[BC] Interesting IBUZ article & WTWP

[Jerry Mathis]

Well, I raise my hand. I've complained on and off ever since I joined the
lists about 5 or 6 years ago about the problem of the AM noise floor. My
solution was to move the AM band to VHF or UHF, and eliminate all the noise
and static and fix all the other problems that plague AM. Only a few people
agreed with me. Then I suggested a band move to solve the problem of AM
going digital. Again, very few people agreed with me, and/or said it was
impossible/will never happen. Now here we are. Still got stations that can't
operate at night, that are losing coverage daily to the higher noise floor
and steel buildings going up, radio receivers that are more and more deaf,
and frequency response now down to about the same as POTS, and that are in
danger of losing large chunks of their coverage if the big boys light up
digital. ALL OF WHICH could be fixed by moving to another band.

You'll never lower the AM noise floor. That wagon left the barn many years
ago. Even if the FCC started enforcing strict radiation standards now, it
would take 20 years IMO before the results were noticeable. And enforcing
strict radiation/interference limits is right up there on the FCC's agenda,
along with things like taking a pay cut to help balance the federal budget.

JM




On 3/17/07, Chuck Lakaytis <chuck at akpb.org> wrote:
>
> I am sort of amazed by the sudden angry interest in IBOC "hash
> generators".
> Where have you all been over the last twenty or so years when the manmade
> noise floor increased by many many decibels?  Did anyone demand that the
> FCC
> regulate lighting devices?  Driven through an intersection lately with LED
> signal lamps?  I lived within a few miles of an AM in Garden City, Kansas.
> I was CE at that facility but could not listen to it at home because of
> the
> noise from all the electric fences around every winter wheat field.  KBBI
> in
> Homer, Alaska has a large wielding shop close to the studio that just
> kills
> reception in the on air monitors.



<snip>


Chuck Lakaytis
> Director of Engineering
> Alaska Public Broadcasting, Inc.
> 135 Cordova Street
> Anchorage, AK 99501
> 907 277 6300
> 907 277 6359 FAX
> 907 301 4339 Cell
>