[IRCA] IBOC bandscan in SW PA: Not Good

["Fred Schroyer" <freditor@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Curious to see how "ordinary listeners" (not DXers) might hear the IBOC
Effect on an "ordinary radio," I sat in my Honda Fit in the driveway at 0130
on 9/15 and did a bandscan on its "ordinary radio" (it ain't no Drake). I'm
about 40 miles south of Pittsburgh.
 
A few channels were useless, as expected: 690, 1130, 1200.
 
But other channels were evidence of "no child left unharmed," varying from
faint hiss in the background (you wouldn't notice it driving) to really
obnoxious hiss that would make me give up listening, or call the station to
ask, "What's wrong with your station?" And the normal continual variations
in signal strength made some channels vary from okay to unlistenable over
just a few minutes: 700, 710, 720, 750, 760, 770, 780, 830, 850, 880, 1060,
1080, 1170, 1190, 1220, 1520.
 
I was particularly surprised/dismayed that 710, 720, 750, 760, 880, 1170
were so bad. These normally are quite listenable, but not now. 
 
What was really perplexing is that 1170 is a local for me, WWVA-Wheeling --
at 30 miles, I'm in their NE-directional 50kw grade-A hot blue flame. You
shoulda heard the hiss. Jeez! 
 
I guess it comes down to whether AM broadcasters are interested in their
nighttime audiences beyond 25 miles or not. Evidently they are not.

Fred Schroyer 
Freelance Science Writer / Editorial Consultant 
Waynesburg, PA 15370 
(40 air mis S of Pittsburgh - 20 air mis N of Morgantown, WV) 
freditor@xxxxxxxxxx 



 
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