BoobleStubble wrote:
"HD Radio set to botch its first impression"

"It is patently stupid to tack on HD stations to existing analog
frequences (as in 98.5-1, 98.5-2, 98.5-3) and then put three
different
things on those frequencies... Furthermore, the names are so
incredibly clunky, moving newfangled digital radio strongly in the
direction of even clunkier HAM radio. It's a confusing mass of
digits,
decimals, and dashes. We would be better off reconceptualizing the
entire dial and taking this opportunity to simplify it across the
board. For example (and brace yourself), how about numbering our
stations 1 to 100? If this sounds like Satellite Radio, just remember
HD Radio was your idea, not mine."

http://www.hear2.com/2005/08/hd_radio_set_to.html

"RDS - The Radio Data System"

"RDS brings intelligence into the tuning of a radio. The autotuning
facility comes into its own on long journeys when the car moves from
the service area of one transmitter to the next. Without RDS the
radio
has to be manually tuned to the next station. This is not always easy
because it is difficult to reliably detect which is the strongest
station. An RDS set will look for the Programme Identification or PI
code. A national network will be broadcast from a large number of
different transmitters around the country. The station or network eg
Radio 4 will have its own PI code. When the radio moves out of the
range of one transmitter the radio will seek the strongest signal
which has the same PI code, allowing the radio to remain tuned to the
same programme. When radios fitted with RDS store a station
frequency,
they also store the PI code along side it. This has the advantage
that
when the radio is turned on in a place outside the coverage area for
the transmitter frequency which is stored then the radio will seek
the
strongest signal which has the correct PI code."

http://www.radio-electronics.com/inf...st/rds/rds.php

You could have nationalized HD Radio, just like SIRI, and not have to
worry so much about the 10db FM-HD power increase. You could have
picked 10 to 25 good formats and spaced them out in each market, so
when the HD channels started dropping out, programmed the autotuning
sensitivity to jump to a stronger signal with the same program! All
the user would to have to do is preprogram his HD Radio for his
favorite P1 formats!
The smart way to do it would be to used one tower and transmitter for
every station in a town. I'd use less compression than Sirius/XM, and
get maybe 60 channels between 76 and 88 MHz. Give the analog FM band to
the infomercials and yak channels, currently on MW. Make MW exclusively
50,000 Watt clear channel regional stations.

On Jan 30, 1:49*pm, dave wrote:
BoobleStubble wrote:
"HD Radio set to botch its first impression"

"It is patently stupid to tack on HD stations to existing analog
frequences (as in 98.5-1, 98.5-2, 98.5-3) and then put three
different
things on those frequencies... Furthermore, the names are so
incredibly clunky, moving newfangled digital radio strongly in the
direction of even clunkier HAM radio. It's a confusing mass of
digits,
decimals, and dashes. We would be better off reconceptualizing the
entire dial and taking this opportunity to simplify it across the
board. For example (and brace yourself), how about numbering our
stations 1 to 100? If this sounds like Satellite Radio, just remember
HD Radio was your idea, not mine."

http://www.hear2.com/2005/08/hd_radio_set_to.html

"RDS - The Radio Data System"

"RDS brings intelligence into the tuning of a radio. The autotuning
facility comes into its own on long journeys when the car moves from
the service area of one transmitter to the next. Without RDS the
radio
has to be manually tuned to the next station. This is not always easy
because it is difficult to reliably detect which is the strongest
station. An RDS set will look for the Programme Identification or PI
code. A national network will be broadcast from a large number of
different transmitters around the country. The station or network eg
Radio 4 will have its own PI code. When the radio moves out of the
range of one transmitter the radio will seek the strongest signal
which has the same PI code, allowing the radio to remain tuned to the
same programme. When radios fitted with RDS store a station
frequency,
they also store the PI code along side it. This has the advantage
that
when the radio is turned on in a place outside the coverage area for
the transmitter frequency which is stored then the radio will seek
the
strongest signal which has the correct PI code."

http://www.radio-electronics.com/inf...st/rds/rds.php

You could have nationalized HD Radio, just like SIRI, and not have to
worry so much about the 10db FM-HD power increase. You could have
picked 10 to 25 good formats and spaced them out in each market, so
when the HD channels started dropping out, programmed the autotuning
sensitivity to jump to a stronger signal with the same program! All
the user would to have to do is preprogram his HD Radio for his
favorite P1 formats!

- The smart way to do it would be to used one tower
- and transmitter for every station in a town.
-*I'd use less compression than Sirius/XM, and
- get maybe 60 channels between 76 and 88 MHz.
-*Give the analog FM band to the infomercials and
- yak channels, currently on MW.
**Make MW exclusively 50,000 Watt clear channel
* regional stations.

Re-Inventing the AM/MW Radio Band in the USA
Limited to 50 KW "Clear Channel" Stations

Having 'only' 50 KW "Clear Channel" Radio Stations
on the AM/MW Radio Band -translates-to- Two per
10 kHz Channel : 540~1700 = 116 Channels with
one "W"xxx and one "K"xxx Radio Station each for
a Total of 232 AM/MW Radio Stations.

I could like with that provided that :

1 - No Network or Corporation could own 20~25 or
more of them to ensure Public Diversity.

2 - No more than 10 in any major Metro Area to
ensure Geographic Diversity.
2.a - At least one in each US State Capital and/or
a State's Major Metro Area. Nation-Wide Coverage.

2 - 54% {13 Hours per Day} of the Programming had
to be 'Local' Originated Content and 'Local' Talent.
* KGO comes to mind as a good example of what
'Good' AM/MW Radio was and still should be.

3 - The 'Other 46% {9 Hours per Day} could be made
up of Network or Syndicated Programming which
would allow for Three 3-Hour National Network or
Syndicated Radio Programs :
One 3-Hours in the Mornings;
One 3-Hours in the Afternoon;
and One 3-Hours in the Evening.

4 - Bring Back the 'Local' Late Night Music and the
'Local' Night-Owl Programs -or- Even the Over-Night
"Replay" of the Prior Day's Local Programming.

=OR= Better Yet : Copy CBC Radio One Over-Night
[12AM-to-5AM] and Re-Broadcast the English Radio
Programming of : BBC, RNW, DW, CRI, VOR, etc...
http://www.cbc.ca/overnight/schedule.html

idtars ~ RHF