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Wprb adds silent hd4, hmmm bin?
- Thread starter daddyoo
- Start date
WKXW is the highest billing station in New Jersey that is not in the New York City or Philadelphia markets.
Together, WKXW and WPST have 92% of the revenue in the Trenton market, but beyond that they dominate all of the central NJ ad budgets. Out of the top billing stations in the US... talking about 15,348 US commercial stations (including translators) they are in the top 200 in billing.
I don't think iHeart is making any deals to put BIN on the HD signals of FM stations not owned by iHeart. BIN is or will be heard on...
1600 WWRL NYC
105.1 WWPR-FM-HD3 NYC
610 WTEL Philadelphia
105.3 WDAS-FM-HD2 Philadelphia
Those are likely close enough to serve NJ. I would guess WPRB has a format for its HD4 subchannel but still must get it ready for its debut.
1600 WWRL NYC
105.1 WWPR-FM-HD3 NYC
610 WTEL Philadelphia
105.3 WDAS-FM-HD2 Philadelphia
Those are likely close enough to serve NJ. I would guess WPRB has a format for its HD4 subchannel but still must get it ready for its debut.
It’s more like WPRB has a potential lessee of their HD4. They only upgraded to HD initially because an Indian broadcaster wanted to use WPRB-HD2 to feed a translator in Edison. I actually visited WPRB soon after it went HD. They told me they were glad that they installed an HD transmitter because now they can “fight back against Clear Channel”. 103.5 KTU was broadcasting in HD since 2005, about 8 years before WPRB. Their side bands were interfering with WPRB north of New Brunswick.
It will be feeding a translator with the HD4. The question is, which one and what format?
It will be feeding a translator with the HD4. The question is, which one and what format?
It still amazes me that WKTU and WPRB are allowed to operate as they currently do. Even without HD on both of them they are still super short spaced, but they fact that they are both in HD must make it nearly impossible to hear either of them if you're in the middle of both their signals, like the Edison/Elizabeth area. They both should not be able to be in HD, but alas I am not in charge.
I guess the feeling was hey WPRB was never clear in downtown NYC to begin with, so why bother protecting the weak analog signal and deny WKTU the ability to be in HD in the biggest market in the country? And vice versa, WKTU was never clear in trenton, so let WPRB be in HD.
Down here in Haddon Heights, NJ- I actually recently upgraded my car radio to an HD radio, and I do listen to WPRB HD 3 the oldies station. Glad it's an option for me now.
I guess the feeling was hey WPRB was never clear in downtown NYC to begin with, so why bother protecting the weak analog signal and deny WKTU the ability to be in HD in the biggest market in the country? And vice versa, WKTU was never clear in trenton, so let WPRB be in HD.
Down here in Haddon Heights, NJ- I actually recently upgraded my car radio to an HD radio, and I do listen to WPRB HD 3 the oldies station. Glad it's an option for me now.
WHEN exactly did WPRB-HD2 EVER feed a translator dating back to 2011-2012 until its departure from the frequency? To my knowledge the answer is never. Eventually in the last few years, the HD2 was picked up by another lessee and that is when it officially originated programming to serve as a Primary for a translator. Prior to it was simply the HD-2 under ?Asia Radio? which also simulcast a Class-D Non-Comm, WPDI prior to the latter being sold to Cantico Nueva Ministries. WPDI, while Non-Comm, certainly did not need a Primary to operate since it is able to originate it's own programming even as a Secondary service at a meager 10 watts ERP.
As for WPRB *wanting to fight back against Clear Channel*, that seems a bit overstated as WPRB, WKTU and WNNJ all signed a Mutual Agreement on short spacing interference many years back essentially taking on and accepting whatever interference came their way. My memory wants to say that there was some aspect that also involved WMGM in AC but I could be off on that element. For WKTU and WNNJ, not a big deal being co-owned, WPRB, sure. KTU adding HD once that tech was available from iBiquity was their choice to add and implement as there was no clause in the interference agreement since HD Radio was non-existent back then. Naturally it would make sense for WPRB to go ahead and add it if, as you say, they wanted to "fight back again Clear Channel."
That's the thing about these boards, anyone can say anything and 75% of the time it's completely off-base...
I think this has been covered countless time on this page and various other markets... WKXW is apparently running some sort of non-audible traffic service on their HD2. To the average person tuning in, they will hear a dead carrier but it is serving a purpose in a more technical way not of use to the human ear...
As far as WPST, it is co-owned by Townsquare who owns WKXW, and it would make sense to "assume" that if there is no demand for the multicast channels of WKXW then there would not be a demand for any *additional* ones on WPST. Let us not forget the fact that when iBiquity launched, Nassau owned the property and finances were already in dire straits so the investment back then wasn't of any importance for a variety of reasons. Connoisseur apparently felt the same way by not upgrading and now, Townsquare clearly doesn't see the need to upgrade the WPST facility, now more than ever, in a time where the economy has taken a HUGE toll on all broadcasters as a result of the pandemic. As for WPRB, they have the tech in place it seems so either they are testing and tinkering for whatever reason (since there is no audio being broadcast, just a dead carrier) or they have an interested party for the HD4.
Aside from radio people, either on the inside or laymen, with an interest in HD Radio and its *different offerings* in some cases, it's just simply not important and if the ends don't just the expense/means then what is the point without an ROI for so few to enjoy? Business 101... Hope that helps!
WPRB was not in HD until late 2011. And they used to sign off at night. Their HD upgrade was paid for by the Indians who had the HD2 for the eventual feeding of the 100.7 translator in Edison.
Initially, that translator was fed by Hot 97’s HD2 over the air. It would drop out whenever tropo brought in the 96.9 and 97.3 from Atlantic City to knock out the HD sidebands. Sometimes I even heard Hot 97 on the translator; imagine the shock when Indians would hear rap music on 100.7.
And I do remember a student at WPRB telling me that he was glad that they went HD because it helps them “fight Clear Channel”
Initially, that translator was fed by Hot 97’s HD2 over the air. It would drop out whenever tropo brought in the 96.9 and 97.3 from Atlantic City to knock out the HD sidebands. Sometimes I even heard Hot 97 on the translator; imagine the shock when Indians would hear rap music on 100.7.
And I do remember a student at WPRB telling me that he was glad that they went HD because it helps them “fight Clear Channel”
I think you have your "Indians" mixed up Nick... WPRB-HD2 was NEVER aired on 100.7 or any of the other translators connected to that operator. There may have been a plan to add WPRB-HD2 to 100.7 but it never materialized to my knowledge. The only HD multicast channel that ever made it on to 100.7 was the 97.1-HD2 that seemed to get hammered as you noted and for the reasons you noted with even the slightest of tropo conditions. In some instances if would be off for days iirc or revert back to the analog. Now there were several programming changes on the 97.1-HD2 over the years that it fed 100.7 as a primary but they were indeed all South Asian programming, just different operators. WPRB-HD2 was only in existence to the best of my recollection with WPDI which started on 104.7 until it moved to 103.9 as a result of co-channel interference.
daddyoo - With the extra channel worked into the WPRB broadcast, does the audio on the other 3 HD channels sound any different: better, worse or the same? Just curious as I am outside the listening area. I would imagine adding a 4th channel they have more bandwidth to work with or divide across the board...
No change, the 60's oldies on WOLD/103.3 HD3 are still sounding good with great stereo separation. IMHO WPRB is committed to HD and are using the best equipment money can buy...Was WPRB always on the TV tower that WKXW uses, if not where were they before, I never remember receiving them in the 60''s, 70's or 80's...
Checked with B.Y., apparently as recent as 1990 they were broadcasting a few blocks off Route 1, near West Windsor and Duck Pond Park, 10m N of Trenton and 5m S of Princeton with 17,000 watts at 195 feet. There is no evidence of any tower at that spot now, I know WKXW moved on the TV tower long before this.
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