-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
95.1 FM Chicago To Move Online Only
- Thread starter Y2kTheNewOldies
- Start date
If they did, they would need a primary station to feed the translators. It could be an HD-2. But Weigel doesn't seem to want to own radio stations. They don't mind doing LMAs, but that's about it. They've put a lot of faith in Venture Technologies, the owner of 87.7. Venture says they have a plan after the Franken sunset. So we'll see what happens.
95.1 wouldn't bring much to the table in terms of replacing 87.7's coverage. They'd be better off purchasing or LMA'ing one or more suburban Class A signals.
Personally, I'd love to see the Sears Tower transmitter changed to a rebroadcast of WIIL.
Did the translators accomplish anything other than making WIIL more difficult to hear in portions of Cook County?
Personally, I'd love to see the Sears Tower transmitter changed to a rebroadcast of WIIL.
Did the translators accomplish anything other than making WIIL more difficult to hear in portions of Cook County?
The plan appears to be fitting (or "wedging") an analog signal onto the digital spectrum slice that they will use after the conversion of the TV channel to comply with the digital requirement. The concept is simple... sort of like the SCA channels analog FMs can have for special services. But in this case, it means having an analog signal on a digital TV station.
But the FCC has to approve this.
I think the idea is to reduce the digital TV bandwidth from 6 MHz to 5.5 MHz or slightly less. In the case of Channel 6, 82 to approx 87.5 MHz would be occupied by the digital TV signal, while 87.5 to 88 MHz would be left open for the 87.7 (or 87.9) analog FM signal. However I haven't heard if the reduced bandwidth digital signal is still recognizable and receivable on existing TVs, and if the inserted FM signal would cause problems with such reception. That's what the FCC would have to decide. Would such an arrangement count as both a TV and FM station for ownership cap purposes? Could you have separate owners for each?
Perhaps the FCC should simply allocate 87.7 and 87.9 for FM broadcasting on a market by market basis. Most radios already receive these frequencies, and many go down to 87.5 which is the low end of the CCIR FM band in much of the world.
Ho boy that would likely require a whole long process of "report & order,' comments, and various interference studies.
As would a plan to allow something that is almost like ATSC television, but not quite.
Whatever happens, it's up to Venture Technologies, because they are the licensee of the frequency.
Not as pathetic as the miserable individual signing in to this forum just to insult someone with whom they don't agree.
I happen to prefer over-the-air listening since it's usually more reliable than apps and often has better audio processing than the streams.
Last edited:
Not even close. The title of this thread is literally stating that this broadcast is going online only, which means there's now hope the over-the-air signal will go dark, and a station I've been able to receive for YEARS interference-free will once again be available on my actual radio tuner. If the owner of the station had no plans to end the traditional broadcast, then hoping for the demise of the low-power signal would be wrong and I'd just have to deal with it.
That is my opinion and it's not likely to change.
Don't blame the broadcaster for interference. The FCC has rules and regulations regarding interference and spacing requirements for radio stations. The FCC doesn't give you a license if there is or will be interference. You are wanting to hear a station that is not, by FCC rules, protected in the place you listen. Because 95.1 is going online means they will sell 95.1 and a new station will appear soon. If they don't sell, expect them to lease the frequency. At any rate, 95.1 will not be gone, just resting a while. The FCC auctions frequencies to the highest bidders. Those stations reaching larger population areas can go for millions and that's just to get a piece of paper. You have to find a tower or build one usually on land you will own. Then you need to buy all equipment and hire engineers to build it out. My point is 95.1 might move online but that frequency is worth money, likely big money, so they're not going to turn in the license and get nothing. If you wonder what I mean, you could look up bother of the stations on a site like Radio Location and click on the coverage maps. The inner circle is the 60dbu.
It's amazing how far a station can go when the dial is vacant. I was in Oregon and could hear a 100 watt FM a good 30-35 miles. It was the only station you could hear on the entire FM band. Normally a LPFM has a 60 dbu signal of about 3.6 miles from the tower. Almost all radio listening is within the 60 dbu signal.
It's amazing how far a station can go when the dial is vacant. I was in Oregon and could hear a 100 watt FM a good 30-35 miles. It was the only station you could hear on the entire FM band. Normally a LPFM has a 60 dbu signal of about 3.6 miles from the tower. Almost all radio listening is within the 60 dbu signal.
Not disputing any of that. I understand spacing rules quite well.
It's amazing what you can pick up station-wise if you're not using a junk tuner. I've had similar experiences receiving low-power FM stations at long distances and can often get full-power stations that are literally hundreds of miles away!
87.9 is already a FM channel,#200 but it's reserved ...only one license, a Class D that got displaced, active in the US iirc.
87.7 analog within a 8VSB signal channel will NOT work. 8VSB decoders mute with a signal in the channel that is -15dbC or greater than the intended one. LD 6s are allowed 3kw ERP. -15db would be less than 100watts ERP.. totally unacceptable considering the Frankens are running full 3kw ERP now. It's a moot point and anyone who thinks it can work are arguing against the laws of physics...
- Status