Why did FM succeed?

[tomservo]

Right now, leaving aside for a moment the technical problems and the cost of receivers, the main problems I see with HD2/HD3's have been brought up elsewhere in this thread:

* Lack of programming
* Poor programming when there is any.

It doesn't matter what the programming is if you can't pick it up while you're driving around. That seems to be a sticking point with HD subchannels at the moment. Even in relatively strong signal areas, there are dropouts that, depending on the model radio, may just garble the audio or may drop out for several seconds.

I have found that HD2/3 reception is good out to the protected contour, more or less, if I'm sitting still and fiddle with the antenna a little. The problem is, the analog on all but the cheapest Wal-Mart radios is usually usable a lot further out than that mystical blue circle on the FCC maps.

A good example, from the Mobile-Pensacola market. Most of their FMs are located halfway between the two cities, meaning the class C's all have a 30 mile ride to the suburbs of each town. The HD signals simply do not work well that far out, and this is in a part of the country that's nearly flat as a flitter. If the HD "equivalent" of 98 kW @ 1700 ft can't reach the population centers, then how is the equivalent on a class A going to serve even a small town?

Clearly, the power levels thing should have been higher from the get-go, after ample research. The licensing thing has got to be re-thunk, as we southerners say. It's adding cost to something no one wants to pay for (both for consumers and radio owners.)

And the iBuiquity people have got to get it through their thick skulls that people simple do NOT buy radios, they buy crap that has a radio in it already. If they wanna move HD radios, they have to get the technology in everything, too, not sell dedicated unitaskers.

It's not just radios, either. Fewer are buying digital music players. They buy phones that play music files, or A/V portables that do video and audio and surf the net through a Wi-Fi connection. They want a device that does it all. Designers get this and are clamoring to put mp3 or iPod capability in all kinds of devices. Even my father's $30 clock radio has a memory card slot. And for the record, he didn't a radio with a clock, he bought a clock with a radio.

 

[KeithE4]

FM had its own band. Imagine if instead they tried to use frequency modulation on the AM band with 50 kHz deviation.

Probably not possible. An efficient antenna cut for AM frequencies wouldn't have the bandwidth for that wide of a signal. A 100 kHz-wide signal is 5 to 15 percent of the operating (center) frequency, which would have to be 600 to 1600 kHz in order to keep the wide FM signal totally within the broadcast band. A receiver's RF bandwidth wouldn't be wide enough either, mainly due to the loopstick antenna.

Not only that, but it would cut down the number of channels from 117 to 11 (600 to 1600 kHz in 100 kHz channels). Just not practical for that reason alone.

 

[Play Freebird]

Those who went to serve their country and returned relatively unscathed, frequently landed state-side with new found treasure. The Base Exchange or Post Exchange stores that were only available to military personnel, did a very brisk business loading up GI's with high quality stereos. It came from previously unheard of Japanese companies like Pioneer, Kenwood, Sansui, TEAC, JVC and a host of others. The prices charged at the BX were WAY less than the civilian prices similar products available in the US. It was high quality audio equipment at rock bottom prices, and it came back home by the ton. It isn’t that unusual to find some of it still in service.

Very good observation, Chuck.

At hamfest flea markets, I also frequently spot the German FM sets which were purchased by military personnel stationed in Europe during the Cold War. In the aftermath of World War 2, companies like Telefunken, Grundig, Blaupunkt and Saba had developed inexpensive "UKW" receiver circuits for their domestic market, and with a few minor changes, North American export models were offered that covered the entire 87.5-108 MHz band. Not only do these receivers sound really pleasant, but they have attractive wooden cabinets and many are equipped with a magisches Augen, the cool "magic eye" tuning aid.

http://www.edelpro.com/Home radio from Germany.htm

Following WW II, FM took off rapidly in Germany because most of the medium-wave allocations were awarded to the Allies in the Copenhagen agreement and many AM frequencies were used for propaganda broadcasts to the Eastern Bloc. Therefore, the German public broadcasters built their radio networks on FM from the start. The ability to relay FM signals directly off air with little degradation was also a plus.

Want to see some nice commercial grade workmanship? Take a look at this Telefunken EBU3137 Ballempfänger (FM Relay Receiver), an item I would like to add to my collection if I can find one at a reasonable price. Note the extensive shielding and bypass capacitors. It has a Nuvistor front end and was designed to be paired with a second tuner for diversity.

http://www.ak-tubes.de/Tuner/Ballempfaenger/Telefunken_EBU/ebu.htm

 

[KeithE4]

AOR was born at WQDR in Raleigh around 1972, and was widespread within a couple of years... CHRs started popping up all over around 1972, and by '75 there was at least one in just about every markets. AC was evolutionary, and it is kind of hard to pin down as today's ACs have little in common with those that were developing in the 70's.

1972? I thought it was much earlier than that. KDKB Phoenix was AOR from the day it took over from KALF/KMND-FM in 1971 (a simulcast until 1978). It was a successor to the late, lamented KCAC, a short-lived "progressive rock" AMer in Phoenix, which existed from 1968 to 1971. From what I've read, KNIX also carried some AOR programming in the late '60s, prior to switching to country music.

There was also AOR programming as early as 1967-68 on WNAP Indianapolis (nights, with standard Top 40 during the day), WLS-FM Chicago (late-nights, and full-time beginning in 1971), WNEW-FM New York (weren't they the original, beginning in 1967?), WMMR Philadelphia (nights, and full-time beginning in 1969 or '70), and probably others that I can't think of right now.

 

[OldNumber7]

AOR was born at WQDR in Raleigh around 1972, and was widespread within a couple of years... CHRs started popping up all over around 1972, and by '75 there was at least one in just about every markets. AC was evolutionary, and it is kind of hard to pin down as today's ACs have little in common with those that were developing in the 70's.

1972? I thought it was much earlier than that. KDKB Phoenix was AOR from the day it took over from KALF/KMND-FM in 1971 (a simulcast until 1978). It was a successor to the late, lamented KCAC, a short-lived "progressive rock" AMer in Phoenix, which existed from 1968 to 1971. From what I've read, KNIX also carried some AOR programming in the late '60s, prior to switching to country music.

There was also AOR programming as early as 1967-68 on WNAP Indianapolis (nights, with standard Top 40 during the day), WLS-FM Chicago (late-nights, and full-time beginning in 1971), WNEW-FM New York (weren't they the original, beginning in 1967?), WMMR Philadelphia (nights, and full-time beginning in 1969 or '70), and probably others that I can't think of right now.

In my original post, putting the "birth" on FM of AOR and contemporary AC around 1977, I neglected to make clear that I was talking about structured, accessible, cume-driven formats (e.g. Burkhart-Abrams "Superstars" and others). Of course AOR existed as progressive, or underground rock, in the late 60s. For that matter, middle of the road forerunners of what we now call AC were around then, too. I was talking the about honed formats, with carefully structured and accessible (reliant on significant pop crossover) playlists that came in the mid-70s and spread beyond a select few major markets to most mid-size markets.

 

[KeithE4]

Contrary to what KeithE4 said above, simulcasts of sister AM’s wasn’t limited to small markets. In many major markets, about half of the FM stations were simulcasting AM programming all or part of the time. And of those that weren’t, not even the “Beautiful Music” stations attracted only “geezers,” if by that you mean listeners over 60, or even over 50. They had a significant 35-44 share. And jazz stations attracted some college, and even high school, listeners (like me).

They were geezers to me (I was in elementary and Jr. high school in the '60s). ;D

As far as simulcasting in major markets went, I stand corrected (and I should have remembered this, since I was in Phoenix at the time). There were quite a few in Phoenix in the '70s: KDKB, KMEO, KUPD, KDOT, KNIX, and KBUZ. All emphasized the FM over the AM, IIRC. KUPD and KDKB were rockers, KNIX was country (the AM was KTUF until the early '80s), and the rest were elevator music.

 

[semoochie]

"One way to solve this would be to do what the FCC did for AM in the 1970's: restrict simulcasting."(This was in reference to HD Radio.) This would completely undermine the reason for digital radio in the first place, to give analog stations a place in the new digital universe. The additional channels were developed later but the main idea was so that radio could compete on a level playing field with other digital technologies. Thank you, David for addressing the AM/FM requirement myth. I'm getting tired of doing it myself.

 

[davideduardo]

1972? I thought it was much earlier than that.

AOR itself was an industry term that came out of what to call the Superstars type rockers that did not fit the progressive rock or free form definitions as they were as structured as a Top 40 station. WQDR is considered to be where Abrams developed the format.

 

[davideduardo]

In my original post, putting the "birth" on FM of AOR and contemporary AC around 1977, I neglected to make clear that I was talking about structured, accessible, cume-driven formats (e.g. Burkhart-Abrams "Superstars" and others). Of course AOR existed as progressive, or underground rock, in the late 60s. For that matter, middle of the road forerunners of what we now call AC were around then, too. I was talking the about honed formats, with carefully structured and accessible (reliant on significant pop crossover) playlists that came in the mid-70s and spread beyond a select few major markets to most mid-size markets.

WQDR was the first Abrams superstar format AOR... structure, familiarity, jocks that did not spend as much time on the bong, etc. That was 5 years before 1977... when GM Carl Ventors gave Lee Abrams the ok to change the format to what was to become Superstars and lead to Abrams' association with Kent Burkhart.

 

[davideduardo]

As far as simulcasting in major markets went, I stand corrected (and I should have remembered this, since I was in Phoenix at the time). There were quite a few in Phoenix in the '70s: KDKB, KMEO, KUPD, KDOT, KNIX, and KBUZ. All emphasized the FM over the AM, IIRC. KUPD and KDKB were rockers, KNIX was country (the AM was KTUF until the early '80s), and the rest were elevator music.

All but KUPD were AM daytimers, for which there were exceptions to the 1967 simulcast drop dead order.

KDKB was 1510 daytime, KMEO was 740, KDOT 1440, and KBUZ 1310. KNIX was 50 kw on 1580, but not yet fulltime. KUPD was 500 watts at 1060 and somehow kept simulcasting; It had the FM on one of the towers down on Guadalupe and I remember hearing them fire up the South Mountain transmitter in, IIRC, 1973 when they were still Top 40 and in the 3-way battle with KRUX and KRIZ.

KMEO was Bonneville's own syndicated Beautiful Music, while KDOT did a home grown version as apparently did KBUZ. The Beautiful Music leader, of course, was KRFM which had Schulke Beautiful Music, and later did their own version which was syndicated to other markets, too.

 

[KeithE4]

All but KUPD were AM daytimers, for which there were exceptions to the 1967 simulcast drop dead order.

KBUZ was also a full-time station - 5000 watts days and 500 watts nights, then and now as KIHP. Maybe it was because KBUZ and KUPD were licensed to cities smaller than 100,000 people at the time (Mesa and Tempe, respectively, although KBUZ's studios and offices were in Phoenix), they were allowed to continue simulcasting.

 

[davideduardo]

All but KUPD were AM daytimers, for which there were exceptions to the 1967 simulcast drop dead order.

KBUZ was also a full-time station - 5000 watts days and 500 watts nights, then and now as KIHP. Maybe it was because KBUZ and KUPD were licensed to cities smaller than 100,000 people at the time (Mesa and Tempe, respectively, although KBUZ's studios and offices were in Phoenix), they were allowed to continue simulcasting.

That is likely the reason. And I should have remembered the 500 watt night signal on 1310... there was a period around 72 or 73 when they were not on with it due to some kind of site move or tower stuff... at least, if it was on, I could not get it a couple of blocks north of Los Arcos mall in S'dale.

 

[TheBigA]

I have to agree with Keith -- the main reason was the appearance of progressive rock stations on the FM dial in the late '60s.

Nope. That may be why you listened, but it didn't cause FM to succeed. Listenership to progressive rock was very small. That's why the format didn't last. Within a couple years, these stations adapted into AOR, which was a more commercial format. Tighter playlist, regular rotations, and focus on star acts. But the real killer was when you had screaming Top 40 CHRs like 99X in New York City. That station absolutely ruled. The template was copied in market after market. The fidelity of FM coupled with a narrower focus on current music is what killed broader formated AM music stations. FM made it possible for narrowcasting. But also FM was the new gadget. It was new, it was clearly different in sound, and it was simply something everyone wanted. It was the flavor of the month.

 

[Lee Rust]

Technically, the original FM system was a work of genius. That's why it has endured and prospered. Armstrong clearly intended it to be a successor to AM, not a companion. The process of replacement is almost complete.

Programming issues aside, FM IBOC is the work of a committee and does nothing really well. HD1 audio quality is only marginally better than analog FM, and not worth the added expense and complexity. Ironically, it's up to the analog audio to save the HD1 signal from drop-out embarrassment. HD2 and HD3 channels have no such backup and drop out to silence under marginal reception conditions. This is a fatal problem for multicasting, which is the only useful aspect of FM IBOC. Satellite radio might be able to get away with this sort of thing once in a while, but not terrestrial radio. It happens too often out here in the real world.

Given the marginal audio quality of most FM IBOC sub-channels, I wonder why nobody has ever given any thought to using the existing analog SCA channels for the same sort of programming. Couldn't be any worse. Might be better.

Meanwhile, AM IBOC is shameless in its cavalier disrespect for spectrum boundaries, audio fidelity and many other things. It's already being forgotten.

 

[Chuck]

Given the marginal audio quality of most FM IBOC sub-channels, I wonder why nobody has ever given any thought to using the existing analog SCA channels for the same sort of programming. Couldn't be any worse. Might be better.

They did. It was called FMeXra. Of course it was digital. The FCC won't allow SCA channels to be used for public "broadcast," either analog or digital.

Politics surpasses engineering at The Portals.

 

[tomservo]

I'll confess, I've never knowingly heard what audio on a SCA sounds. I mean, I'm sure I've heard elevator music piped into stores via SCA, but I've never delved into the sound quality or performance of SCA.

How does it measure up for fidelity and clarity?

 

[Darth_vader]

Compared to a better mediumwave AM station, SCA sometimes fails miserably. Generally, the bandwidth is around 8000 Hz or so and is modulated at about 10% the level of the main channel. Ergo you have the crosstalk from the main FM channel to contend with, which is almost always audible in the background and sometimes not even that far in the background. If you come across an SCA multiples that only runs one subcarrier at 67, they sometimes (not always) are a bit wider bandwidth than one that, say, has stations on both 67 and 92 and thus can sound better and be easier to receive.

If you can get a decent SCA rig like the one they sell at http://subcarrierusa.com, these have a somewhat narrowband SCA demodulator, which admittedly does help reduce the crosstalk somewhat. Retrofitted, off the shelf FM rigs, from my experience, tend to be far too wide to facilitate SCA reception, so you almost always hear the main carrier splattering all over it. (Like my Sony ICF36 with a Dr. Elving's Elf-2A demodulator--SAP recep on NTSC channels really screams [that'swhy I bought the thing in the first place] but it's a piss-poor rig to use for any serious SCA DXing. Even local SCA channels are hard to get on it.)

So why do I listen?

Mainly because I'm a Muzak junkie and, although there's very little (if any) Muzak available on SCA these days, it's still very much a part of Muzak's history. And it provides a rather interesting means of killing time whilst on road trips. Besides, how else is a Washingtonian supposed to hear any Washington news when he's in Pendleton, Oregon? There's KPBX in Spokane and the Evergreen Radio Reading Service on 67kHz!

[size=8pt]If any of this writing makes so little sense, remember that (1) I'm in Nebraska right now, (2) I have been up since about 0530 yesterday morning (Pacific daylight time, which I'm apparently still on) and (3) even though it's 0500 CDT here, it's only 0200 PDT in my mind. (Didn't even notice going through Mountain time. Of course, once I left Spokane on Monday afternoon, I didn't stop driving till I hit Fargo then proceeded down here!)

I've effectively been up for 24 hours now, I'm going to bed for a few minutes.

 

[Savage]

I have to give fellow Rochesterian Lee Rust sustained applause for the finest, most succinct statement about HD's many problems I've ever read. Lee neatly stacks up the critical issues and then sets them forth in crisp relief against the incessant HD fallacies, lies and affronts to logic.

Lee reiterates a question I've asked repeatedly here and elsewhere: if subchannels are the desideratum, why don't we refine and repurpose SCA? Using state-of-the-art processing and signal injection, SCA - which has been around since about 1960 - has the potential to be far more reliable than HD subs and could have superior audio. Just use the SCA for broadcasting instead of Muzak. With satellite distribution SCA is no longer needed or, AFAIK, even used that much any more.

Oh. I forgot. SCA isn't "digital." Horrors. :

 

[TheBigA]

Oh. I forgot. SCA isn't "digital." Horrors. :

Technically neither is HD. It seems to me if you can run IBOC on main channel, you can run it on SCA. But this is more of the patchwork approach the FCC uses in dumping new stuff without properly dealing with the old stuff.

Truthfully, we don't need LPFM because there are lots of other ways to provide frequencies to potential operators. But they didn't want to deal with re-allocating frequencies. So instead they just mash more operators on an already over-crowded dial.

But at the end of the day, none of it matters because neither SCA nor IBOC is available through conventional receivers. And as we've said many times before, no one is looking to buy new radios regardless of the content or sales pitch.

 

[Savage]

Agreed, but at least SCA doesn't generate harmful interference to other broadcasters. As I'm sure you know, that's the deal-breaker for me.

If someone wants to use junk-tech to reach specialized audiences, get brownie points for "pioneering" or an ego boost, be my guest. As long as you do no harm to anyone but yourself.