cee@UUNET.UU.NET> (02/08/90)
> Does anyone know what is the station which is interfering with WSHB's > 0000Z broadcasts on 7400 KHz currently? It seems to be *exactly* on > 7400, and is nearly as strong as WSHB here in the Washington DC area. Yes, we do know the source of the interference; it is Radio Kiev. We have contacted the Soviet Embassy in Washington, and they are assisting us in contacting Radio Kiev. When we requested this frequency, Radio Kiev was off the air, but they returned to the airways on 7400 shortly after we began usiing this frequency. We have suggested that perhaps each station could shift by 5 or 10 khz, so as to stop co-channeling, but still remain close by the desired frequency (and not lose any listeners). We are working cooperatively to solve this problem. > What happens in such a case? Is it fairly hard for a station to change > to a new frequency, and thus they both go on interfering with each > other? Well, besides what I have just mentioned, a complete frequency change may occur(if we cannot work out the solution given above, we have already applied to the FCC for a different frequency altogether). As you can see, US international broadcasters coordinate their frequencies through the FCC. The FCC then corrdinates these with the ITU (International Telecommunications Union), so as to minimize world-wide interference. Unfortunatley, the USSR does not currently follow these coordination practices, although they have indicated a strong willingness to help sole this current problem on 7400 KHz. -- But I DO work. I oversee the BIG PICTURE! C. E. Evans ...!uunet!wshb!cee
Will Martin <wmartin@STL-06SIMA.ARMY.MIL> (02/09/90)
Dear Mr. Evans, When you have time, we would really appreciate it if you could post a general summary of just how the US domestic SW broadcasters interact with the FCC. I have never understood this process, and have suggested several times that the subject be covered by one of the DX programs, like Hauser's World of Radio or RCI's SWL Digest. Unfortunately, the subject has never ben discussed and remains a mystery to us listeners. Some of the questions that need answers are: Who determines the frequencies being used? It appears that lots of the US broadcasters seem to share the same frequencies, one signing on when another signs off, for example. Do you broadcasters do studies to determine what frequencies you want to use, and then just notify the FCC that you will be using them, or does the FCC determine the frequencies and assign them to you for specific time blocks? Can you test on any frequency allocated for international broadcasting in this region, or do you have to apply to the FCC for permission to test and use only frequencies they allocate to you? Do you choose when and if to change broadcast frequency schedules with the seasons, or are those dates imposed on you from outside? I gather from your note on the current Radio Kiev situation that you do not have much real freedom to jump to a different frequency when interference is noted. Do you find this a difficult situation to live with? Could you provide your general thoughts about the "climate" of regulation that the US SWBC stations live in today? Are you generally happy about the way things are, especially regarding what the FCC does and how it does it? Or do you hate it and find it an oppressive and unpleasant way of doing business? Have things changed over time, and, if so, are they getting better or worse? Many foreign stations seem to have the freedom to pick any frequency they wish, regardless of whether it is in the ITU allocations for broadcast use or not. Are US stations restrained by the FCC from doing this, or does the FCC really not care, as long as no harmful interference is generated? If they do care, is this something they are very strict about, or are violations of this regulation or principle treated leniently? Some of the frequencies US stations have used in the past seem very odd. Not only is there an unusual (in the worldwide SWBC community) emphasis on the 7400 kHz range, but now and then a station uses a "split" frequency ending in 2.5 kHz. In these days of digital-tuned portable radios with only 5 kHz channel spacing, and the comparative rarity of radios that display split kHz frequencies, this seems quite strange. One would think the stations would HATE to use such frequencies, because naive listeners would complain that they could not tune the station accurately on their receivers. (Some of them actually couldn't; others wouldn't realize the wide bandwidths on most portables means there really isn't much difference between tuning a 2.5 or a 5 kHz frequency.) In any case, I would think a station would want to avoid a 2.5 kHz frequency and instead use a "standard" one ending in 0 or 5 kHz. Am I right or wrong in this impression? Any comments and/or explanations of the policies and practices regarding this area that you could provide would be welcomed! Thanks much. Regards, Will Martin wmartin@st-louis-emh2.army.mil OR wmartin@stl-06sima.army.mil