I'm posting this link here because it can be accessed by anyone here. It uses data from the FCC's CDBS AM and FM database to reveal the field strength for any American AM or FM radio station in any zip code in the U-S. This verifies the figures I posted here. Check any zip codes for any station in YOUR local or nearby markets.
http://www.v-soft.com/ZipSignal/default.htm
---> Again, this is an entertainment site. It does not take into account real coverage based on complex calculations. It only uses the theoretical licence values which are what the FCC uses for inter-station protection.
--- > real coverage usable by the listener is a much more complex issue. I see, at first glance, total shadow areas for KRCC in LA (where you can not hear the station at all) that the signal program shows as over 60 dbu. On AM, I see areas for KTNQ where you could not even hear the station on a Ten Tec 340 that show as over 5 mvm.
Look for yourself how many stations show up with listening in other markets. Anyone can also access 12+ Arbitron numbers for any rated U-S market at this link:
--- > As I said, neraly all "other market" listening is in adjacent markets that get decent coverage from signals in the first market, like Riverside / San Berdoo with LA signals. This is almost always listening well within the "above the noise" signal level for AMs (about 10 mv/m in big cities, somewhat less in smaller ones, and even less in quiet rural areas. It is generally above the 64 dbu in FM, as Arbitron proves that nearly no listening is done outside that contour.
--> There are only about 200 stations that get listening more outside adjacent markets. These are ones like WGN, which has a good signal and is in an area of great ground condutivity. In other words, they are listeing to the local, pwoerful, ground signal. Others that do this are KFYR, WBAP, WCCO, KLIF, WOAI, etc. Big AMs in areas of great conductivity. On FM, this can happen, but not often, with stations that are so big and high up they put over a 60 dbu over multiple markets... like the Poland Spring, ME station does. KLVE and KRTH in LA often show int he Palm Springs book, with tiny numbers. What used to be KRUZ in Santa Barbara shows in Bakersfield, Santa Maria, SLO and Oxnard; it is a superpower FM. And so on.
-- But the key issue is signal. If there is not enough, they don't get listening.
http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRRatings/
---> and that supports my point. Of course, in radio, 12+ ratings are useless, which is why they give them away and charge an LA station $1 million a year for "the rest of the story."
As a side note, Univision's "David" is blindly defending HD Radio as his company is going through a controversial sale. At least 12.3 billion dollars is at stake. Two lawsuits have been filed by shareholders against Univision Communications and its board members, alleging they breached their fiduciary duty with their sale agreement. Univision's largest stockholder Jerry Perenchio is a very smart man. He is unloading his company at its peak, before broadband wireless Internet takes off and terrestrial broadcast property valuations really plummet. He stands to pocket at least 1 billion dollars from the deal. It's important that nothing further rocks the boat and none of their initiatives look like losers. That includes their wholesale involvement in HD Radio. If HD Radio is so hot and promises a new age in broadcasting, why the sale? And why now? I hope David's position remains secure. I actually do.
----> Jerry is 74 and doing estate planning. Hispanic use of Internet is very low, because there is far less relevant content. We are the only growth sector in the entire radio and tv industry. A good time to sell, when the potential for future growth can be seen by investors (still 40% of Fortune 500 advertisers do not use Spanish... what an enormous upside!) Every large deal has complications, and this is no different.
And when all arguments fail to hold water, they resort to this below:
DAVID WROTE: "The FCC has approved it, for FM 24/7 and for daytime AM. It's over."
Not quite yet. If it was really over, he wouldn't be living on this and other boards. Think about it.
--- > FM HD is so simple it requires only a notification. No permanent standard exists (new technology, etc) because it is evolving. Same with AM for daytime broadcasgting. Notify and go on. No permit needed. The investment in HD infrastructure has to exceed $200 million now. Fait acomplit.
--- > This actually started some time ago on some DX message boards, where some fine radio people like the Mays brothers, were accused of being cheats,, and radio was disparged daily over HD. It coonvinced me that a small group of frustrated DXers with nothing else to do have made this into an issue when it is not. So, to have some fun and do some good for radio, I decided to speak out with the broadcaster´s side of this.
----> There are still lies, such as one post suggesting engineers were not consulted on HD, and the ongoing exaggeration of useful coverage and the failure to understand skywave is dead. So I keep posting. Maybe I read don Quixote de la Mancha too many times...
