88.7 FM

[RBA]

Will 88.7 FM become a highly sought after freq. considering Channel Sixes around the country wil be going Digital?

 

[jegrant]

There is a lot of talk (at least in low power / non comm / community radio circles) about possibly expanding the FM band, since only about two or three stations on channel 6 will stay there after the digital transition.

The correct radios are already made overseas (Japan) where FM is lower - and an expansion would be a great way to offer more FM stations to a cheap, simple radio that won't require a digital decoder chip.

 

[mimo]

I believe you mean 87.7, as 88.7 is already licensed to hundreds of stations across the states and canada. I remember I had a sony walkman that would allow you to switch over to the Japanese fm band for travel, I tried it out one day while I lived in Calgary Canada, just to see if I could hear any thing, and I was able to hear tv audio from Channel 4 somewhere around 83 or 84 megahertz.

 

[RBA]

I believe you mean 87.7, as 88.7 is already licensed to hundreds of stations across the states and canada. I remember I had a sony walkman that would allow you to switch over to the Japanese fm band for travel, I tried it out one day while I lived in Calgary Canada, just to see if I could hear any thing, and I was able to hear tv audio from Channel 4 somewhere around 83 or 84 megahertz.

You're right, I meant 87.7.

 

[w9wi]

You're right, I meant 87.7.

though the DTV move could also make 88.7 more useful. FCC regulations require 88-92 FM stations to protect TV-6 stations from interference; this has limited the powers (and forced the use of directional antennas and vertical polarization) at non-commercial FMs. The limitations are stricter on lower frequencies closer to 88.1.

Since there will be only eight full-license DTV stations on channel 6, in many places where non-commercial stations are currently limited in power, those limitations will probably be lifted once the analog TVs shut down.

While I personally doubt 87.7 will become a legitimate FM channel, 87.9 already is. There are only two stations on the frequency due to severe restrictions on its use. Most of these restrictions are also related to avoiding interference to TV-6. I think we could see these regulations relaxed - and a LOT more stations on 87.9 - after transition.

 

[RadioStationDudeUSA]

K200AA Sun Valley NV, a translator for KAWZ Twin Falls (Calvary) is on 87.9 with 28 Watts at 112 feet

KSFH Mountain View, CA has 10 Watts at -245 feet.. owned by Saint Francis High School.. it's right near Los Altos in San Jose, CA.