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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: Ray Lalleu on June 24, 2021, 2316 UTC

Title: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: Ray Lalleu on June 24, 2021, 2316 UTC
The existing FM band begins in Brazil at 87.5 MHz.
After removing TV stations from channels 5 and 6,
Brasil is now opening 76 to 87.5 to radio stations,
mainly those wanting to simulcast in many regions where the FM band is saturated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_extended_band_in_Brazil

The extended eFM band is now mandatory for the new FM sets manufactured in the economic zone of Manaus.

When will US FCC follow that idea ?
Title: Re: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on June 25, 2021, 1156 UTC
This is something I had been hoping the FCC would do for years. I doubt it will happen, the NAB doesn't want more competition for existing licensed stations.
Title: Re: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: ThaDood on June 25, 2021, 1842 UTC
Well, I remember Brazil talked about this for at least a couple of year, so it's good to see that they're actually acted on this. Japan, on the other hand, has done this for decades, thus all those Sony's, Awia's, and other Japanese portables, that have the FM band extending down to 76MHz. They weren't useless in the 80's and 90's, since you could tune-in to TV CH5 and CH6 audio on them. And yes... You could tune-in the main video carriers for signal strength purposes. So, what other countries have adopted to go down to 76MHz?   
Title: Re: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: Molvania Poacher on June 28, 2021, 0322 UTC
A pretty common sense and interesting concept. Thanks for alerting us that Brazil did move forward with this.

https://medium.com/en-frecuencia/a-new-look-at-low-vhf-9ab39605d191 (https://medium.com/en-frecuencia/a-new-look-at-low-vhf-9ab39605d191)
Title: Re: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: NQC on June 28, 2021, 1138 UTC
Hey All,

I was aware that Japan 's FM band went down to 76 Mhz.It apparently worked out for the Japanese a lot of years ago."More power to the Japan", but things are a lot  different now compared to when  they  extended FM.

I am not really sure what is fueling the Brazilian extension though. Is it  mostly low power translators ?? Is there THAT much of   a long term future market in 1930's style/ over the air/ 76 Mhz  FM  analog  technology ?

Isn't the REAL lucrative (greedy) future on 800 or 900   (or higher) Mhz)  (or fiber optic) were folks are  forced to PAY for it ?

Will this new FM band  be like our local  WMEX  1510- "ME TV  Radio"  (run by Me TV) ? 'MEX  is  LITERALLY  3 minutes or more  of  the same repeating commercials all about "Me" Tv shows (What time  Gilligan's Island  is on , etc)    grudgingly  punctuated  by   maybe 2 minutes of   music. PURE TORTURE.

I am going to wire  FIVE 1510 Kc  traps in series so that I NEVER even  have to  hear two seconds of it  as I quickly tune by  :).

(OT-WMEX was once an early and very  influential  rock station. "How the mighty hath fallen". The "Me Tv" folks have soiled  this call sign .The FCC should  retire WMEX, and give them something like WBAD instead . Nauseating stuff.I'd rather listen to 12 straight hours of my local TIS. I hope Brazil doesn't  wind up with content like this).

Don't get me wrong, I am in favor of ALL broadcasting if , in  my opinion, it is "useful" or desired by the general public. If Brazil can actually get more listeners onto conventional FM , great.Is there a lot of public "enthusiasm" for this move ? I HOPE so, but don't know for sure.

OR is this a "push" from the Brazilian   broadcast business without a huge actual  need ? I am not sure either way (and probably shouldn't guess) whether this actually good for or  really desired by  the Brazilian PEOPLE (or not) . I'd need more info.

A band extension is a rather straightforward event with little in the way of new technology required, other than buying  an extended receiver.

I have heard that Brazil is also home to a LOT of FM pirates. Is this just going to make more room for them ?

I am just  a bit gun shy from past experiences  about who really wants these things, that's all.

Remember the AM stereo systems ( PLURAL), IBOC, shortwave DRM,digital TV and maybe another 1 or 2 other
"misguided" technologies that were "solutions in search of a  problem" or simply just  NOT  desired by the general public.

The Brazilian extension may not fall into this category, but....

Just sayin'.

K
Title: Re: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: BoomboxDX on July 01, 2021, 1108 UTC
RE: MeTV: the station in Chicago played mostly music and even got ratings. The radio industry crowd seems to call them Franken-FMs, because they're technically broadcasting on TV audio frequencies.

RE: Brazil: Power to them. I hope they also have some initiative to get FM radios capable of tuning down that low in the hands of consumers. I know most DSP chips will tune down that low -- but it depends on the microprocessor operating the radio in many cases, and how the DSP chip itself is programmed in others.

My Sangean PRD14 and Grundig G2 can tune down as low as the Eastern European OIRT band. Was able to get them to do it with a couple menu clicks.
Title: Re: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: NQC on July 01, 2021, 1606 UTC
Hey Boombox,

Great to see your comments.
I hope it all works out for Brazil.

OT, I see you have  a “TRF” rig on your equipment list. Is it home brew ? Any details.

I have a few projects on the bench, a TRF included.

K
Title: Re: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: RobRich on July 03, 2021, 2000 UTC
According to the wiki entry, over 1700 AM stations have planned migrations to FM in Brazil with insufficient standard FM BCB spectrum available in 14 states.

Apparently the government is mandating the migration process. I am somewhat curious as to what Brazil intends to do the AM BCB band once vacated.
Title: Re: Brasil extends FM band down to 76 MHz
Post by: NQC on July 04, 2021, 0156 UTC
Hey Rob. 

Brazil allows some crazy power, one  station at  250 kw , a good number at 100 kw.

FWIW, Years  ago  I  BRIEFLY copied  a very probable Brazilian on AM b'cast   (up- for only 30  seconds good , then down and  gone for good  )   in MO on a  8 ft    loop crystal set.

SOME REAL JUICE  !

Not sure what the Brazilian flame throwers  will do during all this,

K