IBOC not entirely useless after all....

[Eli Polonsky]

> > From: Brian Vita <brian_vita@cssinc.com>
> CC: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org
> To: Garrett Wollman <wollman@bostonradio.org>
> Date: Sun, 06 May 2007 00:47:29 -0400
> Subject: Re: IBOC not entirely useless after all....

> May we inquire as to what You Screw Em is charging for this
> little gem?

YDI occasionally sends flyers with discount coupons to their
customer mailing list for certain holiday sales, which are
redeemable only on certain dates on or around the holidays.
 
I bought my HDT-1 there in February. It was selling for $199,
but with a 20% off coupon from their Presidents Day flyer, I
got it for $159. I purchased nothing else there that day, so
the total purchase value of the coupon applied entirely to
the HDT-1.

I live on the side of a south-facing hill in Somerville. Just
behind the trees and houses immediately across the street from
me, there's an open view from downtown Boston to the southeast,
to the 128 antenna farm to the southwest. The higher terrain
behind my house somewhat obscures reception from the north.

With a TV rabbit ear antenna installed on the Sangeean for FM,
I get steady, strong HD FM reception on WERS, WGBH, WBUR, WBOS,
WMKK, WJMN, WTKK, WKAF, WZLX, WKLB, WBCN, WROR, WMJX, WXKS-FM.

I can also get WUMB, WSRS, WCRB, and WAAF to lock into HD if I
place the antenna in certain precise positions.

I get text on some of the Providence and Manchester NH signals,
but not strong enough reception for HD. I also get text (RDS)
locally on WXRV, WHRB, WBMX and WODS which, as far as I know,
are not running HD.

With the loop antenna for the AM, I get steady HD (when they
are running it) on WBZ, WMKI and WXKS-AM. It also gets WJIB in
C-Quam AM stereo, but it does not have an AM wideband analog
feature. WJIB has separation, but sounds as muddy as typical
mono narrowband AM tuners. I still use my mid-80's wideband
Sony STR-AV490 AM stereo/FM stereo receiver for WJIB, which
makes it sound surprisingly excellent for analog AM.

EP