Re: [IRCA] WHP 580 IBOC

["Rene Tetro" <rene@xxxxxxxx>]

I am not intimately acquainted with the operation at WHP, so I will just
briefly comment on what I do know.

Our general manager at WFIL-WNTP was GM at WHP several years ago, and he
explained that WHP is fairly tightly blocked in at night by several
stations, both co-channel and adjacent.  Among the co-channels are WIBW 580
Topeka, KS, WELO 580 in Tupelo, MS, WGAC 580 in Augusta, GA, and WTAG in
Worcester, MA.  About the only direction that isn't limited at night is
Southeast, which is where the majority of their signal is aimed.

Adjacents are not a major headache, but there is one station that has an
impact:  WARM 590 in Scranton, PA.  The two protect each other both day and
night.  WMCA is not a factor, although a look at WHP's engineering data
shows that it was considered in the initial allocation study many years ago.

An interesting note about WHP's IBOC:
When they first turned it on, the lower sideband of the IBOC signal was
causing interference to WFIL.  As most of you know, the IBOC data is
transmitted from 8-15 kHz from the carrier.  The data in the upper range of
that signal (between 570 and 565 kHz) was creating a loud high pitched
whistle under WFIL within the western reaches of our 0.5 mV/m protected
contour.  We did a study through our consulting engineers who confirmed the
interference.   A complaint was filed with the FCC (the first IBOC complaint
filed with the commission, as far as I know).  The FCC acted as a mediator
between WFIL and WHP, and eventually they were asked to lower their IBOC
level, which they did.  Ultimately, they made some changes to their system
from what I was told, and were able to re-adjust their IBOC carrier back to
normal with no further interference.  The whistle no longer occurs within
our 0.5 mV/m contour.  It was an interesting experience for the commission
because it was the first time (at least for our local field office) that
they had to deal with fallout from the conflicting demands of the rules for
the NRSC-2 bandwidth mask (analog) and the NRSC-5 mask (IBOC).  

I'm not really sure what they are using for processing out there, but when I
listened yesterday it did seem to really be pushed on the analog signal.  

73,
Rene'



> Yes Patrick, WHP does use IBOC but only during the day when
> the station is nondirectional.  The program director told me
> it would be very expensive to modify the night time
> directional array for IBOC and I guess Clear Channel didn't
> think it was worth the cost.  If IBOC had become more popular
> the modifications might have been done.  I wonder if the
> station pays less for an IBOC license since it isn't on all
> the time.
>
> It's just a guess, but the night time pattern might even have
> had to been modified to protect WMCA 570 and possibly even
> someone on 590.  Maybe Rene can comment on this.
>
> Tom
>


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