Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) has advised the FCC that the regulatory agency needs to reevaluate in its efforts to tackle AM revitalization

If the FCC takes the SBE’s advice, the result could be less noise in the MF and HF Amateur Radio bands. In comments the SBE filed in response to an FCC Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry (MB 13-249) proposing ways to enhance the viability of the AM broadcast service, the SBE said the Commission must “commit to a regulatory plan which, over time, will reduce the levels of man-made noise in the MF bands, and more broadly in the bands below 30 MHz.”

In comments filed earlier in the proceeding, the SBE pointed out that “AM radio in particular is susceptible to interference from electronic devices of all types,” and that ambient noise on the AM band is only bound to get worse with further proliferation of noise-generating electronic devices, including certain lighting devices regulated under FCC Part 15 and Part 18 rules.

“There are literally dozens of complaints from Amateur Radio operators of severe interference from power line noise annually,” the SBE said. “Power line radiation in the HF and MF amateur allocations will, in most cases, directly translate to preclusive noise in the AM broadcast band.”

ARRL story - http://www.arrl.org/news/sbe-urges-fcc-to-improve-medium-wave-noise-environment

SBE submission - http://sbe.org/sections/documents/FNPRM_AM_Improvement_13-249_20160321.pdf