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Graham Brock, Inc. |
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Broadcast Technical Consultants |
| Vol. XV, No. 4 |
R. Stuart Graham, Jr. |
| April 2008
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Jefferson G. Brock |
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Last month the FCC dismissed a minor change application
for an existing non-commercial station that was filed
prior to the October 2007 window for new and major
change applications. The applications relied on a
consent letter from a nearby Channel 6 TV station. The
letter indicated that the impacted Channel 6 station did
not object to the proposed non-commercial change, but
the non-commercial station could not implement its
change before February 17, 2009, the date on which this
Channel 6 station will cease operation in favor of its
operating DTV facility on another channel. The
Commission ruled this constituted a contingent
agreement, and was not in the public interest. In
addition, there was a reference to applicants who filed
during the October window, stating that consideration of
an application with a similar contingent request would
be a detriment to other rule compliant mutually
exclusive applications. More dismissals may, therefore,
be forthcoming. |
We Have to Change Our STL Frequency???
“A Not So Uncommon Scenario” |
If your station has been using the same STL system for
ten years. Last month, a station across town sent
out a PCN notice indicating a change to one of its
STL systems, analog to digital system and increasing
bandwidth. They have also filed an application to
implement the change. Their change will cause an
overlap of spectrum with your operating system. You
did not receive the notice. The problem is that your
license lists your STL two miles from where it is
actually operating, and it is on a completely
different frequency, which is why no notice was sent
to you. Three owners ago, your studio was moved and
the old frequency was abandoned to allow for an
instantaneous change over to the new studio, but no
application for the new STL was ever made.
You can contact the other local station and ask them to hold off on the
change until you can locate an alternatefrequency.
However, finding something clear, or with minimal
interference (which would require local
coordination), may be difficult since the STL
spectrum, especially in medium and large markets is
saturated. While there are alternatives to the STL
band, you do not want to be in a position of making
fast changes, or even worse, having your
competitor’s new operation capture your STL
receiver, so his audio ends up on your station.
Check your license against the actual location of
your STL transmitter. Also check your operating
frequency. On frequency agile systems, this is a
simple matter. On older systems, it may not be as
easy. Do not rely on the stickers on the back of the
transmitter, get a frequency counter or spectrum
analyzer to make sure, then move forward with any
needed corrections so that your system is protected. |
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Last month we told you that the FCC was seeking
to have applicants for new FM translators who
filed in the last window (2003) select the ten
applications they wanted to pursue, and the FCC
would dismiss the remainder of the short form
applications filed. At the same time this Public
Notice was issued, the FCC also reported that
several parties had filed a Petition for
Reconsideration of the dismissal policies. Last
week the FCC issued another Public Notice saying
that it will cease the dismissals of any further
short form applications until the Commission can
consider the requests for reconsideration. It
further stated that any applications dismissed
as a result of the earlier Notice would be
reinstated. |
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NAB Convention |
| This letter will be mailed while many of us are
already walking the floor in Las Vegas. We wish to
say “thank you” to those of you we had a chance
meet. |
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