WSB-AM Debuts On FM Today at Noon

[BIGSTICK]

Question-----What is IBOC?

It's another name for HD radio. The letters IBOC stand for In Band On Channel which is the method of placing the HD "subcarrier" on the same channel as the radio station they are being broadcasted on. It differentiated the other system where broadcasters were to get new frequencies and the FM band was to eventually migrate there which was scrapped.

Thank you....

 

[tomservo]

Speaking of HD, was WBTS doing HD as The Beat, and if so, did they leave it on for the simulcast?

Although I'm about as anti-HD as can be for AM stations, I've come to enjoy listening to my local pubcaster's HD network (NPR talk & news) simply because of the low noise floor. I think it would benefit the talk, especially if HD is already installed and writt…I mean paid for.

 

[DToTheJ]

...was WBTS doing HD as The Beat, and if so, did they leave it on for the simulcast?

I believe the HD1 channel of 95.5 FM simulcasts whatever the main signal is broadcasting by default.

 

[jabba17]

...was WBTS doing HD as The Beat, and if so, did they leave it on for the simulcast?

I believe the HD1 channel of 95.5 FM simulcasts whatever the main signal is broadcasting by default.

The Beat moved to the HD2 signal of 97.1, which is where an FM HD simul of WSB AM used to be.

As an aside, how many HD signals can you pile on to an FM signal before the fidelity (such as it is with today's poorly processed FM signals with their loudness wars/dynamic range compression, etc.) starts to significantly degrade?

 

[Bengalsfan]

Question-----What is IBOC?

It's another name for HD radio. The letters IBOC stand for In Band On Channel which is the method of placing the HD "subcarrier" on the same channel as the radio station they are being broadcasted on. It differentiated the other system where broadcasters were to get new frequencies and the FM band was to eventually migrate there which was scrapped.

Thank you....

No problem. You got questions, we got answers!

 

[musicman3355]

What's 95.5 HD2 airing? Is it still a top 40 format?

 

[BIGSTICK]

Hey All, just wanted to tell you that I am in Grand Forks, ND currently, and WSB was booming in here last night so clear, it actually sounded better than when in Atlanta? Could barely pick up Chicago, Detroit was no where to be found, WHO was strong, But WSB was the winner last night, I was listening on an old GE Superadio which I wish they still made, it would make people like AM better.

 

[electroboy73]

Processing is generally transmitter or transmitter site specific, with devices like the Optimod and the Omnia coming in AM and FM and even HD/Digital versions. The processing for each transmitter is tailored to the format but it often takes a fair amount of time to get it right so all programming material sounds good within the format.

(quoted this because was the only way to reply)
BTW: But, I have some dumb, technical questions..... (surprise)!

But, since the FM simulcast of AM 750, is there any way possible that commercials, jingles, Satellite shows, etc will be ever be broadcasted in FM-STEREO on 95.5? Or is that just not necessary? I'll bet the entire WSB (radio) studio is ALL MONO, correct? And/or do the national feeds like Hannity, or network spots even come over in STEREO as an option for stations that want stereo? How does that work?

 

[littlejohn]

Mono FM gives better coverage than stereo. Consequently, it makes sense to run a talk FM mono, particularly when it's a rimshot.

 

[Bengalsfan]

And/or do the national feeds like Hannity, or network spots even come over in STEREO as an option for stations that want stereo? How does that work?

It's really not worth it considering the small amount of production that might be in stereo. Feed the output of the WSB studio in the left and right channel of the processor and turn the pilot off. It will be cleaner on the outer fringes of the FM signal.

 

[tomservo]

I've heard a few stereo FM talk stations. I think KARN Little Rock is one, and WYDE Birmingham is another. The two Supertalk Mississippi stations nearest me out of Oxford and Greenwood are stereo as well. None of the syndicated programming is fed in stereo as far as I know. WYDE has stereo elements in commercials and local programming, but the Supertalk stations do not. No idea why they keep the pilot on since most of their affiliates are rimshots of one kind or another.

Doesn't mono feeding of talk programs hearken back the days of analog satellite feeds, when two programs could be fit on one audio uplink, if one took the left channel and one took the right channel?

 

[DuckBlue]

Back in the early '90s, WSB-AM broadcast in AM stereo. It sounded great, especially in a car.

 

[Talk_Dude]

Back in the early '90s, WSB-AM broadcast in AM stereo. It sounded great, especially in a car.

Were you one of the guys who bought a car with an AM Stereo radio? Do you ever get together with the other five guys?

 

[jmtillery]

Back in the early '90s, WSB-AM broadcast in AM stereo. It sounded great, especially in a car.

Were you one of the guys who bought a car with an AM Stereo radio? Do you ever get together with the other five guys?

Actually, AM stereo did sound very good. I was a big fan, and I guess I must be one the "other five guys" because I did buy a car in 1985 that had AM stereo.

 

[jmtillery]

Well, Sports Fans... It's been a week (not counting the weekend) since Cox Radio made "The Big Switch" with WBTS and WSB. What opinions do you have regarding WSB News-Talk on FM? Do you think it is a good move? What positives do you recognize and how would you implement the format switch differently for maximum results assuming any adjustments are necessary? Comments?

 

[Bengalsfan]

Back in the early '90s, WSB-AM broadcast in AM stereo. It sounded great, especially in a car.

AM stereo did sound great. I had the chance to hear WSM in stereo and to me it rivaled FM. However, the milquetoast FCC declined to order a standard and AM stereo died on the vine. When they did determine that the Motorola system the winner, 30 years after the fact, it was too late.

 

[gr8oldies]

I test drove a car with AM stereo in 1985 or 86. I thought "it sounds just like AM with 2 channels!

 

[tomservo]

My parents had an early 90's Toyota with an AM stereo radio, and I have the AMAX Sony Walkman now, but nothing to listen to (literally, no local AM here.)

Make me #6.

With 95.5 being a far suburban signal, even going mono this signal's gonna be sketchy in some parts of the city. I recall having trouble getting it clearly anywhere west of downtown several years ago. Does anyone reckon Cox will work to get this on a stick closer to downtown?

 

[jabba17]

Back in the early '90s, WSB-AM broadcast in AM stereo. It sounded great, especially in a car.

Were you one of the guys who bought a car with an AM Stereo radio? Do you ever get together with the other five guys?

Back in the mid-late 1980s, GM Delco was putting AM stereo in most of their car radios (except the most basic units), for a while.

WPLO 610 is still broadcasting in C-QUAM stereo.

AM Stereo could sound good if you had a Superadio-quality AM section in your receiver (too bad GE/RCA/Thomson never made a stereo Superadio). If not, it's just two channels of the same old narrow frequency response, dynamic range, and static.

I was listening to 95.5 downtown today, and it sounded a little spitty.

 

[jmtillery]

With 95.5 being a far suburban Does anyone reckon Cox will work to get this on a stick closer to downtown?

Cox has an application on file now with the FCC to move the 95.5 tower closer to downtown. Once approved and implemented, the 95.5 signal should greatly improve over downtown Atlanta.