The Low Power FM (LPFM) Fifth Report and Order was published in the Federal Register on April 5, 2012.  The final rules will go into effect next Monday, June 4, 2012.

This R&O amends section 73.807 of the rules to remove third adjacent channel spacing requirements between LPFM staitons and most full power FM stations and FM translators. 

REC Networks has announced today the beta test launch of RECPRO, a text-based "professional" version of the REC broadcast tools. RECPRO will be used mainly inside REC but will make it also available to a limited number of individuals and organizations.

RECPRO "unbundles" many of the elements of the LPFM Channel Search and Broadcast Query tools. Instead of using a web browser, RECPRO will use a secure shell interface (SSH) such as PuTTY for access. RECPRO will offer faster search results than with the web-based tools.

RECPRO will eventually allow users to "build" and "maintain" their stations by being able to save their station or proposed station data for future retrieval.

Now that the comment and reply comment period are over, the FCC has a lot of work cut out for them. 

Over these next few months, the FCC is going to continue reviewing the comments received throughout April and the reply comments received in May.  While there is no set timeline on when the FCC must issue the Sixth Report and Order with the final rules from the various LPFM proposals discussed in the Fifth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (that we just finished commenting on), the FCC's Audio Division consider getting these final rules out "a major priority".

In a public forum on LPFM, FCC Audio Division staff member James Bradshaw clarified the requirements that FM Translators will be required to follow to protect LPFM protected channel/points. 

On May 16 from 2.00~3.30PM EDT, the FCC will hold a public forum for the two recent Report and Orders. There will be discussion about the FCC's LPFM Grid software, FM Translator non-preclusion showings and the processing differences between spectrum limited and spectrum available markets. There will also be time for audience questions.

Those in DC can attend at the FCC:
445 12th St SW
Commission Meeting Room

It will also be streamed live at
http://www.fcc.gov/live

Questions may be e-mailed on the day of the event to livequestions@fcc.gov

REC recommends anyone who is interested in the upcoming translator application process should attend this forum.