WRCR 1700 has gone IBOC

[atrainradio]

Or at least according to some friends. Is this true?

[SW Observer]

I'm no expert on this, but I live under 10 miles away from WRCR's transmitter/antenna's and I hear severe RF noise on 1690 and 1710, 1680 and 1720 are totally clear of any noise, so it may very well be.

Listening on my Tecsun PL-660 receiver.

[Pigmeat]

Hire a local tweaker. Tell him to take an axe to WRCR's hardline. Promise you'll throw in a box or two of sudafed after the job is done. (You won't have to worry about that end of the deal.)  If that stops the RF you've got your answer.

Remember, radio is about practical experiments.

[atrainradio]

RW- Yes that RF noise is representative of them running IBOC. The sidebands (if seen on a SDR) are 20 kHz wide on either side. So, for 1700's case 1680-1700 and 1700-1720.

You can now see why I am totally against IBOC. It does nothing except ruin the co channels.

[Pigmeat]

The racket from the thing was drifting this far south on peaks, occasionally cutting into WEUT out of Alabama, which is saying something. Those WEUT preachers like to run loud and broad as barn door.

[ChrisSmolinski]

Looking at the SDR waterfall... sure looks like IBOC to me.  Just heard a WRCR ID at 1043, into the weather now. Not sure if they are at their night (1 kw) or day (10 kW) power right now.

[BDM]

Yep, they've effectively destroyed 1710 listening for me

[ChrisSmolinski]

The NJ TIS ruined 1710 here some time ago. Is it still on the air? I think there was one in Springfield, MA as well.

1720 seems to be the place for pirates now, not that I have heard many there.

[jFarley]

But a very directional antenna may be of great use here...

[SW Observer]

A shame, as much as I like WRCR (As a local station for me) and the music they play, I really don't think that going IBOC was necessary.

I doubt there will be too many listeners who are taking advantage of that, they were fine without it.

[Kilokat7]

1710 has been bad enough with the proliferation of TIS stations that have come on the air recently but this is probably the final nail in the coffin, at least from my listening location.  I noticed the IBOC sidebands have destroyed what was left of 1710 here.

[ChrisSmolinski]

I just tuned into WRCR now, to hear an ad for the station, looking for advertising sales staff.

Tuning up to 1710, there is a TIS relaying NOAA weather radio, with considerable IBOC hash.

1720 is clear  

Speaking of 1710... I have not heard Radio Celestial in some time, did they finally close down? I know they got at least one NOUO.

[BDM]

Not sure. I could swear I caught them maybe last May or June...

[ChrisSmolinski]

FWIW WRCR is coming in fairly well, S8, at 1349z.

[krystallo]

Hey Guys,

Some make mention  of Seventeen TWENTY for use as a pirate (or "Pt. 15ish") frequency. I would THINK that most X band receivers are digital and won't cover that high. Even an ANALOG  set may not fully  squeak up  that high either. Listener ship is small  enough on 1710 or lower. Running  on 1720 would only be good for "captive audiences" (  ie friends with communications receivers waiting for your transmission).

"Technically" a GREAT frequency with essentially ZERO potential for casual listeners.

K