Many because of SWLing Publish contributor, Bob Colegrove, who shares the next visitor publish:
By Bob Colegrove
Even in spite of everything these years, I nonetheless discover occasional surprises whereas enjoying with radios. How did I miss this one? I just lately did what I assumed was a definitive audit of the obtainable FM stations in my space. Then, simply the opposite day I occurred to tune down under 88.1 (FM Channel 201). At 87.7 MHz I got here throughout some pleasant Latin music in clear stereo and proceeded to park the tuning knob there for a hear. At first, I assumed I’d merely have some intermodulation from a robust native station, however the stereo sign was a lot too clear. So, I resorted to the web to find out what was happening. Seems, in keeping with their web site, I used to be listening to DC 88.7FM in Fairfax, Virginia – no name letters, simply “DC 88.7FM.”
Additional investigation indicated that the station is formally WDCN-LD a low-power operator, however you gained’t discover it listed on the FCC FM Question web site. That’s as a result of it’s one thing of a legacy station, a carryover from analog TV days when the audio for Channel 6 was broadcast with the provider centered on 87.75 MHz, inside the vary of most FM receivers. Having found this, I retuned the radio barely to 87.75 MHz and located the sign power peaked. Wikipedia describes the historical past of WDCN-LD at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WDCN-LD.
Of additional curiosity is the historical past of so-called “Channel 6 FM radio stations.” The evolution of present-day stations is lengthy and concerned. Over a number of years, the FCC fashioned committees, requested feedback, held hearings, wrote studies, revealed proposals, rendered rulings, and finally granted waivers. For the total story, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_6_radio_stations_in_the_United_States. What resulted are legacy stations courting again to analog TV days which proceed to function sans video as de facto FM stations. For all sensible functions, we’ve got a modest extension of the FM band. There are, in actual fact, 14 such stations at present unfold throughout the decrease 48 states. It’s unlikely that the circumstances which created these stations will ever end in extra stations being added. As of July 20, 2023, an FCC report and order restricted these stations to these already licensed and present licenses untransferable.
Do you reside close to a Channel 6 FM radio station?
Simply to finish the image, there’s additionally formally an FM Channel 200 at 87.9 MHz, which was established in 1978, however to my information is just not used. Does anybody have any info on FM Channel 200?
As an historic apart, the present-day FM band, 88 to 108 MHz, is positioned instantly between analog TV Channels 6 and seven. In 1958, to foster FM use, Regency Electronics, Inc. marketed a converter, Mannequin RC-103, in a good-looking Bakelite case, which might be connected between the antenna (typically “rabbit ears”) and the TV set. The converter contained a single transistor and was powered by three AA batteries. By tuning the TV to Channel 6, turning on the TeleVerter to FM, and rotating its dial, one successfully detuned the Channel 6 audio frequency upward, and will hearken to the complete FM band. As this converter was manufactured previous to the appearance of stereo broadcasting, the sound was in mono, and constancy was restricted to the audio high quality of the TV. My dad purchased one in every of these. It was related to our Arvin 12”, B/W tabletop TV, and it served as our first FM radio for a couple of years. There have been only some stations at the moment, principally classical as I recall. Thus “FM” got here to face for “tremendous music.”
Supply: Sams Photofact Folder, Set 397, Folder 11, Regency Mannequin RC-103, Might, 1958.
