[IRCA] Curious to See How Everett WA AM Stations Perform In Digital-Only Tests

["Rick Lewis" <ricklew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

First of all, two stations, co-owned KRKO-1380 in Everett WA, and KKXA-1520
in the same county, will be testing in all-digital mode for several periods
between now and Tuesday morning.

Both stations will test for one seven-hour period during the day and two
four-hour periods during the night.

The first test will be on KKXA-1520 Thursday night from 9 PM to 1 AM. 

No test will begin on Friday.

The second test will be on KRKO-1380 on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The following two tests wil be on KKXA-1520:

Saturday 9 PM-1 AM and Sunday 9:30 AM-4:30 PM.

And the final two will be nighttime tests on KRKO-1380: 

Sunday and Monday nights from 9 PM to 1 AM.

 

I have no doubt that the daytime tests for both stations will please station
owners and the IBOC proponents.

Both stations are currently well-received in Seattle via IBOC in the
daytime, with 50,000-watt signals coming from an adjacent county.

The night signals may be trickier.

Even though 1380 has other occupants, it may decode at night. It has a
better signal with less fading and interference.

KKXA-1520 has strong interference at night from a station in Lake Oswego,
Oregon near Portland.

I believe some areas of northern California get KKXA better than we do in
Seattle, but the interference from the pre-existing Oregon station is
formidable.

I'll be very surprised if KKXA consistently locks in Seattle at night, but
that's what tests are for.

The meaningful real-world test would be for all-digital on KKXA and the
Oregon station. 

Anyway, it _will_ be fascinating.

This is no WBT situation at night! I haven't received either station via
IBOC at night, although both are received well on day pattern. 

I hope to be recording at least some of each test in HD mode, using nothing
fancy--a Sony XDR S3HD radio with its supplied AM loop.

--

Rick Lewis

_______________________________________________
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