This question comes out of Knoxville TN, where about 2 weeks ago, WOKI proposed a signal upgrade that would cause changes at 3 other stations. 98.3 WHAY in Whitley City, KY will move to 95.7, 98.3 WMTY-FM Sweetwater, TN, and 98.5 WTFM Kingsport, TN. When this is all complete, WOKI will change from a C3 to a C2 and move 8 miles closer to Knoxville, WHAY will move to 95.7, and WMTY-FM will move to 98.7. All of this makes sense, so my question has to do with 98.5 WTFM. How can they change their licensed coordinates without moving their transmitter at all?
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licensed coordinates huh?
- Thread starter bobdavcav
- Start date
Not "licensed coordinates," but "allotment coordinates."
Here's the deal: there are two sets of spacing rules that govern the commercial FM band. Section 73.207 sets out the basic spacing rules, and 73.215 provides for circumstances under which stations can be spaced more closely than the 73.207 spacings.
With the exception of stations that were already short-spaced prior to the adoption of the current spacing rules in 1964, every commercial FM station must have a set of allotment coordinates that are (a) fully spaced under the mileage tables shown in 73.207, (b) would provide a 70 dBu city-grade signal to all of the city of license from that location and (c) at a location where a tower can at least theoretically be built (i.e., not in the middle of a body of water or a national park.)
Once that set of allotment coordinates has been determined for any given station, the station can then use the 73.215 short-spacing rules to choose an actual transmitter site that may be more desirable. This often involves the use of a directional antenna (or a demonstration of terrain protection) to show that no actual interference will occur to whatever station may be short-spaced.
In this case, WTFM will keep its transmitter at its present location but will become short-spaced under 73.215, thus the need to specify a different set of allotment coordinates that will remain fully spaced under 207.
Here's the deal: there are two sets of spacing rules that govern the commercial FM band. Section 73.207 sets out the basic spacing rules, and 73.215 provides for circumstances under which stations can be spaced more closely than the 73.207 spacings.
With the exception of stations that were already short-spaced prior to the adoption of the current spacing rules in 1964, every commercial FM station must have a set of allotment coordinates that are (a) fully spaced under the mileage tables shown in 73.207, (b) would provide a 70 dBu city-grade signal to all of the city of license from that location and (c) at a location where a tower can at least theoretically be built (i.e., not in the middle of a body of water or a national park.)
Once that set of allotment coordinates has been determined for any given station, the station can then use the 73.215 short-spacing rules to choose an actual transmitter site that may be more desirable. This often involves the use of a directional antenna (or a demonstration of terrain protection) to show that no actual interference will occur to whatever station may be short-spaced.
In this case, WTFM will keep its transmitter at its present location but will become short-spaced under 73.215, thus the need to specify a different set of allotment coordinates that will remain fully spaced under 207.
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