[IRCA] IBOC/DRM

[Lee Reynolds <kd1sq@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

IBOC isn't entirely unlike DRM.

This means that you will *not* be able to listen to any audio stream from an
IBOC station unless it offers a strong (S9+) signal. This assumes that the
station is offering either multiple programming streams or has the main channel
fidelity cranked all the way up.

If the station has chosen to sacrifice audio fidelity or multiple channel
programming so as to improve the forward error correction capabilities of the
signal, you *may* be able to get spotty audio decoded at, say, an S7 or so.

You may find a rare station that has chosen to turn the error correction way up
(at the expense of audio bandwidth that's turned down to pre-IBOC levels) that
can be recovered at a fair distance, but that'll be defeating the entire
*claimed* purpose of digitization in the first place.

(Basic rule - you got so many bits per second per a given bandwidth using a
given digital modulation system - you can spend it on fidelty/channels or you
can spend it on error correction - you cannot do both and remain within your
legal bandwidth.)

You'll be able to get the 'RDS' component of the signal at slightly lower signal
strengths but definitely no audio. Ever.

What it really means is that you'll be able to -

ID and listen to stuff that's local or semi-local

- or -

ID stuff that's normally reasonably strong but *not* be able to listen to it

- and that's it. There is *no* equivalent to teasing out that weak ID at TOH
because there is *no* audio to listen to!

Sorry, but 'DX' and 'IBOC' or 'DRM' are oxymoronic. We have to get used to it.

      Lee
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