I know some of you know where I am talking about, but why at that other web site, why do they say HD DX should be banned? I can acually get better DX'n on my analog tuners with the stations that was broadcasting in HD. They also say that you cant get HD within 30 miles? Thats bull. I can get it up to 80 miles out, even though it drops some, but its still works great. I bet over half of those people never even tried or heard HD radio. Anyway thats my thoughts!

jras20, I'm not an engineer, but here's what I've read that may help to explain the theoretical "30-mile limit" on HD:

HD (digital) signals are sandwiched in between station's traditional, analogue signals -- in fact, they are added on either side of the analogue information, so that the digital signals actually spill over into adjacent channels. This means that the digital signals must operate with much lower power than the analogue signals in order to prevent interference to adjacent analogue stations. Digital signals are powered so that, in theory, reception should not extend beyond the "protected", or primary, coverage areas of the corresponding analogue stations (60 dBu contours, as defined by the FCC). I suspect this is where the theoretical 30-mile limit comes from.

But signals often reach far beyond their theoretical limit. Otherwise, we DXers would be out of business! If the terrain is in your favor, enabling line-of-sight reception, there is no reason the signals won't extend well beyond 30 miles. And the rewards are great with HD, because reception is free of the noise that often accompanies distant analogue signals. Because of their inherent weakness, however, HD signals are very fragile. I've found them susceptible to atmospheric conditions, much the same as analogue.

Some day, if analogue radio broadcasting ever "sunsets", more bandwidth and more power can be devoted to digital signals. That will be the Golden Age of digital radio broadcasting, although many of us probably won't survive to enjoy it.