I was once told that it is illegal to broadcast a shortwave signal
with US as a target. (Not sure if that applied only to VOA or shortwave
in general) Is this true for non-government stations? (ham radio
the obvious exception, I'm talking about broadcast stations like
the BBC)

Why do there appear to be very few or no US based stations? (except religious
programming spilling all over the dial)?

Are there any broadcast stations that also broadcast on shortwave frequencies?

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

WBCQ "The Planet" is based in the US and broadcasts to the US as well
on shortwave.

wrote:
I was once told that it is illegal to broadcast a shortwave signal
with US as a target. (Not sure if that applied only to VOA or shortwave
in general) Is this true for non-government stations? (ham radio
the obvious exception, I'm talking about broadcast stations like
the BBC)

Why do there appear to be very few or no US based stations? (except religious
programming spilling all over the dial)?

Are there any broadcast stations that also broadcast on shortwave frequencies?

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

wrote:
I was once told that it is illegal to broadcast a shortwave signal
with US as a target. (Not sure if that applied only to VOA or shortwave
in general) Is this true for non-government stations? (ham radio
the obvious exception, I'm talking about broadcast stations like
the BBC)

FCC regulation 73.701 defines an "International broadecasting" station
as one "...the transmissions of which are intended to be received
directly by the general public in foreign countries." Stations
licensed under this Subpart F are the only privately-owned stations
allowed to broadcast to the general public anywhere on shortwave.

So yes, it's illegal for privately-owned U.S.-based shortwave stations
to broadcast to the general public within the U.S..

However, a common tactic is to choose an official target area in Canada
or Mexico, such that the station must beam most of its power across
desirable areas of the U.S. to get to the border. For example, pick a
transmitter site near New Orleans. Pick the most effective frequency to
serve ITU Zone 9, the Canadian Maritimes. You can be pretty sure this
frequency will also deliver a heck of a signal to the New York and New
England areas...

FCC regulations don't apply to federal government-owned stations.
However, it is my understanding that an Act of Congress establishes a
similar prohibition against the Voice of America or other U.S.
government-owned stations broadcasting to a domestic audience. I can't
cite that law though.

Ham stations are not officially "broadcasting" - they are communicating
with specific other amateur stations, or attempting to establish such
communications. They're regulated under Part 97. There are other
shortwave services that aren't broadcasting to the general public, and
they too may communicate domestically.

None of this applies to stations outside the U.S.. The FCC cannot
prohibit Canada, or Britain, or Germany, or Iran, or any other country,
from broadcasting to the U.S.. And they don't try.

Why do there appear to be very few or no US based stations? (except religious
programming spilling all over the dial)?

There aren't enough listeners to make it financially viable.

People have tried. In my lifetime, WRNO New Orleans and KUSW Salt Lake
City have both tried commercial shortwave broadcasting. Neither station
succeeded - both are now religious outlets.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

Doug Smith W9WI wrote:

wrote:
I was once told that it is illegal to broadcast a shortwave signal
with US as a target. (Not sure if that applied only to VOA or shortwave
in general) Is this true for non-government stations? (ham radio
the obvious exception, I'm talking about broadcast stations like
the BBC)

FCC regulation 73.701 defines an "International broadecasting" station
as one "...the transmissions of which are intended to be received
directly by the general public in foreign countries." Stations
licensed under this Subpart F are the only privately-owned stations
allowed to broadcast to the general public anywhere on shortwave.

So yes, it's illegal for privately-owned U.S.-based shortwave stations
to broadcast to the general public within the U.S..

However, a common tactic is to choose an official target area in Canada
or Mexico, such that the station must beam most of its power across
desirable areas of the U.S. to get to the border. For example, pick a
transmitter site near New Orleans. Pick the most effective frequency to
serve ITU Zone 9, the Canadian Maritimes. You can be pretty sure this
frequency will also deliver a heck of a signal to the New York and New
England areas...

FCC regulations don't apply to federal government-owned stations.
However, it is my understanding that an Act of Congress establishes a
similar prohibition against the Voice of America or other U.S.
government-owned stations broadcasting to a domestic audience. I can't
cite that law though.

It's the Smith-Mundt Act as has been pointed out here numerous times.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

dxAce wrote:

Doug Smith W9WI wrote:

wrote:
I was once told that it is illegal to broadcast a shortwave signal
with US as a target. (Not sure if that applied only to VOA or shortwave
in general) Is this true for non-government stations? (ham radio
the obvious exception, I'm talking about broadcast stations like
the BBC)

FCC regulation 73.701 defines an "International broadecasting" station
as one "...the transmissions of which are intended to be received
directly by the general public in foreign countries." Stations
licensed under this Subpart F are the only privately-owned stations
allowed to broadcast to the general public anywhere on shortwave.

So yes, it's illegal for privately-owned U.S.-based shortwave stations
to broadcast to the general public within the U.S..

However, a common tactic is to choose an official target area in Canada
or Mexico, such that the station must beam most of its power across
desirable areas of the U.S. to get to the border. For example, pick a
transmitter site near New Orleans. Pick the most effective frequency to
serve ITU Zone 9, the Canadian Maritimes. You can be pretty sure this
frequency will also deliver a heck of a signal to the New York and New
England areas...

FCC regulations don't apply to federal government-owned stations.
However, it is my understanding that an Act of Congress establishes a
similar prohibition against the Voice of America or other U.S.
government-owned stations broadcasting to a domestic audience. I can't
cite that law though.

It's the Smith-Mundt Act as has been pointed out here numerous times.

Additionally, there was a brief period back in the 80's as I recall when
someone, somewhere, got a hair up their behind and for a time it was difficult
to even get a QSL from the VOA due to the Smith-Mundt Act.

Cooler heads eventually prevailed.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

In: , dxAce wrote:
FCC regulations don't apply to federal government-owned stations.
However, it is my understanding that an Act of Congress establishes a
similar prohibition against the Voice of America or other U.S.
government-owned stations broadcasting to a domestic audience. I can't
cite that law though.

It's the Smith-Mundt Act as has been pointed out here numerous times.

I read about this law, thanks for the refresh on the title dxAce!

While the law makes sense (particularly in the context of when the law was
passed, but same principle applies today)

I can't really comprehend how a private shortwave station would be held
to the same law, as it (smith mundt act) is designed to prevent government
run propaganda (as we can see it worked flawlessly ;-/), wouldn't private
owned stations be excluded from this?

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

In: , Doug Smith W9WI wrote:
None of this applies to stations outside the U.S.. The FCC cannot
prohibit Canada, or Britain, or Germany, or Iran, or any other country,
from broadcasting to the U.S.. And they don't try.

Why do there appear to be very few or no US based stations? (except religious
programming spilling all over the dial)?

There aren't enough listeners to make it financially viable.

People have tried. In my lifetime, WRNO New Orleans and KUSW Salt Lake
City have both tried commercial shortwave broadcasting. Neither station
succeeded - both are now religious outlets.

Hmm.. might be good reason to discourage anyone from trying, we don't need
the same religious programs on even MORE frequencies... (I'm all for freedom
of religion and all, but... this is kind of crazy)

Your point about Canada brings something else to light, seems to me that
Canada has some extremely sparse areas that would be out of range for
normal MW and FM broadcasts, ideal candidates for shortwave broadcasts?
(When I lived there it was in a very populated area but some places, like
saskatchewan (sp) seemed extremely sparse)

Yet I can think of only 1 private english station. (AM 1010 and 6070khz) Wonder
why more stations aren't targeted toward Canada (or originate in Canada)? Or,
are there a bunch and I just can't seem to pull them in? (6070 doesn't usually
come in)

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

wrote:

In: , dxAce wrote:
FCC regulations don't apply to federal government-owned stations.
However, it is my understanding that an Act of Congress establishes a
similar prohibition against the Voice of America or other U.S.
government-owned stations broadcasting to a domestic audience. I can't
cite that law though.

It's the Smith-Mundt Act as has been pointed out here numerous times.

I read about this law, thanks for the refresh on the title dxAce!

While the law makes sense (particularly in the context of when the law was
passed, but same principle applies today)

I can't really comprehend how a private shortwave station would be held
to the same law, as it (smith mundt act) is designed to prevent government
run propaganda (as we can see it worked flawlessly ;-/), wouldn't private
owned stations be excluded from this?

Somehow I think the same law has been made applicable to the privately owned
stations, though I'm not 100% certain about that.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

wrote:

In: , Doug Smith W9WI wrote:
None of this applies to stations outside the U.S.. The FCC cannot
prohibit Canada, or Britain, or Germany, or Iran, or any other country,
from broadcasting to the U.S.. And they don't try.

Why do there appear to be very few or no US based stations? (except religious
programming spilling all over the dial)?

There aren't enough listeners to make it financially viable.

People have tried. In my lifetime, WRNO New Orleans and KUSW Salt Lake
City have both tried commercial shortwave broadcasting. Neither station
succeeded - both are now religious outlets.

Hmm.. might be good reason to discourage anyone from trying, we don't need
the same religious programs on even MORE frequencies... (I'm all for freedom
of religion and all, but... this is kind of crazy)

Your point about Canada brings something else to light, seems to me that
Canada has some extremely sparse areas that would be out of range for
normal MW and FM broadcasts, ideal candidates for shortwave broadcasts?
(When I lived there it was in a very populated area but some places, like
saskatchewan (sp) seemed extremely sparse)

Yet I can think of only 1 private english station. (AM 1010 and 6070khz) Wonder
why more stations aren't targeted toward Canada (or originate in Canada)? Or,
are there a bunch and I just can't seem to pull them in? (6070 doesn't usually
come in)

There used to be more stations in Canada which were on shortwave, but I think now there
are only a few left.

Used to be CFCX 6005 relaying CFCF, Montreal; CFVP 6030 relaying CFCN, Calgary; CFRX
6070 relaying CFRB, Toronto; CKFX 6080 relaying CKWX, Vancouver; CHNX 6130 relaying CHNS,
Halifax; also CKZN 6160 relaying CBN; CKZU 6160 relaying CBU.

All QSL'd here.

6070 is a regular here all day long, and as I recall, the 6130 station may yet be on.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


wrote:

In: , dxAce
wrote:
FCC regulations don't apply to federal government-owned stations.
However, it is my understanding that an Act of Congress establishes a
similar prohibition against the Voice of America or other U.S.
government-owned stations broadcasting to a domestic audience. I
can't
cite that law though.

It's the Smith-Mundt Act as has been pointed out here numerous times.

I read about this law, thanks for the refresh on the title dxAce!

While the law makes sense (particularly in the context of when the law
was
passed, but same principle applies today)

I can't really comprehend how a private shortwave station would be held
to the same law, as it (smith mundt act) is designed to prevent
government
run propaganda (as we can see it worked flawlessly ;-/), wouldn't private
owned stations be excluded from this?

Somehow I think the same law has been made applicable to the privately
owned
stations, though I'm not 100% certain about that.

The law was intended to protect the clear channel AM stations from national
competition back 60 or so years.