[BC] Next up - EXB and thoughts]

[Tom]

Point-by-point....

WBRadiolists at aol.com wrote:
>>100 kHz spacing in former Ch. 5; 200 kHz in former Ch. 6
>
>Why the different spacing? I could see this 
>*maybe* working for the LPFM stations, provided 
>they are *physically* spaced far enough apart... 
>but then that almost defeats the purpose! I say 
>keep the 200KHz spacing uniform, from 76-108.

Different spacing for the lowest 6 MHz because 
the extra bandwidth wouldn't necessarily be used; 
the original proposal was to put 100 kHz for all 
12 MHz; I suggest the AM migrations get the 
100-kHz; the first-use FMs get full 200 kHz (150 kHz = 2M+2D) capacity

>>  L-2; (1-watt maximum ERP @ 50 meters) hobby 
>> station; may be non-comm  or commercially 
>> funded operation (or some hybrid).  Part 15 
>> writ  large, IOW.  Ownership restricted to 
>> individuals; non-reserved  channel operation only

>Man oh man, I would be all over this in a 
>heartbeat! ;) Ain't gonna happen, tho. I think 
>there's too much room for abuse and not enough 
>enforcement staff or resources. If the licenses 
>were $50 annually and these funds were used 
>exclusively for hiring new FCC enforcement staff, it *might* work...

Or even higher; like I said, thunk thoughts - how 
many Internet 'casters are paying in excess of 
$100 / year?  Spacialnet, one of the 
lowest-priced stream servers, starts at 
$12.95/mo... $12.95x12=$155.40/yr; plus 
ASCAP/BMI/SESAC/SoundExchange - and by dropping 
the stream and going with RF, the SoundExchange fees drop out!

>>  L-1; (10-watt ERP @ 50 meters); Community or 
>> neighborhood station;  support as above; may 
>> be on reserved or non-reserved 
>> channels;  Non-comm operation in reserved channels

>Even just allocating 4 or 5 of the new channels 
>to *this* service, alone, would make it possible 
>for several stations to coexist in each 
>community! Perhaps make these available to 
>individuals, but with stricter requirements, 
>thus eliminating the need for a 1-watt class.

Well, I included L-2 as a class to fill in the 
gap between the 250µV/m @ 3 m and the L-1 10-watt 
stations; there are several mfgrs that offer 1-watt FM TXs.

>>  L; (100-watt ERP @ 50 meters) larger 
>> neighborhood or small-town  community stations; as above
>
>Ditto, above, except for the individual ownership.

Note that nothing would preclude individual 
ownership - not even the current rules do, EXCEPT 
for the current L-class stations, which MUST be 
educational (of some sort).  My idea is to 
eliminate that restriction outside the reserved channels.

>>  A-2; (1 kw ERP @ 100meters) low-end of the 
>> migrated AM's mostly,  intended to replicate a 
>> 250-watt daytimer's primary service area, or  a reference distance of 20km

>Instead of setting it at 1kw @ a fixed height, 
>how about the power level/height being 
>determined by their former .5mv contour? 
>Equal-for-equal. Also, why limit these to only 
>the top 50 markets? Why not make them available 
>for *all* Daytimers, especially those with zero or flea night powers?
>
>These allocations would also be ideal for the 
>"graveyard" channels, which really should have gone to FM in the first place!

That could work; but setting power/height with 
reference distance is consistent with the present 
Table of Allocations; which is based on 
theoretical guesstimates, granted - but given the 
cost of a FIM 72 (which has been discontinued by 
PI, BTW), you'd want a way to determine coverage 
without resorting to measuring it in about 90% of the cases.

>>  AM would look like  (All maximum facilities; 
>> actual designations by frequency as now)
>>  A - 500 kw ND-U
>
>You're kidding, right? ;)
>
>I sincerely believe that a drastically 
>uncluttered AM band (all the smaller stations 
>migrated to FM) would eliminate the need for 
>superpower stations. (Abandon IBUZ on MW.)

Oh, I did forget - IBUZ is dead on MW, of 
course.  The idea is to overcome OTHER noise on 
MW - mostly QRM - with brute strength.  Power line corona radiation, etc.

>>  New Class D - 0.05 kw ND-U into a 30-meter 
>> (or 45-degree, whichever  is smaller) antenna 
>> (see class L-2 FM; same type operation); 
>> and  secondary status - no protection, and must protect everyone  else.
>
>Why bother? Use FM! VHF is ideal for these kinds 
>of facilities. MW is best for long-range. Short 
>of burying your antenna underground, you're 
>pretty much not going to eliminate skywave propagation on MW frequencies...

Yep; the idea here is to legitimize all those 
campground radio stations, etc. that are running 
a Carrier Current transmitter into an antenna... 
alternative is to re-write 15.221 to allow 
higher-power stations not located on campuses of 
institutes of higher education.  XTZ 640 is 
running ~30 watts into the power lines here - 
that same 30 watts into a 30-meter pole would 
give significantly better coverage, hence the New 
Class D - or call it LPAM service; class L.

YMMV; but AM tx's for this service are quite a 
bit less than the equivalent FM tx.  ~$1200 for 
the transmitter; 30 watts TPO.   Same in FM runs 
close to $5k, last time I looked  (new; cheaper 
on eBay, but still generally more than the AM.  - 
until you get to the 10-watt-and-under levels, anyway... ;-) )