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Radio News: Class A, low-power FM stations could get a boost

Feb 12, 2018 10:50 pm
Ernesto Aguilar, the membership program director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, writes in Radio World about how the Federal Communications Commission is considering increasing the power of Class A FM radio stations. Class A stations are currently limited to six kilowatts of effective radiated power and antenna towers of only 100 meters in height. The new proposal could double the wattage to 12 kilowatts. Aguilar worries that these new Class C4 stations could interfere with low-power FM stations, but those could also get a power boost. There is some discussion, Aguilar writes, that the ceiling for low-power FM stations could rise from 100 watts to 250 watts. Hopefully, the FCC will conduct a deliberative, thorough public hearing process before adopting any new power levels on the FM dial.