CLASS A ALLOCATIONS?

[Bob E. Nelson]

I've been out of broadcasting for so long that these queries are all admittedly quite naive.

1). When were full power facilities allowed on Class A FM allocations (such as 95.3, 96.7, 98.3, 101,7, 104.9 and 107.1 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth market)? What was the rationale for relaxing the old restrictions of power and height on these frequencies?

2). Was this change restricted to only certain parts of the country? Off hand, I can't think of any class A frequencies with full power facilities in, say, the Northeast.

3). Are there still FM frequencies actually allocated as class A anymore or is is now done on a per-facility basis?

<OT>Regarding television. I seem to recall that UHF channel spacing used to be 6. In D/FW, there are facilities only 2 channels apart such as 21 and 23 as well as 27 and 29. I believe that all of four of those cited transmit from an antenna farm in Cedar Hill. What is now the minimal channel spacing for analog UHF?</OT>

 

[newsperson]

Newsperson responds:

Bob where have you been?

There are no longer any FM channels set aside for any pacitcular class anywhere is the USA. The change was so long ago that I can't remember when.

Out west in Northern California from Reno to San Francisco there has been a lot of changes with with a Class C2 on 100.1 at Dayton, Nevada.

In Sacramento at fist there was a channel 31 and then channel 29 moved in except that was at a different site spaced far enough away.

Remember when digitial comes in in Feb. all these spacing rules will go out the window.

Also FM translators used to be limited to the old Class A channels, that is no longer the case.

Was your background engineering or on-air?

Newsperson

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

Newsperson responds:

Bob where have you been?

There are no longer any FM channels set aside for any pacitcular class anywhere is the USA. The change was so long ago that I can't remember when.

Out west in Northern California from Reno to San Francisco there has been a lot of changes with with a Class C2 on 100.1 at Dayton, Nevada.

In Sacramento at fist there was a channel 31 and then channel 29 moved in except that was at a different site spaced far enough away.

Remember when digitial comes in in Feb. all these spacing rules will go out the window.

Also FM translators used to be limited to the old Class A channels, that is no longer the case.

Was your background engineering or on-air?

Newsperson

As stated in the original post, I've been out of broadcasting for some time. To be precise, 22 years now. My background was in the programming side when I was in the business. As some perspective, the last major change that I recall was allowing what were then known as Class IV stations to operate with a kilowatt at night. So, it's been a long time since I followed these things and thus the ignorance implicit in the questions.

 

[radiorob2.0]

I've been out of broadcasting for so long that these queries are all admittedly quite naive.

1). When were full power facilities allowed on Class A FM allocations (such as 95.3, 96.7, 98.3, 101,7, 104.9 and 107.1 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth market)? What was the rationale for relaxing the old restrictions of power and height on these frequencies?

2). Was this change restricted to only certain parts of the country? Off hand, I can't think of any class A frequencies with full power facilities in, say, the Northeast.

3). Are there still FM frequencies actually allocated as class A anymore or is is now done on a per-facility basis?

<OT>Regarding television. I seem to recall that UHF channel spacing used to be 6. In D/FW, there are facilities only 2 channels apart such as 21 and 23 as well as 27 and 29. I believe that all of four of those cited transmit from an antenna farm in Cedar Hill. What is now the minimal channel spacing for analog UHF?</OT>

Essentially, the restrictions opened up years ago. Upgrades were available as long as it was proved you didn't bother anyone. The same thing was applied to regional AM's. There was more to it than that but you get the idea.

The classic TV board recently discussed the original UHF allocation as the rule of "6". This was to insure the early cheap UHF tuners would function properly. Better UHF tuners allowed stations to exist closer than six channels.

 

[newsperson]

Bob,

Yes the old Class lV stations. Now the FCC calls them Class C station which is really confusing with Class C FMs.

I applied for a few of the 1400, 1340. and 1240s in rural Nevada and had no competiting applicants. It's great becasue with a Class lV (now C) you don't have to worry nighttime interference to a co-channel as long as you are clear from them during the day.

Some other changes besides Class C, C1, C2, C3, B1 is the new Class C0.

Lots of changes.

Newsperson

 

[CW]

Bob,

Yes the old Class lV stations. Now the FCC calls them Class C station which is really confusing with Class C FMs.

I applied for a few of the 1400, 1340. and 1240s in rural Nevada and had no competiting applicants. It's great becasue with a Class lV (now C) you don't have to worry nighttime interference to a co-channel as long as you are clear from them during the day.

Some other changes besides Class C, C1, C2, C3, B1 is the new Class C0.

Lots of changes.

Newsperson

Wrong.....With the Class C AMs now allowed 1KW 24hrs, the nighttime noise floor has risen and the range of a Class C at night is WORSE than they were at 250w 30 years ago....because of the skywave from the distant cochannel......

As for Class A FMs, there are two now...3KW and 6KW Class A (before only the 6KW was allowed)......Class Bs are only in the NE US where Class Cs are not allowed....C is still the highest, 100KW at 2000ft, now there is C0 (1600ft at 100KW), C1 (same as before; 991 ft at 100KW), C2 and C3 (both max 500ft and 50Kw/25KW iirc respectively...)..to get the latest info go to the FCC web site and search for "Classes of stations" ....

 

[MW_FM_DT_DXer]

Class Bs are only in the NE US where Class Cs are not allowed C is still the highest, 100KW at 2000ft, now there is C0 (1600ft at 100KW), C1 (same as before; 991 ft at 100KW), C2 and C3 (both max 500ft and 50Kw/25KW iirc respectively...)

Class B and Class B1 stations are located in other areas besides the northeastern US-most of California, for example.
Class C's reference HAAT is 1968 feet, Class C0's reference HAAT is 1476 feet, Class C1's reference HAAT is 981 feet, Class C2's reference HAAT is 492 feet, and Class C3's reference HAAT is 328 feet.

 

[w9wi]

I've been out of broadcasting for so long that these queries are all admittedly quite naive.

1). When were full power facilities allowed on Class A FM allocations (such as 95.3, 96.7, 98.3, 101,7, 104.9 and 107.1 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth market)? What was the rationale for relaxing the old restrictions of power and height on these frequencies?

Docket 80-90 did that. I don't recall exactly when it was adopted but the number indicates it was introduced in 1980.

Before a Class C station could be authorized on a former Class A frequency (like 96.7C Flower Mound) the allocation had to be changed from Class A to Class C. Class A stations are still limited in power (now to 6kw instead of 3kw) but you can now assign 96.7 (and the other formerly A-only channels) as a Class C frequency.

The same proceeding allowed Class A stations on formerly B/C only frequencies, like 92.5A in Navasota.

If I recall (but it *has* been 28 years!) the reason was to relax media concentration (?!) by making more stations possible by allowing Class A stations with their shorter spacing requirements on former Class B/C frequencies that used to be off-limits.

2). Was this change restricted to only certain parts of the country? Off hand, I can't think of any class A frequencies with full power facilities in, say, the Northeast.

No, the change was nationwide. Upgrades on Class A frequencies were less possible in the Northeast because of the greater density of existing stations there. If you were on 107.1 in Massachusetts there was probably already someone on the same frequency in New Hampshire located as close as permitted for an A, neither of you could upgrade to B because of spacing requirements.

In Texas (and elsewhere) there were more Class As that were far enough from other stations on the same frequency to make upgrades possible.

3). Are there still FM frequencies actually allocated as class A anymore or is is now done on a per-facility basis?

All* FM frequencies are available to be allocated as any class that will fit in the specific city. 93.7 might be allotted as Class A in Uvalde, Class C1 in Austin, Class C in Houston, and Class C2 in Krum.

* Except 87.9, which is now available but only to Class D stations, including translators. There are only two authorized stations on this frequency.

<OT>Regarding television. I seem to recall that UHF channel spacing used to be 6. In D/FW, there are facilities only 2 channels apart such as 21 and 23 as well as 27 and 29. I believe that all of four of those cited transmit from an antenna farm in Cedar Hill. What is now the minimal channel spacing for analog UHF?</OT>

That certainly seems to be the case. It changed about the time DTV came into being.

Full power to full power, 2 channels is indeed the new limit. In some cases low-power analog stations are operating on the adjacent channel to full-power analog stations. For example, low-power channel 28 in Philadelphia adjacent to full-power 29. Adjacent channels are routinely allowed for DTV if they're close enough. (or of course if they're far enough)

 

[CW]

Class Bs are only in the NE US where Class Cs are not allowed C is still the highest, 100KW at 2000ft, now there is C0 (1600ft at 100KW), C1 (same as before; 991 ft at 100KW), C2 and C3 (both max 500ft and 50Kw/25KW iirc respectively...)

Class B and Class B1 stations are located in other areas besides the northeastern US-most of California, for example.
Class C's reference HAAT is 1968 feet, Class C0's reference HAAT is 1476 feet, Class C1's reference HAAT is 981 feet, Class C2's reference HAAT is 492 feet, and Class C3's reference HAAT is 328 feet.

Yep, I keep forgetting about CA (but then why would I want to remember it ??)...my heights were approx.......of course they are really in meters, not feet in Part 73 as the FCC uses the metric system....

 

[w9wi]

Class Bs are only in the NE US where Class Cs are not allowed C is still the highest, 100KW at 2000ft, now there is C0 (1600ft at 100KW), C1 (same as before; 991 ft at 100KW), C2 and C3 (both max 500ft and 50Kw/25KW iirc respectively...)

Class B and Class B1 stations are located in other areas besides the northeastern US-most of California, for example.
Class C's reference HAAT is 1968 feet, Class C0's reference HAAT is 1476 feet, Class C1's reference HAAT is 981 feet, Class C2's reference HAAT is 492 feet, and Class C3's reference HAAT is 328 feet.

Class   Max HAAT   Max power
A      100m      6kw*       
B1     100m      25kw
B      150m      50kw
C3     100m      25kw
C2     150m      50kw
C1     300m      100kw
C0     450m      100kw
C      600m      100kw
D      unlimited   10w TPO
xltr    unlimited    250w
LP10*  30m       10w
LP100  30m       100w

* Some Class A stations were not allowed to upgrade from 3kw, when proximity to other stations was a problem.
* The FCC has not yet held a filing window for LP10 stations, so there are no LP10s at this time.
* what's the trick to getting a table to come out right?!

 

[lfuss]

Docket 80-90 became effective in 1984.

Larry Fuss