[grc] REC files petition to improve LPFM coverage

[Michi Bradley]

RIVERTON, MD (APRIL 20, 2015) --- A project that was over two years in 
the making, REC Networks has filed a Petition for Rulemaking intended to 
help LPFM stations enhance their signal within their current three mile 
service area as well as reach out to more rural areas.

In today's filing, REC is asking the Federal Communications Commission 
to allow 50 to 75 percent of currently authorized LPFM stations to 
increase their effective radiated power from 100 watts (based on 30 
meters height above average terrain) to 250 watts increasing the average 
protected service contour from 3½ miles to about a 4½ mile radius. 
  Unlike the previous proposals filed by The Amherst Alliance and the 
Catholic Radio Association which focused on rural expansion and was 
tabled by the FCC due to disagreement in the community, the REC petition 
focuses first on enhancing the listener experience within the "three 
mile zone", the prime area that current LP-100 stations serve.  Many 
LPFM stations are experiencing issues with building penetration and 
other issues within the three mile zone.

Unlike the previous LPFM proposals which restricted upgrades to rural 
stations only, the new LP-250 Petition for Rulemaking calls for no 
geographic restrictions on the upgrading of LPFM stations.  Stations 
that will not be able to upgrade are those in spectrum crowded areas, 
near the Mexican border and in some cases, stations that can not meet 
the requirements for a second adjacent channel waiver at the higher power.

REC's proposal has some additional provisions that call for additional 
processes for handling LPFM stations in foothill areas that have a very 
long service contour in some directions.  This additional protection 
requirement assures that full-service FM stations and FM translators are 
protected from "super-sized" LPFMs.   Currently, 7% of all LPFM stations 
are considered as "foothill" stations.

In addition to the power increase, REC has also asked the FCC to allow 
100-watt LPFM stations to move up to 6.9 miles (11.1 km) and upgraded 
LP-250 stations up to 8.7 miles (14.1 km) as a minor move, remove the 
requirement of service contour overlap between LPFM stations and 
commonly-owned FM translators in light of other restrictions in place to 
keep these stations local, new second-adjacent channel protection 
requirements for FM translators and to provide relief to time share 
stations subject to the 8-hours per day local programming pledge.

Information about the LP-250 proposal can be found at*LP250.com* 
<http://lp250.com/>and an online lookup where granted LPFM stations can 
check their upgrade potential can be found at *check.LP250.com* 
<http://check.lp250.com/>.

REC Networks, established in 1984 is dedicated to entertainment, 
information and support.  REC has been involved with the Low Power FM 
radio service since the original petitions for rulemaking.  Over the 
years, REC along with other allied advocates in the media justice 
community have worked together to pass and implement the Local Community 
Radio Act as well as assure integrity in the LPFM service.  REC also 
provides various free online services including mylpfm.com, FCCdata.org 
andhttp://fcc.today <http://fcc.today/>, the dashboard for activity at 
the FCC Media Bureau. REC Broadcast Services, LLC is a Wisconsin 
corporation that provides professional FCC filing services for LPFM 
stations and other radio services.

Media Contact: Michelle Bradley 202 621-2355

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