[IRCA] Monthly IBOC rant..

["Craig Healy" <bubba@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

New month, different IBOC rant.  This one is just a simple question:

Night AM allocations are calculated by a study.  This study collects all the
signals aimed at a location, runs it through a formula, and comes up with a
signal strength called the Night Interference Free (NIF) contour.  It's a
number where the signal strength of the station is considered to be
listenable, and thereby protected.

What if this number were to include IBOC subcarriers?  For example,
WYSL-1040 in upstate New York has to deal with WHO obvously, and other
stations on 1040 that put signals in their direction.  Factor in the IBOC
carriers from WBZ-1030 and the potential from WEPN-1050 in NYC, both right
on 1040.  Isn't it reasonable to expect that the WYSL NIF countour would
shrink?

So, the question is, why does the FCC intend to allow this?  It favors the
large stations at the expense of the smaller ones which may be the single
source in their community for news and even EAS alerts.  Seems to me this
not only inconveniences people, but potentially puts them at risk.  All for
a slight improvement of sound quality that nobody asked for in the first
place?

Craig Healy
Providence, RI

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