[CW] FCC MM Rule Making 13-249 AM Broadcast
Danny Douglas via CW
cw at mailman.qth.net
Sun Jan 4 20:13:11 EST 2015
Way too many years ago, AM radio became useless around here, at night.
For some reason, the FCC let them get away with abandoning their
facilities at night, and start using landline or satellite feeds to some
place far away. We had a huge winter storm move in on us, and that
station was the only thing that was up and running, to let locals know
what was going on. It was right after my initial retirement, and I was
working a night shift at a banking institutions telecoms site. We lost
TV incoming signals, and attempted to find out, on AM radio. NOTHING.
They sat there like there was nothing going on. Telephone call after
telephone call, and NO ANSWER. The went on, all night long. The next
morning, some hours after we were to be relieved, only a few had
straggled in, and others had called saying they were unable to make it.
The radio station seemed to still have an announcer who thought it was
nothing, since there was never a mention of it. I managed to see snow
plows and followed one out to the main road, and others on to the house,
8 miles outside town. Went to bed, and when I got up, I called the
radio station. Someone answered, finally, and only then did I discover
they were using some broadcasting company, up in Wisconsin, or other
site, states away. No apology forthcoming when I stated we had a night
emergency the night before and no one answered their phone - not even an
announcement that no one was there at night. I fed him a load about
their responsibility, as a federally licensed radio station, and that
this was not following the requirements of service to the community. He
gave the distinct impression that he could not care less.
A further letter to the FCC about the same subject, went unanswered.
That stations license came up for renewal about 2 months later, and was
received, apparently without problem.
They just dont care.
> Steve WD8DAS via CW <mailto:cw at mailman.qth.net>
> Sunday, January 04, 2015 6:23 PM
> DR wrote:
> I know what you mean, David. Here in my town there are only two AM
> stations with enough listeners to even show in the ratings: my
> outfit's flagship WHA and the town heritage news/talk station WIBA.
> WHA is hybrid HD and WIBA used to be but quit. The rest of the AM
> stations have very cheap satellite network programming and little or
> no local content. A new expanded band station tried for nearly a
> decade to make a go of local news/talk but it never took off - too
> many people don't even know there is an "AM" band any more. They quit
> in favor of satellite sports.
>
> Too many people don't even know AM exists, and/or don't know how to
> switch bands on their radio. The growing radio noise problem hurts
> AM particular hard, too. The band is dying and if we don't do
> anything it will ultimately go away and we will lose that great
> resource for highly efficient communications.
>
> The NPRM you found is an effort to save AM. One of the FCC
> Commissioners had made one of his goals to "save" AM because he sees
> it as an important asset for local communities, particularly in
> emergency situations. They are seeking all kinds of ideas, not just
> regarding digital modes.
>
> The bleak future projected for AM is why I support the option for
> broadcasters to try all-digital. Not a requirement to convert, just
> the option. I would like to see us go to not just some hybrid
> analog-digital stations, but in fact a "hybrid band". Some analog
> stations, some digital, together on the broadcast band. Separate
> digital and analog stations can coexist in the band perfectly well.
> That way there are still stations to be heard with the millions of
> radios already deployed, but stations that want to try all digital can
> do so and be heard by HD radios (which have good analog reception as
> well). Hopefully someone trying that new approach will likely also
> invest in some interesting programming.
>
> I just realized this discussion is pretty far off-topic for this
> mailing list - my apologies if it bothered anyone.
>
>
> Steve WD8DAS
>
> sbjohnston at aol.com
> http://www.wd8das.net/
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> Radio is your best entertainment value.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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> =30=
> D.J.J. Ring, Jr. via CW <mailto:cw at mailman.qth.net>
> Sunday, January 04, 2015 2:49 PM
>
> I hate to see AM go away. I like co-channel digital. I almost never
> listen to FM. I wish there was more music on AM as on a great station
> it sounds better than FM, especially if transmitted in AM Stereo. We
> have one local AM with music, but not AM Stereo, and a distant 250
> watter (WJIB) with better music and AM Stereo. I have TV but no
> decent programming, so I rarelt watch it. I listen to AM radio about
> 10 hours a day.
>
> I got my start receiving with diode, coil, capacitor, wire and headphone.
>
> I wish I could get a Ibiquity receiver for bedside, but the only one I
> see is FM and I do not like most FM programming.
>
> Sadly WJIB doesn't stream and if required to go digital will not be
> able to afford digital license fees from Ibiquity.
>
> 73
>
> DR
>
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> =30=
> Steve WD8DAS via CW <mailto:cw at mailman.qth.net>
> Sunday, January 04, 2015 2:18 PM
>
> David -
>
> While I *love* analog amplitude modulation, I can speak from personal
> experience that all-digital broadcasting using the iBiquity non-hybrid
> mode is a highly effective system. My personal experimentation as well
> as involvement in the industry has shown me that the existing HD
> receivers know what to do with the all-digital signal and the range is
> excellent and the audio is high-fidelity. I have long been a supporter
> of hybrid HD on both AM and FM bands, and have had it do well on my
> stations - with the exception of disappointing table-top and portable
> receiver availability.
>
> The receiver problem is a reflection of the poor market for any
> consumer radios, not just HD. The makers of high-volume consumer
> electronics have nearly zero interest in building anything but the
> very cheapest radios. And zero interesting in making higher-quality
> radio receivers of any kind, digital or analog. These companies see
> very little demand for new radios - there are millions and millions of
> radios already in homes across the country. Look at the radio
> selection in a your local Walmart, Target or BestBuy. There might be
> one or two cheap analog radios for sale. It is not surprising that
> the radios makers are not willing to introduce new models at higher
> prices. The only exception to this trend are auto radios - and most
> of the new radios coming out now are actually getting better and
> include HD. Huge numbers of car radios with HD capability are being
> sold right now - that offers some hope.
>
> Given that the vast majority of AM stations have very few listeners,
> and are losing money and will go off the air if the owners see no path
> to future success, it is time to allow broadcasters to make the choice
> to give all-digital a try. Niche formats often have listeners willing
> to work a bit to get a radio to receive their favorite kind of
> programming - we see this with people getting HD radios to hear the
> second and third channels of hybrid digital FM stations.
>
> An extra bonus - having some AM band stations go all-digital will
> actually reduce interference on the band, as it will eliminate some of
> the analog splatter and the hybrid carriers on second-adjacent
> channels The digital transmitters focus the energy tightly around the
> center frequency, fully within the allocated channel.
>
>
> Steve WD8DAS
>
> sbjohnston at aol.com
> http://www.wd8das.net/
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> Radio is your best entertainment value.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
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> =30=
--
Danny Douglas
<http://www.getpostbox.com>
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