As far as our *broadcast* spectrum is concerned, the FCC blew it by allowing companies such as EMF to drop in K-Love frequencies all over the land. Many markets have K-Love on as many as 6 FM channels. This carpetbaombing is flat-out wrong, and a real stretch of FCC rules (if they haven't been overturned while I speak). Then, they wonder why people are PO'ed about interference on FM. Then, why do they not extend the band down to 76MHz? I'm sure "well nobody has radios for that band". Okay, I'll buy that. However, some of the same voices stating that argument are the ones pushing for sunset of analog and full IBOC. Wait!! There are so few radios around! Did you just not contradict your concern for "no radios"
And should I even mention the handling of analog TV sunset??? People are STILL having issues receiving many of their favorite OTA signals.
Then, there is AM band. IMO, a LOT of these broom-closet automation trainwrecks *need* to go dark. How many AM signals does a market need with evangelists or hate-talk? I could hear Rush on NO LESS than 8 signals, all of which come in clear, in Flint. There is duplicate sports-talk on FOUR signals. To me, this is a waste. Granted, I'm an old-school radio guy who has despised automation since the days of Drake-Chenault reels.
The other major issue I have with AM band is the general lack of engineering "quality". I hear AM stations, using Optimods, Arianas, etc, that sound absolutely horrible, because the tubes in the transmitter haven't been changed in five years or more. Stations are blowing off pattern changes, sitting in dead air (or, more commonly, +125% line noise) running onmi, patterns FUBAR or TX on low power for months on end with no STA filed. If I pulled this kind of BS if I owned a station, I'd be "zorched" in days!! Oh, and I know of at least 4 translators that somehow remained on the air YEARS AFTER the AM's license was deleted. How exactly does *that* happen?
I'll even go out on a limb and say this. A lot of the spectrum was repacked to sell to cellular. Fine, the demand is high, so it doesn't really bother me. But then, I watch as the infrastructure is left to rot in place. Covers and RF shields missing, unlocked doghouses, you name it.
I suppose a lot of this boils down to the entire "profit matters, nothing else does" attitude of American businesses, especially the bigger radio groups and major cell/internet providers.
And I cannot even begin to count how many dedicated, talented engineers have simply bailed out of the business because of low pay and benefits coupled with workloads which triple every few months. Almost anyone who took pride in their work left radio/TV for greener pastures long ago. A few had opportunities to go to work for smaller groups or Mom & Pop stations where their expertise was appreciated. Many others, myself included, went to work on the line in auto plants, machine setup and repair in plastic factories or even sales gigs. It's heartbreaking to see the loss of talent in the field, and even on-air and management suffered from this.
Indeed, spectrum management and corporate engineering nowdays is something I am glad I do not have to be involved in. I can say I certainly do not miss grueling 70 hour weeks with no overtime and stupid "the lamp burned out in the bathroom" calls at 4:26AM on a Saturday. It was already the scenario for me when I left radio in 1998, for a job on the line at Jeep for $36 an hour with good benefits. I hated the monotony of it, but that check was more than worth it. I'd come out of retirement in a heartbeat for a *real* chief engineer job involving a few stations for a decent local owner. Something tells me that's not going to happen soon though.