Nighttime AM HD

[AmpedNow]

After 3 months of DXing nighttime AM with an HD radio, Here are my catches to date...

True HD locks:

670 WSCR
1030 WBZ (almost four minutes without interruption)
1100 WTAM
1210 WPHT

HD pilot trips, but no lock:

700 WLW
720 WGN
780 WBBM
880 WCBS
1070 WFNI
1120 KMOX

Several more stations would be easily catches if they used HD at night.

I've also noticed the HD catches happening more frequently since the days are getting shorter.

A couple of questions:

Does analog signal strength determine whether or not the HD comes in, or is the HD a different signal completely? Sometimes the sideband hash is loud even if the HD is not receivable.

I have a 12 inch antenna on my car. Would getting a longer one improve HD reception?

[genlock]

Size matters.
Park in a quiet location and string about 50 feet of wire thru the trees.
Clip it to the car antenna and see if improves reception.

[Arp2]

Park in a quiet location and string about 50 feet of wire thru the trees.
Clip it to the car antenna and see if improves reception.

Now, stop it right there.....you're getting me all hot 'n' bothered ovah here...!

[AmpedNow]

Will speaker wire do?




Lord, I'm such a goober...

[genlock]

Yes

[GlenBrannon1]

After 3 months of DXing nighttime AM with an HD radio, Here are my catches to date...

True HD locks:

670 WSCR
1030 WBZ (almost four minutes without interruption)
1100 WTAM
1210 WPHT

HD pilot trips, but no lock:

700 WLW
720 WGN
780 WBBM
880 WCBS
1070 WFNI
1120 KMOX

Several more stations would be easily catches if they used HD at night.

I've also noticed the HD catches happening more frequently since the days are getting shorter.

A couple of questions:

Does analog signal strength determine whether or not the HD comes in, or is the HD a different signal completely? Sometimes the sideband hash is loud even if the HD is not receivable.

I have a 12 inch antenna on my car. Would getting a longer one improve HD reception?

I have caught WBZ HD in western Michigan by Lake Michigan for about 5 minutes. WFNI is a great catch..since I cannot get it here (western suburbs of Indy)

[Clay JD Walker]

I'm struggling here to get any night time HD...I have the tuner in my car, which DXes FM great...Charlotte and Raleigh come in great...however, I'd like to design something in my house so the house tuner can pick AM up...never heard AM in HD...would like to, however.

[AmpedNow]

*Update*

True HD locks:
700 WLW
780 WBBM
840 WHAS
880 WCBS
1100 WTAM
1140 WRVA (They must've left it on one night.)

HD pilot trips:

810 WGY

Also note that WGN is presently not running nighttime HD.

As to AM-HD SQ, I think it's an improvement overall, but some stations sound like you're listening to a 32k web stream.

There's also the issue of sideband "waterfalls", and that nighttime HD is very unreliable. It's either there, or it's not. Most of the time, it's not.

[Cameron]

I think someone in the area should put C-Quam on the air and show how bad those 50KW, 32k webstreams sound.

[AmpedNow]

I think someone in the area should put C-Quam on the air and show how bad those 50KW, 32k webstreams sound.

Isn't that AM stereo?

For the life of me, I cannot figure out why that tech never took off... That was an even bigger opportunity for AM to retain some dominance.

But, that ship has sailed... Allowing 20 years to lapse before HD come along means that everyone under 40 is lost to the band.

Tech issues notwithstanding, not even HD can save it.