[cma-l] Extending Community Radio on FM

[Tony Bailey]

If we are talking about ITU-R BS 412-9 Planning Standards for 
Terrestrial FM sound broadcasting at VHF, it dates from 12/1998 and 
incidentally, is a Recommendation.  Of course, we aren't far enough away 
from other countries to not follow it.  To take up an earlier point, the 
recent statements about VHF no-go areas clearly needs to be challenged.  
For example, Central Bedfordshire which is basically Bedford county 
minus Luton and Bedford.  Apart from the fact that it is a very 
irregular area, it is some 30 km wide, well beyond the range of the 5 km 
standard.  From information available online, there are a number of 
channel groups around 15 db/uV (60-45) in Biggleswade, which is a 
relatively "hot" location.  One wonders what "rules" are being applied 
to generate these blanket exclusions.

Regards,  Tony Bailey

On 27/09/14 17:18, Ian Hickling wrote:
> Alan - I don't recognise most of the scenario you describe here as 
> being the UK Regulation system that we're working in today.
> Protection Ratios set up by IBA and RA were adopted by the ITU 50 
> years ago and are unlikely to change?
> Not really indicative of any positive progress then.
> In my experience Ofcom doesn't do much on an "ad hoc" basis - quite 
> the opposite.
> Commercial operators and indeed all licensed broadcasters are more 
> than adequately protected in technical terms and all expect signal 
> corruption on occasions when it's caused by unavoidable atmospheric 
> conditions.
> Enhancement of coverage by any broadcaster is not easy - and is 
> approached by Ofcom on a low-priority and individual merit basis - 
> unless of course pressure is brought to bear.
> I would think we can all quote examples of that apparently happening.
> Commercial stations had power and frequency allocated in exactly the 
> same was as is used for Community Radio - desired coverage against 
> regional spectral occupancy.
> Standalone or mini-mux DAB is a long way off and should not be offered 
> as an excuse for not dealing with the present and very real need for a 
> seed-change in spectrum manipulation for best efficiency.
> There are scores of local stations out there which are ready to go on 
> air and around half of them will be refused for what appear to be 
> insecure and what we are told are incontestable reasons.
> This is not the form of Democracy that we should expect from a UK 
> Government and its Agencies.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From: alan.coote at 5digital.co.uk
> To: cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk; info at a-bc.co.uk
> Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 14:06:28 +0100
> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Community Radio on AM
>
> The FM protection ratios were set up using a specs' based on the 
> selectivity and sensitivity of radios in the 60s. The IBA, Radio 
> Authority and Ofcom planned licences based on their analysis of 
> available frequencies using this spec'. It became an ITU standard so 
> is very unlikely to change.
>
> Fitting new stations on an ad-hoc basis has the danger of commercial 
> operators being disadvantaged through interference, however occasional.
>
> Picking up Nick's point about Silk FM getting more power, this has 
> happened numerous times around the UK. It's because commercial 
> stations are licenced to use a preallocated and cleared frequency by 
> Ofcom. Should a licenced station make a case that either Ofcom's 
> analysis was wrong, or over time the area has changed, then Ofcom will 
> need to reflect that by permitting changes to the coverage.
>
> This is of course a totally different scenario from the way community 
> stations start life.
>
> At the end of the day Ofcom is full of people whose job it is to run 
> things by the rules. There is absolutely no advantage to them doing 
> otherwise.
>
> In my view a better baton to wave is for access to DAB via standalone 
> stations -- here the rules aren't even set.
>
> Kind Regards
>
> Alan
>
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