WWWT 107.7 has an HD5

[nd2023]

Hubbard is now broadcasting an HD5 on WWWT. It’s sole purpose is to be used to feed W292BC 106.3. Most HD radios cannot receive the HD5.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I’ve long wondered if additional HD channels beyond HD-4 were possible, and this is the first I’ve heard of an HD-5. Might this be an example of “extended HD” which supposedly uses a datastream closer in frequency to the main analog FM signal than the usual HD stream? There have been HD-4 channels that do this, and many receivers have trouble decoding them.

Anyone actually decoding the WWWT HD-5 on your HD radio? I know it’s a rimshot of the D.C. market.

I am assuming that the HD-2, HD-3 and HD-4 are in use? I have seen instances of an HD-4 while one or both of the HD-2 and HD-3 are missing (not mapped.)

 

[nd2023]

I wonder what the minimum bandwidth for an HD channel is. If it’s 16 kbps they could fit 6 channels on one frequency. That means one station could feed five translators

 

[MVB13]

My 2014 Subaru Impreza can get up to 8 HDs.

 

[Mediafrog+]

My 2014 Subaru Impreza can get up to 8 HDs.

Curious how you determine that? Usually the HD-# indicators only show active subchannel signals. Or are the higher HD channel numbers grayed out if not present?

I have read that if the analog FM signal could be replaced by a pure digital stream there could be at least ten subchannels.

 

[MVB13]

I assume it has spots for 8. The most I saw was 4. I got all 4. The radio also stops randomly. One day I was listening to Z100 from New York City in NJ loud and clear then I went out to the store I went back into the car the radio was on Z100 it was all static then my radio turned off. Then I turned the car off and on and it was fine.🤷

 

[Mediafrog+]

I assume it has spots for 8. The most I saw was 4. I got all 4.

Thanks for the screenshot; I had never seen such a display for HD subchannels. I see the active HD channel numbers are bold/bright, while unused ones are smaller/darker.

The HDradio.com website seems to indicate only four streams are possible: https://hdradio.com/broadcasters/engineering-support/multicasting/

The info includes the so-called “extended HD.”

Still curious if WWWT is actually using five HD channels? Or is one missing, which would allow a fourth channel to be labeled as “HD-5” ?

 

[MVB13]

You're welcome.

 

[Negin]

I have a DaySequerra M4 rack mount tuner that's capable of getting 8 sub-channels. I got the thing from one of my cousins who worked for a radio station that moved and gave him the inventory.

Here's a link to a later version of that tuner and the description indicates HD1 to HD8.

 

[blizzard59]

Still curious if WWWT is actually using five HD channels? Or is one missing, which would allow a fourth channel to be labeled as “HD-5” ?

Five HD channels. This article gets into the technical details.

Hubbard Turns on an HD5 Audio Channel - Radio World

An FM station in northern Virginia is broadcasting what is believed to be the first HD5 audio subchannel in regular service.

www.radioworld.com

 

[pjc1961]

Mentioned in the article is that the HD5 is being leased by Metro Radio to feed a translator on 106.3,
which would be "La Ley" also heard on 97.7 FM + 1460 AM:

Metro Radio Inc. "La Ley"

 

[MVB13]

Curious how you determine that? Usually the HD-# indicators only show active subchannel signals. Or are the higher HD channel numbers grayed out if not present?

I have read that if the analog FM signal could be replaced by a pure digital stream there could be at least ten subchannels.

Idk I never saw it before.

 

[MikeyD]

View attachment 4246
I assume it has spots for 8. The most I saw was 4. I got all 4. The radio also stops randomly. One day I was listening to Z100 from New York City in NJ loud and clear then I went out to the store I went back into the car the radio was on Z100 it was all static then my radio turned off. Then I turned the car off and on and it was fine.🤷

Sounds like this board needs you to drive down to DC to see if you get this 107.7-5!

 

[MVB13]

Road trip from Northern New Jersey! Lol!

 

[HTX]

Someone in a Discord server I’m in had sent this around the beginning of January. It does not show up on his portable Sangean HDR-14

 

[RF101]

Asymmetric HD digital sidebands add further complexity. Try this scenario: Suppose there are two co-channel analog stations with an overlapping interference zone. Station A decides for a lower "sideband" HD digital stream while Station B counteracts this with an upper "sideband" HD stream. Given this scenario, would.an HD radio simultaneously decode both stations' digital streams in that overlap zone?

 

[DXingRadio]

Noticed the other day WTOPs HD2 signals are no longer a relay of WFED, now “La Power FM”.

latinousamax

latinousamax.com

 

[HTX]

Noticed the other day WTOPs HD2 signals are no longer a relay of WFED, now “La Power FM”.

latinousamax

latinousamax.com

All 3 of their HD2s are La Power. It seemed to have flipped around the end of the year

 

[nd2023]

Asymmetric HD digital sidebands add further complexity. Try this scenario: Suppose there are two co-channel analog stations with an overlapping interference zone. Station A decides for a lower "sideband" HD digital stream while Station B counteracts this with an upper "sideband" HD stream. Given this scenario, would.an HD radio simultaneously decode both stations' digital streams in that overlap zone?

KDAY and KDEY in the LA area both simulcast and are both in HD. They are class A’s 45 miles apart. There’s an interference zone in most of the area between the two. On an HD radio, there’s not much interference. The HD is solid when driving from near one station to the other.

 

[RF101]

LaPower , HD2 on all three FMs, did not last long. HD2 on all three FMs has returned to being a relay of WFED, Federal News Network.

latinousamax

latinousamax.com

Oh yes, weird is both WFED and WMAL carry John Batchelor at the same time.