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Anything We Can Do for Classical Music Radio in Boston?

MRBIboredop said:
The “HD” in HD Radio™ is part of iBiquity Digital’s brand name for its advanced digital AM/FM system.
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That should be systemS (plural). They are not A system (singular) because the AM-band and FM-band embodiments of the technology are so different from each other. Referring to the two together as A system is another example of the semantic confusion that iBiquity has wished on the broadcasting industry and the American public. The AM-band version is a technical abomination that, IMO, is so bad that the FCC should rule it off the airwaves. The FM band system, though probably not the best technology for the purpose, appears viable. I believe that iBiquity realized what a mistake the AM-band system was and decided that it might nevertheless have a chance of survival if it was attached in the minds of the industry and the listening public to the FM-band system's coattails. Alas, the blurring of the distinction between the two systems is the one activity in which iBiquity has been involved that appears to be an unqualified success--or nearly an unqualified success.
 
Don't even get started on IBOC! When Digital TV rolled out, the FCC should have grabbed the VHF High allocation and did what Great Britain did and adopt the Eureka 147 digital AM system.

Instead we have a crap system, that 4 people have receivers for, that screws up reception of adjacent stations in protected contours hundreds if not thousands of miles away.

There was nothing wrong with AM Stereo outside of marketing it. I had it a couple of my Ford products and it sounded pretty good to me.
 
mcamp said:
carmen said:
mcamp said:
Where is an all jazz station...
Click to expand...
8pm-5am WGBH
5am-1pm WHRB
1pm-8pm WICN
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I don't think that qualifies as an "all jazz" station.
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Actually, WICN calls itself New England's Jazz & Folk Station. Except for speciality programming in the evening, they could call themselves New England's Jazz Station. All but 4 hours of their weekday schedule is Jazz.

Here is a link to their program schedule - http://www.wicn.org/station/schedule
 
MRBIboredop said:
There was nothing wrong with AM Stereo outside of marketing it. I had it a couple of my Ford products and it sounded pretty good to me.
Click to expand...

Except that the FCC allowed a "marketplace solution" to which system would ber adopted. We had numerous incompatible systems on the air, and you had to decide which radio station you wanted to listen to, find out what kind of AM stereo system they used, and purchase that kind of radio. This seriously delayed it's use.

With IBOC, the FCC has selected a system, and you can go out tomorrow and pick up an HD Radio and start enjoying it today.

MRBIboredop said:
that screws up reception of adjacent stations in protected contours hundreds if not thousands of miles away.
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There has been no widespread complaints from about reception, except from hobbyists, and only a couple of dubious claims of interference within protected contours.
 
So we now have a government decided solution, and it is not the best one IMHO, and until the FCC makes IBOC AM and HD FM manditory for type acceptance, neither system is going to get listened to in great numbers.

If the FCC has enough time to argue that cell phones have built in FM radios for EAS purposes, then they should also take on the digital radio debate and make it mandatory for receivers to be able to decode it.
 
MRBIboredop said:
If the FCC has enough time to argue that cell phones have built in FM radios for EAS purposes, then they should also take on the digital radio debate and make it mandatory for receivers to be able to decode it.
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I suspect the problem the FCC had with mandating it is it gives a windfall to one company: iBiquity. When the FCC eliminated FM simulcast rules, the Armstrong patent on FM had run out, and manufacturers were free to include FM in their radios without paying a royalty.

I think they'd also like to see a few more competing technologies come along before making a choice.

The FCC has stated many times that it does not want to do for radio what it did for TV.
 
MRBIboredop said:
So we now have a government decided solution, and it is not the best one IMHO..
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Would you have preferred a "martketplace solution" that doomed AM Stereo?

I am old enough, and maybe you are too, to remember a few engineers poo-pooing the whole idea of FM. And a few enginners stood in my office to ell me that the stero pilot would degrade the signal, etc

It's not perfect, but the trade off in extra functionality is worth it.
 
MRBIboredop said:
no, but it is 24 hour coverage, if you are in an area that can get all the signals, and from WICN's map that means just west of the city

WICN map:
http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WICN&service=FM&status=L&hours=U
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Those maps don't take adjacent or co-channel interference into account. They only picture the one stations hypothetical pattern on its own, as if none of the stations that interfere with it exist.

Though that map shows WICN's "fringe" contour as going east beyond Boston and into the harbor, the fact is that WICN can not be heard consistently in Boston's west suburbs anywhere east of Route 128 due to first-adjacent interference from 1kw 90.3 WZBC from Boston College in Newton (Chestnut Hill).

In addition, outside of WZBC's adjacent interference, co-channel WSMA Scituate is heard on 90.5 in Boston, anywhere near the coast, and south/southeast of Boston, rather than WICN. WSMA is what I hear on 90.5 even here in Somerville, not WICN. WICN is really a central MA signal, it can't be considered a Boston market player.
 
The only thing I count on using those maps, is the RED "local" signal, everything else is just speculation or wishful thinking 80% of the time.
 
Don Juan said:
...you can go out tomorrow and pick up an HD Radio and start enjoying it today.
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Please help me understand how one can buy a radio tomorrow, but listen to it today.
 
you charge the flux capacitor using 21 gigawatts of energy from the plutonium reactor, get the delorean up to 88 and you can go forward in time, buy a HD radio tomorrow, then set the time machine to return to today bringing the HD radio with you to listen to it today.

Just try not to tamper with the space-time continuum
 
I would get an HD car radio and mount the darn thing in the dashboard of the Delorean.
One does need to shield the sensitive digital circuitry from the car's EMP surge, though.
 
MRBIboredop said:
The only thing I count on using those maps, is the RED "local" signal, everything else is just speculation or wishful thinking 80% of the time.
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ive found the blue outer fringe line is pretty much guaranteed reception on my Degen DE1103 and its stock whip (49 bux on ebay), or Yamaha CR-620 (found in a basement) and the basic T-shaped wire antenna it came with

im down in walpole practically and can get all the dorchester pirates by adding a reflector element behind the T (esentially creating a yagi)

its not rocket science
 
WHRB may be the best station to ask for more jazz and classical on the radio. Do not think that ERS,ZBC,BUR will add to it since they dont have any now.
 
carmen said:
MRBIboredop said:
The only thing I count on using those maps, is the RED "local" signal, everything else is just speculation or wishful thinking 80% of the time.
Click to expand...

ive found the blue outer fringe line is pretty much guaranteed reception on my Degen DE1103 and its stock whip (49 bux on ebay), or Yamaha CR-620 (found in a basement) and the basic T-shaped wire antenna it came with

im down in walpole practically and can get all the dorchester pirates by adding a reflector element behind the T (esentially creating a yagi)

its not rocket science
Click to expand...

No it is not Rocket science, but we as radio people, or hardcore aficionado's will have higher end equipment.

Given the right antenna and RF section, you can pull weak signals out of thin air, but the run of the mill consumer with a 29 dollar walkman or 10 dollar portable radio isn't going to get much reception outside of the red zone.

Here is a snip from R-L's FAQ's about the map. ( Mods I claim fair use of this material for discussion purposes)

"2. What do the red, purple, and blue lines mean?

The red, purple, and blue lines correspond to the "local", "distant", and "fringe" coverage areas of each radio station:

* Local Coverage: Within this area, you should be able to receive the radio station on almost any radio with moderately good to very good reception.
* Distant Coverage: Within this area, the signal of the radio station may be weak unless you have a good car radio or a good stereo with a good antenna. You may not be able to receive the station at all on walkmans or other portable radios.
* Fringe Coverage: Within this area, the station's signal will be very weak. You may be able to receive this station if you have a very good radio with a good antenna, but it's possible that interference from other stations may prevent you from picking up these stations at all.

3. What criteria do you use to define the "local", "distant" and "fringe" coverage areas?

The "local", "distant" and "fringe" lines on the FM maps correspond to the predicted 60, 50, and 40 dBu field strength contours respectively.

The "local", "distant" and "fringe" lines on the AM maps corresponds to the predicted 2.5, 0.5, and 0.15 mV/m contours respectively (of the horizontal groundwave propogation only).
 
Regarding jazz radio in Boston....I live in Haverhill...the only jazz I can pick up on the dial is WGBH.
WHRB's signal I can't pick up until I'm on RT95around Boxford/Topsfield....the other station you mentioned I've never heard of.
 
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