George,
I only remember one station getting caught. If I recall correctly, it was $5,000.
However the rock concert at the stadium by the river on Coast Guard frequencies when told they were using illegal wireless microphone frequencies, respond F.... They were fined way more. Who knew interfering with the locks and dams with busy commercial traffic could be a problem!
I only remember one station getting caught. If I recall correctly, it was $5,000.
However the rock concert at the stadium by the river on Coast Guard frequencies when told they were using illegal wireless microphone frequencies, respond F.... They were fined way more. Who knew interfering with the locks and dams with busy commercial traffic could be a problem!
This must have been a while ago, For a long time now the FCC has only responded to complaints and has discontinued and retired most of their mobile testing facilities (van's). As well as laid off most of that personnel.
That combined with the corporate take over of most of the FM band now, most processing is set by headquarters and the local engineer is forbidden to touch it. Processing is now connected to the internet and the corporate processing consultant can tunnel in and set the processing while monitoring the off air monitor for compliance.
Cheers
Alan
I also have received that call, but it was in the early 80's
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Alan,
It was only about 35 years ago. I do still look at the RF spectrum and see lots of noncompliant stations. One of the stations I still help out had listener complaints. I quick look at the spectrum showed a station two slots over was interfering! I would have called the Friendly Candy Company, but a chief engineer to chief engineer call fixed the problem. Today they keep their over modulation down to 200%!
It was only about 35 years ago. I do still look at the RF spectrum and see lots of noncompliant stations. One of the stations I still help out had listener complaints. I quick look at the spectrum showed a station two slots over was interfering! I would have called the Friendly Candy Company, but a chief engineer to chief engineer call fixed the problem. Today they keep their over modulation down to 200%!
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Which is why I do engineering for stations left of 92 MHz these days exclusively...I despise the processing done on commercial radio. Grrr %$@&#$%@$%😡
FM done with modern equipment and little or no processing can sound very very good, from 10 Hz all the way out to 17.5 KHz or even a bit more, and on my Kenwood 600T tuner I can achieve over 80 dB S/N NAB on one of my stations.
Cheers,
Howie
and with no complaints, it will remain that way. (splash splash)
which is why I share Howie's sentiments. Nothing to hear here. (left of 92)
and why I don't work in the radio industry anymore.
Cheers
Alan
which is why I share Howie's sentiments. Nothing to hear here. (left of 92)
and why I don't work in the radio industry anymore.
Cheers
Alan
Howie,
I just have to disagree with you, I find your disdain for commercial FM way too mild. If we get to discussing AM programming George would rightfully ban me for life!
I just have to disagree with you, I find your disdain for commercial FM way too mild. If we get to discussing AM programming George would rightfully ban me for life!
My main listening for quality FM is on Sat nights with the replacement program for 'The Prairie Home Companion' that broadcasted 'live' music for many previous decades. I know that the audio quality is adequate for pleasant listening, even hi fi quality. Also individual programs by people in local stations playing records much of the time are worth a quality FM listening rig like I have. The equipment in many of these stations still work well, it is just that they are normally presenting voice only broadcasts, like the news, interviews, etc. I use my second or third level system for that, from the same stations. Right now I am using a 60's Telefunken Ge based portable radio with a custom power supply for most of FM, and it works just fine.
Richard and I have significant experience with 30ips recording. We KNOW how good the highs can sound. CD does not need to be compared to it, as CD is both objectively and subjectively inferior for obvious commercial reasons made by Sony many decades ago. What is there to prove to people who just want to keep their CD collections in high regard by others?
Exactly the same criteria apply to accurate rendition whatever the means, what are the requirements in your opinion, 40kHz BW?
They did, but no one here has. Couple of people have trouble keeping track of what has been said so they need to be kept in line 🙂
What lies left of 92MHz in USA’s FM broadcast band?
When I was visiting, commercial FM stations were indeed horrible but community and college FM stations were of good technical quality and had very interesting music content.
Here, the AM broadcasting band is almost empty (turned back to a playground for pirate transmition)
George
Commercial stations start at 92 MHz and up, college and public stations below.
AM stations have become an outlet for talk shows, religous broadcasters and other low budget programing. The issue becomes in populous areas there are enough listeners to support multiple stations with larger advertising revenue or listener support and grants. In sparsely populated areas AM covers a larger area at lower cost.
The result seems to be that sparsely populated areas listen to different content than metropolitan places. As folks generally form opinions and make decisions based on their sources of information... Any more and I would violate forum rules.
AM stations have become an outlet for talk shows, religous broadcasters and other low budget programing. The issue becomes in populous areas there are enough listeners to support multiple stations with larger advertising revenue or listener support and grants. In sparsely populated areas AM covers a larger area at lower cost.
The result seems to be that sparsely populated areas listen to different content than metropolitan places. As folks generally form opinions and make decisions based on their sources of information... Any more and I would violate forum rules.
Hi John,
Having listened to a lot of masters at 30 ips against the original performance in the control room I agree they can be stunning in all respects (except stock Studer LF). My favorite was a modded ATR100 @ 30 ips which was nigh indistinguishable from the performance in the studio.
However we are talking about the consumer delivery format and perhaps then by definition comparing LP against CD against Hi-Res DL for that reason.
The problem inherent in this discussion is the paucity of music recorded on all three from the same master. I have many versions of the Beatles MFSL-LP, Apple remastered CD, Apple 24-bit FLAC DL, but they are all from different masters (and all sound great, BTW).
Comparing the four formats in objective ways could lead to a matrix of attributes: ease of proper reproduction, s/n, dynamic range, longevity, availability of devices for repro, etc...and in this type of comparison the CD scores highly. The best LPs have more dynamic range and extended HF but higher noise, and the HiRes 24-bit file can beat them all in just about every way. I have decided on 24/96 as a storage format here when transferring LPs and not looked back. With the AD I use (Sugarcube SC-2) I am really happy comparing the LP and 24/96 playback.
Cheers!
Howie
The 88-92 MHz segment is reserved by the FCC for non-commercial licensees; colleges, churches, community stations in poorly served areas, etc. And I agree that is where the only interesting music and program material can be found on radio.
It is also the breeding ground for almost all significant artists, and has been since 1967 when the FCC dictated that stations with both AM and FM licenses create unique programming for the FM broadcast. Before that almost all simulcast the same programming on both carriers which was a waste of public resource (bandwidth). See Underground FM for more on this subject...
The internet has largely replaced it for this function...
Cheers!
Howie