W242AA

[Aaron Read]

(I'd be curious to hear if W242AA is actually running HD, and
if so, whether its HD2 is WGBH's HD1 -- I believe the Commission at
least tacitly allows this.)
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According to the CDBS, they're still analog only.

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=72093

In fact, there are only two translators in the country that broadcast HD 
Radio: ours (W212BA) and W294AE in Altoona, PA.  (I think there's a one 
in Utah that's still technically running a Larcan prototype so it was 
never officially licensed as digital, just via STA)

Technically there are more on-channel boosters in HD (KCSN-FM1, 
KDFC-FM2, and KPHT-FM1) than translators.  I honestly didn't think 
ANYONE was running a booster in HD yet, although note that all three of 
those boosters are high-wattage (at least 1000w ERP)

I would find it hard to believe that WGBH would ever move W242AA to HD 
Radio...the ERP is so low that even at -10dB digital injection, it'd be 
a tiny coverage area.  And since to relay an HD2 on the main, you'd need 
a separate exporter - which means a separate iBiquity License - that's 
an awful lot of money to spend on something with such limited ROI.  The 
only reason we took W212BA into HD was because we had a CPB grant to 
help pay for one of those frequency-shifting translators that doesn't 
require a new iBiquity License because it's just taking the existing 
signal (received OTA) and spitting it back out on a different freq.

Of course, since with a frequency shift, the translator is running the 
exact same signal as the primary station.  So you couldn't relay an HD2 
signal on your main channel the way WGBH is doing.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------
Aaron Read                  |  Finger Lakes Public Radio
friedbagels@gmail.com       |  General Manager (WEOS & WHWS-LP)
Geneva, NY 14456            |  www.weos.org / www.whws.fm