As I am sure we are all aware, translators are popping up faster than a 12 year old boy who's experiencing acne for the first time. So, for us as micro-broadcasters, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a good and clear frequency to let all hell break lose. It is nearing the point where the only open areas left in suburban or urban areas are 87.5-87.9 and they're not even really open for Part 15 use.
This is why we need to start looking at ways to petition to the FCC for opening up 87.1.-87.9 as strictly for micro-broadcast use, and I stand firmly by that. Hell in my area, there are 6 translators on air. Two are K-LOVE crap- the rest are relaying AM spanish stations. Give me a damn break.
Go Figure,
In my area they are all associated with community oriented AMs.
Well, there is one Jimmy Swaggart Son Life station on the reserved band...
I hope its not another issue of kicking a dead horse but I've been banging on the 87.5-87.9 gong for awhile now. And really my signature site is the place to talk about it.
I think I still have the link for those who want to apply for a translator license. So far my frequency of 100.1 is open. But what to do if that suddenly becomes unavailable? I don't want to start interference on the FM band. I'd have to stop transmitting on FM and lose all my listeners I have in my local area who love my station. Some of those folks (Many on my complex who love my station don't have Internet because of lack of funds).
If I had to move to AM because of the fact that the Whole House 3.0 can't go to 87.9 I'd be in a pickle. The Sainsonic AX-05B is a sorry POS and even if it goes to 87.7 I won't use it because of all the crap it splatters all over the dial. So this means A NEW TRANSMITTER if that were to happen. Either that or pay someone to fix the SainSonic and that could cost more than the transmitter itself because they'd have to rebuild the whole thing. About the only thing I could use would be the metal case, the two volume pots. Maybe the audio pre amp is OK but other than that its questionable.
This is why I keep banging that gong and trying to get others to see why its so Important. Please talk about it on my signature site. And thanks to Mighty 1650 for his help as well as A-Train.
Just to play devil's advocate.
The FM band is very crowded in some areas. So much so that there are far more requests for frequencies than there are frequencies.
If the 87.1 -87.9 band was opened up, why would it be given to microbroadcasters (the lowest of the low in terms of rights in the FRF spectrum), when there is so much demand from licensed stations (and some that want to be licensed)? If you can't answer that question to the satisfaction of the FCC and the NAB, it just ain't gonna happen (hint - the answer isn't because Thelegacy wants to keep transmitting on FM).
Something to think about as you talk about the issue on the Initiative website.
Aside from the FCC hurtles, anything below 87.7 has an audience problem. Most radios do not tune below 87.7; I have one that tunes to 87.5. If people are going to need new radios to hear part 15 operations, there are some great looking frequencies in part 15. For example 49MHz or 900MHz.
Problem is that unless you get a radio made for the Asian, European, Japan, Russian, etc market, most radios here won't tune below 87.5. My sony ICF-801 tunes from 76-108 but again this was made for the Japanese market. Completely empty below 88.1 so the FM band could be expanded to what it is in the majority of the world with recievers in North America made to the new tuning range and yes, a small part of that could be reserved for part 15/bets-1.
Then there's the problem of the transmitters not doing below 87.9 or 88.1 unless you get the forbidden Chinese CZH ones.
Mark
Who is gonna spend $200 or even $150 to listen to a hobby station. NAB should be happy if hobby Radio Radio dont interfere.
No one knows till you try.
About: "NAB should be happy if hobby Radio Radio [sic] dont interfere. No one knows till you try.
________
Only the FCC governs the legal use of the r-f spectrum in the geographic regions subject to its jurisdiction.
Logically -- the assumed, apparent, and even ACTUAL lack of interference to FCC-licensed operators produced by unlicensed systems and operators does not mean that such unlicensed sytems/operators are immune from FCC inspections and legal sanctions.
So those interested in this might want to understand it accurately, before proceeding.
What's up with the continuing demonization of the NAB? The NAB is anti-PIRATE radio, not anti-Part 15 radio. To win the battle, you have to know who your enemies are, and aren't.
I don't think that they should be demonized.
But while they may not be anti-Part 15, they certainly aren't friendly to any proposals to change the environment for their member stations. They weren't in favor of increased power to LPFM's, for example. Nor would they, I imagine, be friendly to changes in either the AM or FM band for microbroadcasters, or low power stations, given their track record.