I wonder if the switch to full power started...

A situation report on the proposed IBOC FM power increase appeared yesterday at http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0049/t.12575.html. The NAB Engineering Conference begins this weekend, so we may soon have a better idea where the power proposal stands.

Your reception probably was due to atmospherics, unless WMEA is involved in an experimental test of higher power.

Interesting. It's almost universally accepted that mobile reception of HD Radio pretty much sucks. Many people on this board report that once they get outside of the 30-35 mile radius, it starts breaking up.

With the DTV transition, the masses are beginning to experience OTA digital TV that looks better and is considerably easier to receive than analog. In a few years, when they start getting HD Radios, they'll expect the same ease of reception. If this doesn't happen, HD Radio might be headed for impending doom.

This is all a little relative. Depends on the terrain, I guess. I think the 20 db boost will certainly extend the contours to mabie 50-60 miles for typical car radio setups (talking full power stations here). At least according to the article, it seems that the digital signal might go into the "mono" contour, so it seems like that means "anywhere you can get a half decent signal, you can get the digital."

I'm afraid that the 10db power increase will only be in iBiquity's dreams - to quote Watt Hairston, Chief Engineer WSM:

"The sheer capital cost of the power increase (if approved) will be staggering considering most of the current hardware and ancillary equipment will have to be replaced. Where robust in reach, radio is an ailing medium that is undergoing yet another adjustment to bring expenses inline with revised revenue; so another big outlay in capital is not likely."

Also, I read in the latest Radio World that most of the broadcasters don't have the headroom to accomodate the power increase. In the same article, some HD engineers were quoted as saying that HD is dead without the power increase (some engineers say this will cause massive interference and not really help with HD coverage).

Is there anything new on this issue? I would like to see an increase in the power level to improve the range.