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KHPT doing range tests?

R

rbrucecarter5

Guest
I've noted that all HD is off KHPT for the last couple of days. They have had audio level problems on HD-1 vs. analog for a while, with HD-1 noticeably lower.

The thing with KHPT 106.9 - it is basically a better signal over Houston that KGLK. About the only places were KGLK is better is probably Clear Lake, Alvin, and Sugarland. Maybe some of the southern suburbs, but the demographics there are different. Without HD, I was noticing a lot better signal in my car - both KPHT and KGLK put 4 out of 4 bars on my car radio, which only has four bars - but my car radio has a blend function, and this morning there was no blending - stereo separation on KHPT was great! That isn't the case normally.

Maybe they are getting the message about weak reception in cars with shark fin antennas and the like - they need all the signal they can get and by far the easiest way for stations to hold on to those listeners is to simply drop HD completely. I like the Point HD-2 as much as anybody - but in this day of inadequate shark fin antennas on cars, dipoles crumpled on floors with power cords at home, FM as an afterthought in other things like iPod docks - dropping HD completely makes business sense for a semi-rim shot like KHPT. It is the best signal - people I know from Cypress and Katy think it gives them better reception on the Eagle than 107.5. Cypress I understand, but Katy is a real surprise - but I can't deny that when they are both in HD, I get fewer HD dropouts on KHPT even as far South as Cinco Ranch. I was kind of surprised and did a quick listening test at Frys parking lot on SW freeway - I'd have to give that one to KHPT as well. I wish I had remembered to bring my portable spectrum analyzer to get precise readings.

I wonder - if the Eagle figures out that without HD - KHPT does the same thing as their simulcast of two frequencies - they would split up the simulcast? KGLK could be a valuable property for people who want to cover the South part of town.
 
I live in the heights and KHPT's analog doesn't sound any better than it does when HD is on. I've switched my preset to KGLK because the multipath and dull analog audio is not listenable versus the quality of HD. Additionally, my car has one of those "shark fin" antennas and I have no issues with HD or analog reception. I receive HD on the Senior Road stations from Brooks/Major Rd in Beaumont to just past Columbus on I-10. My previous vehicle, which had a whip antenna did not perform any better.

I'm sure there is a maintenance or equipment issue for the HD being turned off.
 
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See, now I have a different perspective from StevenNOLA just a few miles up the road from The Heights. (BTW Steven, I'm a native Heightsite, welcome to the 'hood!) From the northern Greenspoint area, 106-9 is crystal clear, clean audio, and a very full, bright sound. 107-5, sounds less overall clean. Less highs, not near as full sounding, and the stereo pilot flickers regularly. Now, I know this is because of how far away I am from the stick, but I'm not that far from you in The Heights. This goes to show how much difference just a couple of miles really make.
 
Those 2 signals have different prolongations depending on your location. When I lived in Katy (up until January and when I had only an analog car stereo), although much further away, 106.9 had a brighter, clearer sound as described by purpledevil above, except for when tropo was active. As I approached the loop and into the loop including downtown, 107.5 seemed to improve and sound better. In my downtown office on the 15th floor, I get a much easier HD lock on 107.5 for some reason, and they are both nearly equidistant.

Is it possible the strong signals from 104.9 (and maybe 102.9) are affecting the reception of 106.9 near their tower (which is near downtown)?

The best part is now, when both have HD on, neither station have dropouts although as Bruce mentioned, the audio on 106.9 HD1 was lower than the analog audio and lower than the audio on 107.5 HD1.
 
Still loving the big signal! This is one reason why I like living in cities - good strong signals. None of that anemic stuff like those still stuck on HD. Really good stereo imaging all over town even into Sugarland. My sister in law is noticing the difference in her car. My daughter isn't the biggest fan, but listens occasionally - she told me she can now listen in college station, and all she has is one of those pitiful shark fin antennas. After all my DX talk, she thought it was just tropo or something, but it stayed all week in her car.

The thing I noticed most before the HD was off - whenever HD dropped, analog was usually suffering, too. So I would go from HD straight into blended mono or worse. All of those dead spots all over town are gone, the analog signal never blends! I go under one of those virtual tunnels under I-10 in Katy, absolutely no change, full quieting stereo instead of weak mono.

Even though I love the point HD-2, I could get used to this decent signal on KHPT - it definitely is more listenable when the signal isn't gutted by HD.
 
I have made a few trip to Dallas this yr you can get 106.9 with a good signal 5 to 8 miles north of Madisonville that is really good range
 
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