Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1956)

GOVERNMENT REMOTE CONTROL FOR ALL ASKED IN NARTB PETITION Association files 400-page brief describing experience and experiments in the field, asks Commission begin rule-making procedure. ALL RADIO broadcast stations, including those with 50 kw power and directional signals, can be operated by remote control without degrading their service, NARTB's Engineering Dept. claims after a two-year field study. Based on a 400-page roundup of its extensive operating tests, the association last week asked FCC to scan this array of charts and tables and then start rule-making procedure. NARTB proposes amendment of Sees. 3.39, 3.66, 3.527 and 3.274 to extend the present remote limitation from non-directional stations up to 10 kw so all am-fm outlets can use automation equipment. A. Prose Walker, NARTB engineering manager who directed the field work, and John F. Meagher, NARTB radio vice president, filed NARTB's formal petition at the Commission Wednesday. Exhibits supporting NARTB's own tests include the operating experience of British Broadcasting Corp. and Canadian stations as well as the technical reports compiled by U. S. stations under NARTB auspices. This mass of documentary proof, NARTB points out, supports these two premises: present remote control operations show a high degree of reliability, and the experimental data clearly demonstrates that remote control may be extended to directional and 50 kw am-fm stations "with the assurance that equal reliability will be achieved." Backing up these statements, NARTB adds, "The opinion of the professional radio engineers and the results of the experimental data from remote operation of American stations are confirmed by evidence collected from stations in actual remote operation." Mr. Walker said a change in FCC's rules to allow 50 kw and directional stations to operate with remote gear would benefit about 850 more stations. Already 714 stations have been granted remote permits. In explaining the NARTB's petition, Mr. Meagher said the association seeks revision of FCC's rules "to bring them abreast of the everadvancing technological development within the industry." He outlined the two-year program of Mr. Walker's department. This included equipment and similar arrangements, actual development of data from equipment operations conducted by qualified technicians, a field study of foreign experience, collection and preparation of exhibits and preparation of the final petition. U. S. stations conducting the directional fie'd tests included KMCO Conroe, Tex.; KDNT Denton, Tex.; WDLP Panama City, Fla.; WPDQ Jacksonville, Fla.; WFIL Philadelphia; KSEI Pocatello, Idaho, and WHBF Rock Island, 111. Stations conducting remote tests on their 50 kw transmitters, both directional and nondirectional, were KDKA Pittsburgh; WSB Atlanta; WOWO Fort Wayne, Ind., and KIRO Seattle. Reports of unattended directional operations in Canada came from CKPC Brantford, Ont.; CFNS Saskatoon, Sask.; CKY Winnipeg, Man.; CFPL London, Ont.; CKBI Prince Albert, Sask.; CHLN Trois Rivieres, Que., and CJOC Lethbridge, Alta. D. B. Williamson, of Canadian Westinghouse, prepared the exhibit relating to Canadian operations. Mr. Walker pointed out that extension of remote operation to all standard broadcast stations "will enable a considerable increase in the effectiveness of the Conelrad emergency system of communication." He proposed that any future remote control grant be conditioned upon the station's equipping itself for satisfactory Conelrad participation and, by remote switching of the transmitter or use of a separate transmitter, change from its normal frequency to either 640 or 1240 kc." He added that switching time would be shortened. The original NARTB petition to permit remote operation was filed Feb. 1, 1952. Rulemaking procedure was set in motion and over 2,000 comments were filed with FCC, whose grant to the industry limited remote operations to non-directional stations up to 10 kw. NARTB recalled that "the Commission stated PETITION asking remote control privilege for directional and 50 kw am-fm stations was filed Wednesday with FCC Chairman George C. McConnaughey (r) by A. Prose Walker, NARTB engineering manager. the most important consideration was whether the revision in question would result in any degradation of the Commission's technical standards." In denying a petition to reconsider this action, the FCC said March 30, 1953, ". . . the technical problem was the critical issue." It explained the 10 kw non-directional limit this way, ". . . it was felt that the relaxation should extend to that level of power at which no serious problems would be encountered because of the nature of the transmitting equipment, itself." With this FCC position made clear, NARTB now contends the remote privilege should be broadened because any possible technical doubts have been removed. NARTB's petition for rule-making procedure was submitted by Robert L. Heald, chief attorney, and Walter R. Powell Jr., attorney. Among those active in directing the field experiments were John M. Outler Jr. and A. R. Holbrook, WSB; Lincoln W. Miller and Bill Reuter, KIRO; Robert J. Sinnett, WHBF; Henry H. Fletcher, KSEI; Henry Rhea, WFIL; Calvin Howrigan, WDLP; Earnest Harrelson, WPDQ; Harwell V. Shepard, KDNT, and John W. Neathery, KMCO. Broadcasting Telecasting