I noticed a translator that translates an HD2 continued broadcasting even though the HD transmitter of the parent station was off. The HD was off for several days. Essentially, the translator was originating programming. The main station and the translator are both commercial. How is this legal? The translator should be receiving the HD2 off the air with an HD radio. If the IBOC is off, there's no HD2.
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Analog translator keeps translating an HD2 when the parent station's HD is off
- Thread starter nd2023
- Start date
I personally believe AM translators should be on the AM band, (analog) FM translators should be on the FM band, and translators of HD2 stations should be required to translate them in HD, not analog. And all translators should be required to be within the protected contour of the parent station and produce evidence that it is filling in a coverage gap.
"And all translators should be required to be within the protected contour of the parent station and produce evidence that it is filling in a coverage gap."
Won't work here in the west where cities are so far apart and terrain is typically mountainous that there is no way the translator station will fall within the protected contour. In the small cities it is either use a translator or no service at all.
Won't work here in the west where cities are so far apart and terrain is typically mountainous that there is no way the translator station will fall within the protected contour. In the small cities it is either use a translator or no service at all.
Sounds like it's time to file an FCC comment that ALL translators MUST be fed by an over the air signal - even if it's a one watt transmitter (hence the daytimer with 3 watts at night able to have a translator). Used to be that you HAD to use a decent tuner to receive and FEED the translator with actual over the air audio. So you HAD to have a really decent tuner and antenna at your site.
Likewise, a local added an HD2 strictly for a translator feed, and they get an earful from me when they have their station ID broadcast on their translator as Wnnn-HD2 and the HD is turned off on the parent station. They DO hop when I say hop.
Likewise, a local added an HD2 strictly for a translator feed, and they get an earful from me when they have their station ID broadcast on their translator as Wnnn-HD2 and the HD is turned off on the parent station. They DO hop when I say hop.
Over the air is not a very reliable delivery means. When tropospheric ducting rears its ugly head, anything can happen, including rebroadcasting the wrong station.
Perhaps a rule that allows any manner of delivery, but requires the translator to be close enough to the originating station that, under normal conditions, it is possible to receive the originating station off air with a good antenna and a sensitive tuner. I'll guess that is about the 35-40dbu contour, but maybe a bit farther away.
It should also be a requirement that if the originating station is off the air, then so should the translator. I know a lot of AM stations won't like that, but I think it is fair. Otherwise, you have established a commercial 250 watt LPFM service. I'm not saying that a 250 watt commercial LPFM service is necessarilly a bad idea, but you can't have it both ways.
Perhaps a rule that allows any manner of delivery, but requires the translator to be close enough to the originating station that, under normal conditions, it is possible to receive the originating station off air with a good antenna and a sensitive tuner. I'll guess that is about the 35-40dbu contour, but maybe a bit farther away.
It should also be a requirement that if the originating station is off the air, then so should the translator. I know a lot of AM stations won't like that, but I think it is fair. Otherwise, you have established a commercial 250 watt LPFM service. I'm not saying that a 250 watt commercial LPFM service is necessarilly a bad idea, but you can't have it both ways.
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