HD Radio in NYC Thread

[luperm]

Or they could put it on 105.1 HD-2, which is currently not in use -- or 104.3 HD-2 which has similar alternative rock to 92.3 HD-2...

 

[kevtronics]

102.7-HD2 is now all-Smooth Jazz Christmas music, and 98.7-HD3 (a simulcast of ESPN TV audio) has disappeared.

 

[Unregistered]

I wish I lived in NYC for the digital non-comms:
The Jazz Bee, WWFM, WFUV-2&3, Q2.

They are all available via webstream.

 

[Barry]

Clear Channel's HD signals in New York have been experiencing numerous interruptions in service, over the past few months. I believe that all 4 of their HD2's are down at this time. As one might expect, these problems occur most often overnight and on weekends, when there may be no one around to adjust the computers.
Also WVIP 93.5 which has been leasing its HD2 to Voice of Russia, is currently operating without its HD2/3/4. The long holiday weekend has been tough for local HD radio.
As regular FM stations are often automated overnight and on weekends yet rarely go off the air for extended periods of time, I wonder whether the HD automation systems are less robust or just receive much less attention.
Speaking of Clear Channel stations in this area, the FCC authorized W231CM, a 250 watt translator to be built in Southampton LI. The application stated that it will rebroadcast WALK 97.5 on 94.1. As WALK has a humongous signal, my guess is that it will actually simulcast the HD2. WALK HD2 has been Long Island Country since the station started using HD. So eastern Long Island's country station WJVC may possibly get a competitor.

 

[davideduardo]

As regular FM stations are often automated overnight and on weekends yet rarely go off the air for extended periods of time, I wonder whether the HD automation systems are less robust or just receive much less attention.

Nearly 100% of US radio stations use some form of full or live-assist program automation. And within a cluster, the system is the same for all stations and feeds.

What you are hearing sounds more like a transmitter issue. FM HD is either a unit that "inserts" the digital signal into the existing transmitter and antenna or a separate transmitter and antenna. In many cases, stations do not have their auxiliary transmitter equipped for HD, so if the main unit is off for maintenance, the auxiliary can't broadcast the HD signal.

What you may be hearing could have a variety of causes. If CC is "exercising" the Condé-Nast auxiliary site, they may not have HD capability there. If there is some kind of antenna maintenance ont he ESB, the backup may not have HD capability. Of course, I am just guessing here... perhaps Scott Fybush can tell us who has full HD redundancy or not.

As an example, when the Los Angeles market has huge fires around Mt Wilson where the majority of major FM sites are located, many stations ran for a week or so from backup sites... none of which had HD. Others, running on generators, ran lower power and no HD to reduce power consumption and to reduce load on the air conditioning units. Net result... most of the market's HDs were off for as much as 10 days.

 

[Barry]

WWPR and WLTW which run high power HD are currently not in HD at all, so that could have something to do with their transmitter setup.
But WHTZ, WKTU, WAXQ and WVIP currently have their HD1 signals on the air, but not their HD2's (or HD2,3,4 in the case of WVIP). Wouldn't that indicate that those stations are more likely experiencing some issues with their HD equipment?

 

[davideduardo]

WWPR and WLTW which run high power HD are currently not in HD at all, so that could have something to do with their transmitter setup.
But WHTZ, WKTU, WAXQ and WVIP currently have their HD1 signals on the air, but not their HD2's (or HD2,3,4 in the case of WVIP). Wouldn't that indicate that those stations are more likely experiencing some issues with their HD equipment?

Or the auxiliary site or transmitter is simply not equipped with the STL capability and audio processing gear for the HD subchannels.

 

[AlNYRadio]

I noticed the CC cluster problem yesterday afternoon. WWPR & WLTW's HD was gone and only RDS. The HD sub channels of the others were gone. As of now, everything is back to normal on all the stations.