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

[kevin redding <big_h00pla@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Mar 27, 2007, at 6:11 PM, Scott Fybush wrote:

> But they've got nothing on this crowd when it comes to turning over
> every possible rock to find the gloomiest possible way to reframe any
> discussion of what might - or might not - happen.

Scott,

You have a dog in the fight. Nothing super wrong with the corporation  
you work for, its just another big corporation just like the one I  
work for, but mine isn't in radio. If I worked for that corporation I  
would try to put lipstick on the IBOC pig also. I don't blame you for  
not trying to put an upbeat face on this IBOC discussion one bit.

You know I have an IBOC radio and am waiting until night service to  
see if the dog will hunt. I don't know if it will succeed or not. So  
far, da system gots a buncha warts.

Unless these things are overcome soon, then IBOC may end up DOA.

1. You have to have external antennas with your radio. I can only  
imagine the disgust the common Joe and Jane Blow will have when they  
see they have to have an external antenna to get a station. On AM  
there can't be a ferrite bar antenna in the radio, at least in all  
the models sold today, because of all the computer chip hash inside.  
And for AM where the sound quality increase is the best, Sangean says  
you have to keep your antenna at least 50cm - half a yard, away from  
your receiver to get away from internal interference.

2. If they can not  make the IBOC radios small and portable, with an  
MP3 player/recorder that will run for 48 hours on 2 AA batteries they  
are sunk. People are used to transistor radios that will fit in your  
pocket since 1955 and there are no portable IBOC receivers.

3. If they don't do something innovative with the programming, they  
are definitely DOA. Its extremely hard to compete with an iPod that  
has exactly what you want to hear on it and satellite with 200  
channels of some of the best niche programming every heard.

4. Interference to foreign nations stations.

5. Interference to existing stations and law suits that stem from the  
interference and the high costs of litigation.

6. Power consumption of the IBOC decode and DSP chips. Its gonna take  
one hell of a battery to get the life that batteries get with analog  
sets.

I suspect that DX may be difficult, especially until hybrid mode is  
gone but there is no way of telling until they go 24/7 and we shall  
see soon enough. If it is like HDTV, the signal will be perfect many  
many miles from the station via groundwave but getting skywave skip  
will be exceptionally unusual.

We who are not in the radio business can be upset, as I am about all  
this, but until the latest ruling hits the Federal Register, we have  
no idea how this is all going to work. The sky may or may not fall  
but we are about to find out what will happen quite shortly.

For those who don't have an HD Radio, better do a lot of DXing just  
in case this all blows up.

Kevin
_______________________________________________
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