97.9 HD3 - Circle K

We apparently have our first HD3 from iHeart. For some reason they're airing "Circle K Radio" from the iHeartRadio service on 97.9 HD3.

Wonder if there's any air talent...

"Wake up with 'The Circle Jerks In The Morning', here on Circle K Radio..."

It's being tested out in the Tampa area Circle K stores. IHEART is doing what Muzak (now Mood Media) used to do - sending custom music to stores via an FM sub-channel. An HD radio is far cheaper than renting or buying special Dish Network equipment which is what Mood Media requires.

Good thing I don't frequent Circle K Stores. Country music is not mainstream like it was. IMO.

The Circle Ks I go to usually had Q105 on, and not custom music feeds. I dunno if that's different now or what, but interesting.

I predicted years ago the hd -Xs would be used for this purpose. It seemed the logical progression. However, with online audio and the signal problems and limitations associated with the HD signal, this practice will be limited to local, rather than regional, Marketing.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

Just wanted to update on this that Circle K Radio is now on 95.7 HD-3. I know you can listen to this station online, but is anyone having problems picking this station up on the 95.7 HD 3 Spot? My radio can keep a good HD signal for the HD-1, HD-2 but when i get to HD-3 which is now Circle k radio, you hear music for 3 seconds and then it looses signal. It was also doing this when it was on 97.9 HD-3 a month ago.

Either the problem has been resolved or it might be your location....... right now I'm listening to the "Circle K" radio on 95.7HD3 and after about 7 minutes of listening I haven't experienced any clipping or cutting away, on the RDS on the Insignia table top radio (more like a small night stand radio)....... it is showing "Beat Radio" but showing the artist and song below that. I believe that this particular Insignia HD3 radio is the only one that one can buy; another biggere boom box with better sound but horrible reception/sensitivity is no longer available. One thing for certain on the 95.7 signal there coverage will cover a lot less Circle K's. Are the Circle K's actually playing this via an HD radio? Unless they hook some speakers to the Insignia table top radio, the sound of the music is going to be limited to a very small area of the store.

My guess is they moved from 97.9 to 95.7 for better coverage and a more centralized location. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the strength of signal can be different for the various HD2's and 3's. I was getting the drop outs on 97.9 too but not anymore in the central Tampa Bay area since 95.7's tower is by Derby Lane. As far as what purpose the over the air signal serves, my guess is it's just another placeholder for an iHeart streaming station to get around the higher music license fees. I don't think any Circle K location is actually receiving this station via over the air. It's simpler to just stream it.

I have a insignia portable HD radio and i live in south Tampa off of west shore. So if there tower is by the derby lane, then i should have no problem getting it since i can walk around the corner and see the Gandy Bridge from my 3rd story apartment. I have the station on right now, the audio goes out after 3 seconds, but the RDS Feed with the Artist and song stay there the whole time.

In Hernando Circle K's, they usually air Hits 106 instead of Q105 or Circle K Radio.

I was in the Circle K/Shell station at the intersection of SR 50 and US 301 today for a few minutes and I'm not sure what music they were playing, but it was not 106.3, since I just went in to check out what they were playing and not buying anything, I only stayed a few minutes, not long enough to hear any I.d.'s of clues as to what they were playing.

I know for the rest of Hernando, 106.3 would be a good choice, but the reception of 106.3 does start to go downhill in the area and points east.