WIDE-FM is REC Networks’ proposal to expand FM sound broadcasting into the 76 to 88 MHz band, creating 60 new FM channels on a shared basis with TV stations on Channels 5 and 6. At the recommendation of National Public Radio, WIDE-FM will reserve 20 of the 60 channels in most of the country to noncommercial educational (NCE) FM broadcast stations, doubling the size of the crowded reserved band. The rest of the channels will be used for LPFM and FM translator stations as well as introduce new ideas for temporary broadcast stations for special events like music festivals, conventions and scouting jamborees as well as revitalize a previous proposal by the National Hockey League to permit stadium broadcasting using extremely low power (ELP) facilities. The proposal also explores the first use of true single frequency networks and while opposed in general by REC, it makes recommendations on accommodating new commercial services in the 13 markets which currently have ATSC3 digital LPTV stations running analog audio carriers on Channel 6 intended to be received by FM radios (also known as “FM6” or “Franken-FM”).
Here are some of the basics about the WIDE-FM proposal
- Bands and Channels
- Protection to TV Stations
- Protection from TV Stations
- Exclusion Zones
- Areas
- Border Priority
- Service Classes
- Channel Usage
- Extremely Low Power (ELP)
Bands and Channels
The WIDE-FM spectrum is divided into two “Bands”. Each band has 30 channels and correlates with the TV channel that is associated with those 30 channels.
Band 5
Band 5 is the 30 channels from 76.1 to 81.9 MHz. These channels will be numbered from 141 to 170. Band 5 also includes Channel 5 TV stations.
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Channel 5 TV stations |
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141 – 76.1 |
151 – 78.1 |
161 – 80.1 |
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142 – 76.3 |
152 – 78.3 |
162 – 80.3 |
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143 – 76.5 |
153 – 78.5 |
163 – 80.5 |
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144 – 76.7 |
154 – 78.7 |
164 – 80.7 |
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145 – 76.9 |
155 – 78.9 |
165 – 80.9 |
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146 – 77.1 |
156 – 79.1 |
166 – 81.1 |
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147 – 77.3 |
157 – 79.3 |
167 – 81.3 |
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148 – 77.5 |
158 – 79.5 |
168 – 81.5 |
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149 – 77.7 |
159 – 79.7 |
169 – 81.7 |
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150 – 77.9 |
160 – 79.9 |
170 – 81.9 |
Band 6
Band 6 is the 30 channels from 82.1 to 87.9 MHz. These channels will be numbered from 171 to 200. Band 6 also includes Channel 6 TV stations.
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Channel 6 TV stations |
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171 – 82.1 |
181 – 84.1 |
191 – 86.1 |
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172 – 82.3 |
182 – 84.3 |
192 – 86.3 |
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173 – 82.5 |
183 – 84.5 |
193 – 86.5 |
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174 – 82.7 |
184 – 84.7 |
194 – 86.7 |
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175 – 82.9 |
185 – 84.9 |
195 – 86.9 |
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176 – 83.1 |
186 – 85.1 |
196 – 87.1 |
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177 – 83.3 |
187 – 85.3 |
197 – 87.3 |
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178 – 83.5 |
188 – 85.5 |
198 – 87.5 |
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179 – 83.7 |
189 – 85.7 |
199 – 87.7 |
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180 – 83.9 |
190 – 85.9 |
200 – 87.9 |
Protection to TV stations
With FM stations now being on the same channel as digital television facilities, we must have a way to assure that FM stations are properly distanced from TV facilities as to not cause interference to viewers. The aural carrier of an analog TV station with stereo sound was nothing more than an FM radio signal. Therefore, digital TV stations have been sharing with “FM” services for over a decade.
To protect digital TV stations from analog FM stations, we propose to use the existing standards for NTSC analog into ATSC digital protection, which calls for a 2 dB desired to undesired (D/U) ratio for domestic and Mexican TV stations and a 7.2 dB D/U ratio for Canadian TV stations. These standards are internationally accepted.
For the first time, FM broadcast applications will need to include the digital F(50,90) contours in their studies to show protections to TV facilities operating in the same band.
For TV stations, we will protect to their 28 dBu noise limited contour. This would mean that the basic protection rule would be that for domestic and Mexican TV protection, the 26 dBu interfering contour of the FM facility cannot overlap the 28 dBu noise limited contour of the TV station. In addition, the 20.8 dBu interfering contour of the FM facility cannot overlap the 28 dBu noise limited contour of the TV station.
Protection from TV stations
Full-service FM stations on the 20 channels reserved for NCE use will also be protected from TV stations. We will use the international standard 34 dB D/U ratio for ATSC digital into NTSC analog protection. This means that the 26 dBu interfering contour of the primary TV station cannot overlap the 60 dBu service contour of the FM facility.
Exclusion Zones
WIDE-FM introduces a new term, the “Exclusion Zone”. The Exclusion Zone is the area that includes the 26 dBu interfering contour of a full-service or Class A TV station and the area that extends 5.6 kilometers from it. Both Channel 5 and 6 will have Exclusion Zones. Within an Exclusion Zone, full-service FM stations are not available on that band. 5.6 kilometers represents the service contour distance of a minimum Class A FM facility based on 100 watts at 30 meters height above average terrain (HAAT).
Areas
Using the Exclusion Zones, every location in the United States is designated in one of three “Areas”. This will determine which channels will be used for full-service NCE stations as well as areas where full-service NCE stations cannot be offered.
|
Area |
Channel 5 Exclusion Zone |
Channel 6 Exclusion Zone |
Channels available for Full Service FM stations |
|
1 |
Inside or outside |
Outside |
Band 6 - 176~195 (83.1~86.9) |
|
2 |
Outside |
Inside |
Band 5 - 146~165 (77.1~80.9) |
|
3 |
Inside |
Inside |
No Full Service NCE FM available |
Area 3 is also known as a “Double Exclusion Zone” as it is inside the Exclusion Zones of both Channels 5 and 6. It would not be possible to place a full-service station in this area that both give and receive protection to protected TV stations.
At no location are Full Service FM stations available in both Bands 5 and 6. It is either one or the other.
By the time WIDE-FM could be implemented, it is expected that there will only be 15 protected TV stations on Channel 5 and 8 protected TV stations on Channel 6. This does not include secondary LPTV, TV Translator and Digital Replacement Translator stations. These secondary stations can be displaced by new Full Service NCE FM services. Based on the nature of this plan, it is likely that most Channel 6 secondary TV stations will be displaced to accommodate the new primary FM stations. The only Channel 5 secondary TV stations that would be displaced are those in or around the places designated as Area 2.
Secondary FM services like LPFM and FM translators must protect surviving secondary TV stations and therefore, LPFM and translator availability in Band 5 will be limited in some areas.
Border Priority
Under this plan, we also include a method for which the administrations of Canada and Mexico can establish their own WIDE-FM facilities in a manner that equally shares the spectrum with the United States. In each Band, the lower 15 channels are considered Canada/Mexico Priority and the upper 15 channels are considered United States Priority.
| Band | Canada Priority Mexico Priority |
United States Priority |
| 5 | 76.1~78.9 (141~155) | 79.1~81.9 (156~170) |
| 6 | 82.1~84.9 (171~185) | 85.1~87.9 (186~200) |
All WIDE-FM broadcast services are subject to Border Priority. On channels that are considered Border Priority for the other country, the 34 dBu interfering contour cannot cross into the other country. Other restrictions apply to channels adjacent to the Border Priority sub band edges.
While we will only consider stations of up to 50 kW in the WIDE-FM spectrum (see below), there is nothing stopping another administration from considering 100 kW service classes. For Mexico, stations that are 6 kW at 100 meters HAAT are considered Class "AA".
Service Classes
Full Service FM
Within the WIDE-FM spectrum, the entire nation will be considered as "FM Zone II". Only three service classes are proposed for WIDE-FM:
| Class | Maximum ERP | Maximum HAAT |
| A | 6 KW | 100 meters |
| C3 | 25 kW | 100 meters |
| C2 | 50 kW | 150 meters |
No FM stations with ERPs greater than 50 kW in the WIDE-FM spectrum.
Low Power FM and FM Translators
Within the WIDE-FM spectrum, to create greater equality in status between LPFM and FM Translators as required by the Local Community Radio Act of 2010, LPFM and FM Translators will use identical technical models for stations. Three service classes are proposed for each service:
| LPFM Class | FM Translator Class | Maximum ERP | Maximum HAAT |
| LP-100 | FX-100 | 100 watts | 30 meters |
| LP-250 | FX-250 | 250 watts | 30 meters |
| LP-250 PLUS* | FX-250 PLUS* | 250 watts | 107 meters |
* - PLUS service classes are only available west of the Mississippi River except in California south of 40 degrees north latitude.
Channel Usage
Within each Area, the 60 WIDE-FM channels will be used in different ways:
| Area | Full Service FM | LPFM | Commercial FM Translators | Noncommercial FM Translators | ELP |
| 1 | 83.1~86.9 |
76.5~76.9* |
77.1~80.9 | 77.1~80.9 83.1~86.9 |
76.1, 76.3 76.5~76.9# 77.1~80.9@ 81.1~81.9# 82.1, 82.3 82.5~82.9# 87.1#, 87.3# |
| 2 | 77.1~80.9 | 76.5~76.9* 77.1~80.9 81.1~81.9* 82.5~82.9* 83.1~86.9 87.1~87.9*& |
83.1~86.9 | 77.1~80.9 83.1~86.9 |
76.1, 76.3 76.5~76.9# 81.1~81.9# 82.1, 82.3 82.5~82.9# 83.1~86.9@ 87.1#, 87.3# |
| 3 | None | 76.5~76.9* 77.1~80.9 81.1~81.9* 82.5~82.9* 83.1~86.9 87.1~87.9*& |
77.1~80.9 83.1~86.9 |
77.1~80.9 83.1~86.9 |
76.1, 76.3 76.5~76.9# 77.1~80.9@ 81.1~81.9# 82.1, 82.3 82.5~82.9# 83.1~86.9@ 87.1#, 87.3# |
* - Channels available for exclusive LPFM use. These channels should be requested if otherwise available.
& - In 13 markets, 87.7 may be assigned for a commercial allotment to replace FM6 services.
# - ELP stations can request these channels only if prevented from using their exclusive channels (76.1, 76.3, 82.1 & 82.3).
@ - ELP stations can request these channels only if prevented from using their exclusive channels or the LPFM exclusive channels.
LPFM, FM Translator and ELP availability will be further limited by the need to protect Low Power TV, TV Translator and Digital Replacement Translator facilities operating on the same band (Channel 5: 76.1~81.9 & Channel 6: 82.1~87.9) that would not be displaced due to the addition of primary full-service FM stations in the band. This mostly impacts the availability of LPFM/FM Translator/ELP in the Channel 5 spectrum (76.1~81.9 MHz).
LPFM, FM Translator and ELP availability will also be further limited by the need to protect primary full-service TV, Class A TV and foreign TV stations.
Extremely Low Power (ELP)
Single Event Permits
Extremely Low Power facilities are proposed for the temporary use for short term (no more than 21 days) special events such as music festivals, conventions, scouting jamborees, golf tournaments, annual motorsports events and religious retreats. ELP temporary permits will only be issued to the event organizers. Events must have a projected simultaneous attendance of 5,000 or more persons excluding support personnel.
Licenses for Seasonal Sports
ELP facilities will be licensed to sports leagues and sports teams for broadcasting within the confines of a stadium or arena. ELP stations will only be licensed to the sports team or league for home games. Stadiums and arenas must have a minimum seating capacity of 15,000 persons. Broadcasting may only take place on home game days and over no more than a 210 day span per year (including pre-season and post-season games).
Emergency Communications Plan Requirement
ELP applications for single event and seasonal use must include an Emergency Communications Plan that involves the coordination with a public safety agency. The plan must include how the ELP facilities will be used for communications to the public in the event of an emergency and how the event's Emergency Operations Center will be able to take over the audio chain in order to broadcast such emergency information.
Power Levels and Channels
ELP stations will be limited to 10 watts ERP at 30 meters HAAT on their dedicated channels 76.1, 76.3, 82.1 and 82.3. Upon a showing of need, ELP permittees and licensees can specify operation on more than one channel (see channel list above). If dedicated channels are not available, ELP stations should request an LPFM dedicated channel. If those channels are not available, they can request a channel available for commercial FM translators. ELP stations cannot request a channel that is used in the same area for full-service NCE stations nor can they request 87.5, 87.7 and 87.9. ELP stations operating on channels other than the 4 dedicated ELP channels will be limited to 5 watts ERP at 30 meters HAAT. Provisions will allow for seasonal operations from wholly-enclosed stadiums and arenas at higher powers as long as specific field strength levels outside the building are met.
