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Bill would force satellite radio units to go digital
- Thread starter KB1OKL
- Start date
FreddyE1977 said:Typical inside-the-beltway wonk reaction. Consumers in the marketplace are rejecting this
technology, so Big Brother is going to force it upon them. (I wonder how much cash Rep. MAAAAkey
has been taking from the NAB and Ibiquity over the years?)
He has gotten 33% of his campaign contributions from the telecommunications industry so far this year. I called his office and spoke with someone there and asked him about this, he did not deny it. I then asked him if he thought Markey knew a lot about HD radio, the problems with it, how it's not selling and trying to piggyback it's way by way of satellite who legitimately bought their way into cars etc, and the guy said I doubt it! ;D
KB1OKL said:He has gotten 33% of his campaign contributions from the telecommunications industry so far this year.
He is Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
It is not unusual for the Chairman of a Congressional committee to receive contributions from the industry he oversees.
The fact that it's only 33% speaks well for him. But keep in mind that "telecommunications" also includes the phone companies. I'd bet they spend lots more than any HD radio interests.
KB1OKL said:I called his office and spoke with someone there and asked him about this, he did not deny it.
Someone? Who? The kid who answered the phone?
I wouldn't put a whole lot of credibility into this conversation. Tell me you spoke with his legislative aid, and you may have a chance.
TheBigA said:KB1OKL said:He has gotten 33% of his campaign contributions from the telecommunications industry so far this year.
He is Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
It is not unusual for the Chairman of a Congressional committee to receive contributions from the industry he oversees.
The fact that it's only 33% speaks well for him. But keep in mind that "telecommunications" also includes the phone companies. I'd bet they spend lots more than any HD radio interests.
KB1OKL said:I called his office and spoke with someone there and asked him about this, he did not deny it.
Someone? Who? The kid who answered the phone?
I wouldn't put a whole lot of credibility into this conversation. Tell me you spoke with his legislative aid, and you may have a chance.
The fact that ONLY 33% of an industry he just wrote a bill for supports him and helps to keep him in office speaks well of him? Who's he working for, his constituents or the telecommunication company's? I think his actions speak for themself.
And anyone who answers phones at a politician's office should be well versed on his hack's, I mean boss's political bills, especially something like this.
KB1OKL said:The fact that ONLY 33% of an industry he just wrote a bill for supports him and helps to keep him in office speaks well of him?
You DO understand that the word "telecommunications" means more than simply radio, right? Do I have to explain that to you?
KB1OKL said:And anyone who answers phones at a politician's office should be well versed on his hack's, I mean boss's political bills, especially something like this.
Have you EVER in your life worked in an office that has a receptionist? If you don't know enought to ask the receptionist to speak with someone in authority, you're in no position to criticize, or play journalist. Even a broadcasting intern knows enough not to ask political questions of a receptionist.
Well, we can just note for the record that TheBigA has no solutions to offer regarding AM. He just comes here to argue for the sake of arguing, particularly if it's with anti-IBOC posters.
HD opponents have time and again offered realistic plans to improve AM. And they are publicly ridiculed over and over by TheBigA and his ilk.
HD opponents have time and again offered realistic plans to improve AM. And they are publicly ridiculed over and over by TheBigA and his ilk.
pocket-radio suggested:
So as I see it, the plan is to increase the HD carrier level until our radios no longer work, or work well!
What a fantastic plan! Just like HDTV. Force the old equipment not to work anymore. Then the public will be forced to embrace and "upgrade to" this wonderful system.
Lovely, isn't it?
This generation, consumers have shown no interest in HD radio, because their radios still work and they have no real reasons to upgrade.
So as I see it, the plan is to increase the HD carrier level until our radios no longer work, or work well!
What a fantastic plan! Just like HDTV. Force the old equipment not to work anymore. Then the public will be forced to embrace and "upgrade to" this wonderful system.
Lovely, isn't it?
Well, let's not make the HD debacle any worse than it already is.
First, there are no plans to increase digital injection levels for HD-AM.
Second, the best-informed opinion is that the proposed increase to 10db digital for HD-FM continues to face uncertainty and opposition which is stiffening if anything. The NPR Labs inteference study was devastating, conservatively estimating that with 10db digital stations could expect to lose 30% - almost a third - of analog coverage in the car due to SELF-INTERFERENCE, and that doesn't even address the first- and second-adjacent problems likely in congested dials in the northeast, California, Florida and other major metros.
No sane manager in today's economic landscape is going to tolerate major loss of coverage and audience for the sake of HD, which most radio execs view with extreme skepticism if not outright hostility. But even if the self-interference problem didn't exist, the economic realities of 10db are damning. Combiner inefficiencies and lack of RF headroom in many if not most FM transmitting plants mean entire TX facilities will have to be rebuilt, from utility entrance to antenna and even tower replacement in some cases. In some urban locations atop office buildings, there simply isn't room to install the new HD RF gear. 10db means permanent, enormous increases in fixed costs which will perpetually outlive HD in the likely event the system just dies a slow death.
What cluster manager, struggling with eroding revenues, layoffs and increasing demands from corporate headquarters, is going to voluntarily sign on for giant increases in utility costs and tower rent plus big capital expenses to be charged against his operating budget - plus more maintenance headaches and pressure on engineering staff which are increasingly deserting radio - just to REDUCE analog coverage which pays the bills? In most cases 10db digital is just stupid from any reasonably objective perspective.
So: no plans to increase digital for HD-AM. Even if a reconstituted post-election FCC adopts 10db digital, very few stations will actually install it. And the ones which do will encounter serious interference problems.
First, there are no plans to increase digital injection levels for HD-AM.
Second, the best-informed opinion is that the proposed increase to 10db digital for HD-FM continues to face uncertainty and opposition which is stiffening if anything. The NPR Labs inteference study was devastating, conservatively estimating that with 10db digital stations could expect to lose 30% - almost a third - of analog coverage in the car due to SELF-INTERFERENCE, and that doesn't even address the first- and second-adjacent problems likely in congested dials in the northeast, California, Florida and other major metros.
No sane manager in today's economic landscape is going to tolerate major loss of coverage and audience for the sake of HD, which most radio execs view with extreme skepticism if not outright hostility. But even if the self-interference problem didn't exist, the economic realities of 10db are damning. Combiner inefficiencies and lack of RF headroom in many if not most FM transmitting plants mean entire TX facilities will have to be rebuilt, from utility entrance to antenna and even tower replacement in some cases. In some urban locations atop office buildings, there simply isn't room to install the new HD RF gear. 10db means permanent, enormous increases in fixed costs which will perpetually outlive HD in the likely event the system just dies a slow death.
What cluster manager, struggling with eroding revenues, layoffs and increasing demands from corporate headquarters, is going to voluntarily sign on for giant increases in utility costs and tower rent plus big capital expenses to be charged against his operating budget - plus more maintenance headaches and pressure on engineering staff which are increasingly deserting radio - just to REDUCE analog coverage which pays the bills? In most cases 10db digital is just stupid from any reasonably objective perspective.
So: no plans to increase digital for HD-AM. Even if a reconstituted post-election FCC adopts 10db digital, very few stations will actually install it. And the ones which do will encounter serious interference problems.
JE PLAN:
DA AM stations under 50KW, all daytimers and all graveyard channels get FM translators immediately and an FCC invitation to move to FM all-digital band at TV CH6 within 2 years - then shutdown the AM signal and simulcast on FM analog translator for just 2-3 years and CH6 digital continuously.
50KW Class 1A stations will become true clear channels again in 2010, but it will take a 1941 bandplan rearrangement again to move the clears so that they're at least 20KHz (to 30KHz) spaced; then they get their choice: C-Quam stereo out to 15KHz, CAM-D hybrid digital, DRM or Hybrid HD-AM.
In addition, all HD-FM radios must include an AM section capable of all of the above, in addition to all digital operation on the TV5/6-FM band.
Plan done; sign here.......................
DA AM stations under 50KW, all daytimers and all graveyard channels get FM translators immediately and an FCC invitation to move to FM all-digital band at TV CH6 within 2 years - then shutdown the AM signal and simulcast on FM analog translator for just 2-3 years and CH6 digital continuously.
50KW Class 1A stations will become true clear channels again in 2010, but it will take a 1941 bandplan rearrangement again to move the clears so that they're at least 20KHz (to 30KHz) spaced; then they get their choice: C-Quam stereo out to 15KHz, CAM-D hybrid digital, DRM or Hybrid HD-AM.
In addition, all HD-FM radios must include an AM section capable of all of the above, in addition to all digital operation on the TV5/6-FM band.
Plan done; sign here.......................
Savage said:Well, we can just note for the record that TheBigA has no solutions to offer regarding AM.
I don't think there ARE any solutions, based on the choices available now. They're all bad.
Savage said:He just comes here to argue for the sake of arguing, particularly if it's with anti-IBOC posters.
I wasn't aware there are any other posters here except anti-IBOC posters. I don't see myself as arguing, but as questioning some of the outrageous claims a few make. The overall topic is HD Radio, not anti-IBOC. As one poster said to me, if this is what I want to do, so be it.
Savage said:HD opponents have time and again offered realistic plans to improve AM. And they are publicly ridiculed over and over by TheBigA and his ilk.
I don't know of any plan that's realistic. From what I can see, all will meet the same fate as IBOC. The only difference is they won't cause AM interference. That solves one problem. But the chances of millions of people replacing their radios are, to put it simply, non-existant.
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