Re: [IRCA] Another perspective on AM IBOC, from the broadcasters' mailing list

["Craig Healy" <bubba@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>But as I keep trying to point out, there's nothing magical
>about IBOC sidebands and skywave. If I can null WWL's 50
>kilowatts of analog on 870, I'm going to be able to null
>its 500 watts of digital on 860 and 880, too. (If WWL even
>runs IBOC, which isn't a done deal AFAIK.) Ditto for WBT,
>or KMOX, or WCCO where I am.

Problem is, it's a two for one sale.  Sure you can null the WWL IBOC on 860, but can you null the IBOC from 850 at the same time?  Or how about trying to work next to a graveyard frequency?  IBOC from about every compass direction.  If every AM station ran IBOC, there would be three times as many discrete signals on the air as there are now, 2/3rds of which are the equivalent of a 100% modulated pink noise 24/7.

There is huge industry pressure on the major group stations to run IBOC.  It's in their corporate business plan, and the individual group manager hasn't a thing to say about it.  Only a matter of time before most of the big guns start IBOC.

My point has not been about the effects on the hobby, but the viability of the product itself.  What it will do daytime is add a significant noise to every frequency.  Double or triple the effects at night when most stations power down (less coverage) and skywave abounds (more noise).  And, what about the stations - AM or FM - at the ends of the dial?  540 and 1700 both have signals out of band for the US.  How about FM?  A station on 88.1 that runs IBOC near a TV channel 6 will cause more interference to that audio carrier.  107.9 has a sideband in the aircraft band.  Hasn't anyone even considered this?  How about the increased potential for intermodulation products.  Is that a square law relationship I see?  Instead of three times the possibilities there are nine times the chances for a mixing product?

I don't think we've even scratched the surface on what damage can be done by this.  Again, I am *not* referring to the hobby of DXing.  Let's face it.  We are irrelevant to the real world.

I have other hobbies as well.  Hot rodding, a thriving Second Life real estate business, and karate.  I have studied and taught Uechi-Ryu karate for about 30 years.  I consider that my main hobby.

My doom and gloom is all about the business.  DXing just goes along for the train wreck.  And, I've used up my self-imposed monthly IBOC posting quota probably until December.  I'll shut up now.

Craig Healy
Providence, RI




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