An increase in FM digital power would not meaningfully increase potential interference to analog.
That’s the conclusion of engineers at the NAB, who this week discussed earlier testing by CBS Radio in their Radio TechCheck newsletter to members.
The CBS testing has shown that increasing digital power of an FM IBOC signal by 10 dB “significantly improves indoor HD Radio reception,” NAB summarized. The study was done in conjunction with a digital coverage and analog interference study by iBiquity on the impact of an FM digital power increase; the results had been reported earlier at the spring NAB Show. NAB’s newsletter reviewed the findings in some depth this week.
“Together, the results from these studies offer compelling evidence that the FM digital power increase proposed by a group of broadcasters and equipment manufacturers, and recently put out on Public Notice by the FCC, would provide significantly improved digital radio coverage and not meaningfully increase potential interference to analog.”
Comments to the FCC on the idea of an FM digital power hike are due Nov. 28 and reply comments by Jan. 4.
File them electronically through the Electronic Comment Filing System. The docket number is MM Docket No. 99-325.
Also comment to Radio World on this or any topic by e-mailing [email protected].
