The Newsletter of Crawford Broadcasting Company Corporate Engineering SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 9 • W.C. ALEXANDER, CPBE, AMD, DRB EDITOR Translator Window for AM stations. They provide stations with a higher- As I mentioned last month, we filed one fidelity medium, a 24-hour presence and a means of translator application in the Auction 99 window (July reaching those listeners, particularly younger ones, 26-August 2). That application was for WRDT(AM), who would not otherwise tune to a station on the AM which is the only station we have that was eligible in dial. that window. It’s true that translator coverage is often While we haven’t limited and most times does heard anything official yet, a not come close to replicating new engineering study that I the coverage area of the ran after the FCC updated parent AM, but there is still the CDBS database with all value in adding the low- the 1,000 or so short-form power FM signal. I recently window applications shows overheard a station manager that there are no applications telling someone that just that are mutually exclusive having the FM frequency on (MX) with our application. the letterhead has resulted in That makes our application a airtime buys that probably “singleton,” and it should be would not have otherwise quickly grantable. happened. There’s just At some point soon, something about having an I am told, the FCC will issue FM presence that appeals to a Public Notice containing a list of all the singleton advertisers. window applications along with instructions of how The other camp says that giving AM stations to file the full application containing all the FM translators is not AM revitalization at all, and in engineering showings, etc. not contained in the short- the strictest sense, that is true. Real AM revitalization form applications. Hopefully that notice will be has to take place in the AM band on AM signals. issued early this month. I have everything ready to Adding FM signals to AM stations is nothing more upload and file. If the FCC keeps to the schedule it than a stopgap measure that does nothing at all to kept in the first two AM translator windows, we can revitalize AM. In fact, it may have just the opposite probably expect fairly fast processing and grant. I effect – AM licensees, particularly those in smaller would love to get the translator built out and on the markets that are well served by the FM translator air before winter. signal, may well pay very little attention to the AM signal, since their primary listenership is likely tuned AM Revitalization? in to the FM. I have read with interest some of the So which is true? Do or do not FM opinions offered in the trades about FM translators as translators really have any revitalizing effect on the they pertain to “AM Revitalization.” By and large, parent AM stations? I think they do. Sleepy, dying the industry (and AM licensees in particular) see FM AM stations in hundreds of small markets all over the translators for AM stations as a real shot in the arm U.S. have suddenly become re-energized, with 1 The Local Oscillator September 2017 renewed listenership, sales and revenue. signal with that field strength unlistenable. A more Programming that was lackluster because of falling realistic figure is 2 mV/m. If the FCC increased the listenership is itself revitalized, playing to the tastes value of the protected contour to 2 mV/m, many of the local populace and business community. I have stations could make a 16-fold power increase and heard this myself in small markets around my home provide their listeners with a noise-free signal. state, and I can only infer that it is also occurring Once again, my practical side tells me that elsewhere. In the sense that adding an FM signal can most stations won’t make the upgrade even if they truly revitalize a dying AM station, AM-on-FM can. It will simply cost too much, both in short-term translators are definitely “AM Revitalization.” capital outlay and in long-term operating costs. And On the other hand, if the AM band is to if those stations have an FM translator that is really remain (or become) viable for the long term, we’ve working for them, chances are the owners don’t care got to do some work in that band. There are a number that much about the AM signal (or what’s left of it), of proposals on the table right now, and I about half anyway. Those stations that can afford it, particularly expect Chairman Pai to make some kind of those in medium and large markets, likely will do the announcement in that regard at the Radio Show this upgrade (or some upgrade, anyway), and the sad fact month. is that their spectrum neighbors that don’t do the We have a signal-to-noise ratio problem in upgrade will find their coverage further degraded by the AM band, and to fix it, we have to either increase the increased interference from those stations that do. the signal or reduce the noise (or both). While I The reality is that the upgrade only truly works if strongly support efforts to reduce manmade noise, everyone does it; otherwise, there are winners and my pragmatic nature tells me that the noise train left losers. the station a long time ago and it ain’t coming back. So, that begs the question: should we change Or to employ another familiar metaphor, the noise the protected contour at all, or should we leave things camel is all the way in the tent. Getting rid of all as they are? That’s a fair question, and I’m quite those consumer devices that produce AM band hash certain that because the answer is anything but clear and replacing all the faulty power line insulators that is the reason it has taken the FCC so long to act on are arcing or producing corona is not going to happen the remainder of the AM Revitalization proposals. in the short term. The FCC may take steps to roll What does Crawford Broadcasting Company back noise producers over the long term, but it can’t want to see happen here? That is another very good happen quickly, and I don’t believe it will happen question, and I’m not sure I have the answer other soon enough to save the AM band. than to say that we will take the best advantage of We can, however, take measures to increase whatever happens if/when it happens. the signal in the short term. I think that we need to In the meantime, we will continue to enjoy view AM stations as purely local and regional outlets our own FM translator signals, watching for any and adjust the allocation scheme accordingly. Step opportunities to improve them and even add more. one is to recognize that the current daytime protected And we will maintain our AM signals as primary, contour (500 uV/m) is worthless in all but the most making them the very best that they can be. I think rural locations, and even out in the hinterland, one that would be pretty good advice for any AM CFL bulb or arcing power line insulator can render a broadcaster. 2 The Local Oscillator September 2017 The New York Minutes By Brian Cunningham, CBRE Chief Engineer, CBC – Western New York Hello to all from Western New York! I immediately following Labor Day is the week we set cannot believe how fast this summer has flown by. aside for some much-needed R & R. It never fails, Here it is the first of September, and I still have each year as the time nears to take this vacation, outdoor projects yet to be something major happens to completed! The WDCX-FM one of our stations. This year studio remodel this is no exception! At the time spring/summer took so much of this writing, we are of my time that I just didn't preparing on the replacement have enough hours (or of the 200-amp electrical energy) to get everything service at the WDCX-FM done. I am hoping for a mild transmitter site. This fall season, that will allow problem started in the early me some extra time to get morning hours on Saturday, my to-do list completed August 26. The remote before the snow flies. control called me with a This time of year is “Generator On” status, always especially busy for meaning we had lost all or a me, as my wife and I take portion of our commercial the first week after Labor Day off for some down electrical service. time in Gettysburg, PA. This means that I must Once I arrived at the transmitter site and complete all my inventories for both markets and evaluated the problem, I simply replaced a blown think about next year's budget requests and needs for 200-amp fuse, and all seemed well. It was not more our facilities. Once the cap-ex list is compiled, then than 24 hours later, however, when the problem comes contacting vendors/contractors for pricing, surfaced again. This time it was a different phase that then going over the quotes again to insure that failed, and again, I replaced the fuse and all seemed nothing has been omitted and everything is complete. well. In less than 48 hours, we again had the same Next year looks like it will be a light year in scenario, but this time, both fuses I recently replaced the area of repairs/improvements of our facilities.