Date: Mon, 28 Dec 92 12:39 EST
From: jrg@bertha.att.com
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: How to Prepare For the Startup of an AM Radio Tower Nearby
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 924, Message 1 of 11

Hello Telecom Readers,

My parents and their neighbors were unable to block a radio station's
request for zoning exception in Germantown, Maryland.  The result is
four very high towers that will soon be broadcasting in the AM band (I
don't know the broadcast power, though.)

Can anyone suggest any measurements, recordings, or other things that
should be done now, before broadcasting starts, that will help if we
need to later complain to the FCC about interference, bad phone noise,
etc.?  If there are any firms that specialize in this type of
measurment, their names or numbers would be appreciated.

FYI, my parents and neighbors aren't suffering too much from the NIMBY
syndrome, they just don't like the way the site was picked -- the
rezoning wasn't well publicized, with the required information sign
being positioned well back from the road.  Furthermore, the sign only
vaguely mentioned construction of a tower, which the majority of
people assumed meant yet another power company microwave tower, of
which there is already one in a nearby sub-station.  When the locals
finally realized what was happening, they didn't have much time to
prepare a case for the final zoning review board.  Naturally, the
radio station had a slew of well-qualified lawyers, etc specializing
in radio tower/FCC matters, versus the attorney that the local home
owners had hired out of their own pockets.

Any information or advice would be appreciated.  


Jamie Goldstein   AT&T Bell Labs / Federal Systems Advanced Technology
(301)369-7845     j.r.goldstein@att.com
 

[Moderator's Note: Now and again in an effort to reach a compromise
between the radio station and neighbors who are beseiged with the
dense radiation to be found within a mile or two of a very powerful
transmitter, the FCC will require the station to spend time, effort
and money to reduce the interference to a minimum. In one such case
reported here in the Digest a few years ago (and reprinted just a
month or so ago), WYCA-FM in Hammond, Indiana was required by the FCC
to work at no charge with anyone within a 1.7 mile radius of the
station and provide them with filters and technical help installing
them. The station was required to work with the two telcos serving the
area. They were required to provide this assistance for a period of
one year, and additionally they had to announce over the air the FCC's
requirement. The announcement had to be made over the air several
times daily for the first week or two, then less often for about one
month.

The last report I have from Hammond is that the interference has been
reduced about 80-85 percent as a result of WYCA's work with telco and
others in the commmunity.  But the reduction in interference took a
*long time* to cure: WYCA-FM was breaking no laws or FCC regulations,
and they knew it, as well as their rights under the Communications Act
and related regulations. For about two years the neighbors had to
tolerate it; telco could not help them; neither could the FCC. It was
not telco's fault, so telco said they would 'try to work things out'
but at some expense to complaining subscribers.  Had the FCC taken a
hard line, they'd have gotten no where unless at some future point
they found a violation at the station and used it to get their way.
Through some 'gentle pursuasion' and the implication that 'the
Commission works along with stations that work along with us; help us
get the neighborhood off our back and we may find a more liberal
interpretation of our rules sometime when you need it ...', the owners
of the station, 'WYCA Christian Broadcasters, Inc' were induced to
sign an agreement with the FCC and dedicate a tech person to the
project full time for several months. Once the telcos saw that WYCA-FM
was putting some money in the project to show their intentions, the
telcos did the same, and put a couple guys on it full time for a few
months; it was literally a house-by-house job.  PAT]