-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Kcbs hd
- Thread starter Todd
- Start date
stewie
Star Participant
Same here in Sacratomatoes, thought it was interference.
michael hagerty
Walk of Fame Participant
It's gone. They've even re-cut the legal ID (same voice guy) so that it's now "What's happening and why...KCBS-AM and KFRC FM and HD-1....San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose."
michael hagerty
Walk of Fame Participant
Typo above. It's actually without the "and" between KCBS-AM and KFRC-FM....so it's:
"What's happening and why....KCBS-AM. KFRC-FM and HD-1. San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose."
I may just be too much of a geek, but the inflection this time around is a little off...the overall effect has less punch.
stewie
Star Participant
I was thinking this morning, do they really need HD on their AM with the success of their FM simulcast?
I think the answer is probably no.
I last noticed KCBS-AM HD sometime before 1 January - it's certainly gone now, to my happiness. At the very least, hybrid AM-HD after darkness is just a lot of worthless radio noise.
michael hagerty
Walk of Fame Participant
I get a cleaner signal at my home in Folsom now than I did when the HD was still turned on. The FM does pretty well, too...until about Carmichael, when KRNO in Reno starts to interfere. It doesn't really clear up until west of Davis.
stewie
Star Participant
I too have a "cleaner" signal in Rocklin although too much interference to get the FM reliably.
MarioMania
Star Participant
Now KCBC should turn there buzzer off, It will be great
My guess, as with other AM-HD stations, is one or all of their HD exciters bit the dust. Most of the larger market AM stations that went HD, owned two or three HD-Radio exciters. Problem is, these devices are essentially PC's, which like any PC, has a lower life expectancy if run 24/7 for 10+ years. Manufacturers aren't offering service on these exciters anymore so once dead and the station runs out of spare exciters, most stations are opting to discontinue running IBOC. Again, this applies to AM stations only. FM-HD stations don't have the same problem with their exciters.
It's a shame, actually. Just last evening while picking up a pizza to go, I was listening to 60 Minutes on WCBS-HD out of NYC in my car on the way home. Not caring about things like DX-ing, I much prefer the clarity and low noise of a station carrying their programming digitally, verses AM analog. I suspect that once WCBS runs out of exciters, they too will shut HD down.
It's a shame, actually. Just last evening while picking up a pizza to go, I was listening to 60 Minutes on WCBS-HD out of NYC in my car on the way home. Not caring about things like DX-ing, I much prefer the clarity and low noise of a station carrying their programming digitally, verses AM analog. I suspect that once WCBS runs out of exciters, they too will shut HD down.
Last edited:
DaveBayArea
Star Participant
It affects FM stations too. The Importer is still a PC-based device, and as such is still subject to those limitations. It runs on Windows too, which makes it inherently less reliable than lots of the embedded systems we have in other equipment. But back to the AM side, I think the real answer - if there is one - will be to take a cue from India and their efforts to implement DRM. If it's successful and real mass-produced receivers become available at a reasonable price point it could be a great model for the US.
Dave B.
The manufacturers of transmission/HD gear still support Importers, but not AM HD exciters. In case you missed it, that was the point.
The AM (MW) broadcast band will be dead and gone before the U.S., Canada and Mexico change digital broadcast standards to DRM. That ship sailed and sank ten years ago.
The AM (MW) broadcast band will be dead and gone before the U.S., Canada and Mexico change digital broadcast standards to DRM. That ship sailed and sank ten years ago.
Jonathan7157
Frequent Participant
I really don't know why KCBS is #1 in San Francisco overall, because younger people usually listen to FM. Maybe there are more aging people than there are young people? Or is it their FM simulcast?
It's a combination of factors.
Ratings are done across all age groups from 6 to death. So listeners in their 40s and beyond are definitely a major part of the ratings sample. Persons over 45 are over 43% of the market total population, so consider what listening preferences are in that age group.
Second, the addition of the FM simulcast some years ago did have a considerable effect on KCBS's usage in 35-54.
Finally, consider that a large metro like San Francisco has lots of news happening locally.
It all adds up to positive environment for what has always been a good market for news and information.
In addition to the 6.0 6+ that KCBS got in the March book, KQEW got a 5.5 with its information heavy talk and news format.
- Status