[BC] Nighttime IBUZ Decision Delayed?

[Phil Alexander]

On 11 Jul 2006 at 15:23, Rich Wood wrote:

> ------ At 01:12 PM 7/11/2006, Robert Meuser wrote: -------
> 
> >Would you please explain what you are talking about?   A link maye???
> 
> I don't have a link. It was an email from an attorney telling me that 
> a filing had been made on July 5 having to do with changing the 
> measurement of analog from peak to average. I'm waiting for a 
> response from him on the meaning of some of the legal language he 
> used that could throw a monkey wrench into the FCC dealing with 
> nighttime IBUZ at Thursday's meeting. It would cause them to issue 
> Notice of Proposed Rule Making.
> 
> I don't understand it beyond the alleged consequences of delaying 
> nighttime authorization. As soon as I get a response I'll post a 
> paraphrase of his answer.

Measurement techniques for analog are max. hold for ten minutes under 
73.44. This rule was written in the day of the Tektronix 7L5 spectrum
analyzer. More modern equipment is available today.

The method for hybrid station measurement has been specified for 
IBOC stations from the beginning as a 30 second average using a 
300 Hz resolution bandwidth. The details are contained in document
1082s (currently at Rev. D) which is Ibiquity's standard for the
mask to be used in the AM band for hybrid 8kHz, hybrid 5kHz and
full digital transmission. This has been incorporated as an appendix
to NRSC-5. However, 73.44 governs stations not using IBOC.

I'm puzzled as to how this applies to nighttime operation because 
it seems to apply to all IBOC emitters regardless of time.

It is rather well known that the analog technique will show IBOC
subcarrier levels roughly 6 dB greater than 1082s(D) when the same
signal is measured by both methods.

It would seem that unless there is evidence more compelling than
any previous, the FCC probably can disregard the ex parte filing
as untimely and ignore it in their Second Report and Order under 
99-325. Given the timely comments of NRSC and NAB, and the 
extension of reply comment time, that seems probable. Since the
staff completed their work last September, I doubt if this will
throw a monkey wrench into the works.

Firing up the converted stations at night will give an indication
of the extent of serious interference and either confirm the 
position of the detractors or show IBOC can work, at least to some
extent. Unfortunately, the extent of problems generated by Class B 
night DA's is yet to be discovered as many of those have yet to 
deploy IBOC and that is potentially the most problematic group of 
stations due to pattern bandwidth issues.


---------------------------------------------
Phil Alexander, CSRE, AMD
Broadcast Engineering Services and Technology 
(a Div. of Advanced Parts Corporation) 
Ph. (317) 335-2065   FAX (317) 335-9037





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