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#21
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
wrote in message oups.com... [snip] Here in Los Angeles, we've implemented HD Radio on AM 1110, Radio Disney - a children's formatted music station. I would describe the aural result as "startling" - 14 kHz stereo, very low noise, no obviously noticable artifacts, no multi-path in an automotive environment - in short, it's *very* hard to believe you're hearing an AM station. Compare this to a *typical* AM receiver (not necessarily a Drake R8B or Eton E1/XM) with a mono 3.5 kHz response and loud buzzes evey time you drive under a power line, and you can see the attractivness to the Broadcasting community. "Here, finally is a way to compete with new technologies" [programming issues aside!]. [snip] Yes, but as you suggest, higher priced analog -- or older, as in boatanchor -- radio technology outperforms the newer analog radios. But people seem more interested in a radio's price rather than quality. Sharper skirted filters, low distortion detectors and real noise limiters could now be mainstreamed into current radios, if people were willing to pay a little extra. And things might have changed, but most people don't seem to have even half an audiophiles interest in good sound. FM took a generation to catch up with AM. AM stereo faded away. People are moving from CD quality to MP3 quality. Good enough is plenty good as long as it's cheaper and more convienient. Frank Dresser |
#22
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
wrote:
As has been discussed, HD Radio is not currently authorized on AM stations at night, ("night is *not* defined as 6 AM to 6 PM, but rather varies with a station's geographic location and the time of year) though a serious lobbying effort is on to change this. Hence, at this point it does not seriously impact DX opportunities, since most long-range reception is a nighttime phenomenon (when the IBOC signals are off). From FCC Public Notice DA-03-831: (http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/audio/DA-03-831A1.pdf) "Until further notice, AM stations must restrict IBOC operation to daytime hours. An AM station with authority to operate between 6 a.m. and local sunrise (pre-sunrise hours) and between local sunset and 6 p.m. (post-sunset hours) may operate its hybrid IBOC system during those periods. " As I read that, AM stations that are authorized to operate in analog between the hours of 6am and 6pm are also authorized to operate IBOC during those hours. Admittedly those two sentences could have been worded a lot better! That is indeed a different definition of "night" than the one the FCC uses for determining whether a station should be on nighttime power and/or antenna pattern. Mike's KDIS is required to reduce power from 50kw to 20kw at night, and that change is required to take place at 4:45pm. (for the next two days; it slips to 5pm on the 1st of January) But as I read it, they can leave the IBOC on - on the lower power and night directional pattern - until 6:00. Again, my sense is that broadcasters are thinking that the analog technology that served us well in the 20th Century has run its course, and that to remain a viable medium a transition to digital *must* take place. The trouble is that there are (probably) a half-billion analog receivers in the USA alone capable of receiving analog AM / FM, and these can't be abandoned overnight. The Station's around the country are now in the first phase of implementing digital radio, in the form of IBOC / HD Radio. And my bet is that it's *not* going to go away. We are finding in TV just how slowly old receivers are being dropped. In TV we have the advantage of cable and satellite operators doing the downconversion for us in 85% of households - and the fact that a given household has a relatively small number of TV receivers. Also, by using an "in-band separate channel" conversion scheme, the new digital TV signals result in little or no interference to existing analog service. Even so it appears the transition will take more than ten years. Radio doesn't have most of those advantages. Nobody will be downconverting HD to analog for old receivers. Most households have handfuls of radios - far more than they have TVs. For the millions of us in outer suburbs (and the millions in lightly-populated and rural areas), the interference will not be negligible. Especially on AM. FM IBOC is certainly an upgrade for those who listen to mainstream stations *and* live (and commute) in the core of the market. It is likely to be a major unpleasant surprise for those who live in outer suburbs and outlying towns. -- Doug Smith W9WI Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66 http://www.w9wi.com |
#23
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
Audio,good sound? www.pricewheeler.com Click on,Site Map and then
scroll down and click on,Audio Sites.Yes,I do own and use a Brickwall surge filter,lifetime guarantee,you can't buy better than Brickwall,in my opinion. cuhulin |
#24
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
Kristoff Bonne wrote: Gegroet, dxAce schreef: ... FM IBOC is a headache as far as trying to receive rimshot stations on first and second adjacent channels. It's just like DRM... It's QRM! And the same argument applies as for DRM. What is radio-bandwidth for? For people to listen to a radio-station or for DX-ers to receive some far-away station? Far more people are interested in better audio-quality or additional stations then DXing. As far as there is no conflict between these two groups of people, no problem; but if -as is now the case- the gouvernement has to chose between one or the other; the choise is pretty easy. And you can post "DRM = QRM" or "'tart boy" as much as you like; this will not change the situation. There's a new one... tart boy... Think I'll use it. Thanks, dxAce Michigan USA |
#25
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
KB,
The same applies to the limited number of former High Powered "Clear Channel" 50KW Radio Stations. Many more Local 1KW, 5KW and 10KW Radios Stations serve more People (Radio Listeners) and produce more Local Jobs and Revenue plus Local Taxes that aggregate into a larger National Economy then a Few Clear Channel Big Stations. After all it is "The Broadcasting Business" and a Corporation with a Hundred Local Radio Stations can make more Money; then a Corporation with a Few High Powered Clear Channel Radio Stations. jm2cw ~ RHF |
#26
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
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#27
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
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#28
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
"Kristoff Bonne" wrote in message ... Gegroet, dxAce schreef: ... FM IBOC is a headache as far as trying to receive rimshot stations on first and second adjacent channels. It's just like DRM... It's QRM! And the same argument applies as for DRM. What is radio-bandwidth for? For people to listen to a radio-station or for DX-ers to receive some far-away station? Far more people are interested in better audio-quality or additional stations then DXing. As far as there is no conflict between these two groups of people, no problem; but if -as is now the case- the gouvernement has to chose between one or the other; the choise is pretty easy. I can't speak for or against DRM, as I've never heard it. However, IBOC *IS* a bad source of interference. And not just to DX'ers. Not everyone lives in a big city, many (most?) live in suburbs or rural areas where there is no 'local' radio station. These people of necessity must listen to what are referred to as 'rimshots'. These are stations which are considered to be on the far rim of a city's coverage area. Many of these are at only 400 KHz spacing from the stations in the cities, and are very prone to interference from the IBOC digital signals from those second-adjacent channels. Even IN the cities, if someone likes to listen to a station in the next city that has programming unavailable in their own city, this is now nearly impossible. As far as AM IBOC is concerned, it not only degrades reception of first and second adjacent channels, it degrades reception of it's own analog on channel signal, especially on radios designed with wider than 3 KHz IF bandwidths (which includes most radios made in the 70's and before, of which there are still tens of millions in use). |
#29
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
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#30
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CBS/Infinity and IBOC-AM?
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