Re: [IRCA] 24/7 IBOC begins tonight

["Bob Foxworth" <rfoxwor1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was at the local SBE chapter meeting today*. During the banter,
(you know that radio engineers love to banter, unlike stodgy
dull air personalities, hi) the question came up - and not from me - as
to what the local plans were for night HD for the Clear Channel AM
properties here. The official word - as of noon Thursday - was that no
decision had yet been made, and when it was, it would come
from out of town. I then asked if they had any feedback as to the
penetration of HD receivers into the market. They had no idea at
all as to how many were out there. (*yes I am an affiliate SBE member)

I was frankly, surprised, at both of these developments. First that
it was even still up in the air, and this comment came directly
from the gentleman who would "throw the switch" to do it.

The second is that, one would *think* that the HD alliance would
be bending over backwards to track these figures. And if tracked,
at least make them available to those stations directly affected.

I'll grant you that they have no cause to send them to the St. Pete
Times...nor to me, either, hi

So if they DO have these figures, and don't share them, it does not
bode well for the big rollout. And if they DON'T have them it means
to me, at least, the alliance is not doing their homework.

A.C. Nielsen is good at extrapolating audience survey data, and
a lot of green rides on what they generate. There is no reason
the HD Alliance can't do the same, except for incompetence,
laziness, or unwillingness to deal with it. Or ?? ......(option D ??)

They could do a trade deal with all the Best Buy types out there.
Give us sales detail info and we give you a break on stocking
radios and free promo material among all that trade air time they
are filling up. I'd bet that they could connect with a half dozen
chains. Wal-Mart, Crutchfield, RS etc come to mind. They could
survey the great majority of set retailers to get sales info that
would seen to have a high degree of reliability due to the
huge sample size. Get Free Advertising in exchange for some
data? What's Not to Like?

One explanation against could be that the Best Buy types are
not convinced of the validity of tracking such a niche product,
and won't, no matter the incentive.

I'll see what's up locally this evening.

- Bob

> > > It will be interesting to see the mess that will be made of the
> > lower to mid band with all those 50 KW clears hashing up the
> > adjacents.
> > > 
> > > It's been a fun hobby.  

> > Lighten up brother. ;-)


SUGGESTION:
Get into/back into ham radio. 3B7C workable long-path on 40 meters
CW at 1230Z this morning, 100 watts/short wire stealth ant. here. QSL's
practically guaranteed. There is something new on every day.



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