[dead of night]

Hi. A very popular radio station in my area, BIG 100.3, Wash DC, has gone from HD radio back to a regular analog signal. It is an oldies music station and it had an HD 2 channel as well.


Any idea why this would happen?

 

[Jim1348]

Just to play the Devil's Advocate, is it truly gone forever, or could they just be doing some work and temporarily have gone back to analog only?

 

[machpost]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dead of night /forum/post/14281301


Hi. A very popular radio station in my area, BIG 100.3, Wash DC, has gone from HD radio back to a regular analog signal. It is an oldies music station and it had an HD 2 channel as well.


Any idea why this would happen?

I read that WBIG's tower was struck by lightning about a month ago, and that they have been transmitting on reduced power since then, pending repair.

 

[dead of night]



Quote:
Originally Posted by machpost /forum/post/14282330


I read that WBIG's tower was struck by lightning about a month ago, and that they have been transmitting on reduced power since then, pending repair.

Well, that would answer my question, thanks to both you for your thought and replies.

 

[S Reno]

It can also switch on a weak signal due to weather, airplanes, etc.

 

[TydalForce]

Sometimes they'll go down for maintenance or repair. Some stations, sometimes the HD goes down and they don't know. If it's down for more than a couple days, hit their website and find a good e-mail contact (Engineer, programming director) and drop 'em a note

 

[DidHeFocus]

A week after I got my HD radio, one of my favorite stations, KSEG, stopped broadcasting their HD1 and HD2 signals. I waited a week or so while I was on vacation and the HD was still down when I came back. I made a call to the studio and asked the DJ, what's up with the HD? He didn't even know it was down, and promised to check on it. The next day It was all back up and running again. Obviously, they're not actively monitoring the HD signals as they should.

 

[Rasterfarian]

Neither, apparently, is anyone else.

 

[dhascall]

That is pretty funny, Rasterfarian but actually the truth.

As far as HD being off - when I bought my RS Accurian HD radio (at Goodwill for Six bucks (!)) I was actually delighted that a few of the supposed key HD players in town had their HD turned off. Why? I am a DX'er and IBOC blasts noise into the adjacent channels. With IBOC turned off, I could DX the adjacent channels, due to the DSP built into the Accurian. It was only short lived as 93.9 and 95.5 turned their noise machines back on and it now takes a BIG skip signal to blast through it.

 

[technoevv]

Here in Evansville, IN; WDKS-FM (KISS-FM 106.1) was broadcasting in HD (without the necessary 8-second delay on the analog side to sync it with HD) since as far back as the time I bought my JVC KD-HDR1 HD Radio receiver back in July 2007. Then two months later, WGBF-FM 103.1 started broadcasting in HD (also without any analog delay). Then earlier this year, both stations stopped broadcasting in HD and haven't returned to it since. Both stations are owned by Regent Communications of Evansville. I'm thinking that Regent has totally given up on the idea of HD Radio. If so, that's really unfortunate because I was really looking forward to the day when their AM station, WGBF-AM, would go HD.

 

[Mike Walker]

Now I enjoy HD very much, but an honest question deserves an honest answer. Why would a station go "back to analog" from HD? Perhaps such a station might get tired of writing checks to Ibiquity! After all, if you're FM stereo you don't have to continuously send money to Zenith!


Alright, that's a possible reason. But highly unlikely, as the investment in going HD is so great that it's unlikely anyone, having made such an investment, would abandon the technology while functioning equipment was still in the rack.

 

[narkspud]

>>it's unlikely anyone, having made such an investment, would abandon the technology while functioning equipment was still in the rack.

 

[ChrisW6ATV]



Quote:
Originally Posted by technoevv /forum/post/14601941


I'm thinking that Regent has totally given up on the idea of HD Radio. If so, that's really unfortunate because I was really looking forward to the day when their AM station, WGBF-AM, would go HD.

Why don't you send them a letter (and not an e-mail message or phone call) specifically saying you miss their HD Radio broadcasts and that you are/were hoping to hear WGBF-AM in HD?

 

[elimelim]

this is very odd, they should switch back

 

[ti-triodes]

In the NY area, I never know what I'll find. More than 1 station has lost HD for a few days, then it reappears. It's sort of annoying.

 

[DidHeFocus]

The general manager of my favorite station returned my phone call the other day after I finally called in to find out what was up with their unreliable, annoying, intermittent HD signal. He assured me that they were working 'round the clock trying to keep it running due to frequent equipment failures from one manufacturer(He didn't say which one). I tend to believe him since the signal completely failed one evening at 1730 and was back up the next morning at 0700. I also believe there's hope for the future of HD radio, and KSEG in Sacramento is dedicated to make it work, but It couldn't hurt to let them occasionally know were out there listening!

 

[Blind2]

Los Angeles' KKGO 105.1 HD signals seem to be off for the past few days. Anyone know what's up? Their HD-2 is an American Standards format with an emphasis on show tunes, often a delayed simulcast of 540 & 1260 AM. Their HD-3 is mostly talk. At 6:00 pm local time on weekdays, KKGO's HD-3 broadcast the audio of the Larry King show. I dropped cable TV earlier this year being content with OTA HDTV. (Everything news worthy these days in on the Internet anyway.) But I like to listen to Larry King just to keep current on pop culture.

 

[blood_donor]

AM760, WJR, in Detroit has shut down HD broadcasting, too.

 

[rahchgo]

I was looking for WBBM 780 HD last weekend on my new and first HD radio. I wonder if it was off the air. Today, I can receive it. Based on what I'm reading here, I think I'll call or email in the future.

 

[rwagoner]

KKGO's RDS has been off as well. I wonder if they are using a backup transmitter.


You use Larry King to keep up with pop culture? At least on radio you don't have to look at him.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ¾ Blind /forum/post/14640549


Los Angeles' KKGO 105.1 HD signals seem to be off for the past few days. Anyone know what's up? Their HD-2 is an American Standards format with an emphasis on show tunes, often a delayed simulcast of 540 & 1260 AM. Their HD-3 is mostly talk. At 6:00 pm local time on weekdays, KKGO's HD-3 broadcast the audio of the Larry King show. I dropped cable TV earlier this year being content with OTA HDTV. (Everything news worthy these days in on the Internet anyway.) But I like to listen to Larry King just to keep current on pop culture.