[BC] NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING - Revitalization oftheAMRadio Service

[James B. Potter]

Robertm:

>Q:  Why would a non US station ID in English?  

Ans:  I was referring to the American stations for their identity.  Most of
the foreign ones aren't in English anyway. I speak Spanish, but that's my
limit.  In my experience as a listener and practitioner in the industry,
many station IDs in use around the country aren't legal. The Rules call for
<callsign, COL> as close to TOH as possible.  However, many are jinglized
and colloquial. For example, there is one in Springfield, MO, calling itself
"Jock 98" and that seems to pass for the ID most of the time.  The owner
says that's the station's brand identity and he likes it that way; so screw
the Rules. 
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JP:  I'll bet you could set up a 100KW AM in Zapata, MX, and El Presidente
down there could care less.
 
>Q:  Actually that is incorrect. The Mexican government does a pretty good
job on policing stations, especially high powered ones.

Ans:  That's good news, assuming its true. However it's contrary to many
anecdotes from people in the industry, both broadcast and two-way.  Mexican
governments at all levels are riddled with corruption, so if their 'FCC' is
clean, that would be an exception.  Do they pull surprise inspections and
get out their freq and mod meters and confront the owners about off-freq and
overmod? Yes? Well, if they do, I venture it's an opportunity to extort a
little baksheesh for the underpaid Federale out there doing his low-wage
government job.  That's generally the way it is in Mexico, Russia, and a
host of other countries with corrupt governments and disregard for the Rule
of Law.  It's no surprise to me there are heterodynes on US stations.  Who
cares about a station in Chicago anyway when you are the Chinese government?
Cuba is another fine example.  

Regards/J