Has anyone received any nighttime DX in HD?

[KE4KLS_Radio]

While I have heard HD sideband noise on a number of channels at nighttime this weekend, was anyone able to lock in any HD DX with their HD radios, if so, how far? I did not have an opportunity to check out any nighttime HD DX with my Accurian this weekend, also the AM on my model is only so-so...

Bill in E. Central FL

 

[Len14043]

From Cincinnati, WTAM frequently locked in, KMOX occasionally locked and WHAM briefly locked.

 

[4dude]

Yes but nothing worth screwing up the whole band!!

You cant get 20mins of a good lock,its crap and needs to go.......

 

[Len14043]

Dude,
Not being an advocate of AM IBOC, but a DXer that likes to make lemonade out of lemons, I still enjoy the MW band. IBOC may be screwing up the AM band for analog dxing, but has presented new dxing possibilities. It is neat when a distant station "locks in" with crystal clear fidelity. I will make the most of whatever system is in place. Besides, the AM band became screwed up years ago when low-powered stations were permitted to operate on formerly clear channels.

 

[ezlistenin]

Reporting my first HD DX from northeast Los Angeles on the 210 Freeway. KGO HD 810 San Francisco on Saturday Night, Sept 15 at 8:15 pm. Locked in for about 3 minutes Karel was the talk show host.
Sounded strange at first like a Star Trek sound effect. Then broadcast came in clear like FM. Cool! DX'ed on JVC car radio, while moving in hilly terrain. HD icon on continously during the drive home.

 

[w9wi]

Reporting my first HD DX from northeast Los Angeles on the 210 Freeway. KGO HD 810 San Francisco on Saturday Night, Sept 15 at 8:15 pm. Locked in for about 3 minutes Karel was the talk show host.
Sounded strange at first like a Star Trek sound effect. Then broadcast came in clear like FM. Cool! DX'ed on JVC car radio, while moving in hilly terrain. HD icon on continously during the drive home.

Over the weekend I've managed digital audio from KMOX-1120 St. Louis, WTAM-1100 Cleveland, WLS-890 Chicago, and WHO-1040 Des Moines. In most cases only a few seconds (if that) but managed almost a minute from WLS. I'm near Nashville. Boston Acoustics Recepter HD and 260-foot ham antenna. I think the higher interference levels here east of the Mississippi make reliable distant HD reception a lot more problematic.

ezlistenin: how do you turn on the JVC radio? Our local Wal-Mart has one in their demo station, but no button is clearly marked as the power switch and after trying everything that looked relevant, I still couldn't get it to turn on! (could be they don't have it connected, as I doubt you can receive any HD stations at that store with an indoor antenna)

 

[ezlistenin]

w9wi asks:
how do you turn on the JVC radio?

To turn on the JVC KD-HDR1, one must press the ruby red button in the upper left hand corner. This button must remained depressed for a couple of seconds for the unit to come on or turn off for that matter.
I bought mine and had it installed at Circuit City, and after it was in the dash the salesman gave me a short course in operation. I appreciated that since it is a much more complicated radio, than the factory model it replaced. My advice is that you find a salesman who knows the radio, or one who will let you look at an operations manual. It is well written. One other trick you may wish to know is to tap the arrows on the big press pad to recieve the HD 2 and 3 stations. AM HD and FM HD 1 are automatic, although there is a way to shut off the HD if you wish. I've never used it. By the way, this head unit is so much more than just an HD radio, and is available everywhere for under $200.00

 

[4dude]

Locked in for about 3 minutes

Wow lets party!!!!

Anyone wanna join me??

3 Minutes ;D

Ill get the champaign and crackers

 

[PhilJSmith67]

My big nighttime HD DX is WTAM Cleveland, for about 10 seconds at a time, maybe once every minute. That lasted for about 5 minutes, and it never came close to the "lock" threshold after that. The analog signal was rock-solid / full-quieting the entire time.

I had WHO show up on the display once.

I just wish I could DX my LOCAL 50k-watters that I used to get clearly at night in analog! I would settle for HD or analog, but it ain't gonna happen.

 

[almaniac27]

Are only certain radio stations doing nighttime HD broadcasting? I'm in Cincinnati and the only AM station to broadcast in HD at night is WLW.

Maybe HD DXing would be better if someone comes up with a hypersensitive AM HD antenna. Right now my indoor AM loop antenna is decent, but has trouble locking in 1530 WCKY during the morning and evening hours.

 

[w9wi]

Maybe HD DXing would be better if someone comes up with a hypersensitive AM HD antenna. Right now my indoor AM loop antenna is decent, but has trouble locking in 1530 WCKY during the morning and evening hours.

Many of us have rather extensive long wire antennas - for instance, I can frequently hear San Francisco and Vancouver in analog. (I'm near Nashville)

In general the problem with AM DX is interference, not lack of signal. I don't think the situation is any different with HD: the difficulty in DXing it is because digital reception requires two channels on either the upper or lower side be clear of interference. There are few channels on which that condition can be met.

 

[almaniac27]

Maybe HD DXing would be better if someone comes up with a hypersensitive AM HD antenna. Right now my indoor AM loop antenna is decent, but has trouble locking in 1530 WCKY during the morning and evening hours.

Many of us have rather extensive long wire antennas - for instance, I can frequently hear San Francisco and Vancouver in analog. (I'm near Nashville)

In general the problem with AM DX is interference, not lack of signal. I don't think the situation is any different with HD: the difficulty in DXing it is because digital reception requires two channels on either the upper or lower side be clear of interference. There are few channels on which that condition can be met.

I guess I should still go for a better AM antenna. What would you recommend on a budget around $100 and what would be a good place to get them?

 

[KE4KLS_Radio]

For my Accurian HD, I used the Terk AM advantage, it worked better than the enclosed AM loop antenna that came with the receiver, since it tunes up to the desired frequency. However, with the wide HD signal it seems that it needs to be tuned to the digital sideband as opposed to the center of the frequency of the station. I have picked up only one HD radio station in my area, 990 AM in Orlando.

With the afternoon and evening thunderstorms in the area lately, I haven't had an opportunity to seriously DX with it but as we get into Fall and the weather here in FL improves will see how well this radio performs on AM. As for FM, I have installed it to an outdoor antenna in the attic and it does a great job in receiving all the HD signals in the area.

Also, have some of the stations that initially broadcast IBOC at night turned off their IBOC generators, I don't seem to notice as much noise here in FL as I did since Sept. 14, when nighttime IBOC began?

 

[mimo]

I was about to ask the same question, as I've noticed a LOT less of the hash this weekend, which is a go0d thing.

 

[trusty]

In general the problem with AM DX is interference, not lack of signal. I don't think the situation is any different with HD: the difficulty in DXing it is because digital reception requires two channels on either the upper or lower side be clear of interference.

Question: Does the reception require the adjacent channels to the station be clear or the adjacent channels to the station's hash be clear? Also, is the hash supposed to "clear up" the adjacent channels for the station's HD signal?

 

[w9wi]

Question: Does the reception require the adjacent channels to the station be clear or the adjacent channels to the station's hash be clear? Also, is the hash supposed to "clear up" the adjacent channels for the station's HD signal?

The adjacent channels to the station itself, both of which contain hash. I mean, WLAC-1510 "hashes" 1490 and 1500, as well as 1520 and 1530. If both 1490 and 1500 are clear of interference, or both 1520 and 1530, then you should be able to receive WLAC's HD. Clear 1480 and 1540 are not important. (nor likely!)

The hash *is* the HD signal. Contrary to popular opinion its purpose is not to interfere with other stations. (though that is often its effect)

 

[PhilJSmith67]

In general the problem with AM DX is interference, not lack of signal. I don't think the situation is any different with HD: the difficulty in DXing it is because digital reception requires two channels on either the upper or lower side be clear of interference.

Question: Does the reception require the adjacent channels to the station be clear or the adjacent channels to the station's hash be clear? Also, is the hash supposed to "clear up" the adjacent channels for the station's HD signal?

My personal observations are that at least one of the two first-adjacent channels on either side of an HD Radio station must be clean in order to lock the signal. I get my local 50kW stations with the same analog signal level at night as during the day (WSCR, WGN, WBBM). Daytime, the HD signal remains locked except when there are storms within ~50 miles. At night, I lose HD on all of these stations because of the presence of analog signals on the first-adjacents. WGN is the only station for which I can null-out WOR New York to lock in the HD signal, momentarily at best.

FYI, I am approximately 40 miles from these stations' transmitters.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

In general the problem with AM DX is interference, not lack of signal. I don't think the situation is any different with HD: the difficulty in DXing it is because digital reception requires two channels on either the upper or lower side be clear of interference.

Question: Does the reception require the adjacent channels to the station be clear or the adjacent channels to the station's hash be clear? Also, is the hash supposed to "clear up" the adjacent channels for the station's HD signal?

My personal observations are that at least one of the two first-adjacent channels on either side of an HD Radio station must be clean in order to lock the signal. I get my local 50kW stations with the same analog signal level at night as during the day (WSCR, WGN, WBBM). Daytime, the HD signal remains locked except when there are storms within ~50 miles. At night, I lose HD on all of these stations because of the presence of analog signals on the first-adjacents. WGN is the only station for which I can null-out WOR New York to lock in the HD signal, momentarily at best.

FYI, I am approximately 40 miles from these stations' transmitters.

An interesting addition to the HD night reception...I've been listening to WIBC 1070 Indianapolis at 25 miles at night (main lobe) and sometimes the HD will lock in even though the 1070 frequnecy has interference from DX stations. Apparently the adjacents were sufficiently clear at that momemt and the fact that the carrier frequency was not interference free didn't seem to matter. For that brief fluke of a moment, even an HD skeptic like myself had to marvel at the sudden transformation from marginal AM sound to "sparkling clear digital" as WIBC promotes.

 

[PhilJSmith67]

I've heard that happen with WBZ Boston. I sometimes get what sounds like a religious broadcaster mixing with 1030. If either KDKA or WHO are weak enough by comparison, the HD Radio signal from WBZ locks and the other 1030 vanishes. Well, for the 10 to 30 seconds that WBZ-HD remains locked, anyway...

I've also heard this happen one time with 1180 WHAM.