How high can you go?
NPR has developed a computer tool with help from Cavell Mertz & Associates to determine a proposed allowable FM IBOC power increase for all stations in the country. The method is based on the FCC’s standard allocation techniques for the reserved band and non-reserved band. The tool is posted on the NPR Labs Web site.
An engineer can enter a call sign of interest and see the allowable IBOC power under this interim method, along with data on the first- and second-most critical first adjacent neighbors. This data will help in considering other techniques to increase IBOC power, such as asymmetrical sideband transmission or a digital directional antenna, said John Kean of NPR Labs.
Kean cited Mike Rhodes and Bob Clinton at Cavell Mertz for doing the work on the computer runs, and Rich Rarey at NPR Labs for designing the database tool.
