Yes, a friend told me that digital radio for the broadcast band am/fm
came out. And that WWOR (NYC) mentions it on their announcements.

If anyone know more about this, please let us all know:

Do you have to pay for reception?

Did they make the AM/FM bandwidth longer?

Are all stations moving on to it?

Would we still be able to use our old analog radios?

And if new stations came on digital radio it in the future, would it be
heard on analog radio for those who do not have digital radio at home?

I wonder if shortwave would be in digital in the future?

73!

"SR" wrote in message
...
Yes, a friend told me that digital radio for the broadcast band am/fm
came out. And that WWOR (NYC) mentions it on their announcements.

If anyone know more about this, please let us all know:

There is a sort of compatible digital system being used by some stations in
the US.

http://www.ibiquity.com/technology/iboc.htm


Do you have to pay for reception?

It's not currently a subscription service, but the radios aren't yet cheap
nor widely available.

I don't know if IBOC can be converted to a subscription service, but such a
switch might make sense if the public doesn't much care for "High Definition
Radio" .


Did they make the AM/FM bandwidth longer?

The digital sidebands significantly widen the channel a station occupies.
It's a real problem for AM DXing.


Are all stations moving on to it?

I read a report which said Clear Channel wanted to equip their entire
network with IBOC transmitters. IBOC isn't mandatory, and Chicago's WIND
seems to have abandoned it when their ownership changed.


Would we still be able to use our old analog radios?

Radios still hear the compatible AM part of current version of IBOC. The
IBOC plan allows for another conversion to a non-compatible full digital
modulation. I doubt any stations will convert to full digital unless just
about everybody has a IBOC radio.


And if new stations came on digital radio it in the future, would it be
heard on analog radio for those who do not have digital radio at home?

An analog radio will work with the current compatible version of IBOC. The
compatible version has a reduced frequency response, and also sounds a bit
undermodulated on a standard AM analog radio.

An analog radio will not properly demodulate the full digital version, if
the full digital version is ever put in use.


I wonder if shortwave would be in digital in the future?

There's a different digital modulation scheme for shortwave. A few stations
are working with it.

http://drm.org/indexdeuz.htm

Right now, DRM seems most popular with the European shortwave broadcasters.


73!

Frank Dresser

FD,
..
I can see IBOC working and being adapted in the future
for FM Band Radio Broadcasting; but not for AM/MW Band
Radio Broadcasting.
..
So 'possibly' in the future (ten years out) a standard
household AM & FM Consumer Grade Radio would have the
age old AM Radio Band Broadcasting Tuner with a new IBOC
FM Radio Band Broadcasting Tuner.
..
The Auto Makers are NOT interested in IBOC as they are
one of the moving financial forces behind the XM and Sirius
Satellite Radio Broadcasting Systems; and they do want
those Monthly $ubscription Dollar$ as an Income $ource.
..
sitting in the dark gazing at the glow of the radio ~ RHF
..

SR wrote:
Yes, a friend told me that digital radio for the broadcast band am/fm
came out. And that WWOR (NYC) mentions it on their announcements.

Actually WOR; WWOR is the TV station formerly known as WOR-TV but no
longer related. WOR is one of the biggest proponents of digital AM
broadcasts.

Do you have to pay for reception?

You have to buy the radio, but there is no subscription fee. The radios
are still pretty expensive. That might (or might not) change someday.

Did they make the AM/FM bandwidth longer?

Wider, yes.

Digital AM occupies the two channels on each side of the one used for
the analog broadcasts. WOR is on 710KHz; their digital signal uses 690,
700, 720, and 730.

Digital FM uses the "guard bands" between stations. The signal doesn't
actually "spill out" of the station's existing channel, but on most
radios it will have the same effect as the station using the channel
either side of its analog channel. WNEW-FM's analog signal is on 102.7;
their digital signal will smother any stations on 102.5 and 102.9.

Are all stations moving on to it?

Probably not.

U.S. stations may choose to go digital at any time; they must notify the
FCC they've done so, but they don't need FCC permission in advance.

AM stations may not operate their digital transmitters at night.
(because WOR covers much of the eastern U.S. at night, their digital
signal on 700KHz would clobber WLW in Cincinnati; their other digital
sidebands would clobber other stations; and if WLW were to run digital
at night it would clobber WOR too.)

Clear Channel, the largest group owner of radio stations, has announced
a plan to convert 100 of their stations to digital each year. They own
something like 1,400 stations, so that's going to take awhile!

While you don't have to pay a subscription fee to *listen* to digital
radio, the stations must pay a technology licensing fee to *transmit*
it. I think between that fee and the cost of additional equipment, many
smaller stations will not bother with going digital.

Many observers don't think the digital radios will sell well enough to
make the service viable. We think digital AM/FM will go the way of AM
stereo.

Would we still be able to use our old analog radios?

At least for the time being, yes. Digital broadcasts are currently in
"hybrid mode", where the same station broadcasts both a digital signal,
and an analog signal compatible with existing radios.

The standard does allow for a digital-only mode which would not work
with existing radios. The theory is that someday, manufacturers will
stop selling analog radios. When all the analog radios have been
replaced, and everybody has only digital sets, the stations can switch
from hybrid to digital-only. The move would allow stations to offer
additional programs on the same frequency.

Given the number of people I know who routinely use 20, 30, and even
40-year-old radios, I don't think we'll see digital-only anytime soon!

And if new stations came on digital radio it in the future, would it be
heard on analog radio for those who do not have digital radio at home?

For the most part, the new digital system doesn't allow for new
stations. A digital station can only exist as adjunct to an analog
station. If a new analog station is not possible in a given location, a
new digital station is not possible. Since you mentioned WOR, I assume
you're in or near New York City; I can assure you there are no
frequencies available for new stations anywhere near there!

There is one qualification to that. The digital standard does allow a
single FM station to carry multiple programs on the same transmitter.
My understanding is that two programs are possible in hybrid mode;
presumably, more are possible in all-digital mode. WOR (being an AM
station) will never be able to carry additional programs, but WNEW-FM
could theoretically launch a new station on its digital signal. You
would *not* be able to receive this station on your analog radio.

I wonder if shortwave would be in digital in the future?

It already is, to some degree. The DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) system
has been developed to allow digital broadcasts on shortwave and AM.
Unlike the "HD Radio" scheme, DRM cannot be broadcast on the same
frequency as the analog signal.

http://www.ibiquity.com/hdradio/ for more information on U.S. AM/FM
digital radio.
http://www.drm.org for more information on digital shortwave.

--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

I guess someday I will have to wind up buying myself one of those new
fangled digital radios then.Sometimes,when I am staying awake after
midnight I enjoy listening to the Truckin Bozo radio show out of WLW
Cincinatti.Expensive radio's,are they? Who makes them and who sells them
and what are the price ranges? I do understand the prices will come down
later on.
cuhulin

For One and All,
..
READ - A Look at the Digital Horizon
Page # 8
http://www.oldradio.com/jul.pdf
..
something to think about ~ RHF
..