For over a decade, REC has supported a 250 watt at 30 meter HAAT, 7.1 km service contour LPFM service.  In many events leading up to last spring's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), there has been a lot of buzz in comments and ex-parte presentations to support a rural 250 watt upgrade. 

This FAQ includes some questions that have either been asked directly to REC or to the various lists.   Please contact us if you have any site specific questions.

Please note that at this time, we do not have the actual text of the FCC's Report and Order (R&O) that will implement these new rules and policies.  This document is not expected to be released until next week.  But without the R&O document, we will try to answer some of the questions the best that we can. 

What proof will new LPFM applicants have to show that they do not interfere with second adjacent channels?

REC is delighted that the FCC took our suggestion and lifted the restrictions that were placed on proposed student operated LPFM stations.  Under the original rules, if an LPFM application by a student operated station at an institution that already has a broacast license was mutually exclusive with other LPFM applicants, the student application would be dismissed. 

As we have seen with KUSF and many other student stations that have seen their fate set in the past decade as universities downsize their broadcasting and journalism programs, LPFM is an affordable way to maintain some form of over-the-air experience for our next generation of people in the broadcast industry. 

Corrected to reflect that the additional 20 translators must remain in rural areas.

REC Networks is satisfied with the FCC's decision where it comes to FM translators.  The extension of the 50-cap to a 70-cap with a limitation that translators 51 through 70 are in rural areas will not substantially impact the availability of LPFM in urban areas and still puts restrictions on the most egregious filers.  For these additional 20 translators, they must remain in rural areas for the next 4 years and they can't overlap any other commonly owned translator or translator application. 

The Federal Communications Commission is about to vote on the Sixth Report and Order (R&O) in MM Docket 99-25 and MB Docket 07-172. 

The majjor items that will be decided in this R&O will include: