> > The crock is that you can receive HD signal as well as you can receive
> > the analog signal when the broadcast power is much lower. This is part
> > of the HD sales pitch to broadcasters that they can save on the power
> > bill. It is BS of course.
> Yes, it is BS. Because there is no intention of ceasing analog broadcasts
> anytime soon... as in "the next decade."
> And HD actually adds a tiny bit to the power bill, in the form of the added
> HD power.
> I have never heard anyone pitch that full pure digital will save money, as
> in the size market (top 100 markets) the issue of power cost is relatively
> minor as an expense.
> > Not only will the broadcasters not save on
> > transmitter power but they will have to buy a transmitter with the same
> > capacity to handle the peak power levels so they will not be able to
> > save money on buying a smaller transmitter either.
> Were 100% digital to be done on AM, there would be considerable savings in
> terms of percentage... the digital power will not likely be even half the
> analog power, and digital is vastly more efficient than AM transmitters,
> especially when you add in things like cooling, size of transmitter
> building, etc. Interestingly, in many stations of 5 kw and less, the power
> consumption of the tower lights, A/C, the equipment rack, security cams and
> system, security lighting, etc., ends up being more than the transmitter
> itself. In fact, just the beacons on a 1 kw directional use more power than
> the transmitter!
DE - The Reality is that -if- a 1% Digital Signal will cover the
same 10mv/m Contour as the 100% Analog Signal : Radio
Stations will in-time Crank-Up the ERP of the "HD" Digital
Signal and Turn-Down the ERP of the Analog Signal.
Think-About-It : -IF- a 1% Digital Radio Signal will "Cover"
the 'same' 10mv/m Contour as an Analog Radio Signal :
Then at some Point-in-Time Radio Stations will go-up-to
10% Digital and go-down-to 50% Analog.
And 'Each Day' that another "HD" Radio Station goes
On-the-Air-in-Digital they will begin the Top-of-the-Hour
Radio Station ID with the Call Letters, Frequency and
those little words "Now Broadcasting in High Difinition
'HD' All Digital Radio".
Yes - It will take Years but it will occur -and- Yes while
NO Radio Station is turning 'Off' their Analog Signal at
this time -once again- in-time they will.
At some point in time there will be a "Tipping Point" where
there are More {Good} Under-Age-35 "HD" Radio Listeners
then {Bad} Over-Age-50 Analog Radio Listeners -and- Then
100% All Digital will start becoming the Norm in FM Radio
Broadcasting.
As for AM/MW Radio Broadcasting it may be 25 Years before
the 'last-and-only'' Analog AM/MW Broadcaster goes Off-the-Air.
da da digital digital - i want to hear digital !
-doh- i want me a digital 'hd' radio ~ RHF
.
-But- For Now up here In-them-there-Hills there are
NO "HD" Radio Stations close enough to Receive
and Listen to . . . That my Tired-Old-Ears would like
to Listen To ! However, IF-and-When KMPH-AM
840 kHz out of Modesto,CA goes to Digital -then-
I would have to get me an "HD' Radio.
KMPH => http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=137401
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OBTW - What's Happening at KTRB-AM 860 kHz
out of the SF Bay Area => http://www.ktrb860.com/
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