2004 Public Radio Engineering Conference Papers

NPR Request for HD Radio Statements of Interest

As we're all aware, the FCC mid-October's [2002] approved iBiquity's proposed standard for in-band on-channel digital radio. The Report and Order as well as the transmission standards for both AM and FM can be downloaded from the FCC's website at http://www.fcc.gov. (As of this moment these documents are accessible directly from the 11 October "headlines" section of the FCC's Home Page. They may migrate to a different area of the FCC site in a week or so.)

NPR encourages stations to give careful consideration to the potential of HD (aka IBOC) Radio. We are therefore developing initiatives that will examine possible enhancements to HD Radio and are working with CPB to assist public radio stations in the implementation of HD Radio services in several key markets.

Attached is a memorandum from NPR Member and Program Services VP Dana Davis Rehm addressed to member station Authorized Representatives soliciting statements of interest for participation in the various initiatives. We strongly encourage station engineers and consultants to familiarize themselves with these proposals, the FCC Report and Order and the adopted IBOC standards, and to discuss these matters with station management. We look forward to working with many of you as the public radio community moves forward into the digital broadcasting era.

Dear A-REPS,
Conversations and e-mails with Member stations over the past few days have revealed a great deal of interest in the NPR Pilot Project for Multi-Channel Demonstration and related digital development efforts. This memorandum will provide you with specific information on those projects.

In addition, later today we will send to you a summary of the FCC First Report and Order, a link to the FCC site, and more details on the steps for stations interested in early adoption.

As NPR demonstrated at the Public Radio Conference last May, HD Radio has the
capacity to enable broadcasters to provide distinct, scaled quality content on two or more channels within the hybrid FM digital radio signal. The opportunities will multiply if HD Radio succeeds and we are operating in an all-digital environment. In an effort to make this a reality, NPR and station representatives have been working together to cultivate interest in multi-channel capability in the HD Radio format among FCC Commissioners and staff, as well as industry manufacturers.

To advance this effort and to ensure that public radio has the ability to shape the development and implementation of digital radio, a number of initiatives are underway, including:

NPR Pilot Project for Multi-Channel Development
The NPR Pilot Project is one that will be managed by NPR and will involve NPR
Member stations and broadcasting industry transmission and consumer receiver
manufacturers. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate and evaluate the potential for multi-channel digital broadcasting at local stations, and, if results warrant, encourage equipment manufacturers to produce products suitable for a multi-channel environment.

The project is not intended to fund digital development, but to test the multi-channel concept. Because manufacturers will lend equipment for these demonstrations, we expect that the number of pilots will be relatively few and geographically tied to the participating manufacturers. NPR is still in the process of identifying receiver makers and other vendors that are interested in engaging on this project. So far, four markets and four vendors have been identified as possible matches.

As interested vendors more fully develop criteria for demonstration outcomes, stations will be contacted in the target cities to gauge interest in participation. Our concept is that pilot stations would have an opportunity to experiment with developing content for multi-channel broadcasting. NPR would work with the stations to provide content for the additional channel.

We invite Member stations to respond with statements of interest in this project, although we do not expect to have a fully developed demonstration receiver strategy completed prior to January 2003. Part of the process will likely involve requesting special permission from the FCC to provide audio on the second channel that differs from the content of the main signal.
As the project takes further shape, NPR will work with all parties to establish relevant evaluative criteria, to accurately assess the realistic potential for expanded audience service in a multi-channel HD Radio services, and to identify best opportunities.

Seed Market Development
To marshal resources to support digital development of the system, CPB has convened a Digital Panel and two sub-panels – a Radio Advisory Group and a Television Advisory Group. The focus of these groups has been to determine the funding mix, protocols and procedures that will be put in place for the next two years.

CPB is currently working to secure funding to support development of digital radio in 13 “seed markets” selected by iBiquity for the introduction of digital radio. iBiquity, receiver makers, transmission manufacturers, and others will saturate these markets with receiver products and consumer advertising designed to stimulate marketplace acceptance of digital radio. These markets are: New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston, and Detroit. Las Vegas and Washington DC are defined as “strategic markets” - Las Vegas because so many broadcasting and
consumer electronics trade conferences continually showcase new technologies, and DC due to the ease of educating the FCC and Congress on innovative service offerings. At this stage of the interim FCC authorization, CPB has not yet announced the exact funding and application procedures.

NPR’s role in this project is to help identify the stations in the seed markets that are willing and able to be part of the introduction of HD Radio. Participating stations must be prepared to pay a percentage of the cost, though that amount is not yet determined, nor is the exact timing. While PTFP is still defining the exact nature of their support for digital transition efforts, NPR is consulting with their officials about the service enhancement possibilities of the digital migration that the Commission has now launched.

Pre-Standard AM Testing

Additionally, CPB has tentatively earmarked funds for pre-standard testing for AM digital, based on the recommendations of the Radio Advisory Group and the advice of NPR’s Digital Transition Advisory Committee and AM Sub-Committee. Many public radio stations operate aging AM equipment that will require additional costs for conversion, particularly those operating critical directional arrays, and especially those in the seed markets. This project will locate test stations to determine the real-world cost of conversion. In addition, nighttime broadcasting and scenarios where more than four stations are multiplexed on common antennae systems may warrant focused study. A Request for Information (RFI) from broadcast consulting firms is being prepared to address the special implications of converting AM stations.

CPB will administrate the digital radio funding for both the seed market development and AM station testing. NPR’s role has been to participate in the radio panel and to advise CPB directly and with the input of the Digital Transition Advisory Committee. CPB will advise stations and NPR as soon as there are more details on support for these projects.

Statements of Interest
If you are interested in participating in any of these three key digital activities – multichannel development, seed market implementation or pre-standard AM testing, -- please register your interest with me directly. Working in partnership with Member stations, we hope to create a number of test markets and digital projects with the help of CPB and the cooperation of the manufacturers.

Dana Davis Rehm
DDRehm@npr.org
VP, Member & Program Services
(202) 513-2747 office
(202) 744-9630 cell

Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems and Their Impact On the Terrestrial Radio
Further Study of FM IBOC & FM SCA Compatibility. This report to the FCC, from NPR, IAAIS and the Advanced Television Technology Center, details anticipated interference on SCA signals from IBOC transmissions. (This report is in the EUonline Feature Page; the link here is for your convenience. 20020528)

National Level Emergency Action Notifications Distributed Via NPR News Squawk Channel (Analog B64.9) This page has been moved to the public pages of EUonline)

November 12, 1999 FCC Announces Proposed Rulemaking on Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems And Their Impact On the Terrestrial Radio Broadcast Service.
We have a brief summary by Mike Starling of NPR, and [our NPR] annotated copy of the notice

To: Authorized Representatives
From: NPR National Affairs
Date: June 16, 1999
Subject: Documentation for Translator Funding

In the course of preparing our comments on the Low Power FM (LPFM) proposal, we are looking at the potential dislocation of translators and booster facilities. Toward that end, we need information regarding any successful capital campaigns or state legislative funding initiatives that facilitated the construction of a translator or booster facility. If your station was involved in a capital campaign to raise funds from your local community, we would appreciate any documentation that you may possess. This could include any positive press about the campaign from local news sources, a program guide detailing the campaign, or a station’s report to members on the outcome of the campaign. The same would go for stations that requested and received help from their state legislature. It may take a little digging, but any and all documentation of translator or booster station funding will help us immensely.

Our comments are due by August 2^nd. If you think you may be able to help, please call Aaron Hurowitz at (800) 329-5380 X2749 as soon as possible, preferably by July 9^th.

LOW POWER FM RADIO SERVICE UPDATE from Betsy Laird, NPR National Affairs, April 27, 1999

THE NPR STATEMENT TO THE FCC REGARDING THE PROPOSAL TO CREATE LOW-POWER FM BROADCAST SERVICE. This statement was received by the FCC on April 27, 1998, and states reasons why LPFM services should not be created.

THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM (EAS) EQUIPMENT ISSUE IS STILL OUTSTANDING.

Also see EAS and Y2K by WMRA's William Fawcett (November 1998)

The FCC extended its waiver of EAS requirements for all repeater stations that have an EAS request on file at the Commission. The waiver continues until the FCC grants the station an EAS exemption or until 3 months after the FCC denies the exemption. Stations are reminded that if they seek a waiver and have not already made a request to the FCC, they need to do so ASAP.

Those stations that had requested a waiver of EAS equipment for their repeater stations received a form letter from the FCC asking for additional information. The FCC letter indicates stations have 40 days from when they receive the letter to comply. If stations do not submit the information requested, the FCC will treat this as abandoning the waiver request.

In November, NPR National Affairs participated in a conference call with Frank Lucia, Director of the Emergency Communications Compliance and Information Bureau and H. James Keats, EAS staff attorney, on this matter. The two confirmed that their office had granted several hundred extensions as they had yet to grant any waivers.

They advised us to inform stations that the answers to the additional information requested can be brief and that it would be helpful to respond in the same order in which the questions were listed. In addition to responding to their request by mail, answers may also be faxed to the EAS office, attn:Frank Lucia at (202) 418-2817.

In addition, NPR National Affairs will attend the Emergency Alert System National Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, January 27, 1998 to consider emergency communication matters.

NPR PROGRAM SUPPORT for FLOATING BREAKS and IRREGULAR PROGRAM LENGTH CUE TONES. June, 1997. In response to NPR member station requests for expanded automation signaling support, several NPR programs now offer 25 Hertz "subaudible" signals for triggering local station automation. All NPR programs will soon feature cutaway opportunities that occur on-the-clock, as published in the timing and cues DACS messages sent to NPR member stations, or via the live 25 Hertz system.

For floating breaks and programs of irregular length, three tone signals are available. In the future, some programs may define what each tone is meant to signify for station purposes according to unique needs. Currently, each of the NPR programs listed follows the same format 25Hz protocol, and each regularly uses only one type of tone signal, as noted below.

The level of the 25Hz tone is -5dB below +4dBm. The NPR Program Operating Level ("Zero VU") is +4dBm.

The Program Automation Advisory Committee's Final Report In this report, dated 23 Feburary 1997, contains the following:

• The committee's mission,

• Technical performance of five 25Hz on-channel signalling systems is reviewed, and

• The committee lists five reasons why 25Hz is preferred for a voluntary standard over super-audible and sub-audible systems.

Additionally, the report states that the committee is interested in a workable interim solution and it "...recommends that the NPR Board charge an appropriate committee with the responsibility for developing the requirements for a more sophisticated system, realizing that the specification and implementation process will take several years to become operational -- and could require a significant financial investment."

What is program automation signaling? See our backround primer

Are there alternatives to 25Hz signaling? See what WKYU Chief Chris Scott has designed

WHO TO CONTACT:

Please direct any technical questions regarding 25Hz signalling to at Mike Starling at NPR.