How many people in Charlotte Have HD Radios???

[Mike Sheridan]

I'd like to know how many people in Charlotte have HD radios right now. Are there any stores with a good display of HD radios? I have heard what sounds like HD noise on the sidebands of 1310 WGSP are they doing HD?

Awhile back I saw the Boston HD radio at Tweeter over by the TV sets. It would have been easy to miss in fact it took me awhile to find it. At the time I heard HD2 on WFAE and WRFX.

I already have the non HD version of the Boston clock radio. So the Sanguan HD tuner might be a better solution since it could be used in my stereo system or with a pair of amplified speakers.

Seems like if there are no radios out there it's going to take a long time for HD to catch on.

 

[Mike Walker]

I have the Accurian from Radio Shack...same display, remote, and most of the same guts as the Sangean tuner (obviously made by Sangean). Forget that they call the output a "headphone" output...it's just the right level for a line output (too low actually for headphones). Plug this into your audio system, and you'll be amazed at how good the little thing sounds. I live about 70-80 miles from the Charlotte stations' towers, and this thing pulls in most Charlotte HD stations WITH AN INDOOR ANTENNA.

I've never personally heard the Sangean tuner (I'll probably buy one eventually...there's a version with an optical output coming!), but even a guy from Sangean on another board admits that the two units (Sangean tuner and Accurian radio) are very close relatives!

Again...through the speakers it sounds like a typical table radio...and not a good one like the Tivoli or Boston Acoustics. But through a good audio system, or headphone amp, WHOA MAMA!

 

[hipporadio]

Mike W. has become quite the HD Radio sales rep over on the HD board because of that holiday-Friday special at The Shack. While FM is a toss-up, AM IBOC is a disaster (now FCC approved)... FEW BRAINS required to “go figure”. The current HD radio science fair project has NO CHANCE of ANY marketing success. As a marketing professional, I'm near-shocked at what little enthusiasm is there - nearly all of it IN the broadcast biz - I guess VICE is nice but INCEST is best! IBOC HD delivers on NO public demand upon the radio industry... In fact, it has become a senseless diversion to the public’s genuine “problem” with the corporate radio industry. Buzz-sawing sidebands is NO SOLUTION to the bland, ‘puter-centric, knock-off presentation the CCUs of this world now call “good radio”... Even Joe Sixpack is smart enough to “get it”... And Joe has the final word.

 

[Mike Walker]

"Few brains" required. I guess a 186 IQ is simply wasted, huh?

 

[The danimal]

I haven't heard anything on HD Radio that compels me to buy one, especially here in Charlotte. Ironically, I'm still willing to pay for XM which still has better choices. Thoe corporate terrestrial broadcasters have an opportunity to try to win some of us back, but they seem complacent and arrogant to just go with the status quo.

 

[djpoint]

Mike,

I have a JVC KD-HDR1 car stereo with HD tuner built in. I bought it back in Aug. 06' for $189.00. It works really well and comes with a remote. I am not impressed with AM HD. Sounds better but the highs are almost too harsh. 1410 WEGO in Concord is HD. I don't think their audio processing is tweaked right. I am not a religious radio listener but the best HD AM station I've heard is WCGC AM 1270 in Shelby. FM HD does sound good and the HD2 stations are pleasantly different.

WDAV 89.9 HD No HD2
WFAE 90.7 HD HD2 "Exponential Radio"-Eclectic "have no idea" Music
WIBT 96.1 HD HD2 Spanish Music
WKKT 96.9 HD HD2 "Foggy Mountain" Classic Country
WPEG 97.9 HD HD2 "Classic Power 98"-Old school rap
WRFX 99.7 HD HD2 "The Vinyl Vineyard"-Deep classic rock cuts
WPZS 100.9 HD Cant remember if they have an HD2
WLYT 102.9 HD HD2 "The Shuffle Channel"-Like a Jack format-Male demo.
WTQR 104.1 HD HD2 "Classic TQR Country"
WEND 106.5 HD HD2 All comedy
WMIT 106.9 HD not sure about their HD2
WLNK 107.9 HD No HD2 and their HD1 signal is horrible.....doesn't stay sync'd up all the time. Very annoying.


Still waiting for the "cash cow" of Lincoln WBT-1110 AM to go HD. Can't wait for the interference that station will cause on adjacent channels.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

DJP,

Wow, thanks for the report on HD radio. I didn't know we had that much going on. I talked to the CE of WFAE and he's working on a HD-3 stream and may have it up now, I'm not sure what the programming will be. I have there GM Roger Sarrow some grief about not doing a Smooth Jazz format. I'm glad to see that WBAV is going to do Smooth Jazz. I keep forgetting to tune into their Sunday Jazz show but the one time I heard it I enjoyed what they were doing.

WBT-HD? Please no! There aduio processing has been horrible since going news/talk. A shame because it didn't used to be that way. One thing for sure we will never be able to hear KMOX-1120 when WBT-HD cranks up.

I've been good, I haven't bought any new "toys". The Sanguan tuner is tempting me.

Were you able to find the JVC unit locally or did you order it from Crutchfield? I keep thinking the radio group I work for will offer me a discount ;D

 

[djpoint]

I bought the JVC online through Amazon...but now Wal-Mart sells it in stores under the following model# KD-HDW10.....same exact radio $187.62. I am not sure why JVC changed the model number.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

AM HD

I'm hearing lots of HD hash from 1410, 1310, and 1270. It covers up 1400, 1420, 1260, 1280, 1300 and 1330. There goes the neighborhood.

 

[test123]

I have heard through the grapevine that WBT will be going IBOC sometime in the near future. I also understand that 99.3 WBT-FM will also be adding IBOC. 107.9 has an antenna problem that they have been trying to work out without much luck. They also have a STL issue which I understand is why their analog is not delayed to match the digital.

CBS has gear on order to add IBOC to 104.7, 101.9, 610 and 1660. It could be sometime before very high TPO 95.1 and 103.7 makes the leap. The high level combining that those stations will have to do is very expensive. The AMs should be fairly easy as they both have new Harris Transmitters that should be plug and play...

Testing123

 

[Mike Sheridan]

HD-3

Has anyone heard a HD3 stream on WFAE? They were supposed to do some work on it last weekend. Not sure if it's up yet or what the content will be.

 

[test123]

I just tuned in using my Boston Acoustics Recepter...No HD-3 on FAE but it looks like DAV has turned their main HD back on...

t123

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I bought the JVC online through Amazon...but now Wal-Mart sells it in stores under the following model# KD-HDW10.....same exact radio $187.62. I am not sure why JVC changed the model number.

I looked at the JVC HD Car Stereo at Circuit City today. It looks like a nice unit. I had the usual problem trying to get it to tune rather than scan though the stations. I saw it under less than optimal conditions. When I mentioned the poor signals the sales guy blamed it on the building. It was more likely the modulator they were using to pipe satellite radio into all the car receivers but I didn't argue. WPZS went to HD and the progression was seemless and easy on the ears. The sound was good from what I could tell. WFAE and some of the others came through in stereo but there wasn't enough signal to go into HD.

I saw a note elsewhere that said Best Buy is showing very little interest in HD radio because it doesn't come with a subscription which they get a kickback on selling. Not my words, I have no idea if it's true but it sure seems like it. This was exactly the way AM Stereo was treated in the marketplace.

Note to CBS, Clear Channel, Radio 1, and Cox. You need to do more than run cute HD radio commercials. You need to give away a ton of the best HD radios out there. Let people see for themselves. If their friends have one it's likely they will want one but they have to be able to see and hear it first!

 

[djpoint]

Mike,

The radio receives very well once installed in a car. The retailers probably had some 6 inch wire in the back for an antenna. Just to give you an indication......HD was good to Hickory last time I was there, especially KAT, Lite for obvious reasons and even some Greensboro HD FM's. However doesn't work very well in Wilkesboro. AM HD is not very strong but that's because a majority of the HD AM's in the area only have 1000watts anyway.

 

[test123]

WFAE-HD-3 is up today...Listening at 1252 to what sounds like their main Electronic Ambien channel...HD-3 is delayed somewhat from the main...

I miss the old all Jazz WFAE.

Testing123

 

[Mike Sheridan]

WFAE-HD-3 is up today...Listening at 1252 to what sounds like their main Electronic Ambien channel...HD-3 is delayed somewhat from the main...

I miss the old all Jazz WFAE.

Testing123

Yes, if WFAE were to do Jazz like they used to I'd go out and buy a couple of HD radios (one for the car of course).

Thanks for the update. This is just a testing phase so you never know what they might do.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Mike,

I have a JVC KD-HDR1 car stereo with HD tuner built in.  I bought it back in Aug. 06' for $189.00.  It works really well and comes with a remote.  I am not impressed with AM HD.  Sounds better but the highs are almost too harsh.  1410 WEGO in Concord is HD.  I don't think their audio processing is tweaked right.  I am not a religious radio listener but the best HD AM station I've heard is WCGC AM 1270 in Shelby.  FM HD does sound good and the HD2 stations are pleasantly different.   

WDAV 89.9 HD    No HD2
WFAE 90.7 HD    HD2 "Exponential Radio"-Eclectic "have no idea" Music
WIBT 96.1 HD     HD2 Spanish Music
WKKT 96.9 HD    HD2 "Foggy Mountain"  Classic Country
WPEG 97.9 HD    HD2 "Classic Power 98"-Old school rap
WRFX 99.7 HD    HD2 "The Vinyl Vineyard"-Deep classic rock cuts
WPZS 100.9 HD   Cant remember if they have an HD2
WLYT 102.9 HD   HD2 "The Shuffle Channel"-Like a Jack format-Male demo.
WTQR 104.1 HD   HD2 "Classic TQR Country"
WEND 106.5 HD   HD2 All comedy
WMIT 106.9 HD   not sure about their HD2
WLNK 107.9 HD   No HD2 and their HD1 signal is horrible.....doesn't stay sync'd up all the time.  Very annoying.


Still waiting for the "cash cow" of Lincoln WBT-1110 AM to go HD.  Can't wait for the interference that station will cause on adjacent channels.

I got the Sangean HDT-1 today and I have been able to hear the FM stations above.  The sound quality is good but it takes a strong signal to get a good lock.  I had the same problem with WLNK, hard to get a lock on it.

Clear Channel has converted all their stations which I find impressive.  Two of their formats on HD2 that I find unique is the Comedy on WEND-HD2 and the Country Classics on WKKT-HD2.

I'm still waiting for the Smooth Jazz format.  I find it odd that WIBT HD2 is Spanish.  How many people are listening to that?

On AM I have heard WHVN 1240 and WGSP 1310 in HD but it took some fiddling with the loop antenna.  Again it takes a strong a relitively noise free signal to get a lock in HD.  I don't know if this is worth the hash it creates on the AM band.

Mike

 

[djpoint]

1240 must have justed turned up HD this week. Last week they weren't HD. What is amazing is that these small AM stations bought the gear for HD. Like WEGO in Concord.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

1240 must have justed turned up HD this week. Last week they weren't HD. What is amazing is that these small AM stations bought the gear for HD. Like WEGO in Concord.

GHB owns WHVN and WEGO plus other stations in Columbia, SC and elsewhere. It could be like the AM Stereo days. There were deals being made. I think Motorola made a deal to put AM stereo on Cox's WSOC-AM just so they could get their gear on WSB.

Mike