I've recently upgraded my car stereo and the new unit can decode RDS
signals. I know the service never took off in the US but I was surprised in
my travels to find that my home area has more RDS stations than pretty much
anywhere else.

West of Birmingham, AL I've got 5 different stations providing a signal. So
far the only place with more that I've found is Atlanta, with 6 or 7,
depending on the area.

Are there any markets with 7 or more stations with RDS? Are there any small
communities with 100% RDS coverage?

~Zach
radio junkie

More than 10 RDS stations up here 60 miles north of New York City.

--


Remove "zz" from e-mail address to direct reply.



"Zach" wrote in message
...
I've recently upgraded my car stereo and the new unit can decode RDS
signals. I know the service never took off in the US but I was surprised
in
my travels to find that my home area has more RDS stations than pretty
much
anywhere else.

West of Birmingham, AL I've got 5 different stations providing a signal.
So
far the only place with more that I've found is Atlanta, with 6 or 7,
depending on the area.

Are there any markets with 7 or more stations with RDS? Are there any
small
communities with 100% RDS coverage?

~Zach
radio junkie

In article ,
Zach wrote:

Are there any markets with 7 or more stations with RDS? Are there any small
communities with 100% RDS coverage?


In a quick band scan today in Boston MA I counted 16 -

WGBH, WPRO (Providence RI), WBOS, WQSX, WTKK, WBMX, WKKB, WKLB, WFNX (101.3),
WFNX (101.7), WODS, WBCN, WROR, WMJX, WAAF (hmm, I missed one).
Many of these went RDS in last year or so. I looks like Infinity really
jumped on the bandwagon (in this market anyway).

It is a pleasant surprise as I've had an RDS Ford radio for a while.

Now if we could only get a few AM stations to re-activate their C-Quam
Stereo (WBZ, WSNR, WCRN - we know you have the equipment). We are down
to three AM Stereo Stations: WILD, WJIB and 1360 (don't know the calls -
this one converted to stereo in the last year). My Ford Radio can do
C-Quam AM Stereo as well (not IBOC though).

wrote:


Now if we could only get a few AM stations to re-activate their C-Quam
Stereo (WBZ, WSNR, WCRN - we know you have the equipment). We are down
to three AM Stereo Stations: WILD, WJIB and 1360 (don't know the calls -
this one converted to stereo in the last year). My Ford Radio can do
C-Quam AM Stereo as well (not IBOC though).


Not to launch another AM Stereo flame war but...

I've noticed that WPGC (1580 AM) runs with C-Quam during their daytime
50Kw authorization, but then drops the C-Quam when they lower power (to
270 watts!) and change their pattern at night.

I live within 10 miles of their plant (but still inside the pattern), so
I'm not entire certain that they actually turn off the C-Quam or if the
signal is merely so poor that C-quam just isn't possible.

What would be the advantages of disabling C-Quam during protected hours?

Thanks,

Jeremy Powell

Garrett Wollman wrote:
(If I ran Oldies
I certainly wouldn't want to be without RDS when the closest
competition has both RDS and a better signal downtown....)

Looks like Clear Channel and Radio One are the odd broadcasters out in
this survey.


Were it not for WPOC in Baltimore and WBIG in D.C., I'd almost think
that Clear Channel had something *against* RDS. RDS was used at WMZQ
back when it was owned by Chancellor - abruptly disabled when bought by
Clear Channel; the same for WWDC and WGAY (now WIHT). Can anyone recall
what other D.C./Baltimore stations were running with RDS that now have
it disabled?

Bonneville seems to have bought into the idea recently. WGMS has been
using RDS for several years now, as has WTOP-FM. They recently (within
the last six months) RDS enabled WWZZ as well.

Infinity uses RDS on WHFS, WQSR and WMMX, but nowhere else I can detect
in the Baltimore/Washington markets - so it still seems a little hit and
miss.

Best,

Jeremy Powell

"TritonVA" wrote in message
...

(...snip...)

Not to launch another AM Stereo flame war but...

I've noticed that WPGC (1580 AM) runs with C-Quam during their daytime
50Kw authorization, but then drops the C-Quam when they lower power (to
270 watts!) and change their pattern at night.

I live within 10 miles of their plant (but still inside the pattern), so
I'm not entire certain that they actually turn off the C-Quam or if the
signal is merely so poor that C-quam just isn't possible.

What would be the advantages of disabling C-Quam during protected hours?


Just a guess, but they may use 2 different transmitters...one for days, and
one for nights, given the large discrepancy between operating power levels.
Heck, the control circuits of the high-power 50 kW xmtr probably use more
than 270 watts of AC power just running in standby !! In any case, it may
be as simple as the low-power transmitter not being equipped with a C-QUAM
exciter (or it not being in working condition) ..... and judged not to be
worth the $$ it would take to repair/replace/install in the first place.

"TritonVA" wrote in message
...

Can anyone recall
what other D.C./Baltimore stations were running with RDS that now have
it disabled?

At least WETA and WPFW. I haven't checked - does WGTS still run RDS?

R J Carpenter wrote:

"TritonVA" wrote in message
...


Can anyone recall
what other D.C./Baltimore stations were running with RDS that now have
it disabled?


At least WETA and WPFW. I haven't checked - does WGTS still run RDS?


Curious: When did WETA and WPFW actually have RDS enabled? I don't
recall ever seeing that.

As for WGTS; I'll run out to my truck at lunch time and let you know.
The last time I checked they still were running with it. Do they have
any association with (like formatted)WAVA? As a side note - WAVA is
running with RDS as well.

Jeremy

M.B. wrote:


Just a guess, but they may use 2 different transmitters...one for days, and
one for nights, given the large discrepancy between operating power levels.
Heck, the control circuits of the high-power 50 kW xmtr probably use more
than 270 watts of AC power just running in standby !! In any case, it may
be as simple as the low-power transmitter not being equipped with a C-QUAM
exciter (or it not being in working condition) ..... and judged not to be
worth the $$ it would take to repair/replace/install in the first place.



Doh! This had never occurred to me for some reason. At 270 watts, in a
city as RF noisy as Washington D.C., I can't imagine that they'd have a
huge listenship at night in the first place - so the financials probably
don't make sense to maintain the C-Quam at night.

Which begs the question: why don't these stations just throw in the
towel for the after sunset crowd? Are they really generating enough
revenue with their non-existant nighttime numbers to justify the AC for
the xtmr? I can't count a half dozen stations in the D.C./Baltimore
markets that *barely* cover their C.O. at night. And turning down all
those pip-squeak stations at night *just* might lower the noise floor
for everybody else...

How do AM stations with sunset flea power price their overnight
inventory? Surely the sales team doesn't price these spots the same as
a daypart spot, right?

- Jeremy Powell

In article , TritonVA wrote:

Doh! This had never occurred to me for some reason. At 270 watts, in a
city as RF noisy as Washington D.C., I can't imagine that they'd have a
huge listenship at night in the first place - so the financials probably
don't make sense to maintain the C-Quam at night.

A 5 watt nighttime station on AM 74 in Cambridge, Mass. does cover Boston
and Cambridge quite well..

Why is Washington DC so RF noisy?

markets that *barely* cover their C.O. at night. And turning down all
those pip-squeak stations at night *just* might lower the noise floor
for everybody else...

Correct. It might. However these stations are under the impression that
they have listeners even during the daytime - period.

--
Sven Weil
New York City, U.S.A.