HD Radio vs AM Stereo

[DanCon]

Much opposition to HD Radio seems to come proponents of AM Stereo. Of course the two systems are incompatible but why would anyone still support AM Stereo when you can't even buy a tuner, you may ask? Well, those with a vested interest in the old *Kahn* system still cling to hope that listeners will use *two* AM radios, tuning each one slightly off frequency in opposite directions to recreate that glorious, whistling, splattering AM stereo sound.

Do most of the negative comments about HD Radio really come from a very small number of people with this special interest in mind? Well let's connect the dots...

The most fiercely negative reviews of the Recepter HD on Amazon are written by users nicknamed HippoRadio and Streetlords1. Both users also write reviews about shortwave radios made by Grundig/Eton. Coincidence?

Search Google Groups for streetlords1, and you'll find several anti-HD Radio posts from a user with a matching E-mail address, using the alias "IBOC_sucks_!"

One of those posts by Streetlords1, a.k.a. IBOC_sucks_!, points to this URL (hey, look, it's "say no to iboc!"):
http://www.wbdhradio.com/html/say_no_to_iboc.html

This link takes you to an anti-HD Radio article on the WBDH Radio web site, with an oddly familiar writing style.

Ah yes, WBDH, "proud to be conservative" and the flagship station of the 1920's Radio Network -- broadcasting over the air in full AM Stereo using the *Kahn Independent Sideband System*!

Here's a little info on the 1920's Radio Network, as detailed on the web site of sister station WHRO:

The 1920's Radio Network and WBDH Radio was founded by its engineer, Brian Hughes back in the late 70's. Brian is also Chief Engineer of WHRV (89.5) and WHRO-FM (90.3) in Norfolk, VA and is responsible for the daily technical operations of both stations. Since 1986 Brian has avidly been involved in AM stereo electronics and has perfected a low power independent sideband (Kahn ISB) AM stereo transmitter plant with a sound that rivals FM.

You can draw your own conclusions.

 

[I.B. Iquity]

Thanks Dan for all the hard work on this. It is truly pathetic when an adult who works in broadcasting has to act in such a anti-social manner. Maybe he should spend his time working on his programing and spend less time on message boards.

I guess the following comments taken from the WBDH web site say it all about this guy;

Here are the top conservative sites we at WBDH want you to visit. Please do not get your news from CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and the other leftist propaganda machines!! They don’t want you to know the truth- they want to keep you in the dark.


Direct News Links- The REAL truth:
Fox News


Newsmax

The difference betwen this true believer and the real world is that I kow people who work for the Fox network and they are given marching orders. No, I'm not Michael Moore and no I don't disagree with everything reported by Fox but I do know that to have such monolothic political views leads to the kind of "rulership" mentality which supporters of Fox and the like would deam un-American. I know this isn't about HD radio but it says a lot about the individule who runs this operation. Just plain simplistic and pathetic.

 

[I.B. Iquity]

I see that WBDH is airing Inner Sanctum mysteries Tuesday at 10:30 PM. I think I will give my friend Mr. Himan Brown a call (Yes he is still alive at 96 and producing radio plays to this day) and let him know that his work is being used illegally. He still holds a copywrite on this material and am sure he'll be glad to see another operator playing his material without license closed down.

 

[1q2w3e]

Heres the best part.... it is a Part 15 STATION!! : : And they are planning on moving to shortwave (but not in stereo). I bet the FCC would like to know that as well!

Much opposition to HD Radio seems to come proponents of AM Stereo. Of course the two systems are incompatible but why would anyone still support AM Stereo when you can't even buy a tuner, you may ask? Well, those with a vested interest in the old *Kahn* system still cling to hope that listeners will use *two* AM radios, tuning each one slightly off frequency in opposite directions to recreate that glorious, whistling, splattering AM stereo sound.

Do most of the negative comments about HD Radio really come from a very small number of people with this special interest in mind? Well let's connect the dots...

The most fiercely negative reviews of the Recepter HD on Amazon are written by users nicknamed HippoRadio and Streetlords1. Both users also write reviews about shortwave radios made by Grundig/Eton. Coincidence?

Search Google Groups for streetlords1, and you'll find several anti-HD Radio posts from a user with a matching E-mail address, using the alias "IBOC_sucks_!"

One of those posts by Streetlords1, a.k.a. IBOC_sucks_!, points to this URL (hey, look, it's "say no to iboc!"):
http://www.wbdhradio.com/html/say_no_to_iboc.html

This link takes you to an anti-HD Radio article on the WBDH Radio web site, with an oddly familiar writing style.

Ah yes, WBDH, "proud to be conservative" and the flagship station of the 1920's Radio Network -- broadcasting over the air in full AM Stereo using the *Kahn Independent Sideband System*!

Here's a little info on the 1920's Radio Network, as detailed on the web site of sister station WHRO:

The 1920's Radio Network and WBDH Radio was founded by its engineer, Brian Hughes back in the late 70's. Brian is also Chief Engineer of WHRV (89.5) and WHRO-FM (90.3) in Norfolk, VA and is responsible for the daily technical operations of both stations. Since 1986 Brian has avidly been involved in AM stereo electronics and has perfected a low power independent sideband (Kahn ISB) AM stereo transmitter plant with a sound that rivals FM.

You can draw your own conclusions.

 

[I.B. Iquity]

I love these law and order guys who are always the first to break the law.
(I owe a N from the word Know in an earlier post. Just so you know that I realized my mistake too late to edit the submission. )

 

[I.B. Iquity]

Wow, it's ironic. Mr I hate IBOC is also CE for WHRO/WHRV according to what I read. Look at what I found on the WHRO web page;
HD Radio
HD Radio is a new technology that enables AM and FM radio stations to broadcast their programs digitally, a tremendous technological leap from today's familiar analog broadcasts. These digital broadcasts provide listeners with radically improved audio quality and reception and new data services. Signal fading, static, hisses and pops are a thing of the past. Data services such as displayed song and artist information, weather and traffic alerts and much more will revolutionize the way you experience AM and FM radio. And it's all FREE for consumers, just like today's analog AM and FM radio.

What are the benefits of HD Radio?

"FM broadcasts have CD-quality sound.
AM broadcasts will sound as good as today's analog FM stereo.
Static-free without pops, hiss and fades.
New data services, such as scrolling text displayed on a radio screen with song titles, artist names, traffic updates, weather forecasts, sports scores and more.
Opportunity for more advanced data and audio services, such as surround sound, multiple audio sources at the same dial position, on-demand audio services, store-and-replay (so you can store a radio program that airs when you are at work and replay it on your commute home), overlaying real-time traffic information on a navigational map to help you find the shortest route, a 'buy' button for music, sports and concert tickets etc., along with a host of other services.
No subscription fees. Its FREE for consumers, just like today's analog AM and FM radio.
Easy transition for broadcasters and consumers by using the existing infrastructure and spectrum and at the same time preserving the existing analog service for as long as needed. This means you can continue listening to your local AM/FM stations on your existing analog radios as well as on your new HD Radio receivers, with all the added services and benefits that HD Radio offers."

And to top it off they are NPR affiliates!!! Life can be beautiful ;D

 

[HD_Ready]

http://www.wbdhradio.com/html/say_no_to_iboc.html


Interesting....someone should send that link to his employer.

 

[SayNoToIBOC]

"Thanks Dan for all the hard work on this. It is truly pathetic when an adult who works in broadcasting has to act in such a anti-social manner. Maybe he should spend his time working on his programing and spend less time on message boards."

You all have made absolute fools out of yourselves !

 

[I.B. Iquity]

Notice how Sayno and Supercaster are never online at the same time. Maybe that's a clue? Could his real name be Clark Kent?

 

[1q2w3e]

http://www.wbdhradio.com/html/say_no_to_iboc.html


Interesting....someone should send that link to his employer.

Someone did.


I get a kick out of this......


"(3) Digital transmission and RF will not mix." HUH???? It is not you are mixing a batch of cookies here.

Or this one.....

"(5) It is not live. Because of the buffering in the transmitter and especially the receiver, the time delay from when the announcer talks in the microphone and when you hear it on your radio can be more than 5 seconds. "

Well then TV isnt live becuase they put delays in it as well. For you that have DirectTV, there is a 10 second delay (due to the distance that needs to travel to and from the satellite). Does that mean that TV isnt live either? BTW if you use any digital processing you can add a half second delay. Does that mean that it isnt live either???

Some more brilliance.....

"Digital broadcasting has already proven itself not to work well on FM and TV. " HUH??? How so?

And of course.....

"IBOC, which stands for “In Band On Channel” is a method for transmitting digital information over an existing AM station so the station can “go digital” so to speak. Of course a totally new and different receiver is needed to hear it."

Need different receivers to hear it. Just like his Kahn system, right? How many Kahn receivers are there out there? 12?

 

[I.B. Iquity]

The only radio I have that will do Kahn stereo as a stand-alone is my SRF A-100. My SRF 42 only does C-Quam. My SRF A 1 has long ago become part of the great American land fill. We have one C-Quam AM station which I can receive and it's so noisy (am static and limited fidelity) that even though I can hear stereo seperation, no one would listen to it for any length of time. Even I can only take so much of the AM noise.

 

[1q2w3e]

The only radio I have that will do Kahn stereo as a stand-alone is my SRF A-100. My SRF 42 only does C-Quam. My SRF A 1 has long ago become part of the great American land fill. We have one C-Quam AM station which I can receive and it's so noisy (am static and limited fidelity) that even though I can hear stereo seperation, no one would listen to it for any length of time. Even I can only take so much of the AM noise.

I used to engineer an AM Stereo music station. I still have my AM stereo receiver. Too bad where I am now I cannot receive any AM stereo stations. I do however, think that HD AM sounds real nice. Everyone I have demoed HD AM to, litereally their jaws dropped when HD kicked in. And after listening to HD AM for a while you get real used to the noise floor being GONE.

I still enjoy listening to my 1940 Philco console radio. Sounds sooo sweet.

HD is not perfect. FM stereo is not perfect either. But engineered properly (and that is very key!) HD AM can play nicely with its neighbors.