Talk:KUSU-FM

Translator vs repeater
This article is confusing translator, repeaters and simulcast.

A translator (in the United States) has a callsign of ?xxxZZ    (? is K or W, xxx is the FM channel number, and ZZ is a unique identifier). Translators are limited to 250 watts.

A licensed station with a 4 character callsign ?ZZZ is a fully licensed station which is permitted to originate its own programming. Other than the station ID near the top of the hour and 30 seconds of fund raising on non-commercial stations, a translator is not allowed to originate any programming. The fact that a licensee chooses to simulcast their programming on another fully licensed station does not make that radio station a "translator".

The term repeater doesn't apply to broadcast FM radio. A repeater is a transmitter used to listen on one frequency for any low power input from any source (like a handheld radio or car transmitter) and rebroadcast that signal on a different frequency with a stronger signal from an antenna up higher (like 2 Meter amateur radios, public safety, cabs, etc...).

See http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/translator.html#WHATIS 69.37.2.254 (talk) 12:51, 14 January 2011 (UTC)