How can you determine if an FM translator is "bound" to its AM station?
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FM Translator Question
- Thread starter RadioGuy1864
- Start date
You have to drill down into the history of the translator, how it was acquired (new, 250 mile movein, etc) . I know some licenses are only tied for five years to the primary AM... Once the term is complete they switch the source to an HDx channel and killoff the AM. fccdata.org is good for those kind of xltr research questions.
Thanks, dug into it on fccdata.org found the original xltr license, and it's right there in the license:
Pursuant to Revitalization of the AM Radio Service, Notice of Proposed Rule Making, 28 FCC Rcd 15221,
15227, para. 14 (2013), and First Report and Order, 30 FCC Rcd 12145, 12154, para. 17 and n. 43 (2015),
the permittee and any successor in interest (licensee, transferee, or assignee) shall be subject to the following
restrictions: (1) this facility may only, in perpetuity, be used to rebroadcast the authorized facilities of the AM
primary station set forth in this authorization,
So unless the Regs change, this one is permanently bound.
Pursuant to Revitalization of the AM Radio Service, Notice of Proposed Rule Making, 28 FCC Rcd 15221,
15227, para. 14 (2013), and First Report and Order, 30 FCC Rcd 12145, 12154, para. 17 and n. 43 (2015),
the permittee and any successor in interest (licensee, transferee, or assignee) shall be subject to the following
restrictions: (1) this facility may only, in perpetuity, be used to rebroadcast the authorized facilities of the AM
primary station set forth in this authorization,
So unless the Regs change, this one is permanently bound.
"Drill down" is a good analogy for making sense of the convoluted FCC rules, that seem to get more convoluted as years go by. "Drilling down through solid rock" might be an even more appropriate analogy.
The easiest way to tell is to look at the file number of the original construction permit at FCCdata.org
If it begins with BNPFT-2017 or BNPFT-2018, then it is an Auction 99/100 translator.
All translators in those filing windows are bound to their AM station.
For those from prior windows, check the authorization document on their station license for a condition. For those stations (not the 2017/2018 stations), the condition is only valid for four years from the date the license to cover application was granted (and there was no silent periods during those four years).
If it begins with BNPFT-2017 or BNPFT-2018, then it is an Auction 99/100 translator.
All translators in those filing windows are bound to their AM station.
For those from prior windows, check the authorization document on their station license for a condition. For those stations (not the 2017/2018 stations), the condition is only valid for four years from the date the license to cover application was granted (and there was no silent periods during those four years).
Yep, it's a BNPFT-2018. Do you think the FCC will eventually let station owners separate those translators from the AM? Perpetuity seems like a awful long time...
No. These are permanent marriages. The applicants knew this when they went in. I support it this way.
=m
There are early FM translators for AM stations adopters, purchased from another entity that have no restrictions other than the AM must be on the air minimum hrs in 24.
Some of these were hopped many times to get there but that's another discussion. The translator license only show the associated AM station, and no special conditions are listed.
Some of these were hopped many times to get there but that's another discussion. The translator license only show the associated AM station, and no special conditions are listed.
The translators with the 4 year restrictions are those that took advantage of the 250 mile move opportunity. Look for modification applications (BPFT) that start with 2016 and then look at the license previously authorized before that. If you see a big jump in the location, then that's a 250-miler. On most (but not all) of those translators, the 4 years has already worn off. But the 2017 and 2018 new permits are married forever and they die when the AM does.
If the parent AM is off the air, how long is the translator allowed to remain on the air?
In the rules it sounds as if when the AM is down the FM needs to go down as well except for daytime AMs where the translator is allowed on at night so long as the AM was operating within the previous 24 hours.
Do if have this right or is there a grace period to allow for maintenance or repair of the AM?
Thanks
In the rules it sounds as if when the AM is down the FM needs to go down as well except for daytime AMs where the translator is allowed on at night so long as the AM was operating within the previous 24 hours.
Do if have this right or is there a grace period to allow for maintenance or repair of the AM?
Thanks
I don't see anything specific on this, but I only did a cursory check.
Logic says that the FCC would not want a market deprived of a service if the AM were off the air due to a catastrophic failure of the transmission gear: fire, lightening strike, internal circuit failure in a transmitter where spares are no longer made, etc. I think that a case where the AM is just "turned off" to save costs would result in FCC action.
I wonder what would be the decision if an AM lost its site, and filed to stay on with the FM while moving the AM. That could take many, many months unless they moved with a temporary antenna and low power.
A louisana AM had its tower crumpled by a storm a year ago, it had a translator that they couldve moved and gotten back on the air quick... they wanted to file an STA to keep the fm translator on while they worked furiously to get the AM on with a long wire, but it would take a day or three.
Fcc told them no, and the translator had to go off.
I personally had this conversation with the cluster OM over Facebook.
I would have called again to a different person. Depriving the market of a service after a storm is a classic "cutting off the nose to spite the face" move.
Exactly. A lot depends on who one talks with, and following procedures, at the Commission.
From what I understand, the FCC has been made aware of certain AM operators with FM translators that have, or attempted to game the system by disabling their AM transmission, then requesting a long STA to remain silent on the AM during repairs or site move.
If I lost my AM related to weather or natural disaster, the first thing I would do is gather a lot of photos and document the local conditions which caused the damage. Next, I would have my FCC lawyer include the documentation/photos in a 30 day AM-silent STA request, with the promise to report back on a weekly basis, any updates of progress for returning the AM station to the air. Assuming one kept up with the reports, showing they weren't trying to roll some scam, I suspect the Commission would extend the AM-only silent STA, provided the station was making the effort to get the AM back up. The absolutely LAST think I'd do, is randomly call the Commission, and ask for a 90 day STA over the phone. Many times FCC lawyers have a relationship with someone at the Commission who they can call to give a heads-up before filing an actual STA.
There is no grace period in the text of rules beyond the exception that translators may operate 24/7 even if their parent station is a daytimer.
Whomever the station owner in Louisiana talked with at the Commission was 100% right.
Now, would I be inclined to follow the rules to the letter, were I that station owner? Maybe not.
I do see this on the FCC web site:
Loss of primary station's signal. The translator must be set up to go off the air if the main station's signal is lost. See 47 CFR Sections 74.1234(a)(2) and 74.1263(b).
I wasn't sure if this meant if the primary station is down the translator must go down or if it meant the translator can't just broadcast an empty carrier if source audio to the translator is lost (so if the primary is down but the translator has source audio it can stay on - sounds like that's a no).
I'm asking cause I noticed yesterday and continuing this morning that WNBH 1340 New Bedford is off the air but the translator on 101.3 is still on. They also are on 98.1HD2 but as near as I can tell 101.3 is paired with 1340 not with the HD2.
Loss of primary station's signal. The translator must be set up to go off the air if the main station's signal is lost. See 47 CFR Sections 74.1234(a)(2) and 74.1263(b).
I wasn't sure if this meant if the primary station is down the translator must go down or if it meant the translator can't just broadcast an empty carrier if source audio to the translator is lost (so if the primary is down but the translator has source audio it can stay on - sounds like that's a no).
I'm asking cause I noticed yesterday and continuing this morning that WNBH 1340 New Bedford is off the air but the translator on 101.3 is still on. They also are on 98.1HD2 but as near as I can tell 101.3 is paired with 1340 not with the HD2.
Yeah, in fact 1263(b) is exactly what I was referring to.
If the AM signs off at 7pm, the translator has authority to continue broadcasting until 7pm the next day and no longer.
If the AM signs off at 7pm, the translator has authority to continue broadcasting until 7pm the next day and no longer.
It is both, although I have heard a fair few translators rebroadcasting static, or another co-channel station, when the main station goes down.
Only translators rebroadcasting Class D stations may remain on the air when the AM goes down because of their licensed schedule (i.e. daytime only, daytime + critical only). If the AM station is down for more than 24 hours, the the translator must go down. For Class A, B and C AM stations, the translator must go down when the AM station goes down. No grace period.
I highly doubt Dale will grant a STA for 100 milliwatts.