Status of HD Radio in NYC

[BruceS8852]

This is written for the 10 or so people who have HD radios.

Smooth Jazz is back on 101.9 HD2.

WLTW is in HD, but the HD2 station that played country is gone for now.

Bruce

 

[XCountry285]

I had a Portable HD Radio. They told me It'd work in Riverdale & West Milford, did it? No of course not! However at my house I was able to get HD from 101.5 WPDH. I don't know why it didn't work that well. I was angry 50 bucks for a piece of garbage. I could buy so much more useful things than that. I was ripped off!

 

[leethalweapon]

If I was to buy a portable HD radio, for my next trip to the US, what AM stations in NYC broadcast their "mainstream" program in HD.

 

[quadrun1]

What are you talking about? All the HD stations in NYC are operating as of this writing, including 106.7-HD2.

We even have a station which broadcasts HD-1, HD-2, HD-3, and HD-4 (93.5 WVIP)

Here are the AM stations being repeated on FM/FM-HD :

WFAN 660 = 92.3-HD3
WVOX 1460 = 93.5-HD4
WABC 770 = 95.5-HD3
WEPN 1050 = 98.7 FM and 98.7-HD1
WCBS 880 = 101.1-HD3
WINS 1010 = 102.7-HD3

Jason

 

[luperm]

106.7 HD2 *was* down yesterday morning. It was back by the afternoon.

As for HD on AM the following stations run HD: 660 WFAN, 710 WOR, 880 WCBS, 1010 WINS, and 1560 WQEW.

 

[Barry]

WWPR-HD2 (One Caribbean Radio) has been broadcasting an open carrier for over 3 weeks.
When O.C.R. was on WSKQ-HD2, it broadcast an open carrier for several months.

 

[nd2023]

WPAT has not been in HD for over 3 months.
That Insignia portable HD radio is a great analog radio. The only reason I carry it around is so that I don't miss out on an e-skip opening if it occurs while I'm away from home

 

[BobSmolarek]

Isn't WADO 1280 in HD, unless they've turned it off recently?

 

[satech]

Isn't WADO 1280 in HD, unless they've turned it off recently?

They are very inconsistent. WADO has the HD off for weeks at a time, then turns it back on for another few weeks, until it breaks or gets turned off again.

Maybe they should just switch back to using Kahn Power-Side!

 

[edarmsttrong]

WPAT has not been in HD for over 3 months.

This is correct...is WPLJ's HD off too?

(Never mind...PLJ is there...Had to reboot my Sangean.)

 

[Eye The Ticker]

Since so few people own, let alone use HD radios, why are they still being manufactured? The technology is flawed. Either you hear a station or you don't and when your station cuts out, that's about time to dump the HD unit as well unless you practice extreme patience. There are too many options for listening to your favorite formats these days.

 

[TonySantiago]

Since so few people own, let alone use HD radios, why are they still being manufactured? The technology is flawed. Either you hear a station or you don't and when your station cuts out, that's about time to dump the HD unit as well unless you practice extreme patience. There are too many options for listening to your favorite formats these days.

Eye is right in that sense. If you have a smartphone, download the Tune In Radio app http://tunein.com/ or listen online. It's not just the terrestrial stations but online as well plus some have HD stations listed if interested.

The closest thing to dance in terms of our brand on HD is Pride Radio on WKTU-HD2 but even that, it sounds pretty similar to 'KTU standard. It would be nice if CC would put on Club Phusion on the WKTU HD-3 for me and Nick, lol. But for what it's worth, besides my show and Party Radio USA, I do tune in to the Digitally Imported offerings, DJFM in Canada and other dance intensive offerings.

Though I STILL STRONGLY believe a dance/EDM station would work on FM terrestrial standard radio

 

[KyleSmith1988]

My parents just got a Scion Xd and that has an HD Radio installed. I really like it, adds alot of choices to the dial.
Since I finally got a chance to see HD radio I bought an Insignia NS-BHDIP01 HD Radio Boombox for only $25 on Ebay.
Great value, although the HD reception isn't as good. Gotta be in the 70 dBu range to hear HD with little static.
I'm in Upstate SC halfway between Greenville & Charlotte, 50 miles to each, and I can get HD ok from both cities.
In the car radio I rarely get HD dropouts.

Just curious, how far down the shore can you hear NYC HD stations? Long Branch? I used to live near Toms River
and I know they likely don't reach that far but I'm sure you'd be lucky to get 94.3 or 100.1's HD down there.

 

[Barry]

I believe that HD Radio has potential, for mobile listening. Smartphone plans are moving towards charging additional fees for extended use. That could result in high monthly bills for using one as a substitute for a radio. Satellite radio is very good, but most people are probably unwilling to pay the subscription fees. And it lacks local content.
HD radio on FM, with its side channels, can add dozens of (potentially) local programming choices in a large market. And once one has the receiver, it is absolutely free, like conventional radio.
But it needs better promotion, and attractive programming for those side channels. At the moment, it is very difficult to find out what is on them, without actually obtaining an HD radio. That needs to change.
And a power boost does wonders for reception. The handful of HD signals in New York that run 4% of the power of the main analog signal get out far better than the rest, which only have a an output of 1%.
It took a long time for FM and satellite radio to catch on. As HD radio finds its way into more cars and steps are taken to improve programming, signal and promotion, it probably still has a decent chance to become mainstream, over a period of time.
The fact that HD radio channels are being used in many markets to feed translators on conventional FM is probably helping to keep it afloat. There is also some revenue from using part of the HD signal for such digital services as providing traffic conditions to the newer automotive GPS units.

 

[TonySantiago]

I believe that HD Radio has potential, for mobile listening. Smartphone plans are moving towards charging additional fees for extended use. That could result in high monthly bills for using one as a substitute for a radio. Satellite radio is very good, but most people are probably unwilling to pay the subscription fees. And it lacks local content.
HD radio on FM, with its side channels, can add dozens of (potentially) local programming choices in a large market. And once one has the receiver, it is absolutely free, like conventional radio.
But it needs better promotion, and attractive programming for those side channels. At the moment, it is very difficult to find out what is on them, without actually obtaining an HD radio. That needs to change.
And a power boost does wonders for reception. The handful of HD signals in New York that run 4% of the power of the main analog signal get out far better than the rest, which only have a an output of 1%.
It took a long time for FM and satellite radio to catch on. As HD radio finds its way into more cars and steps are taken to improve programming, signal and promotion, it probably still has a decent chance to become mainstream, over a period of time.
The fact that HD radio channels are being used in many markets to feed translators on conventional FM is probably helping to keep it afloat. There is also some revenue from using part of the HD signal for such digital services as providing traffic conditions to the newer automotive GPS units.

Unless the radio companies decide to "sleep" with the "Big 3" and Interational automakers in making HD standard in car stereos I see the radio companies continue to broker HD for those that have the price to buy into it.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

Unless the radio companies decide to "sleep" with the "Big 3" and Interational automakers in making HD standard in car stereos I see the radio companies continue to broker HD for those that have the price to buy into it.

What about a subsidy or coupons for consmers that buy an HD radio reciever? There should also be an incentive for media companies to add HD signals for stations without it. Subsidies are used all the time with those that get a new cell phone with a contract, it greatly lowers the price and helps the industry. And there was also a subsidy/coupons with the analog TV converter boxes for the digital TV conversion. I think in the short term a subsidy is a good way to help promote HD radio alot quicker.

 

[R.F. Burns]

Since so few people own, let alone use HD radios, why are they still being manufactured? The technology is flawed. Either you hear a station or you don't and when your station cuts out, that's about time to dump the HD unit as well unless you practice extreme patience. There are too many options for listening to your favorite formats these days.

Eye is right in that sense. If you have a smartphone, download the Tune In Radio app http://tunein.com/ or listen online. It's not just the terrestrial stations but online as well plus some have HD stations listed if interested.

The closest thing to dance in terms of our brand on HD is Pride Radio on WKTU-HD2 but even that, it sounds pretty similar to 'KTU standard. It would be nice if CC would put on Club Phusion on the WKTU HD-3 for me and Nick, lol. But for what it's worth, besides my show and Party Radio USA, I do tune in to the Digitally Imported offerings, DJFM in Canada and other dance intensive offerings.

Though I STILL STRONGLY believe a dance/EDM station would work on FM terrestrial standard radio

Most people do not have unlimited data access via their smartphones any longer. The fact that Verizon and others don't have unlimited data plans makes determining how many minutes of audio one can stream in a month without being charged for data overage. When you add to that the fact that people do other things with their phones other than stream audio makes counting on a smart phone to replace a radio impractical.

 

[R.F. Burns]

Since so few people own, let alone use HD radios, why are they still being manufactured? The technology is flawed. Either you hear a station or you don't and when your station cuts out, that's about time to dump the HD unit as well unless you practice extreme patience. There are too many options for listening to your favorite formats these days.

Oh really? The technology isn't perfect but many of the people complaining here don't like the fact that you can't hear a station beyond it's licensed contour or with one of those cheap portable HD radios with their earphone cord for antenna's. Yes they somewhat worked for analog although I remember the days of cheap portable FM radios which ran on 9 volt batteries and had horrid reception outside of the city. Yes, digital is either there or it isn't and one can call that a flaw. On the other hand I've had access to a satellite radio in my car for the past week and it cuts out any time I go under an overpass and there are loads of them on our roads. the sound on Sat radio is horrid, filled with artifacts. Obviously more people own and use them than the vocal in here would like to think. If it were not the case the companies invested in the technology would have discontinued it's evolution. HD radios are starting to make appearances in more dashboards and the companies are in it for the long haul. I've heard nothing but doom and gloom and dire predictions for years about HD Radio on this board. As of now every one of these predictions has been wrong. I'm not talking about AM HD which serves little purpose in my opinion, but FM HD is a growing technology and NO ONE cares about it's effect on limiting e skip reception or other forms of enhancement.

 

[R.F. Burns]

I believe that HD Radio has potential, for mobile listening. Smartphone plans are moving towards charging additional fees for extended use. That could result in high monthly bills for using one as a substitute for a radio. Satellite radio is very good, but most people are probably unwilling to pay the subscription fees. And it lacks local content.
HD radio on FM, with its side channels, can add dozens of (potentially) local programming choices in a large market. And once one has the receiver, it is absolutely free, like conventional radio.
But it needs better promotion, and attractive programming for those side channels. At the moment, it is very difficult to find out what is on them, without actually obtaining an HD radio. That needs to change.
And a power boost does wonders for reception. The handful of HD signals in New York that run 4% of the power of the main analog signal get out far better than the rest, which only have a an output of 1%.
It took a long time for FM and satellite radio to catch on. As HD radio finds its way into more cars and steps are taken to improve programming, signal and promotion, it probably still has a decent chance to become mainstream, over a period of time.
The fact that HD radio channels are being used in many markets to feed translators on conventional FM is probably helping to keep it afloat. There is also some revenue from using part of the HD signal for such digital services as providing traffic conditions to the newer automotive GPS units.

Unless the radio companies decide to "sleep" with the "Big 3" and Interational automakers in making HD standard in car stereos I see the radio companies continue to broker HD for those that have the price to buy into it.

The Big three? Who are the Big Three today? I know CBS Radio, Clear Channel and who else? WVOX is running 4 channels and they aren't one of the big three and Merlin has just put HD back on 101.9 and they aren't one of the big three either. Citidel and Cumulous are large radio owners for sure but both are in financial trouble and nowhere near as large as the two groups I mentioned..

 

[davideduardo]

The Big three? Who are the Big Three today? I know CBS Radio, Clear Channel and who else?

The Big Three: GM, Chrysler and Ford.

In radio, it would be Clear Channel, Cumulus and CBS.

Cumulus bought Citadel out of bankruptcy, and is well financed. CBS is smaller, in station count and, I believe, radio revenue and has been selling off smaller markets.