HD Radio reception from Cincinnati

[Len14043]

I purchased an JVC HD car radio and am very pleased. The performance was better than I expected. The Dayton HD stations came in reliably in northern Cincinnati - about 45 miles south of Dayton. Once you entered Cincinnati proper, the Dayton HD signals were no longer dependable, as was the case with the analog signals. At times, the digital signals were receivable while the analog signal was full of miltipath. I listened primarily to the HD2s so I could tell when the digital signal failed. The Cincinnati HD2s never failed during the ride around the area. The blend from A to D was smooth on FM but more pronounced on AM. I am encouraged by the performance seeing that I previously had doubts about the technology. If the Hybrid system works this well, the all-digital mode will be phenominal. With the increased power of the all-digital mode on the main channel, the analog backup will not be needed. After parking in my attached garage, the Dayton A and D signals were gone but all of the Cincinnati HD stations were there. I'm going to take a ride this weekend to see how far WLW and the other stations can be received in HD.

 

[IBOCRocks]

I purchased an JVC HD car radio and am very pleased. The performance was better than I expected. The Dayton HD station came in reliably in northern Cincinnati - about 45 miles south of Dayton. Once you entered Cincinnati proper, the Dayton HD signals were no longer dependable, as was the case with the analog signals. At times, the digital signals were receivable while the analog signal was full of miltipath. I listened primarily to the HD2s so I could tell when the digital signal failed. The Cincinnati HD2s never failed during the ride around the area. The blend from A to D was smooth on FM but more pronounced on AM. I am encouraged by the performance seeing that I previously had doubts about the technology. If the Hybrid works this well, the all-digital mode will be phenominal. With the increased power of the all-digital mode on the main channel, the analog backup will not be needed. After parking in my attached garage, the Dayton A and D signals were gone but all of the Cincinnati HD stations were there. I'm going to take a ride this weekend to see how far WLW and the other stations can be received in HD.

Welcome to the world of HD! And surprise - nobody died and the world didn't end when you turned that piece of evil technology on... ;D

I'm glad you tried it for yourself. Most everyone who does realizes that many of the negative claims are "slightly exaggerated."

 

[1q2w3e]

I purchased an JVC HD car radio and am very pleased. The performance was better than I expected. The Dayton HD stations came in reliably in northern Cincinnati - about 45 miles south of Dayton. Once you entered Cincinnati proper, the Dayton HD signals were no longer dependable, as was the case with the analog signals. At times, the digital signals were receivable while the analog signal was full of miltipath. I listened primarily to the HD2s so I could tell when the digital signal failed. The Cincinnati HD2s never failed during the ride around the area. The blend from A to D was smooth on FM but more pronounced on AM. I am encouraged by the performance seeing that I previously had doubts about the technology. If the Hybrid system works this well, the all-digital mode will be phenominal. With the increased power of the all-digital mode on the main channel, the analog backup will not be needed. After parking in my attached garage, the Dayton A and D signals were gone but all of the Cincinnati HD stations were there. I'm going to take a ride this weekend to see how far WLW and the other stations can be received in HD.

Welcome to the digital world Len! It is fun drivign around to see what all you can hear. When you take a trip you will find all sorts of HD stations. I travel quite a bit and get the chance to hear quite a few new formats running.

Keep letting us know what you are getting.

 

[Len14043]

I acknowledge that the current hybrid mode has problems. Having said that, it is probably the best method of introducing digital signals to the broadcast bands. As good as Hybrid IBOC is, I wouldn't want to see it last for more than 10-15 years. It is merely a bridge to the all-digital mode. I am hoping that as the prices come down, HD will be incorporated into most of the radios sold rather than being an "extra".

I was listening to WCKY (1530) in digital around sunset just before they shut off the IBOC. While learning about the features of my radio, I switched the radio from the D to the A mode while listening to WCKY. The radio went from the clean sounding D to fading A! Amazing! I was in an area where the groundwave and skywave collide and the digital signal was still clean. What this tells me is that when we enter the all digital world, the audio will still be clean even when the underlying signal weakens considerably. I am curious as to how the graveyard channels will sound like at night in the all D mode.

 

[audiophile.]

You shouldn't have any trouble on the Dayton signals in northern Cincy. That's only 30 miles away! Terrain is also fairly flat along I-75 in that stretch. I don't recall having too much trouble with analog well into Kentucky on some class "B" stations from Dayton. My OEM radio (made by Panasonic) has nice selectivity. Is it possible that IBOC was causing some of the analog signals to picket fence? Give examples if you can, I'll look at it with software.

I hope analog stays on for the next 75 - 100 years. 10-15 is way too short! There is no way a billion radios can be replaced naturally in that short of time. It would be suicide for broadcasters to go along with that timetable.

Wait until the DTV transistion happens in 2.5 more years. There will be shockwaves sent to Congress when the analog goes dead nearly to point of civil war. Those of you who have dealt with TVI will understand what I mean...

 

[Len14043]

You shouldn't have any trouble on the Dayton signals in northern Cincy. That's only 30 miles away! Terrain is also fairly flat along I-75 in that stretch. I don't recall having too much trouble with analog well into Kentucky on some class "B" stations from Dayton. My OEM radio (made by Panasonic) has nice selectivity. Is it possible that IBOC was causing some of the analog signals to picket fence? Give examples if you can, I'll look at it with software.

I hope analog stays on for the next 75 - 100 years. 10-15 is way too short! There is no way a billion radios can be replaced naturally in that short of time. It would be suicide for broadcasters to go along with that timetable.

Wait until the DTV transistion happens in 2.5 more years. There will be shockwaves sent to Congress when the analog goes dead nearly to point of civil war. Those of you who have dealt with TVI will understand what I mean...

My location is 40 miles away from Dayton. You are correct in that the Dayton Stations can be received in Northern Kentucky. In fact, as you drive south from I-275, the Dayton stations deteriorate rapidly, then improve as you go up the hills in Kentucky. I wonder if the Dayton stations can be received in Kentucky in HD. I'll find out this weekend. As far as the billions of analog radios, the same could have been said about the 86 series computers during the 80s. What about the streetcars? I'm sure the same argument could have been made back then. As technology advances, older items become obsolete. With respect to the digital signal possible causing the analog signals to picket fence, the Dayton FMs always picketfenced in Cincinnati. But now that you mentioned that, I wouldn't mind seeing the power of the digital portion of the signal increased - even if it caused some degredation of the analog signal. Perhaps that would hasten the move to an all-digital world.We should be moving into a digital world and not protect the analog signals at all cost.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Most HD Radio opponents do not object to digital, and have always said so. They object to the defective, proprietary, adjacent channel hybrid HD Radio system. So HD radio proponents are constantly attacking HD opponents for things the HD Radio supporters, themselves have claimed, and then ask the HD opponents to prove things the opponents never claimed. It is clear that there are better digital systems that are not problematic like HD Radio. Here are two:
For FM hybrid there is FMeXtra - www.dreinc.com Hybrid digital. Fully compatible with analog, causing no problems (unlike HD Radio).
The successful, accepted world standard for full digital radio is DRM www.drm.org. DRM could be used on AM and FM if, and when the transition to full digital takes place.
With these available, who needs unique, proprietary, expensive, limited coverage, buzz and hiss generating HD Radio?
As far as a hybrid system for AM is concerned, perhaps that will have to wait until a system is proven to be compatible with night time operation and current AM station assignments.
The only thing that should die is HD Radio, and it's well on it's way. The only thing evil in all this is the totally unscrupulous way HD supporters are willing to foist this HD Radio fraud on the public, regardless of consequences, and for their own gratification and benefit. If they had any scrouples they would be ashamed.

 

[audiophile.]

Well said Supercaster. I do not have an issue with digital broadcasting.

If there is a system that would:
Would not cause interference
Work at night
Non-proprietary
Inexpensive
No annual fees for mulitcasts

Then I would COMPLETELY support it 1000%. I hope through this forum at least there can be a understanding of our concerns. I'm willing to compromise SOME, but lets not walk into this blindly and open Pandora's box that can't be closed.

PS I'm just as adamant about other sources of interference such as BPL, digital devices, power line buzz, dimmers, pirates and mobile fm modulators.

 

[SayNoToIBOC]

"I hope analog stays on for the next 75 - 100 years. 10-15 is way too short! There is no way a billion radios can be replaced naturally in that short of time. It would be suicide for broadcasters to go along with that timetable."

Absolutely - according to the Bridge Ratings, analog radio is safe well into the middle of the century. Even by 2020, there will be well over 200 million analog listeners, while HD Radio is projected to be only 26 million. I believe, Bridge Ratiings just updated their projections, based on Wireless Internet and Internet Radio related technologies, because they realize too, that Wi-Max is going to put these technologies into portable devices and automobiles by 2008. These technologies will stall HD Radio and will have a huge impact on Satellite Radio.

 

[1q2w3e]

You shouldn't have any trouble on the Dayton signals in northern Cincy. That's only 30 miles away! Terrain is also fairly flat along I-75 in that stretch. I don't recall having too much trouble with analog well into Kentucky on some class "B" stations from Dayton. My OEM radio (made by Panasonic) has nice selectivity. Is it possible that IBOC was causing some of the analog signals to picket fence? Give examples if you can, I'll look at it with software.

I hope analog stays on for the next 75 - 100 years. 10-15 is way too short! There is no way a billion radios can be replaced naturally in that short of time. It would be suicide for broadcasters to go along with that timetable.

Wait until the DTV transistion happens in 2.5 more years. There will be shockwaves sent to Congress when the analog goes dead nearly to point of civil war. Those of you who have dealt with TVI will understand what I mean...

Well lets look at our history.....

People said the same thing about FM... We have AM, we need to buy another radio to get FM?? There is nothing there to listen to! That means we need to replace all of the AM radios. Or.... you mean we have to replace all of my 8 Tracks? ... My cassettes??... my LPs??? That all seemed to happen just fine.

Also, the DTV tansmition will nto be as bad as people make it out to be. We haev about 85% cable/sat TV penetration. These people will so no change or effect. Doubtfull there will be civil war.

 

[audiophile.]

Let me guess 1q2w3e, you never had to fix a hundreds TVI complaints when an new FM lights up for the first time...

At one station in the late 1980's the neighbors got the cops to serve us with a "public nuisance" citation...

 

[1q2w3e]

Let me guess 1q2w3e, you never had to fix a hundreds TVI complaints when an new FM lights up for the first time...

At one station in the late 1980's the neighbors got the cops to serve us with a "public nuisance" citation...

No not hundreds. Some.

One I had, a guy was trying to receive an FM station 130 miles away on a boom box, and blamed one of the stations I worked at because he couldnt get it. Ummm, ya.