What does the HD technology offer in the way of improved sound, clearity of
channel, coverage area, etc.? I've not yet heard an HD signal so don't
really know what to expect. As an old man, the frequency response of my
ears isn't much better than the 15KHz of normal FM broadcast. Am I really
missing anything?
Thanks.
The Other Howard, WA9RYF
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gerry Leary" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 7:44 AM
Subject: Re: HD radio
> Hey Tom,
>
> HD is quite popular here. At least there are a lot of stations. I don't
> have an HD radio, but I can find a lot of HD stations using my Iphone. I
> don't know what they will use as a catch, but my thoughts are that
> Commercial radio will get so bad that they will be able to charge for HD
> memberships. I don't know why I never paid much attention to it. Gerry
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "tom behler" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 6:36 PM
> Subject: HD radio
>
>
>> Hi, all.
>>
>> I am not sure if this will be considered by some to be "off topic", but
>> last
>> evening, I heard something on an FM broadcast station that has confirmed
>> my
>> long-standing suspicions about where commercial FM radio is going today.
>>
>> I simply thought it might be of interest to others.
>>
>> By way of introduction, I have noticed that the quality of many normal
>> non-HD FM stations seems to have deteriorated over the past few years,
>> especially in larger metropolitan areas. By declining quality, I mean
>> more
>> commercials, less music, and what seems to be a much less diverse
>> play-list.
>>
>> My theory had always been that normal non-HD FM stations were simply
>> being
>> operated for those who hadn't yet made the switch to HD radio, as kind of
>> a
>> necessary evil. It just seemed to me that more resources and efforts
>> were
>> being put into HD stations, so as to come up with a better-quality and
>> more
>> appealing product.
>>
>> As many of you may know, I am currently traveling throughout the east
>> coast,
>> and am now spending some time with my wife's mother in the Trenton, New
>> Jersey area.
>>
>> Last night, I was listening to W O G L--98.1 FM in Philadelphia. In the
>> past, that station had been an excellent oldies station, with what I
>> think
>> had been very good ratings.
>>
>> Now, the station has more of a "classic hits" format, with lots of talk,
>> commercials, and other stuff between the music.
>>
>> Anyway, shortly before the top of an hour, the station ID was played,
>> followed by a message that said something like this: "If you want more
>> music, more oldies from the 60's and 70's, and more home-town DJ's, tune
>> to
>> W O G L HD1".
>>
>> To me, this indicated, at least in this case, that the HD option was
>> clearly
>> being promoted over the normal non-HD programming.
>>
>> Am I onto something here, or totally "off base"?
>>
>> And, please: to those in the broadcast business (like Lou )WA3MIX), I
>> mean
>> no offense whatsoever by these observations.
>>
>> HD radio has not yet arrived in the part of semi-rural west-central lower
>> Michigan where I currently live, but if I lived in a bigger metro area, I
>> have the feeling that HD radios would quickly be added to my wish list.
>>
>> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
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