Why is the LPTV station on Channel 6 (aka Pulse 87.75) using FM radio stereo?

[8638]

I finally connected a new FM yagi I put up to the FM tuner in my house. Swung it around for a good shot to NYC. Was going up and down the dial, and stumbled onto Pulse 87.75...listened for a few minutes. Dance ain't my thing, but the mix seemed pretty good for the format. Then, as I listened, I thought "Why is the stereo pilot illuminated?" I know that TV stereo will not light the FM stereo pilot, because I can also receive the audio for WPVI in Philly on 87.75, and it doesn't light the 19 kHz pilot.

Oh, FCC field office, station in violation of its license? Until now, I thought their use of LPTV 6 was novel, yet perfectly legal. However, this element of it is not, unless there is something in the LPTV license that allows this.

The audio signal does get out, BTW. I'm in Bayville, NJ, south of Toms River.

 

[neo11]

Re: Why is the LPTV station on Channel 6 (aka Pulse 87.75) using FM radio stereo

This has been discussed ad nauseum on this board and the "Dentist" board. One explanation that I read from an engineer (can't remember if it was here or the other board) explained that they were pushing the limits, but still operating legally, even with the FM stereo modulation. It is pretty noteworthy that before the switch to Pulse, 87.7 was one of the loudest stations on the dial, but after the switch, the processing was tweaked considerably and is now somewhat lower than most other FM stations, though still much louder than TV modulation.

 

[8638]

Re: Why is the LPTV station on Channel 6 (aka Pulse 87.75) using FM radio stereo

This has been discussed ad nauseum on this board and the "Dentist" board. One explanation that I read from an engineer (can't remember if it was here or the other board) explained that they were pushing the limits, but still operating legally, even with the FM stereo modulation. It is pretty noteworthy that before the switch to Pulse, 87.7 was one of the loudest stations on the dial, but after the switch, the processing was tweaked considerably and is now somewhat lower than most other FM stations, though still much louder than TV modulation.

Must've missed the 'ad nauseum' discussion!

 

[nd2023]

Re: Why is the LPTV station on Channel 6 (aka Pulse 87.75) using FM radio stereo

Channel 6 is running a test pattern and audio modulated at 300% of TV modulation. The content of the audio includes a 19 khz pilot and 38 khz stereo information that coincidentally happens to be in the FM stereo format. It chooses not to transmit in TV stereo. The FCC doesn't regulate what the content of the audio is (unless it's curse words), and the video and audio can carry separate and unrelated programming. That's how the FCC views WNYZ-LP.

 

[htowler]

Re: Why is the LPTV station on Channel 6 (aka Pulse 87.75) using FM radio stereo

I finally connected a new FM yagi I put up to the FM tuner in my house. Swung it around for a good shot to NYC. Was going up and down the dial, and stumbled onto Pulse 87.75...listened for a few minutes. Dance ain't my thing, but the mix seemed pretty good for the format. Then, as I listened, I thought "Why is the stereo pilot illuminated?" I know that TV stereo will not light the FM stereo pilot, because I can also receive the audio for WPVI in Philly on 87.75, and it doesn't light the 19 kHz pilot.

Oh, FCC field office, station in violation of its license? Until now, I thought their use of LPTV 6 was novel, yet perfectly legal. However, this element of it is not, unless there is something in the LPTV license that allows this.

The audio signal does get out, BTW. I'm in Bayville, NJ, south of Toms River.

How is it possible to get a Signal way down there? The Big FMs Hot97 Z100 KTU Fade out at Toms River or about Exit 91 to 89 on the GSP. That is usually when I switch from Hot97 to 99.3 The Buzz when travelling. Little Pulse 87 is running equal to them?

 

[8638]

Re: Why is the LPTV station on Channel 6 (aka Pulse 87.75) using FM radio stereo

I finally connected a new FM yagi I put up to the FM tuner in my house. Swung it around for a good shot to NYC. Was going up and down the dial, and stumbled onto Pulse 87.75...listened for a few minutes. Dance ain't my thing, but the mix seemed pretty good for the format. Then, as I listened, I thought "Why is the stereo pilot illuminated?" I know that TV stereo will not light the FM stereo pilot, because I can also receive the audio for WPVI in Philly on 87.75, and it doesn't light the 19 kHz pilot.

Oh, FCC field office, station in violation of its license? Until now, I thought their use of LPTV 6 was novel, yet perfectly legal. However, this element of it is not, unless there is something in the LPTV license that allows this.

The audio signal does get out, BTW. I'm in Bayville, NJ, south of Toms River.

How is it possible to get a Signal way down there? The Big FMs Hot97 Z100 KTU Fade out at Toms River or about Exit 91 to 89 on the GSP. That is usually when I switch from Hot97 to 99.3 The Buzz when travelling. Little Pulse 87 is running equal to them?

Well, it's pretty easy, actually. But you need a directional antenna, preferably one with high gain, correctly aimed. My new rooftop FM yagi fits that description. In your car, the antenna is omnidirectional, and you'd start to receive WPVI 6's audio in place of Pulse's, probably around mile marker 98 on the GSP. An even stranger situation is when I use the TV and swing that antenna around towards ESB. Then, TV channel 6 displays WPVI's video and Pulse's audio (of course, visual requires a much stronger signal than the aural!).