Re: [IRCA] KDLG-670 now IBOC

[<rfoxwor1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

---- Bruce Portzer <bportzer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
> IBOC has reached all the way to Dillingham, Alaska.
> 
>  From the KDLG website http://kdlg.org/post/21/kdlg-goes-high-definition 
> in a blog post dated April 2, 2008.
> 
> "KDLG has made a major improvement to its on-air signal. You can now 
> hear KDLG in full quality High Definition. All you need is to purchase a 
> new HD compatible radio to experience this new sound quality.

Correct me if I am wrong, you west coast fellows, but I
am pretty sure I read that KDLG is Public Radio. All of these
NPR stations on FM are among the major cheerleaders for
HD and I think ultimately it is the taxpayer that is fronting
all the money for this, and not the stations. I see that WOI
640 in Iowa is due to add HD, and, arent they also non-commercial?

>    You may 
> ask, “What is the difference from what I already receive on my current 
> radio?” Well our AM signal now sounds as good as FM quality does but 
> with all the signal coverage benefits AM currently has.

If they get "all the signal coverage benefits AM currently has" they they
arwe doing something that not even my local WFLA-970 can do, as they
suffer daily lack of lock on the HD signal at my indoor location, using
an Accurian. This is a 25 kW signal at 2-and-a-half miles distant. We
should track this issue and see how that pans out. The WFLA dropouts
and fallback to analog seem to be thunderstorm-activity related,
so perhaps KDLG will avoid that fate after all.

Incidentally on FLA, the fallback, that was perfectly timed a few days
ago has now drifted about maybe 20 ms out of step so the quick double
audio can be heard easily as the HD loses lock and regains it, which
can get annoying. I need to try and spend some time checking the
other local signals for this effect.

It's a subtle thing to look for. Any one else note this and can tell if
it varies in time over some few days? If my experience is any
guide, it's not too hard to force an unlock (on AM) by moving
the antenna, though in my case I don't need to touch the antenna,
it just happens.

>    With a new HD 
> radio you can get up to date weather alerts that stream across the 
> radio’s LED screen and artist and title info for what is currently playing."

I don't know of any HD station that "streams weather alerts" but I
suppose it is more useful than just static displays of song titles.
Weather alert: "snow today cold tonight" Yeah that really rocks ...

One Miami area FM is actually putting "pirate radio" on a HD sub-
carrier. That's actually a pretty creative idea. I have long felt that
one of the Tampa stations should run Arabic language on their HD-2
to serve the many who are of Arab descent that live here (mainly
in the Temple Terrace area). And then advertise it heavily in the
ethnic papers, such as al-manbar. That would sell radios.

> I wonder how easy it is to buy an HD radio in Dillingham?

What is the population there? What supports the local economy?
Will they run HD at night in January when it is dark for 22 hours
every day?  Fascinating, I tell you. My tax dollars at work. 

I flew over the Dillingham area once a few years ago on the way to
Narita on a NWA 747. There ain't a whole lot to see except for
tundra.

- Bob

> Bruce


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