Switching off AM digital audio broadcasting (DAB) signal at night...
Switching off AM digital audio broadcasting (DAB) signal at night shouldn’t be any more “burdensome” for listeners than differentials between analog AM power levels and signal patterns are now, National Radio Systems Committee (NRSC) said in report filed with…
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FCC this week. Report, as expected (CD April 9 p10), recommended AM stations be allowed to operate in-band, on-channel (IBOC) DAB only during daytime hours, at least until more interference testing was done. Allowing AM operation “will facilitate a rapid introduction of IBOC to the AM band with minimal interference concerns,” NRSC said. It said IBOC would cause new interference to adjacent channels, but trade-off was justified because “the AM band has been plagued for decades with high levels of natural and man-made interference.” Other findings: (1) Audio quality for IBOC was significantly improved over analog AM. (2) IBOC daytime coverage area was comparable to analog coverage and might be acceptable in areas where analog wasn’t. (3) Nighttime IBOC coverage area was restricted by interference. (4) IBOC was “substantially more robust” than analog. (5) Ability to carry unrelated data in IBOC signal would be benefit. (6) IBOC provided “superior stereo separation” over analog. (7) IBOC had little effect on host analog signal, and was expected to have little impact on co- channel interference.