Now that tv has gone to dtv will the FCC ever open up ch 6 85.1 to 87.5 for LPFM or unlicensed broadcasting?? FCC wants to bring back LPFM easiest way would be open ch 6 for this they could have this totally ready to go in less than a yr. If they went unlicensed for this I would like to see 250 watts max & 150ft max antenna height. If they were to make it licensed they could make the application process much easier than before.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Will The FCC Ever Open Up Ch 6 FM For LPFM Or Unlicensed Broadcasting??
- Thread starter DJboutit3
- Start date
To specifically answer your question... no.
Firstly, just because TV is digital, doesn't mean there are no TV stations in 82-88MHz. Probably the largest impediment to LPFM in 82-88MHz is in Philadelphia, where one of the four largest stations broadcasts in this spectrum. They'd probably like to move, but can't do so without surrendering some coverage -- and thus, some must-carry rights.
And the presence of that station doesn't only preclude 82-88LPFM in Philadelphia. It also prevents it in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Salisbury, Maryland and Harrisburg/Lancaster/York markets. And to start naming far more important markets... Baltimore, Washington, and New York.
While Philadelphia is the *largest* market where 82-88LPFM would be precluded, there are others. Add to the list: Birmingham (probably also Huntsville, Tupelo, Montgomery, and *Atlanta*); Hartford; and Albany. (including Binghamton, Burlington VT, Springfield MA, Utica, and possibly Syracuse)
There are likely to be *more* LPTV stations on channel 6. The FCC is attempting to clear as many TV stations from UHF as possible. They will do nothing that would preclude stations which might wish to move to channel 6 from doing so. (and I'm thinking after the TV band is reshuffled again, many LPTVs will have no choice but to move to VHF channels including 6)
===
Even if they did authorize such stations, there would be essentially zero audience for a decade or more, as nearly all FM receivers do not tune this range.
Firstly, just because TV is digital, doesn't mean there are no TV stations in 82-88MHz. Probably the largest impediment to LPFM in 82-88MHz is in Philadelphia, where one of the four largest stations broadcasts in this spectrum. They'd probably like to move, but can't do so without surrendering some coverage -- and thus, some must-carry rights.
And the presence of that station doesn't only preclude 82-88LPFM in Philadelphia. It also prevents it in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Salisbury, Maryland and Harrisburg/Lancaster/York markets. And to start naming far more important markets... Baltimore, Washington, and New York.
While Philadelphia is the *largest* market where 82-88LPFM would be precluded, there are others. Add to the list: Birmingham (probably also Huntsville, Tupelo, Montgomery, and *Atlanta*); Hartford; and Albany. (including Binghamton, Burlington VT, Springfield MA, Utica, and possibly Syracuse)
There are likely to be *more* LPTV stations on channel 6. The FCC is attempting to clear as many TV stations from UHF as possible. They will do nothing that would preclude stations which might wish to move to channel 6 from doing so. (and I'm thinking after the TV band is reshuffled again, many LPTVs will have no choice but to move to VHF channels including 6)
===
Even if they did authorize such stations, there would be essentially zero audience for a decade or more, as nearly all FM receivers do not tune this range.
Either way, WRGB's move back to 6 was perhaps more of a strategic one than a technical one; perhaps to block a Franken FM from going in Albany 
Although I wonder why they were allowed DTV 6 when you've got college station WVCR on 88.3 (0.3 MHz away from the upper edge of TV channel 6)... unless there's no DTV 6-FM restriction?
Although I wonder why they were allowed DTV 6 when you've got college station WVCR on 88.3 (0.3 MHz away from the upper edge of TV channel 6)... unless there's no DTV 6-FM restriction?danikayser84 said:Either way, WRGB's move back to 6 was perhaps more of a strategic one than a technical one; perhaps to block a Franken FM from going in Albany
I don't think WRGB was worried about competition from a FrankenFM.
There never were any limitations placed on TV-6 stations to protect non-commercial FM. The restrictions were always in the other direction -- FM stations limited to protect TV-6. That didn't change with DTV.
WRGB has been on channel 6 since 1953 IIRC.* I'm pretty sure that's long before WVCR came along
Scott Fybush needs to speak up here, but if I recall properly WRGB's interim channel was 39. That channel is occupied by powerful stations in Buffalo and the Hartford market; if WRGB had remained on 39 post-transition, they would have been power-limited by those two stations. And their must-carry radius would have suffered. I'm betting they're still on RF-6 for the same reason Philadelphia is.
*The station arguably dates back to 1939, but spent its pre-1953 life on different frequencies.
The easiest is to open up 87.9. FM Channel 200 ;D
w9wi said:
This is absolutely correct which is why the FCC has not only granted LPTV stations on VHF a power increase to 3 kW but has granted a few low power stations on that band even more power (to 5 kW) on an STA basis; all in an attempt to make VHF work for LPTV.
But for the FCC to confiscate most of the UHF band from broadcasters, the voluntary incentive auction must be a success; enough qualified stations have to participate. If not, no forward auction is to proceed--that's the law. So here's hoping, for all our sakes, no stations participate in the VIA and Ch. 6 can eventually be added to the FM band.
There is one licensed station on 87.9
druidhillsradio said:
Actually there are two:
- A high-school station north of San Francisco:
http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=62118
- A translator near Reno relaying an Idaho religious station:
http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=83363
There used to be an experimental station authorized on 87.9 in Texas but that appears to have disappeared from the database. I don't know of anyone ever hearing it.
satech said:
FM Modulators using 87.9 would not be FCC Type Accepted, and using them on that frequency would be against FCC rules. The FCC only authorizes modulators within the 88.1 - 107.9 FM band.
The probability of getting caught using such a device, is rather slim, though.
satech said:
It's "unofficial" because that is not a legal frequency for Part 15 use. If motorists who use 87.9 were to get upset if a licensed station were to go on the air, then that's just too bad.
The Part 15 band is exactly 88.0 to 108.0 MHz, including all modulation products, and the total transmitted bandwidth must be 200 kHz or less (but it does not have to be analog FM, believe it or not). 47CFR15.209 prohibits Part 15 operation in any of the broadcast TV bands except under very limited circumstances, and low-power broadcasting (including iPod modulators) is not one of them.
Ramsey used to sell a channel 6 TV transmitter kit:KeithE4 said:
http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/downloads/manuals/TV6.pdf
They didn't specifically guarantee that it was FCC Part 15 compliant, but strongly suggest that it should be -- even though it used a horribly unstable, drift-prone oscillator coil to set the RF frequency, instead of a crystal or PLL.
- Status