Near most of the major markets, FM translators are getting cranked up to 250 watts and mounted as high as possible without stepping on a full power station’s contour. It is being done to get AM signals onto the FM dial and it is being done to get HD-2,3,4’s onto the analog FM dial. The result is where there were once holes on the FM dial where a part 15 transmitter could work instead has a translator shoe horned in.
Near me (Baltimore) there has been some translator drama, and it looks like it is finally starting to settle down. Translators on 97.5, 99.9, and 106.1 got super powered. There was an attempt to super power a translator on 104.9, but it got smacked down and is stuck at 10W. There was an attempt to super power a translator on 98.3, but it got smacked and is moving to the eastern shore. Near me, there was an opportunity (with 2nd adjacent channel waivers) to do a 102.3 LPFM, but no one filed for it, so that was looking like a great channel for a part 15 FM transmitter, then a translator filed to use 102.3. (The build out of the 102.3 FM translator is going to be delayed by some drama on 1010 AM in Baltimore, so for now it may be short term option for a part 15 FM transmitter). Other than a CP for a translator on 96.7 in Baltimore, and an ongoing grudge match over 92.7 for a LPFM, I think Baltimore’s FM dial is full.
When the dust clears, I may try a Part 15 transmitter on 98.3. The station that kept the Baltimore 98.3 translator from coming on the air is not receivable at my house. Given how hard that station fought to prevent interference on 98.3 from coming from Baltimore, I think 98.3 should stay clear near me.
Is anyone else having issues finding room in the FM band from all the translator shenanigans going on?
Life was happy with my FM signals at 101.9 and 107.1, each of which served a different purpose.
101.9 served as my STL (Studio Transmitter Link) out to the AMT5000 at the raer of the building and 107.1 was used for audio editing.
But a local Chrispy Rock (Christian Rock) station which has a 100kW noise spewer at 99.1 decided also to translate at 101.9 250 W, no doubt a personal attack on me for being a secular non-religious station.
A fine arts group not satisfied with their HD channel put an analog 250 W at 107.3 which splashes over on 107.1 and drove me away. Because this is a sprawling metropolis there are almost no places where the analog station can be heard without splashover from 107.7 a super-blaster with 100 kW.
So far no local AM stations have shown up on FM translators. The AM stations themselves are operated as if no one is on duty and they don't care if anyone's listening.
I either timed my first post in this thread really well or really badly.
106.1 in Baltimore is a fill in translator of a HD sub channel of 101.9 that plays country music. I guess is it is not doing well against 93.1 because CBS appears to be pulling the plug. http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/netgnomes/92650/radio-one-to-bring-praise-to-baltimore/ So instead of a super powered translator playing country music Baltimore will have a super powered translator playing a “uplifting spiritual format targeting women”.
By super powered translator, I mean taking something that was licensed at 10 watts, pumping it up to 250 watts, and mounting it up high enough that a class D translator has a service contour the size of a class A station.
The 99.9 translator is near I-95 and MD-152 putting Q1370 on the FM dial. Q1370 is a good music playing AM station that seems to be run by people rather than computers, so I am glad they got on the FM dial.
It seems a waste of spectrum that 106.1 can’t hold a format. Turn the thing off if it isn’t doing well.
The Christian signal on 97.5 has horrible audio processing. I think anyone on this board could get a better sounding signal on the air than 97.5 is putting out. It is not hard to get speech to sound loud with a little processing between the audio feed and the transmitter, yet 97.5 sounds like a whisper compared to proper radio stations.
I wonder how much FM would sound if:
1. All the translators were turned off, as well as the on channel boosters.
2. All the IBOC was turned off.
3. A limit was put on SCA energy to keep FM stations signals tightly in their channel.
A side benefit of that would be more space for part 15 FM signals.
Not even sure what a translator is but here in the greator Toronto area there is one station from Oshawa just west of Toronto broadcasting on 1580 AM and 107.7 FM simultaneosly playing classic hits. Is this what a translator is?
This is the only one here and since with a side by side comparison of audio quality on my car radio I would have thought they would have discontinued the AM portion of the broadcast since with a choice of AM or FM the FM would be chosen.
As for other AM stations doing this to get onto FM isn't happening anywhere else here where I am.
Mark
My conspiracy side says that AM stations owned by big time operators use translators to block LPFM availability. For example, WFLA in Tampa now has an FM translator operating well within the coverage area of the AM signal. So you can draw your own conclusions.
@ post #5
There may be some truth to your conspiracy theory. There was a LPFM on 97.5 near Baltimore. A super powered translator went up on 97.5. Both LPFM’s and translators need to accept interference from full power stations, but can’t cause interference to full power stations. The trick is when the LPFM rules were written, the broadcasters made it so LPFM’s had to accept interference from translators. Since LPFM’s have to accept interference, the LPFM on 97.5 lost out. When new translators were applied for a while back, the application had to show it did not kill all LPFM opportunities, but since then translators have been moving around. (Granted I doubt there will ever be a LPFM window again.)
@ post #4
The AM band is full of noise. Enough people don’t listen to AM that the AM stations wanted a way to get their signal on the FM band, and translators were the way to do that. In the USA, the FCC will let an AM put their signal on an FM translator if:
“An FM translator may rebroadcast an AM station only if the translator is within the SMALLER of (1) a 25 mile (40 km) radius circle from the AM station's transmitter site AND (2) the AM station's 2.0 mV/m contour.” http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/fm-translators-and-boosters-general-information