KVLU Beaumont goes digital

[stan]

I liked the part about how it was now 3 stations...

http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17342017&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=512588&rfi=8

 

[Mike O]

KVLU is using three digital streams in their conversation to HD. HD.1 is Regular Programming, HD.2 is Classical and Jazz and HD.3 is Alternative, AAA, Folk and Lamar U student programming. KLVU is the first station that I am I aware of in SE Texas to use three HD channels.

This will will give The Triangle three HD stations, the others being KFNC and KIOL. Do any of the Mo City sticks place a HD signal in the Triangle?

Mike O

 

[stan]

This will will give The Triangle three HD stations, the others being KFNC and KIOL. Do any of the Mo City sticks place a HD signal in the Triangle?

Mike O

Mike,

KFNC has a HD signal? What are they putting on HD2? Since their main analog is not in stereo, I suppose the HD2 could be in stereo, but doesn't it have the same distance problem their analog signal has? And couldn't they have killed the HD broadcast in an effort to improve their analog signal?

 

[Mike O]

This will will give The Triangle three HD stations, the others being KFNC and KIOL. Do any of the Mo City sticks place a HD signal in the Triangle?

Mike O

Mike,

KFNC has a HD signal? What are they putting on HD2? Since their main analog is not in stereo, I suppose the HD2 could be in stereo, but doesn't it have the same distance problem their analog signal has? And couldn't they have killed the HD broadcast in an effort to improve their analog signal?

According to Ibiquity KFNC is in HD. The HD.2 Channel is Classical and Jazz and HD.3 is Alternative, AAA, Folk and programming by the Lamar U students.

I don't see why HD.1 the main channel couldn't be in mono and the HD.2 and HD.3 channels in Stereo, but all three would have to be in high definition and not sure in HD what the gain would be to turn off the stereo in HD.1?

HD and FM and the distance that the signal is usable is really dependent upon the station. I don't think any two stations have the same Digital patterns. If a station has an open frequency with no 1st adjacents the HD signal can be usable, on a very good car receiver to under 40dbu. If you have a strong 1st adjacent, in this case on 97.7 or 97.3 that is close to 97.5 in distance the HD siganl can crap out at 75+ dbu, well above City Grade signal strength. KFNC is in the open, not considering tropo conditions, and should deliver a decent Digital signal to around 55dbu or better on a good to very good receiver. But KFNC has a terrible analog signal and I have no idea how this would affect a Digital signal on 97.5? My guess is that the Digital signal is going to be crap also, but my knowledge of HD Radio is limited from what I have read (which also is limited) and have no real world experience in using an HD receiver, either home or vehicle.

There is the possibility that KFNC is not using the HD at all and just running 97.5 as an analog mono station. No one listens so it really wouldn't matter. The station could likely go off the air for a week before anyone even knew.

Mike O

 

[stevenNOLA]

Re: KFNC goes digital

KFNC is running HD. It is relatively reliable in Houston. I live in Katy and it drops occasionally as I pass BW8 or Hwy 6 on I-10. There are no HD2 or HD3 channels. I don't listen to it much, but it is not synchronized with the analog so when it drops in and out on my radio it is very frustrating.

Steven

 

[Mike O]

Re: KFNC goes digital

KFNC is running HD. It is relatively reliable in Houston. I live in Katy and it drops occasionally as I pass BW8 or Hwy 6 on I-10. There are no HD2 or HD3 channels. I don't listen to it much, but it is not synchronized with the analog so when it drops in and out on my radio it is very frustrating.

Steven

From the Lamar U web site for KLVU http://dept.lamar.edu/klvu when I read it again the HD.2 and HD.3 channels are in the future. It is tied in with their fund raiser starting October 24th. Give us enough bucks and we give you two more HD channels. You are correct Steven, only the main channel is HD. How do the Houston HD stations fare in The Triangle if you get out that way?

Mike

 

[stevenNOLA]

East TX HDs

KTBZ/KRBE/KHMX/KHJZ/KODA/KLOL/KILT/KKBQ et al's HD signal reliably reaches to the Chambers/Jefferson county line on I-10 (near the Goodyear plant for those familiar) and pretty much disappears thereafter. KKRW-HD dies near Winnie. KHPT-HD goes as far as Vidor, maybe to Orange. KIOL-HD craps out near Sulphur. I think KIOL-HD would go further east if it wasn't for KBIU 103.3. Quite often, KTBZ's HD signal goes further than the analog signal when getting clobbered by KSMB-Lafayette. Also notable is KRVS-HD in Lafayette reaches all the way to the TX state line. They have the most stable HD signal of all I've listened to. For what it's worth, KKRW-HD1 has the best sound quality of all Houston HDs IMHO.

Steven

 

[Mike O]

Thanks for the report Steven, I use to drive to Beaumont/Silsbee on a regular basis, like weekly, but haven't had that territory in over five years now and only get out that direction on occassion. The analog of of Mo City sticks were almost always good to Beaumont and up 69 to Silsbee. Many mornings the dial was a cluster f of stations fighting it out and I would listen to Big Dog 106 which had a reliable signal to Houston, especially late at night when I was usually coming back to Houston. Likely The Triangle's best station for coverage with KQXY 94.1 being second.

Mike O