AM Broadcasters – April 10 is Christmas For You

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It’s official and on file with the FCC. Effective April 10, an FM translator carrying an AM station can be located so that the translator’s 60 dBμ contour is contained within either the AM station’s 2 mV/m contour or a 25-mile radius from the FM transmitter site giving, in particular, AM stations with highly directional patterns or small service areas greater flexibility, and often greater coverage, from an FM translator.

The current rule is that for an FM translator rebroadcasting an AM station, the 60 dBμ contour (the service area contour) of the FM translator had to be contained within both the AM station’s 2 mV/m contour and a 25-mile radius from the FM transmitter site.

And as broadcast attorney and AM revitalization expert John Garziglia points out, this FCC Second Report and Order may give AM broadcasters some additional flexibility. “It allows any FM translator moved under the 250-mile window to “further move its cross-service FM translator already relocated pursuant to the 2016 modification windows, as a minor modification application, as long as the proposed further modification complies [with both the newly-adopted siting rule and the 250-mile limitation imposed in the AM Revitalization First Report and Order].”

Garziglia says broadcasters should consult their attorneys and engineers regarding what will now be allowed under this footnote 22.

1 COMMENT

  1. hey how about a window or just a waver for am stations to apply for a translator to apply for a channel..
    here we are a small market am that needs a translator,, there are about 15 channels that will work,, it would be simple to just apply and move forward,,

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