FCC to Consider Expanding FM Radio to 82-88 MHz, Replace TV Channel 6

[Antenna Man]

Time for another AWESOME video from Tyler the Antenna Man!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_btua_ZyMqQ


Direct YouTube Link - FCC to Consider Expanding FM Radio to 82-88 MHz, Replace TV Channel 6
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[harshness]

This is interesting as I was just reading that Fresno is reportedly turning up a FrankenFM broadcast with their NextGen TV roll-out.

 

[SamCdbs]

The number of radio stations in a market is more a function of the government (FCC) deciding that a particular town "should" have X number of FM stations. There is no reason there could not be many, many, many more, with or without expanding the band other than the government's desire to protect the profits of the current stations.

 

[harshness]

There is no reason there could not be many, many, many more, with or without expanding the band other than the government's desire to protect the profits of the current stations.

Broadcast radio is not set up to operate at a cellular level and it can't be "upgraded" to do so. Broadcasters can't reasonably control skip either. There are several reasons your theory is unworkable and economics can't be ignored.

 

[SamCdbs]

Broadcast radio is not set up to operate at a cellular level and it can't be "upgraded" to do so. Broadcasters can't reasonably control skip either. There are several reasons your theory is unworkable and economics can't be ignored.

Then please explain the scientific differences between places with lots of FM stations (and TV stations) and those with less (or none). Or please explain the scientific breakthroughs that have occurred to allow the FCC over the years to allocate new stations to growing towns.

I'll help you out. There aren't any. The FCC simply decides that X city should have X number of FM stations, and that Y town should have Y number. It is simply the granting of neo-monopolies with no scientific basis. Every place could have exactly the same number of stations.

 

[N5XZS]

Interesting to see Japan and Europe are using full 76.1 to 107.9 MHz for many years now.

Brazil has just expanded their FM band to full 76 to 107 MHz just recently.

And why not USA too!?

 

[harshness]

Then please explain the scientific differences between places with lots of FM stations (and TV stations) and those with less (or none). Or please explain the scientific breakthroughs that have occurred to allow the FCC over the years to allocate new stations to growing towns.

There haven't been that many full-power stations added nor have their been any important technical innovations since HD Radio. You may be making my point. There has been a whole lot of re-branding and physical movement of callsigns that may appear like new stations but they aren't really new.

I'll help you out. There aren't any. The FCC simply decides that X city should have X number of FM stations, and that Y town should have Y number. It is simply the granting of neo-monopolies with no scientific basis. Every place could have exactly the same number of stations.

You throw the term "place" around pretty casually. There are places that are close to other places and there are places that are isolated. Their respective airspace can't be treated similarly. Unlike cellular where signal travel is relatively short and built out in small cells, broadcast radio travels pretty far by nature and how far it travels varies based on terrain. It simply can't come down to station count.

 

[N5XZS]

Other thing to add If I may, DXing is going to be more much fun!

76 to 88 MHz, band is much more prone to E and F2 skips in summer time and mid winter!

 

[harshness]

Interesting to see Japan and Europe are using full 76.1 to 107.9 MHz for many years now.

Some European countries have done away with analog AM and/or FM radio broadcasts altogether. It is also notable that these other continents are effectively using digital broadcast technologies (DAB) where we're largely stuck in an analog world. Norway shut down their FM band in late 2017 in favor of DAB. Germany doesn't have an analog AM radio band.

In late 2020, the FCC voted to allow US AM radio stations to transition to digital (MA-3) using HD Radio technology without the analog component.

There's a lot going on and it can't be considered in a vacuum. It is also notable that in many European countries, many of the major radio stations are often run by the state or its major subdivisions. Often these subdivisions demand an periodic fee for reception (think BBC and Germany's Der Rundfunkbeitrag).

 

[N5XZS]

Here's the link on German AM radio...

AM-Radio-Stations.de – All about active AM-stations from Germany

am-radio-stations.de

Saying all AM stations on LW, MW and SW bands are shut down few years back.

However, there are few left with special licenses and some pirates stations out there in one way or other still on the air.