Bob McAllan Is Not A Fan Of HD Radio

[LynnW]

Unless I'm using the above FCC link incorrectly, there have been no stations in Utah which have notified the FCC of their intent to increase digital power. In Colorado, only a handful of comparatively low powered non-commercial stations have notified the FCC of their desire to increase power. The only staton in Illinois to notify the FCC is a low power licensed station in Rock Island.

 

[tomservo]

Of course they're all running 1% where I am, so maybe I need to call the GM's and see if I can convince them to let me upgrade them to 4%. I could use the money.

See there? HD might of benefit to you after all. ;D

BTW, whereabouts are you, geographically? I am always interested in reception reports for this HD scheme, but it is useless unless I know what the terrain is like. It seems, so far, that HD does fine as long as there's clear line of sight, in relatively flat areas with tall towers or areas where the TX sites are on mountaintops.

(I see from the earlier link that the only Memphis station to boost power is WKQK, who is on a short tower in the suburbs. That explains how I was, with the help of a poorly parked Fedex truck, able to get a lock on them in Oxford, MS, 44 miles out!)

 

[Len14043]

I'm a little short on time as I'm going on the road in about five hours, so forgive me for not doing all of the required research, but let me shoot from the hip if you don't mind.

17 miles doesn't strike me as a wall banger for coverage, particularly given the amount of effort, expense and power required to get there. I would expect a good FM signal at 50 kW out to something like 40 or 50 miles, depending on several factors. Now if 17 miles is what you're getting after a 6dB increase in digital power, I would suggest that it's a very wasted use of RF for very little gain in coverage.

When I was giving the example of a 50kW class B suddenly becoming 110kW, I was ball parking a 4 dB increase in power. I really should have used a number more like 200 kW if we're going to talk about 6dB. Now if you want to talk about a 50kW FM using 4% injection, we're really getting into fire breathing territory with a severe penchant for interference to other stations. As you know, IBOC was originally authorized for 1%, or on a 50 kW FM 500 watts. If we're going to go to 4%, which is way above what has been authorized in the lastest attempt to keep this IBOC thing breathing, we're now looking at 2 kW of digital power. Cool. Except in a high level combined system, which most of the IBOC installations are, we're talking about a 20 kW transmitter rejecting 18 kW of power into a load that hopefully isn't in the same zip code as your bread and butter 50 kW FM analog. The power bill alone will cost you a few large per month with (ahem) how many listeners tuning in in your 17 mile radius? And this is worth what for your HD-2 comedy channel with no spots?

I am not saying that 17 miles is as far as the digital signal goes, I am saying that I don't have any problem at my location. At 17 miles, I don't have to futz with the antenna or ideally position my radio. OTOH, it is difficult, but not impossible to receive some of the Dayton area stations (about 35 miles) in my house, and somewhat easier in my car.

 

[RadeoEngineer]

Of course they're all running 1% where I am, so maybe I need to call the GM's and see if I can convince them to let me upgrade them to 4%. I could use the money.

BTW, whereabouts are you, geographically? I am always interested in reception reports for this HD scheme, but it is useless unless I know what the terrain is like. It seems, so far, that HD does fine as long as there's clear line of sight, in relatively flat areas with tall towers or areas where the TX sites are on mountaintops.

(I see from the earlier link that the only Memphis station to boost power is WKQK, who is on a short tower in the suburbs. That explains how I was, with the help of a poorly parked Fedex truck, able to get a lock on them in Oxford, MS, 44 miles out!)

I'm in Melmfus. I don't know if KQK has turned theirs up yet, but it won't be that big of an increase. It just works out their system has a little bit of head room.

 

[briankay]

Unless I'm using the above FCC link incorrectly, there have been no stations in Utah which have notified the FCC of their intent to increase digital power. In Colorado, only a handful of comparatively low powered non-commercial stations have notified the FCC of their desire to increase power. The only staton in Illinois to notify the FCC is a low power licensed station in Rock Island.

Another Illinois station, B96 Chicago WBBM FM increase their power by 6 dB since mid-May.
http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=18902

 

[tomservo]

I'm in Melmfus. I don't know if KQK has turned theirs up yet, but it won't be that big of an increase. It just works out their system has a little bit of head room.

Of all the station in Memphis running HD, they probably need help the most, with their lower power and shorter tower located out in the boonies.