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Graham Brock, Inc. |
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Broadcast Technical Consultants |
| Vol. XIII, No. 9 |
R. Stuart Graham, Jr. |
| September 2006 |
Jefferson G. Brock |
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The FCC
has issued a very short list of vacant FM channels to be
auctioned on January 10, 2007 (FM Auction 68). The list
is limited to only nine allotments. These nine
allotments have also been through at least one, if not
both, of the previous auctions (37 and 62). The
communities are Covelo, California; Tecopa, California;
Cedar Key, Florida; Perry, Florida; Kihie, Hawaii;
Outlook, Montana; Ocracoke, North Carolina; Meyersdale,
Pennsylvania; and Parowan, Utah. The minimum bids for
these channels range from $1,500 to $150,000. A
coverage map and the population within the 60 dBu
contour for each of these allotments will be available
at www.grahambrock.com
shortly. Graham Brock, Inc., is available to review
these allotments on a non-exclusive basis. |
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At
the end of June, many existing LPTV stations
submitted applications for digital companion
channels to be used in conjunction with their
existing analog facilities. The Commission recently
released a list of those companion channels that
were not mutually exclusive with any other channels
submitted during the same window. More than 1,300
applications/channels are listed. These applicants
must now submit a complete application for
construction permit to the Commission for digital
operation by October 30, 2006. Applicants may
propose minor changes to their originally requested
facilities, but may not create any new mutual
exclusivity with requests filed in the window.
Those who proposed digital companion channels above
channel
51 must certify there are no channels
available within the core TV spectrum (Channels
2-51) and must also notify impacted 700 MHz band
licensees. |
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Are you operating your radio
station in HD? Have you notified the FCC? For
HD operation, licensees must notify the
Commission of the proposed commencement date,
the mode of operation (low level, mid-level,
high level), any changes to the analog
transmitter power output, and confirm there is
no adverse impact to the radio frequency
radiation levels at the site. Those stations
using, or proposing to use, an auxiliary FM
antenna system for HD operation require Special
Temporary Authorizations. Stations using the
HD2 or HD3 channels must seek an Experimental
Authorization from the Commission. |
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The FCC also announced its first trip for Public
Hearing of the ownership rules. The first
hearing will be held Tuesday, October 3, 2006 in
Los Angeles, California. The location and time
will be released by the Commission at a later
time. The FCC is taking it on the road, and so
are radio broadcasters. They are getting ready
to travel to Dallas for the NAB’s
Annual Radio Show. Stu and Jeff will be making
the trek to Dallas, so if you would like to get
together with them, please let them know. |
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