I hear you, Steve.
And, you're right.
A m DXING isn't what it used to be. For example, here in Michigan, say 15
years ago, I used to be able to get WBZ in Boston every night, unless
conditions were very very poor.
Now, I usually have to wait till the Fall or Winter, and even then, it's
questionable.
The same can be said for many of the New York stations, like WABC, WOR, and
WCBS, as well as Philadelphia stations like KYW and WPHT.
And, being from the east coast myself, I really miss that.
Of course, you can now get most of them streaming "on line", but, in my
opinion, it's not quite the same.
73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Dresser" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 2:17 PM
Subject: Re: FCC aproves HD A M broadcasting 24 hours a day
> Tom,
>
> You have to have an HD receiver to hear the difference between the analog
> signal and the HD audio. On AM, the difference is dramatic. AM suddenly
> starts to have the same high frequency response as FM, and the analog
> noise
> completely disappears. Unfortunately, though, if the signal is too weak,
> or
> there's too much noise, it won't matter because the receiver stays in
> analog
> mode.
>
> On FM, the difference is much less pronounced, although all analog noise
> (such as ignition noise) completely disappears. I have an HD tuner
> connected to my high-end stereo system, and I can hear subtle differences
> between analog FM and HD FM, but nothing like what I hear on AM. In my
> opinion, there's not much future for this format on AM because so few AM
> stations even broadcast music formats. I also suspect that selective
> fading
> at night will give HD fits, which we'll certainly find out once stations
> start broadcasting after dark. Regarding AM DX, that ship sailed long
> before the advent of HD. There are so many low-power AM stations on at
> night that you can hardly hear anything useful as you tune across the
> band,
> at least not here on the East coast. Besides, who really wants to listen
> to
> 500 stations all broadcasting the same syndicated megamouths?
>
> Steve
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "T Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 12:17
> Subject: Re: FCC aproves HD A M broadcasting 24 hours a day
>
>
>> Bob and all:
>>
>> I have two quick questions here:
>>
>> 1. Even though digital radio may use less power than analog, whatever
>> happened to the idea of using frequency spectrum space as efficiently as
>> possible? In my view, digital AM certainly doesn't do that! and
>>
>> 2. Does digital AM or FM really sound that much better than analog?
>> Admittedly, I have only listened to digital or HD AM and FM stations on
>> analog equipment up to this point, but I really can't tell much
>> difference
>> in overall sound quality. Maybe I'm just loosing my hearing, but I don't
>> think so, or at least, I hope not! (grin)
>>
>> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bob Tinney" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 12:07 PM
>> Subject: Re: FCC aproves HD A M broadcasting 24 hours a day
>>
>>
>>> Hi Tom and all,
>>> I really think that HD radio is being forced on local broadcasters by
>>> the
>>> XM
>>> and serious satellite radio services. If A M and FM radio is going to
>>> survive, it must compete with the quality of other media and digital
>>> radio,
>>> though it totally messes up the ability to hear weak signals on the A M
>>> and
>>> FM bands, does that. Digital radio seems to be more efficient as the
>>> digital transmissions are only running 10% of the power of the main
>>> analog
>>> transmitter.
>>> So, I'm trying to keep an opened mind and we'll have to wait and see
>>> just
>>> how things develop. One thing that I do know is that HD radio receivers
>>> are
>>> not being snapped up by consumers, and that the satellite radio services
>>> are
>>> both in financial trouble also.
>>> 73
>>> Bob, [log in to unmask], K8LR
>>> Skype Name: bobtinn
>>> Life is full of challenges, that's what makes it interesting!
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "T Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 2:27 PM
>>> Subject: Re: FCC aproves HD A M broadcasting 24 hours a day
>>>
>>>
>>> Bob and all:
>>>
>>> For what it's worth, my two cents worth on the whole thing is that this
>>> is
>>> really sad.
>>>
>>> I can't figure out who, other than the marketers of HD radio, are
>>> benefitting from this whole thing.
>>>
>>> Considering the quality of AM radio today, I am not sure the general
>>> public
>>> will be shouting for joy over this ruling.
>>>
>>> You just have to wonder who's running the FCC today anyway!
>>>
>>> I'm all for technological progress, but is this really productive and
>>> beneficial to the general public as a whole?
>>>
>>> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Bob Tinney" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 12:29 AM
>>> Subject: FCC aproves HD A M broadcasting 24 hours a day
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>> I know that this topic is not strictly amateur related, but I'll bet
>>>> that
>>>> 99.9% of us have done a lot of swl work and have listened to dx
>>>> stations
>>>> on
>>>> the A M broadcast band. The days of looking for DX on the A M band may
>>>> end
>>>> forever on September 14. On that date, the FCC will allow HD stations
>>>> to
>>>> broadcast 24 hours a day. Below is some quoted material from the Radio
>>>> Mag
>>>> online.
>>>> "FCC Update
>>>> FCC logo 1
>>>> IBOC Rule Changes Kick in Sept. 14
>>>> Publication of the FCC's Second Report and Order in the Federal
>>>> Register
>>>> on
>>>> Aug.
>>>> 16 means that the long-awaited IBOC digital radio rule changes will
>>>> become
>>>> the law
>>>> of the land on Sept. 14.
>>>> Among the most controversial new provisions will be the green light for
>>>> 24-hour HD
>>>> Radio hybrid operation on AM. Critics of Ibiquity's implementation of
>>>> AM
>>>> IBOC digital
>>>> transmission have charged that many stations currently serving a
>>>> significant
>>>> audience
>>>> within secondary nighttime coverage areas will lose that service area
>>>> to
>>>> digitally
>>>> generated adjacent-channel interference. In a separate but related move
>>>> announced
>>>> just this week, the FCC appears to be addressing AM owner coverage
>>>> anxieties
>>>> by tendering
>>>> an NPRM that would grant new FM repeater privileges to eligible AM
>>>> licensees.
>>>> Among other key provisions set to go into effect include the right for
>>>> FMs
>>>> to commence
>>>> HD Radio multicasting without experimental authority grants and use of
>>>> separate FM
>>>> antennas for HD Radio hybrid operation without STAs.
>>>> Other matters, such as specific public service requirements,
>>>> limitations
>>>> on
>>>> and regulatory
>>>> fee assessments for digital subscription services, and what role
>>>> multicasting will
>>>> play in any new ownership equation remain to be addressed by future
>>>> rulemaking.
>>>> Bob, [log in to unmask], K8LR
>>>> Skype Name: bobtinn
>>>> Life is full of challenges, that's what makes it interesting!
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
|
