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LPFM Filing Window Is Open

fybush said:
BTW - the first callsign applied for from this window today was from @Michi herself, which is now WVWA-LP 89.1 Mardela Springs MD. Still waiting for you to explain to her how her Riverton Radio Project qualifies as an NCE license, since it's not a school or college or church.
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Educational institutions are schools and colleges. Educational organizations are churches, civic organizations, community organizations, advocacy organizations and any nonprofit organization that is capable of providing education and intends to use the station for over the air teaching/instruction. There is no policy that states that NCE is limited to just schools, colleges and churches. The latter would raise a huge constitutional issue. It's pretty much any nonprofit organization that is capable of providing some form of education over the air. RRPA has been providing educational programming online since 2017 with Delmarva FM. The radio station is a natural extension of that existing educational program.
 
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awsherrill said:
WVWA? Is this the long-awaited revival of "NINE!!!"?
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Someone got the inside humour intended with picking those calls!

1706913433646.png
(that will not be the logo or positioning for the final station that will go on the air... but instead, is a hat tip (or should I say, a bonnet tip) to the jingle and aircheck collectors out there..)
 
The applications granted today went on public notice on January 2 (and originally filed on the first day of the window) as accepted for filing. Honestly, I am actually surprised that the FCC was starting the grants on "Day 31". I had known that staff was working on these during the 30 day holding period. On Monday, we should see the applications that went to PN on January 3 (applications filed on the second day of the window).
 
radiofan2023 said:
Maybe they have no actual clue how much it will cost in the end.
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This is correct. I have spoken to many over the years who have had the excitement to start a radio station and then sticker shock finally kicked in.
 
fybush said:
BTW - the first callsign applied for from this window today was from @Michi herself, which is now WVWA-LP 89.1 Mardela Springs MD. Still waiting for you to explain to her how her Riverton Radio Project qualifies as an NCE license, since it's not a school or college or church.
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Sorry, I've been trying to finish up a bunch of CAD drawings and haven't had time to respond, but I see Michelle rightfully already did on her own behalf.
I was driving to the store yesterday to pick up some groceries which takes me on a route past three 25 MPH school speed zones with flashing lights. Per the rules, the lights were flashing so I slowed down to 25. About halfway through the limited zone, a guy in his RAM pickup went flying by me doing what I estimated to be at least 50. Coincidentally I was standing right behind Speedy Gonzalez at the grocery store waiting for a self-checkout to open up. So, of course, I couldn't resist: 'Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice that you passed me in a school zone going at least double the posted speed.' His response reminded me a lot of this discussion: "Yeah I know, there were no kids or cops that I could see, so there's just no need to slow down." 'But the sign doesn't say anything about only when children are present, it says when the lights are flashing.' "Whatever, everyone speeds." "It's not illegal until you get caught."
For the sake of this discussion, I still stand by the view that there are many LPFM applicants and licensees who game, or attempt to game the system for similar reasons. The good news is eventually the karmic factor seems to kick in, and these folks who scam their way into a license for all the wrong reasons ultimately end up failing. The unfortunate part is those enablers whose only interest is to make a couple of bucks by helping them game the system from the start.
 
Suppose you own a commercial FM. Your tower is 8 or 9 miles out of town. You are a Class A.

Some guy gets an LPFM right downtown where your advertisers are and on your 2nd adjacent channel.

Why would you care?
 
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Applicants who went through the REC process for their construction permits read this on the intake website to give them an advanced heads-up about the potential costs of constructing and operating a station:
 
Someone I spoke to mentioned the fear of a newbie LPFM CP holder buying a 1700.00 LPFM package off of Amazon; 300w TX, antenna and cabling. Not only is this stuff mostly interfering junk but any transmitter for LPFM needs to be certified by the FCC specifically for LPFM. A newbie may not be aware of that.
 
Each type certified LPFM transmitter is bench tested to make sure it has a clean RF output. Some of the Chinese transmitters are clean too. But they are not legal in the US because they are not type certified. I don't think they are type verified either.
 
ZebraRadio said:
Someone I spoke to mentioned the fear of a newbie LPFM CP holder buying a 1700.00 LPFM package off of Amazon; 300w TX, antenna and cabling. Not only is this stuff mostly interfering junk but any transmitter for LPFM needs to be certified by the FCC specifically for LPFM. A newbie may not be aware of that.
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Does Amazon actually have something like this? Hopefully not or it looks like there would be even more pirates.
 
anotherguyTN said:
Does Amazon actually have something like this? Hopefully not or it looks like there would be even more pirates.
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Yes they do through their marketplace sellers. Amazon does have a policy that transmitting equipment must have an FCC ID on them but most times, they will use a fake one or one that does not correspond with the actual model being offered. I do not believe that EBay, Walmart, etc. have a similar policy.. This insanity is going to continue as long as the FCC does not have the testical fortitude to go after big tech companies in the same way they go after small businesses that market uncertified transmitting equipment in the United States.
 
Michi said:
This is correct. I have spoken to many over the years who have had the excitement to start a radio station and then sticker shock finally kicked in.
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Congratulations on getting an LPFM CP grant. But I have one concern. Looks like you are building a station in a forest along a river.
There is very little population to listen to or support your LPFM.

Our station is paid for by the people as NCE is supposed to be. Close to 100,000 people can hear us. About 1 in 25 enjoy what we do. And let's say 1 in 25 of that write the checks and pay the bills.
 
anotherguyTN said:
Does Amazon actually have something like this? Hopefully not or it looks like there would be even more pirates.
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Keep in mind the FM dial is clogged with licensed stations just about everywhere now. So these pirates are trashing licensed stations or operating at 87.9 or 87.7. MHz.

There are more pirates now with the cheap transmitters on eBay. Mostly 100 bucks or less.

An LPFM will cost you between $10,000 and $20,000 to get started. If you have a 70 foot tower in your backyard you don't have to pay tower rent.
 
Flying Dutchman said:
Congratulations on getting an LPFM CP grant. But I have one concern. Looks like you are building a station in a forest along a river.
There is very little population to listen to or support your LPFM.
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Thank you for the congrats.

The RRPA station (WVWA-LP) is going to serve several small communities here in western Wicomico County and eastern Dorchester County. It is not a huge population in the 60 but it is an area completely devoid of local broadcast stations and to provide something "unique" on the dial. The station will serve as an extension of the "lab environment" at REC Networks where things can be tried and tested.

Most of our equipment is already in hand and most of that has been donated by others in support of REC's advocacy as well as those that we have "influencer" type relationships with. Our major capital costs will be mainly around construction (tower placement, etc.). There may be some capital equipment costs, but those will be minimal compared to other LPFM upstarts.

We will not be chasing underwriting as we plan to keep the ongoing costs down to just the incremental electricity costs and annual ASCAP/BMI/SECAC OTA licensing. We do not plan to stream from the outset (though we may provide streamed programs internationally, but geoblocked from the USA in order to keep SoundExchange happy). If we do stream domestically in the future, it will likely be through Live365.
 
oddly enough, chinese made antennas on amazon are ok to use for an lpfm.. theres a station in PA using one, owner has even mentioend it before.
 
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