GRAHAM BROCK, INC.
Broadcast Technical Consultants P.O. Box 24466 • St. Simons Island, GA 31522-7466 912-638-8028 • 912-638-7722 Fax • 202-393-5133 www.grahambrock.com
Numerous non-commercial applicants, some from as far back as 1984, for new non-commercial service have until June 4, 2001, to submit settlement agreements resolving the mutual exclusivity between the applications. The FCC has waived settlement caps until the June 4th deadline. However, if a settlement cannot be reached, the FCC is requiring the applicants to submit a supplemental application containing updated population data (2000 Census) and a determination of whether proposals would provide any first or second non-commercial service within the protected contour of the proposed facilities. Once these settlements or supplements are filed, the Commission can continue the processing of this large group of back logged applications.
As we reported last month, the Commission has consolidated the final two LP100 groups and will open one window. The window for filing applications for new LPFM stations in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Guam, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia, will open Monday, June 11th and close on Friday, June 15th. Applications submitted during this window must comply with the newly enacted 3rd adjacent channel protection to other FM broadcast stations and services. Over the last month, the Commission has issued several dozen construction permits for new stations at various places all over the country. The construction permits are valid for eighteen months with no possibility for extension. The permits can be modified by relocating the station no more than 2.0 kilometers (1.24 miles) from the location specified in the permit.
It's 11:30 PM and the top beacon on your tower just failed. The tower is located only five miles from an airport. You know the flight service number used to be hanging on the wall, but that was three program directors ago and now its gone. After calling six different FAA numbers, you finally get to the right person, but where are the coordinates for the tower? Does this sound familiar? To alleviate this problem, be sure that the FAA flight service number for your area is posted in a conspicuous place in your stations. Also post the tower coordinates for the structure you are reporting. Remember to use the data from the FAA Determination of No Hazard since these are listed in NAD 1983 datum, whereas the FCC coordinates on your license is NAD 1927 datum. The FAA will allow you two weeks to remedy the situation and report back to them. If the repair will take longer than two weeks, it will be necessary to contact the FAA again and get additional time. Of course, the FAA prefers that the problem is remedied expeditiously.
The FCC is considering some changes in the broadcast auxiliary rules that potentially impact radio and TV STL systems, microwave relay stations, ENG units and radio remote pick-up stations. Some of the proposed changes will allow the use of the ever changing digital modulation techniques for both TV and radio broadcast auxiliary stations. In addition, the Commission is proposing to limit the power of stations based on their respective effective radiated powers, rather than by limiting transmitter power output. The proposal is also considering channelizing or stacking of remote pick-up frequencies, changing the 720 hour rule that allows for short term operation of stations without a license and establishing frequency coordination for TV auxiliary stations and CARS microwave stations.
With the recent changes in AM directional proof of performance, now is a perfect time to review the directions to your station's monitor points. We recently visited a station that had a license dated in the late 1980's, although the directions to the monitor points were dated in 1992. The points detailed in the 1980's license were no longer valid, having been superceded by the 1992 data. Unfortunately, the 1992 directions had never been submitted to the Commission and, therefore, all the FCC had to go by was the old, incorrect information. Have some of the roads been closed? Or, have the names changed? Now is the time to update the descriptions, along with a set of coordinates from a GPS receiver for your stations monitor points.