Hi Butch;

Your right about a digital signal.

Even on some of my local AM. stations, if the signal varies a little bit, the radio will switch back to analog mode.

Yes, the audio on cell phones is awful.

Not to mention the tinny quality of the speakers they use.

73 De Anthony W2AJV
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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Butch Bussen 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 1:33 PM
  Subject: Re: FCC aproves HD A M broadcasting 24 hours a day


  Where did you get the idea digital runs less power.  I've never read that. 
  The problem with digital radio is the same problem with all digital 
  formats.  It is either there, or it is not and it takes a very very good 
  signal to noise ratio to work.  Under the same conditions, analog will be 
  more dependable and reach farther.  Any of you remember the good old 
  analog cell phone days.  Once in a while the signal would get noisy, but 
  you could still copy.  You could also wonder around and find a hot spot. 
  Can't do that at all with digital.  I hate the audio on today's digital 
  cell phones, but they can cram more subscribers on a single channel, and 
  that is the name of the game.  The motto seems to be "digital is better". 
  Well some times it is, and some times not.  Look ahead a bit.  Do you 
  really think we'll still have free radio once everything goes digital?  I 
  doubt it.  The format will be in place to make radio pay radio.  Look at 
  the control that can be exercised.  I get satellite on direct tv, and 
  because they know my zip code, the games are blacked out here in Vegas.  I 
  don't have a clue why, as we can get them on the same channel locally that 
  is uplinked to the satellite.  The point is that with digital, all of this 
  is so easily controled.  Adds can even be targeted to specific areas or 
  zip codes.  To me, it is kind of scarry.
  73s
  Butch Bussen
  wa0vjr