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Is it worth buying an HD radio down here?

R

Rob

I have a sorta off topic question for you all, I'm thinking about investing in a SONY HD1 radio @ Amazon, do we have any stations that broadcast in HD? I'm gonna use it as my primary DX radio but I'm wondering aside from 88.1 what are broadcasting in HD.

I know on the AM band WWL is and that's probably just a daytime only thing or did they kill their IBOC mode? I'm gonna get an indoor FM antenna and some wire for AM, as long as I can hear WFTW at night, I'm happy. I'm mostly interested in FM DX.

-Rob
 
The Sony's are excellent DX receivers, but as far as HD as a product- I wouldn't buy ANY radio for that purpose only. Here in the Tampa Bay area the stations with HD- as far as I'm concerned- do not offer anything really different than their respective pilot stations (ie different programming, just the same songs on automation). I have never tried to listen to any AM HD stations.
Again, for DX'ing- great radios. I have the XDR-F1HD and XDR-S3HD connected to an APS-9B antenna and I love 'em!

Greg Myers
Holiday
 
most of the Clear Channel and Cumulus FMs in Mobile/Pensacola have HD and WUWF/88.1 has HD....you should be able to pick all of them up without having to put strobies up ... there are no HD stations in Panama City except for WKGC/90.7...also their AM 1480 is HD (and by the way AM HD sounds really good....I would describe the quality as "mono FM")

cceng
 
cceng said:
most of the Clear Channel and Cumulus FMs in Mobile/Pensacola have HD and WUWF/88.1 has HD....you should be able to pick all of them up without having to put strobies up ... there are no HD stations in Panama City except for WKGC/90.7...also their AM 1480 is HD (and by the way AM HD sounds really good....I would describe the quality as "mono FM")

cceng
Click to expand...

CCENG - Do you have any recommendations as to which HD receiver is the best one?
 
The Sony is recognized as VERY good for FM dx.
The AM HD requires a flamethrower of a local signal to have any chance. Turn the loop a lot while trying.
And when AM HD works, it is kind of like FM, but has an extremely "gated" audio, as though everything 25 db down
just falls off into silence in a disturbing way. I suppose I can live without atmospheric noise, but it seems studio noise
is somehow being clipped out, perhaps microphone processing needs to be different for less clippy HD AM voice results.
Not so noticable on music.
Then there's commonly a chorusing effect to voices.

Best of luck.
 
The money you spend on HD right now will end up in the same abyss with all that AM Stereo loot and the DeLorean cash.
Do something GOOD with the money. Donate it to charities that will help homeless pets, sick kids, or injured soldiers.
THEN your money will do good.
 
If you buy a HD radio for your car make sure it has the option to turn OFF HD. It will drive you crazy if the radio bounces back and forth between HD and analog signals.

I have 1 car with HD radio in it and there's no way to turn off HD... so I can't stand to listen to the Mobile/Pensacola HD stations on that radio. Not a big enough deal to cause me to replace the radio as I prefer the "all analog" Fort Walton stations anyway.

I have never picked up a hint of a HD signal on the AM dial in the Panhandle... not even on WWL.
I have not had a chance to visit PCB since WKGC-AM put up their new site and I didn't know it was in HD either. I know the Mobile/Pensacola Class C FM's are putting out 1000 watt HD signals, how much HD juice does WKGC-AM put out? Hopefully it's more than 1%.

Just don't get your hopes up too high on a HD car radio Rob. A USB port is the most useful option on new car radios in my opinion.
 
Ok, thanks for the ideas, I'm gonna probably invest in a yagi and some wire for AM and yes, we should donate to the needy year round not just during the holidays!
 
I have a Sangean HD tuner in my office that feeds the aux input to my Bose Wave Radio....I like the Sangean
it has RDS as well as HD AM and FM
cceng
 
cceng said:
I have a Sangean HD tuner in my office that feeds the aux input to my Bose Wave Radio....I like the Sangean
it has RDS as well as HD AM and FM
cceng
Click to expand...
I've heard the Sangean has much better response to RDS/HD as the Sony takes a full 4 seconds of a strong signal to display the info.
Greg
 
In response to your "is it worth it" question: No. I think you'd be better off spending the money on a wireless Internet radio receiver. You'd get the HD stations in your area (and most every place else) plus thousands of Internet stations. Many more choices available.

If you want to see what's available on HD where you are, go to the following link:
http://www.ibiquity.com/hd_radio/hdradio_find_a_station

Also keep in mind that if you can receive a station now, that does not mean you will be able to receive it in HD. You need a strong, clear signal for HD or the receiver reverts to analog. So, an OK analog signal may still be an OK analog signal.
 
robfwb said:
I'm gonna probably invest in a yagi...
Click to expand...
This being noted, you will undoubtably find a few HD2's and maybe an HD3 that will tickle your fancy, especially on cool evenings. Do not expect anyone at the station to be able to discuss what you hear on a "subchannel" any more than to know what is on an SCA they carry.

As for the troops, you will support their efforts when you buy gasoline to go and get the radio and the yagi.
 
We use the DaySequerra model M4 for our HD recivers and they do a great job, But they are on the costly side! As for the car I use the JVC KD-HDw10, this model has the HD built in and you can turn it off if you want. best part, it's less then $200.

AM HD Sounds pretty good during the day but forget about it at night! I have been less the 10 miles from an 5kw Sig after dark and not been able to get HD Lock.

WWL is in New Orleans so I don't think you are going to get there HD in the PC area, I know that thing is a blowtorch(50kw two tower half wave in a swamp) but that is a bit much for the HD.

Cumulis's pensacola Stations are located quite a bit west of the city so getting those even with a Yagi in PC is prob. not going to happen.

CCeng, You don't have any HD?
 
Thanks guys.. I'll see if I can afford it. I really want a dedicated DX receiver and an antenna that's away from the PC noise.
 
Is it just my location, equipment, and self, or is it universal that skywave HD is nonexistant?
Back in the day night, I used to hear AM stereo fade in and out constantly.
 
Just 102.5 (and the last person who's called me that was my great grandpa back when there was still elevator music stations on the FM band and AM played music)

I'd like to pick up 97.9 however we now have this flame thrower on 98.1 now.

The furthest I've logged was Nebraska. I heard an unknown playing Christmas music today on 101.3 not too sure what it is.

-Rob
 
robfwb said:
The furthest I've logged was Nebraska. I heard an unknown playing Christmas music today on 101.3 not too sure what it is.
Click to expand...

Keep listening Rob... Mexico, Ontario, and Quebec, FM's visit here every now and then. I've heard CHUM-FM from Toronto booming in as the strongest station on the dial for 2 or 3 days straight. I have no idea where the Mexican station were from, they blatantly violate FCC regulations and don't announce the top-of-hour ID in English. Hopefully one day Obama will catch up with them and shut down those illegal "X" stations!
 
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