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Frequently Asked Questions

Prometheus' crackerjack team of technical types shares the most frequently asked questions and provides the answers.

The Question

What does it mean if my application has been designated as "appendix B" by the FCC?

The Answer

Appendix B means you applied for a frequency that would have been good under the original FCC low power rules, but your frequency was taken away by the dastardly act of Congress sponsored by the incumbent monopolists at National Association of Broadcasters and National Public Radio. However, you should know that the reports of your demise are premature. There are a few possibilities that may allow you to still go on the air.

1)The location you selected was rendered ineligible by Congress for a low power FM on the frequency that you chose. The abstruse reasoning for this is below under Adjacents, Co-channels and Frequencies- Oh My! It is often possible to move your transmitter site to another location and be re-qualified: maybe a few hundred feet, maybe a few miles. While this option is not open to some applicants, we have seen in a number of cases that applicants do have good options to change their application to meet the new rules. Sometimes, if you are really lucky, you might not even have to move- you just need to switch frequencies. We are happy to do a simple, free evaluation of this for you.

If this option works, you will need to secure the new location and be prepared to file an amendment to your original application during a filing window sometime in the coming months. Contact us right away- it will take time to get all your ducks in order for this window. Remember, you do not have to move the site of your studio! You can leave that right where you originally planned it, if you want. You only need to move the transmitter and the antenna. The transmitter is no larger than a case of beer, and the antenna can be even less obtrusive than your average tv reception aerial, so you could even choose a new site on top of a friends house. You will need to plan for the additional expense of a "studio transmitter link," which will carry your sound from the studio to the new transmitter site. At Prometheus, we are currently researching and developing several inexpensive studio transmitter link options. We believe you will be able to do this without too much hassle or expense.

2) The US Congress ordered the FCC to do another study to see whether the frequency you chose really would cause interference, like the NAB said it would. This study will probably be done in a year or two. We are confident that if the study is done fairly, it will vindicate low power FM. After all, the FCC's engineers are the ones who came up with the rules that allowed you a frequency in the first place! Then we will need to mobilize to encourage the FCC and Congress to reinstate your application and re-open the opportunity that was originally offered in 2000.

3) Finally, some groups are challenging the legality of the action Congress took in upcoming court cases. If you are interested in this effort, we can direct you to those organizations.

If you are designated as Appendix B, don't give up in disgust yet. Feel free to contact us to help you evaluate your options. All of our services are free, and part of Prometheus' main mission is to make sure your local group gets its rightful sliver of the airwaves.

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