It's still there. World's Last Chance is on the 500 kW 9330 signal. Much of the folksy WBCQ web site is gone - the thousands of photos, etc. and frequent posts. The main page now refers to available time at the "best rates" and includes a PayPal donation link.

 

[boombox4]

It's still there. World's Last Chance is on the 500 kW 9330 signal. Much of the folksy WBCQ web site is gone - the thousands of photos, etc. and frequent posts. The main page now refers to available time at the "best rates" and includes a PayPal donation link.

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll have to start tuning 31 meters again every now and then.

 

[Ai4i]

The strongest day signal with the least fading forty some-odd years ago in Miami was far and away, the AFRTS news and sports feed on 15,330 from Bethany, OH.
Two and a half hours each morning, the Beeb broadcast from Antigua on forty-nine meters to the Caribbean and thirty-one meters to North America. Miami was located perfectly for both.
They would simulcast on the two wavelengths every day unless a sports game of interest to the outlying empire was on, then they would split the feed.

 

[Ai4i]

The only place where DRM seems to have a real chance is in India, where it has been adopted for a huge national network of stations of up to 1 megawatt. There, they want to get national coverage which would require up to 1000 FM stations but with AM and DRM they likely need to build less than 100 facilities for the whole subcontinent.

Or also more economically, one or two satellites that would be a repeat of Worldspace's endeavor but with government funding...maybe Yazmi will fail but I wish Noah Samara the best.