KDKA Goes HD on the Radio side
Pittsburgh: This could be a "Good news, Bad news" story, but KDKA 1020 has flipped on the HD Radio switch as of last week according to Fybush.com. While the station may sound good during the day, the true test will be at night when the station is hashed out in outlying areas by CBS sister stations WBZ 1030 in Boston and WINS 1010 in New York City. The HD Radio issue has been a hot topic among those who are for and against it on the AM dial. A lot of stations on any AM radio are hashed out by a sideband HD AM station like the ones I mentioned. KD is now the second AM station to go HD, the other in the area is ESPN Radio affiliate WEAE 1250.Readers’ Forum
For a couple of years now, it is very hard to pick up KDKA 1020 outside western PA at night becaus of the HD signal bleeding from WBZ 1030. HD on the AM band should be banned at night because it messes up trying to listen to distant stations from across the country. “Dashboard DXing” is sadly going away because of this phenonemon.
Dave - June 02, 2008 at 8:56 pm
As a kid, I used to love AM DXing; even before I knew that what it was called. Listening to “exotic” stations like CFRB 1010 or WBZ 1030, helped start my love of radio and electronics. Even now, on sleepless nights, I tune the AM dial, but now HD hash fills the band at night. I mean really, do we need to listen to O’Reilly in HD? HD radio; especially on AM at night; is a joke.
Magnus Patris - June 03, 2008 at 08:20 am
It’s just too bad there is nothing worth listening to on KDKA after Steigerwald signs off nightly with the exception of O’Reilly. They should have kept the overnight fellow – Gary Dickson – he was great to listen to.
Stan - June 03, 2008 at 7:25 pm
A few months ago, I did hear Gary Dickson while travelling very early in the morning – and over 400 miles from Pittsburgh. Again, I’ll miss listening to KDKA and other 50 KW AM stations now that we have to put up with HD hash. Ugh.
Dave - June 04, 2008 at 05:17 am
I couldn’t sleep last night so I decided to do some AM DXing with my 1965 8-transistor AM only, Magnavox. That “Maggie” is one of the best AM DXer’s in such a small package that I’ve ever had, I can even get Texas on it. Anyways, after reading this article, I decided to see if I could pick up CFRB (Toronto, 1010) or WBZ (Boston, 1030). No go, I heard what sounded like rough static, HD radio signals I presume, on either side of KDKA’s analogue signal. I swear the HD signal blocks out 20 kilocycles on each side of KDKA if not more plus “walking over” CFRB and WBZ and God knows who else. Although it is daytime, I turned on my 1953 “All American 5 tube,” Philco radio and I hear the same HD signal splattering all over the sides of KDKA. We need to get rid of HD on AM radio, on FM, it is OK, they can spare the bandwidth.
Personally, I think whoever is running KDKA, messed up the station really well, except for Bill O’Reilly although I’m not quite happy with the Pirates being on 104.7 either but that’s for another time.
Lastly, has anyone noticed that KDKA’s signal seems weaker? I live in Moon Township and KDKA used to peg all 5 lights on my DX-440 all band receiver but not it doesn’t peg even one. I think it needs some aligning but I even noticed it on my “Maggie” as well. I thought it was me until a friend of mine noticed the same thing on his radio. I remember one time, KDKA, ran at 10,000 watts for a while when their 50,000 watt transmitter was down so I have to ask, are they putting out full power? Is the HD signal taking anything away from the analogue signal?
Charles D. Mandus - June 05, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Early this morning [11 JUNE 08 ] was the first time that I have done any night time AM listening.While I am close enough to the XMTR site that I would not see any field strength weakening {Less than 20 miles as the crow flies.} I have noticed the evil splatter of the so-called IBOC.
A healthy dose of hash for at least three channels above and two channels below 1020 was observed. My trusty ferrite bar antenna showed me that the source of the irritation was Allison Park.
As more and more stations ‘upgrade’ to this latest MW boondoggle I feel certain that the last shred of viability for commercial AM broadcasting is getting killed.
RJ
RJ Kanary - June 11, 2008 at 07:52 am
This reply is for Charles D. concerning the loss of field strength.
It makes sense actually. The digital hash that is outside the channel IS RF that’s been bought & paid for but also has to be taken from somewhere.
{The main analog signal.}
RJ Kanary - June 11, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I fired up KDKA on the radio of a 2004 Hyundai Sonata and I went to 1010 and 1030 and heard nothing but hash from KDKA’s HD signal. I even heard some hash on 1000 as well. I did some more DXing with my Magnavox and I think WOR, 710 kc, is running HD radio too, I heard much of the same has on both sides.
Charles D. Mandus - June 13, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I know I’m reaching far back here but an update. I have a DX-440 SW radio but it looks like I need to fix it by replacing a FET and re-align in, but until I am able to, I brought back my old shortwave radio into service. It is a Sanyo RP-8700, analog, no SSB, but sometimes I use another radio as a makeshift BFO. I got it for Christmas of 1978 when I was 12. It is portable, runs on 4 D batteries and gets AM/FM/CB and three shortwave bands, 1600 – 4000 kc, 5950 – 6200 kc and 7000 – 18,000 kc.
I was AM DXing one night, it is excellent for that, I think it does beat the DX-440 and noticed that I can pull in CFRB (1010) and WBZ (1030) through KDKA’s HD signal. Either they decreased the power or my Sanyo has good selectivity. So far, I’ll have to try my other radios again, but so far the Sanyo is a winner here.
Charles D. Mandus - May 09, 2009 at 8:29 pm
I noticed KDKA is getting walked-over too. I brought out my AA5 Westinghouse AM radio, and tried to tune into Dr. Knowledge at midnight… all I could pick up was 1030 from Boston. My dad blamed my radio, but I don’t think that is it… I just bought a new 12BA6 tube anyway… it looked weaker that the others when running. I love vintage AA5’s, and DXing. I agree AM HD radio should be stopped! Let’s start a petition! :)
Michael T - December 01, 2010 at 9:55 pm
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