Chicago HD AM Outages

[audioguy]

Both 1390 and 1690 had their hiss generators off for a few days, but 1390's is back on again. AM 1000 has also had theirs turned off at times recently.

Apparently there are so few listeners that they don't think it's important to operate in HD on a regular basis.

 

[KB1OKL]

I wonder if they got any irate calls? :

 

[BRNout]

WMVP has their hissmaker off today, which is always welcome. Their audio sounds more robust as a result. Debate the "merits" of FM HD all you want, but the AM version needs to be trashed NOW! It's crap.

 

[scanman1]

I'm always glad when the iboc sidebands go dead on one of my fav. AM stations (WLS and WBBM for ex.) as they ALWAYS sounds better analog only!

 

[radiotower40]

WMVP still has the I block off ;D. It is amazing how much better the stations sound with it off.

 

[radioman148]

Let's hope they stay off. It will be a significant improvement for the AM band.

 

[BRNout]

Shhhh, don't tell Willcail or the other HD boosters about this; they'll accuse you of being in a steel and concrete building and of not being very bright! ;D

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Don't say anything - nobody listens to HD AM anyway - with luck nobody will know until the engineer discovers it. It could go on for weeks or months before being discovered.

The old tree falling in a forest sound question ----

 

[audioguy]

Just an update: both 1390 and 1690 have resumed IBOC transmission. However, the last time I checked (this morning), AM 1000 was still transmitting in crystal clear analog.

 

[stormy01]

Just an update: both 1390 and 1690 have resumed IBOC transmission. However, the last time I checked (this morning), AM 1000 was still transmitting in crystal clear analog.

WMVP 1000 seems to have their iBlock on, however, WLS 890 has theirs off as of this moment. Don't we wish the "HD" musical chairs game would be over already?

 

[radioman148]

Just an update: both 1390 and 1690 have resumed IBOC transmission. However, the last time I checked (this morning), AM 1000 was still transmitting in crystal clear analog.

WMVP 1000 seems to have their iBlock on, however, WLS 890 has theirs off as of this moment. Don't we wish the "HD" musical chairs game would be over already?

Indeed we do!

 

[BRNout]

Just an update: both 1390 and 1690 have resumed IBOC transmission. However, the last time I checked (this morning), AM 1000 was still transmitting in crystal clear analog.

WMVP 1000 seems to have their iBlock on, however, WLS 890 has theirs off as of this moment. Don't we wish the "HD" musical chairs game would be over already?

Indeed we do!

Amen to that!! Shut it off already!! Nobody is listening to these stations in HD!

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

As a subscriber to the radiolists.net Broadcast remailer, I saw some remarks yesterday from Warren Schultz, the CE of WLS, and without quoting them verbatim and in full here (not wanting them to be deleted for TOS violation), he basically says that when he tunes the Chicago FM dial now "the hiss of IBOC carriers covers the entire Chicago FM dial" with the currently permitted 1% injection level (which, as he noted, iBiquity admitted they used initially to AVOID interference with analog). He says it makes no sense, with so few receivers in the hands of consumers, to effectively kill analog-FM reception so those select few can have properly performing radios. If 80% of the radios out there were HD, it might make sense, but not like this.

He predicts that 10% injection across the board will effectively kill the FM broadcast service: "Going to 10% power will kill analog reception resulting in a sea of carrier hiss."

Another smart engineer who has come to his senses.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

True, but I hope there are no "personal consequences" for his openness and honesty.