Re: [IRCA] WWFD 820 Becomes First All-Digital AM Station

[Les Rayburn <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Russ,

Not at all. I get all that. 

My point is that if an all HD format on AM is viable economically anywhere in the US, then Washington, DC is that market. 

It’s highly affluent, highly mobile, and populated by an older than average, more educated than average audience. News format stations in the District still do very well. 

Unfortunately for Ibuitity, “physics don’t give a damn” and the laws won’t change to fit their business model. IBOC HD doesn’t work technically. And the strong arm lobbying of the FCC to change the rules to fit it have only hastened the move to streaming audio services by millennials. 


73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114
EM63nf

Member WTFDA, IRCA, NRC. Former CPC Chairman for NRC & IRCA. 

Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy SDR2, SDRPlay RSP-2 Pro, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy Modified], Dennon TU-1500RD, Sangean HDT-1X, Ray Dees RDS Decoders, Korner 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps, Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active Whip. 

“Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…” 


> On Jul 17, 2018, at 11:39 AM, Russ Edmunds <wb2bjh@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Les, I think the point you miss here is that this station was a rimshot as an analog for the DC market and the HD signal won't hold in DC anyway
> 
> 
> 
> Russ Edmunds
> 
> WB2BJH
> 
> Blue Bell, PA
> 
> Grid FN20id
> 
> ________________________________
> From: IRCA <irca-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Paul B. Walker, Jr. <walkerbroadcasting@xxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 12:34:35 PM
> To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America
> Subject: Re: [IRCA] WWFD 820 Becomes First All-Digital AM Station
> 
> I think, as a DX'er and broadcaster.. HD would've been a bit more viable if
> you could've gotten HD locking without needing such robust signals and find
> a way to have it not interfere with other stations.  I've heard HD on AM,
> I've heard DRM on Shortwave.... I used to listen to Radio Kuwait 15540kzh
> english DRM.. and the thing needed a paint peeling banging barrel of brick
> signal to lock and stay locked. It sounds great though.
> 
> I don't particularly find any use for it on AM, except the sound quality.
> Where HD has... i dont wanna use the word flourished.. but done better is
> on FM, and even moreso tv.. where you can offer sub/side channels. Many
> broadcasters, with pretty decent financial success have put translators on
> their HD channels (look at Saga communications) and offered formats that
> may not make financial sense on full powered signals.
> 
> Where HD i think really works, is TV.. with the multiple specialist
> channels.
> 
> Anyways, I digress. I don't dislike HD as much as some here do, but I'm
> huge a fan of it in general.. it has proved interesting while FM DXing
> though
> 
> Paul
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jul 17, 2018 at 12:29 PM, Les Rayburn <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> Russ,
>> 
>> I agree with your prediction, but do want to play Devil’s Advocate. (Why
>> the devil needs an advocate since his fan base is huge is beyond me, but I
>> digress.)
>> 
>> AM listenership within the DC market is high compared to most others.
>> Traffic, news, and specialized political news formats dominate the market
>> on both AM/FM.
>> 
>> The metro area is very small geographically, and even with the reduced
>> range, WWFD probably remains viable.
>> 
>> HD radio remains in the majority of new cars (my wife’s 2018 Ford F-150
>> came with one as standard equipment) and DC is one of the most mobile
>> markets in the country. Most people are listening in their cars. And most
>> people in DC are driving newer cars, and making the payments.
>> 
>> If it will work anywhere, it will work in DC.
>> 
>> All that being said, it’s doomed.
>> 
>> 73,
>> 
>> Les Rayburn, N1LF
>> 121 Mayfair Park
>> Maylene, AL 35114
>> EM63nf
>> 
>> Member WTFDA, IRCA, NRC. Former CPC Chairman for NRC & IRCA.
>> 
>> Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy SDR2, SDRPlay RSP-2 Pro, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy
>> Modified], Dennon TU-1500RD, Sangean HDT-1X, Ray Dees RDS Decoders, Korner
>> 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps, Quantum
>> Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active Whip.
>> 
>> “Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…”
>> 
>> 
>>> On Jul 17, 2018, at 7:35 AM, Russ Edmunds <wb2bjh@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> 
>>> There will now be just digital hash where the AM signal would have been..
>>> But the rush into this ignores some important points -
>>> 
>>> 1. How many car radios are capable of receiving these transmissions ? My
>>> understanding was that carmakers were reducing, not increasing the HD
>>> capability as standard equipment because it hadn't caught on.
>>> 2. How many listeners are driven off by the low range AM signal - which
>>> will continue and perhaps be worse - and not by analog
>>> 3. How many people actually listen on AM anyway and would this change
>> them ?
>>> 
>>> I predict this adventure will fail.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Russ Edmunds
>>> 15 mi NW Phila
>>> Grid FN20id
>>> <wb2bjh@xxxxxxxxx>
>>> 
>>> AM: Modified Sony ICF2010's (3) barefoot w/whip
>>> FM: Yamaha T-80 & T-85, each w/ Conrad RDS Decoder;
>>> Onkyo T-450RDS; Tecsun PL-310 ( 4); Sony XDRS3HD;
>>> modified Sony ICF2010's (2) w/APS9B @ 15';
>>> modified Sony ICF2010 w/whip
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 9:37 PM, Les Rayburn <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Here’s some news that I’m not sure how to feel about:
>>>> 
>>>> https://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n35675
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 73,
>>>> 
>>>> Les Rayburn, N1LF
>>>> 121 Mayfair Park
>>>> Maylene, AL 35114
>>>> EM63nf
>>>> 
>>>> Member WTFDA, IRCA, NRC. Former CPC Chairman for NRC & IRCA.
>>>> 
>>>> Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy SDR2, SDRPlay RSP-2 Pro, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy
>>>> Modified], Dennon TU-1500RD, Sangean HDT-1X, Ray Dees RDS Decoders,
>> Korner
>>>> 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps, Quantum
>>>> Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active
>> Whip.
>>>> 
>>>> “Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…”
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> IRCA mailing list
>>>> IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca
>>>> 
>>>> Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the
>>>> original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the
>>>> IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers
>>>> 
>>>> For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org
>>>> 
>>>> To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> IRCA mailing list
>>> IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca
>>> 
>>> Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the
>> original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the
>> IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers
>>> 
>>> For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org
>>> 
>>> To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> IRCA mailing list
>> IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca
>> 
>> Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the
>> original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the
>> IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers
>> 
>> For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org
>> 
>> To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> 
>> 
> _______________________________________________
> IRCA mailing list
> IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca
> 
> Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers
> 
> For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org
> 
> To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IRCA mailing list
> IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca
> 
> Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers
> 
> For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org
> 
> To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 

_______________________________________________
IRCA mailing list
IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca

Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers

For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org

To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx