Good News for AM Broadcasters Using Directional Antennas

There are several actions and proposals from the FCC aimed at reducing the regulatory burden on AM broadcasters.

The Commission on February 14, 2001 adopted new rules to reduce the labor and financial burden of maintaining the licensed operating values of directional antenna systems.

Among the changes made: eliminates the requirement for base current readings for DA antennas with approved sampling systems; limits maximum number of measured radials to 12; reduces required numbers of measuring points and length of radials for proofs of performance; requires that only monitored radials be measured in partial proofs.

Also, AM DA stations will no longer be required to adjust their common point reactance to zero ohms, nor be required to perform an "impedance sweep" (impedance measurements across +/- 25 KHz of the carrier frequency).

The FCC is currently studying and seeking comments on the possibility of allowing computer modeling into the AM antenna proof of performance process.

In addition to the DA antenna action, there are several other related proposals before the commission aimed at improving the lot of AM station operators. Some of the details are included below - Contact BEN EVANS for more information.

FM translators

One proposal would allow some AMs to use FM translators to reach a larger audience.

In 1997, The American Community AM Broadcasters Association asked the FCC to allow AM stand-alones to become licensees of FM translators and to use them to retransmit their signals as fill-in service. The FCC opened the petition for comment in December.

When the FCC adopted its translator rules in 1990, non-commercial educational groups were given an advantage over commercial groups in obtaining translators. In addition to serving areas that did not enjoy radio service and helping stations to "fill-in" their service areas, translators were seen as a way to help non-commercial services reach other listener groups.

Translators are licensed as a secondary service; they can be shut down if they interfere with another station.

Some persons in the industry are concerned about the large number of translators being used by non-commercial stations, but "the issue has never been raised from above" at the FCC.

Expanded band

What about those stations picked to move to the expanded portion of the AM band? How have they fared?

In January, 2001, the last of the petitions for reconsideration of the expanded AM band allotment plan was dismissed, and licenses are finally being issued to expanded band stations.

After the expanded band stations receive licenses, some frequencies in the expanded band might be made available to newcomers. The FCC likely will auction those.

Despite the years of work that have gone into the expanded-band process, comments to the FCC indicate that few engineers and owners feel the expansion will have done much to improve the AM band, because of the limited amount of available frequencies.

Other Changes to the Rules

Another rule modification extends "first come, first served" processing to applications for minor changes. Before, minor change applications for stations were subject to mutually exclusive proposals. That exposed minor change applicants to "significant uncertainty and delay" because at any time while their application was pending, a mutually exclusive proposal could be filed which would halt further processing of the original application.

The FCC also expanded the definition of "minor change" for stations to include changes in hours of operation, increase in power and certain changes in frequency and class. Prior to this, all proposed changes in frequency, hours of operation and most power increases were considered major changes.

For more information please contact:

Evans Associates
210 South Main Street
Thiensville, Wisconsin 53092
(262)242-6000
fax: (262)242-6045
http://www.evansassoc.com

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