We recently installed a few more CFL bulbs in the house and now I can't get ANY AM-HD, not even 50kW WLS, which is 19 miles away. The local AM analog flamethrowers are still clear, though. Nice system.
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Sony XDR-F1HD
- Thread starter KB1OKL
- Start date
John Holcomb II expressed his concerns:
As far as I'm concerned, IBOC is one of the largest frauds ever to have been foisted on the listening public in the U.S. You can bet that if I were you, I'd "wait and see how this plays out". I don't hold out much hope that it will get any better either.
As far as I'm concerned, IBOC is one of the largest frauds ever to have been foisted on the listening public in the U.S. You can bet that if I were you, I'd "wait and see how this plays out". I don't hold out much hope that it will get any better either.
By not gettin any better, do you mean first the FCC will approve the percentage increse to 10% for IBOC, and those that stopped broadcasting it (Such as WJR), will eventually start up? At some point, like TV, the public will be forced to either get a new HD receiver like TV's? I know this would probably be a while away, but is that w what is comein'? Guess I can't actually really ask that question, because right now its a lot of speculation on everyone's part. As of now, manufactures do not have to include HD in any receiver sold. Its not like if you get an XM or Serius satelite radio reciever, it must include the abillity to decode HD AM/FM radio signals.
John
Bensalem, PA
John
Bensalem, PA
My bet is that IBOC will eventually collapse under the weight of technical problems (amply documented here), consumer apathy, unjustifiably gigantic costs, costs of upgrades, receiver scarcity and interference, both self- and adjacent-channel, as other technologies gain a foothold and make the touted need for digital radio irrelevant. But it will take a while because of politics within the sponsoring companies (CCU, CBS, Greater Media and Crawford seem to be only ones not edging quietly towards the HD Exits.)
Plus, the FCC has convinced itself that radio needs to be "digital" to survive. Fill in your own reason here, as to how and/or why that happened.
Understand that 10db only applies to HD-FM. There are no plans to increase digital power for the "most impressive" 82 stations currently operating with HD-AM 24/7. I would characterize the likelihood of stations like Citadel AMs (WJR) who have turned off IBOC, turning it back on, as "slight."
Plus, the FCC has convinced itself that radio needs to be "digital" to survive. Fill in your own reason here, as to how and/or why that happened.
Understand that 10db only applies to HD-FM. There are no plans to increase digital power for the "most impressive" 82 stations currently operating with HD-AM 24/7. I would characterize the likelihood of stations like Citadel AMs (WJR) who have turned off IBOC, turning it back on, as "slight."
John Holcomb II said:
I'll tell you what John, I'm into radios and have been for over 40 years. I'm a ham and own at least 30 antique communications receivers that I restore. I also own some consoles, some table tops, and have some nice stereo equipment. I'm not a pro just a hobbyist, but I love radio, everything about it, love the transmitter towers, love the transmitters, the tubes, the speakers, the antennas, the DJ's, people that work in radio, especially the engineers are my among my heroes, and on and on. I bought this HD radio for three reasons,
1. Supposedly it is among the best out there right now,
2. it was cheap and,
3. I've tried them in stores but never owned one to really check out at my house.
Long story short: It is already gathering dust, normally I will fool with a radio until it's coming in great, this thing is already at peak performance (no tubes or adjustments inside this baby) and I get 1 station semi-reliably with very careful placement of the antenna. This radio did nothing to change my opinion of HD, which is that it is a half baked technology which just doesn't work. The receivers are a waste of money, if they (the technology actually) worked as well as analog and didn't cover adjacent channels it would be another story but they don't and they do, end of story. I will keep it, maybe someday I will get ambitious and put up that rotatable Yagi antenna, but not now.
I too wish the AM stations would open back up and broadcast in stereo again, AM can sound great, I've heard it, sounded great in mono too.
Here's a nice review of the Sony XDR-F1HD.
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10446978/1/sony-hd-radio-tuner-hits-all-right-notes.html
Forget HD. This sounds like it might be a great tuner just for analog:
"The performance of the Sony XDR-F1HD on stereo FM is spectacular and unprecedented." He's (Brian Beezley) not even talking about how well it does with HD stations. He means the Sony's analog reception of stereo FM stations is amazing."
And it's under $100.00 which makes the tuner even better.
C5
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10446978/1/sony-hd-radio-tuner-hits-all-right-notes.html
Forget HD. This sounds like it might be a great tuner just for analog:
"The performance of the Sony XDR-F1HD on stereo FM is spectacular and unprecedented." He's (Brian Beezley) not even talking about how well it does with HD stations. He means the Sony's analog reception of stereo FM stations is amazing."
And it's under $100.00 which makes the tuner even better.
C5
R
rbrucecarter5
Guest
Philip J. Smith said:
CFL's are a technology almost as bad as HD radio. They throw out interference, they don't save that much money, they are loaded with mercury which makes them BAD for the environment, etc. Personally, I'm waiting for LED lighting to become cheaper. It really IS less power, doesn't interfere with anything, and with new lead (Pb) free manufacturing, they are good for the environment.
rbrucecarter5 said:
My favorite part is when they are cold, CFL’s emit very little light. It can take five minutes for one to come up to speed. To say the least, that is not very convenient. Further I have found they don't last nearly as long as predicted. I've had several fail in about a year of normal use.
Hopefully LED's will be better, but I've noticed that LED stoplight signals emit horrendous interference. It even gets into some FM radios if they are tuned to a fairly weak signal. The other problem, at least for now is color temperature. They really give out a very blue light. That could take some getting used to.
Chuck said:
It's the unfiltered switching power supplies which run LED traffic signals that emit all that hash. I'd bet cash US money they're not Part 15-compliant.
I've had mixed results with CFLs. A few new ones in the living room get up to brightness in about 20 seconds, shorter if it's warm in the house. I'm actually listening to WSM 650 from Nashville now and the signal's pretty decent... With three CFLs burning on the same circuit as the receiver.
I figure if the CFLs don't bother the weak skywave from WSM, they're not bothering anything either. I get more noise from my computer's CRT, the alarm wiring and DSL hash than any silly lightbulbs. The DSL and/or alarm noise do obliterate most of the FM dial unless I get outside the house, but the CFLs seem harmless.
I figure if the CFLs don't bother the weak skywave from WSM, they're not bothering anything either. I get more noise from my computer's CRT, the alarm wiring and DSL hash than any silly lightbulbs. The DSL and/or alarm noise do obliterate most of the FM dial unless I get outside the house, but the CFLs seem harmless.
The latest CFL bulbs have very little mercury, less than 5 milligrams. Older CFL's can have as much as 15 or 20 milligrams. Compared to those mercury thermometers (which have as much as 500 milligrams), it is not that big of a deal. The mercury is used in the starter to bring it up to full brightness more quickly. See more here:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp
Now, as far as the Sony XDR-F1HD, I have one here, plugged into an outside FM antenna. The analog performance is astounding. I am 8 miles from a 1KW FM on 90.9, and I'm having no problem listening to a station on 90.7 mhz over 200 miles east (over water) from here. I can't hear any IBOC stations, but I don't care. The selectivity is quite good and the FM stereo noise is very low, even with weak, distant signals. This is probably because of the DSP circuit that demodulates both AM and FM signals on this radio. It's about $80 on Amazon. Totally worth it. An outside antenna is really needed if you are going to get away from the noises generated by all the stuff a modern house seems to have, however.
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp
Now, as far as the Sony XDR-F1HD, I have one here, plugged into an outside FM antenna. The analog performance is astounding. I am 8 miles from a 1KW FM on 90.9, and I'm having no problem listening to a station on 90.7 mhz over 200 miles east (over water) from here. I can't hear any IBOC stations, but I don't care. The selectivity is quite good and the FM stereo noise is very low, even with weak, distant signals. This is probably because of the DSP circuit that demodulates both AM and FM signals on this radio. It's about $80 on Amazon. Totally worth it. An outside antenna is really needed if you are going to get away from the noises generated by all the stuff a modern house seems to have, however.
KB1OKL said:
All of the leaves must have fallen off the trees in your yard.
Well, at least it works four months out of the year.
I can understand gettin' this tuner for FM Anolog reception... But I already have a motified Yamaha T-85. If you look on the airchecks board and on the topic about trading currents, you will see my list of FM tapeables as it stands with this tuner. If I didn't have a modified tuner, I might see the point. Radio is fun, tha'ts why we're all here on this board!
John
Bensalem, PA
John
Bensalem, PA
John Holcomb II said:
This thing is still probably going to gather dust, I am an AM BCB Dxer first and a ham, I don't DX FM although I've toyed with the idea from time to time. I get most of my music from either XM or live 365 or LP's at home. In the car I also have XM although I still also listen to both AM and FM. I have no need for a tuner that get 6 HD FM stations (no AM HD at all, never) in the winter and that is bragging.
I just bought the XDR-F1HD tuner. I have better luck with a Terk AM Advantage loop (with the 4x5-inch loop placed inside) than with the Twin Coil loop when getting AM HD signals. When I tuned to Chicago's WMVP 1000 I had HD locked in for a couple of seconds and the display read "We Know Sports" and WMVP calls. I also got WBBM calls displayed but the HD indicator doesn't lock in.
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