Question About Translators Simulcasting on HD channels

[X-Man]

Not sure if this question has been asked or not, but can a translator simulcast from a full power FM station that's licensed outside the city it serves? For example, say you have a station like KZSN-102.1 in Wichita that broadcasts in HD, but it's licensed in Hutchinson. Can a translator in Wichita simulcast an HD-2 channel on 102.1? without that translator covering the city of license such as Hutchinson? Or does the translator have to simulcast from an HD channel that's licensed in that city such as Wichita like KRBB-97.9 which is licensed in Wichita on their HD-2 channel? Hopefully I've explained this correctly and someone understands what I'm trying to explain. I'm just curious.

 

[Kent]

A fill-in translator may translate any station within its primary signal contour. A non-fill-in translator may relay any station it can receive over the air. City of license is not an issue.

 

[JoshTheRadioDude]

I know that saying this is going to be like tossing a flashbang into a crowded room, but if anything, I think this demonstrates the fact that nobody knows or cares what HD Radio is. The technology certainly isn't attracting the listeners necessary to make itself viable, so stations running subchannels are resorting to dinky little translators to get that audio on the air in a form that people will actually be able to find, let alone willingly listen to.

 

[diymedia]

It's also a good way to circumvent the FCC's ownership regulations, as translators don't count in the ownership-tally for a given market.

 

[JohnnyElectron]

How does K-Love get away with so many translators in a market, and likewise, a church in Idaho broadcasting without any local presence?

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

There are currently no restrictions on the number of translators that can be owned in a market. Almost always, they serve different areas. The overlap is fringe service at best. Many cannot be heard because of full power stations in neighboring markets, and there is de facto interference to de facto service areas of full power stations. The long term solution, especially if we are going to do what Canada and Mexico have done and move AM stations to FM, is to expand the band. HD-2s are a poor substitute for even a full power Class A analog FM for moving displaced AMs. They don't have enough service area and there aren't enough receivers, and making FM analog receivers, or AM analog receivers obsolete is a public service nightmare and not an option.