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HD Radio carriers off?

W

webcastboy

Guest
Anyone know why WERS hasn't had their HD Radio carriers on lately, and why WGBH suddenly shut 'em off a few days ago? All I'm seeing is RBDS from both.

I've heard through the grapevine that some stations' Importers had their software licenses (from iBiquity) expire this week, which will take the multicast channel(s) off the air...but I don't know about the entire HD Radio signal. I understand iBiquity didn't do anything to warn anyone about it, either...although admittedly it's the station's responsibility to remember to contact iBiquity to renew the license.

Snide comments about HD Radio in general are not welcome; I'm just curious if anyone knows the factual reason why those two stations, which we KNOW have HD Radio installations, aren't running HD Radio at the moment?
 
Is WERS new BE doing both analog and IBOC digital or is there a second xtmr. doing IBOC digital via high level combined?
Glad that FMXtra is starting to get a liitle bit of traction.
 
The new BE was doing both analog and digital, there seems to be a temperature stability problem. I don't know how a problem like this can be happening in one
of the best climate controlled sites around.
Perfectly controlled temperature and so clean I never have a bit of cleaning to
do, not even dust in the filters.
 
chrish said:
The new BE was doing both analog and digital, there seems to be a temperature stability problem. I don't know how a problem like this can be happening in one
of the best climate controlled sites around.
Perfectly controlled temperature and so clean I never have a bit of cleaning to
do, not even dust in the filters.
Click to expand...

Temperature stability problems, in my experience, rarely have to do with the site's climate control (unless, for example, the air conditioning fails on a 110-degree day, which is of course when it's most likely to fail). It's more than likely some component that's overheating.
 
FWIW, as of Monday evening the HD carriers (and multicast) on 89.7 WGBH are back and I'm getting HD Radio from them.

The volume levels are still off...and the analog audio is not time-delayed...so the blend from analog to HD is pretty ugly. The all-classical HD2 channel sounds pretty decent, though. I don't hear any codec artifacts, although I only listened for five minutes or so.

I know that pre-IBOC (at least) WGBH had identical 22kW Harris transmitters up on Blue Hill, they usually cycled 'em so that each would run for 3 to 6 months. The other would receive the usual maintenance and then otherwise kept as a backup. I have no idea what they've got up there now, but I wonder if they had to go a backup that doesn't transmit IBOC for the weekend to do some work. Or maybe they got hit by that license key expiring that I mentioned...

Chrish...how is WERS doing the IBOC implementation? High-level combining? If so, maybe it's temperature-related from dummy load heat? Or a bad connector? Just wildly guessing...
 
WERS has a new five kilowatt BE for analog and digital, it is low level combined.
The problem seems to involve the PA modules, I will find out more details.
They have been off the new transmitter more than on it since it was installed,
they are now back on the BE3.5A at this time.
 
They are FM-25k Harris transmitters. Licensed transmitter output is 23.5 kW. Recently, the 3-4 month routine switch from TX B to TX A resulted in major problems, 1) due to a poor tube manufacturer choice (TX B) and 2) plate blocker assembly arc (TX A). Ony choice was to sacrifice IBOC and run about 2kW analog into the auxiliary antenna (normally used for HD Radio) while we wound a new Kapton plate blocker to restore TX A. TX B needed lotsa work from a series of tube arcs. Really bad luck.

Once the station moves this summer we will investigate time alignment for HD Radio. Wonder what the blend path is for our HD-2? Hmmm.

webcastboy said:
FWIW, as of Monday evening the HD carriers (and multicast) on 89.7 WGBH are back and I'm getting HD Radio from them.

The volume levels are still off...and the analog audio is not time-delayed...so the blend from analog to HD is pretty ugly. The all-classical HD2 channel sounds pretty decent, though. I don't hear any codec artifacts, although I only listened for five minutes or so.

I know that pre-IBOC (at least) WGBH had identical 22kW Harris transmitters up on Blue Hill, they usually cycled 'em so that each would run for 3 to 6 months. The other would receive the usual maintenance and then otherwise kept as a backup. I have no idea what they've got up there now, but I wonder if they had to go a backup that doesn't transmit IBOC for the weekend to do some work. Or maybe they got hit by that license key expiring that I mentioned...

Chrish...how is WERS doing the IBOC implementation? High-level combining? If so, maybe it's temperature-related from dummy load heat? Or a bad connector? Just wildly guessing...
Click to expand...
 
I read that IBOC Digital signals are best with a Class AB power amp section instead of the Class C power amp used in analog FM.
Is WERS the first to do low level combine with 1 xtmr. in Boston, instead of 2 xtmr. and high level combine?
One thing with FMXtra , it will work fine with Class C FM xtmrs.
 
Once the station moves this summer we will investigate time alignment for HD Radio.
Click to expand...

amtech897, that's a reference to the studios moving to Guest St/Market St...right? Not that old plan to move the transmitter from Blue Hill to Needham? Either way, I hope iBiquity doesn't get bitchy with you in the interim. :)

Bummer about the TX problems, talk about when it rains it pours! You have my sympathies. Thanks for keeping the RBDS signal going, though. :) FWIW, I didn't notice any particular difference in reception (I live in Brighton near Brookline) with only 2kW vs. 23.5kW. What was the ERP (i.e. what's the gain on the IBOC antenna?)
 
I chose amtec..the 897 is obvious. Guess what amtec means and you win free hair coloring for a year. It's not a company in case you google it. Yep, the move reference is the studio to Brighton Landing. Some are calling it Crash Landing. The Needham transmitter move is off. ERP with 2 kW into the auxiliary antenna was around 1.7 kW.


amtech897, that's a reference to the studios moving to Guest St/Market St...right? Not that old plan to move the transmitter from Blue Hill to Needham?
 
I dunno..."AM Technician"? ::)

"Crash Landing"?!?!? :D I've heard many GBH folks express..."skepticism"...that the move will be anything but utter chaos, but I haven't heard that particular phrase for it. Thanks for bringing a grin to my face this morning!

1700 watts ERP from Blue Hill would indeed cover my neighborhood pretty well. I imagine downtown penetration got somewhat worse, and certainly a lot was lost out in the burbs, but the urban area would be covered pretty good. I wonder if WZBC's coverage mysteriously improved in Milton for the weekend? Meh, probably not thanks to that goddamn (pun intended) WSMA on 90.5 out in Manomet.

FWIW, I saw the apps GBH filed for that move to Needham...I heard the FCC rejected it b/c of increased interference to WZBC. That's such a load of crap.
 
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