Using an analog tuner, I can detect the digital "noise" on the sides of 96.1 KZEL's analog signal. This is the first station to go "HD" in Eugene.

From the Hillsboro area, using a Sanyo HD1990M (first generation car radio) connected to an outside FM yagi antenna I can confirm that the "HD" indicator is on... so far the radio has NOT locked onto the HD signal, but I suspect that it might if the signal level increases just a bit. Thanks for the "heads up" of this HD DX opportunity.
AH! they just announced that they ARE the first in Eugene with HD. (turned on 12:01 this morning)

Conditions are good tonight...got KZEL HD locked in! (from Hillsboro)

Display says "96.1 KZEL HD RADIO" and " 96.1 KZEL -- NOW BROADCASTING IN DIGITAL HD RADIO". No title/artist info yet.

The 7 second (or so) analog delay seems to be well adjusted, but the audio level of the HD seems to be less than that of the analog, so I notice a change of volume as the HD fades in and out of lock.

This is my best FM HD DX so far...about 110 miles.

I was just in Eugene this past weekend and could not get KZEL to come in HD on my car's HD radio.

The indicator kept flashing but it never locked on.

Greetings, folks. I'm no technician, as you guys well know, but our man Delgado is tweaking and adjusting, adjusting and tweaking, our new FM xmitter, the HD adjunct, and all the processors, exciters, etc., et al, (all new) in the chain. No, it's not all there yet, properly "set," but when fully up and running, it should be a thing of beauty, pretty cool. Maybe they'll even let us pick more of the music someday.
Sincerely,
Charles B. Smith

Well, reception conditions are not nearly as good today, but I have been monitoring the Jeff Clarke show (tough duty, but somebody's gotta do it ), and the HD is in and out (mostly out today from this distance). When the HD locks in, the noise just flat goes away! Also noticed much better stereo in HD, perhaps the analog signal is "blended" almost to mono by my receiver, when the signal is weak.
Crank 'er up guys!

Hey since we have someone here from KZEL/Cumulus, an off-topic question ... what happened to Paul Hansen? Haven't heard him on KUGN in the morning for a week or more. Did he get fired to pay for the new digital transmitter?

Paul is alive and well. . .still news director of KUGN. . .working in more of the afternoon realm, however. He is a good one, indeed, and it's an honor to still be associated with this top-of-the-line broadcast journalist.

Our working relationship (and friendship) goes back to 1974 (!), when we worked together at the dawn of the inception of KGON as 92.3 FM. This pre-dates even the arrival of the venerable Iris and Marty, so yes, this was awhile ago.

Jr_tech,

Which HD Radio model are you using? That's some pretty impressive reception!

JR said: "a Sanyo HD1990M (first generation car radio) connected to an outside FM yagi antenna"

And now "the rest of the story".

Actually, much to my surprise, today I found out that a Boston Acoustics HD Recepter (a small HD table model) out-performs the Sanyo car radio. It would lock on the KZEL HD much sooner and hold onto it longer as the signal started to fade.

IMHO, neither of these radios are as sensitive to analog FM as a good component tuner (such as a Yamaha TX-950 or Denon TU-1500). I would really like to try a good component HD tuner, such as the Day Sequerra M-4:

http://www.bswusa.com/proditem.asp?item=M-4

How does that go? ... Dear Santa...

Antenna used: Antenna Performance APS-9B.

When switching antenna between the two radios, each radio would continue to play for several seconds after the antenna was disconnected, IF it had been locked onto the HD.

Thanks for the info!

These cold foggy days are really pretty good for DX FM between the Portland area and Eugene. Have had KZEL HD locked in solid all morning...I wanted to hear Jeff Clarke in solid HD, but he is on vacation. Anybody in Eugene getting Portland HD's today ?

The HD Radio stereo separation is about 20 dB better than analog.

I vaguely remember something about 29db stereo separation in analog. Am I on the right track?

A modern digital exciter for analog FM (such as the Harris "DIGIT CD" is rated at 65 dB or greater stereo separation 10Hz to 15kHz (sinewave), dropping to 55 dB separation over the same range, for a complex waveform.

Yes, 85 dB of separation with HD Radio.

Does that include the crosstalk and channel imbalances introduced by equipment in the studio? and in typical receiver?
Is there any fancy logic involved which artificialy "enhances" separation? Does each channel get the full equal bandwidth 100% duty cycle? Can completly seperate content be on each channel while maintaining 85 dB both ways?

Dear Jeffery.
so you get to the big time and forget your former coworkers?
what are you cydman now?
No write, no call, no email?
happy christmas my man

The only HD Radio specification chart I could find online is at http://www.hdradiouniversity.com/trainingModules/mod1/mod1.swf?quizID=3102
and you have to click on "Getting Technical."

THEY say 90 dB for FM.

I'll keep looking, and will eventually measure it with tone.

"No write, no call, no email?"

Dodger, you're just as bad!

I miss you both...

Kisses.

Well, Jeff Clarke returned to the air from vacation yesterday, but reception conditions were very bad (from Hillsboro), I could not get the HD to lock on.
Today is a different story, A few minor drop-outs, but pretty much solid HD!
Jeffery in HD, Ahhhh, life is GOOD!

During periods of enhanced reception, I could pick up K103 (analog) perfectly from my location in Eugene, but the HD would not lock on. I'm using the Accurian radio with rabbit ears.

Radioexpert:
Can you put up an outside antenna? I use an APS-9, but they also make a whopper 13 element!

http://www.antennaperformance.com/

The Radio Shack 6 element works fairly well, for less money.

I hope to get my hands on a RS Accurian to A/B compare to the BA receptor on my antenna fairly soon.

OK... I compared several HD units on my antenna tuned to KZEL from my location in Hillsboro. For different situations results may vary, but here is what I saw:

#1. Sangean HDT-1 tuner. Most sensitive, but #1 and #2 are quite close for my reception of HD from KZEL. I have seen RDS info from Seattle Stations (KING & KPLU) on this and the #2 Unit, but so far NO HD from Seattle.

#2. BA Receptor... this is a surprise, as many reviews say that the receptor is not very sensitive, but connected to an outside antenna it does well. Very close second for FM, AM not as good as HDT-1.

#3. Radio Shack Accurian. Fairly close, may have some HD dropouts while the above units are solid. When the signal drops to the point that the HDT-1 and BA are dropping out, the HD on the Accurian is gone. Better AM reception than BA, no RDS.

#4. Sanyo HD1990M car radio (1st gen,no HD-2 reception). Fairly distant #4, will lock onto KZEL only on the best days.

I have also experimented with a Magnum dynalab 205 "FM Signal Sleuth" RF amplifier, and it does improve HD lock on all of the above units.
The HDT-1 has a readout of "carrier to noise ratio" (when locked onto a HD signal). Right now on KZEL I see 67dB with the amp on and 62dB with it off. Note...70dB is the best that I have seen on local stations.

HD reception is solid today... enjoying Jeff Clarke

Wow! how conditions change... Today NO lock in of KZEL HD at all!

Another station in Eugene with HD? I just noticed that KWAX (91.1) has turned on RDS. It says "U of O", BUT the interesting part is in the text "KWAX Now in HD". I get no indication of HD reception from Hillsboro (tropo has been crummy) can anybody closer confirm KWAX HD?

91.1 KWAX isn't currently broadcasting "HD".

They (KWAX) announced today that their new analog transmitter is on the air (thats why I am now seeing RDS info) and that the HD signal will be turned on soon.
Anybody else in Eugene on in HD (or about to be) other than KZEL & KWAX?

I haven't heard anything about anyone else going "HD".

KWAX turned on the HD about 10:35 this morning... Sounding good! The have the analog delay dialed in quite well, so when the signal takes a little fade (as it can at this distance, Hillsboro is about 110 miles from Eugene), the transition to analog is fairly seamless.

EDIT 1:15 Well, they seem to be back on the old transmitter now...just testing, I guess?

EDIT 1:55 HD back on !

not hearing KWAX HD right now only getting 91.1 from Kelso looking at Ibiquity's website I see that KINK 101.9 KUFO 101.1 Movin 107.5 (not sure what the call is) and K-hits 106.7 are supposed to go HD soon with secondary streams too.

I figured the CBS stations would wait until they move their antenna. I haven't seen any applications yet except for KINK, which has a construction permit.

Kd7yuf:
The troposphere is not helping any right now, but KWAX HD has been fairly solid at my location last night and this morning. Your "local" Kelso station (KTJC 91.1) should not interfere with the KWAX HD sidebands.

http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tr_map/archive/6wam.jpg

How well do you get Portland and Seattle HD?
How about KZEL ?

I get portland HD well through the local cable TV system and also most seattle HD stations with an amplified antenna can't get KZEL not even the digital sidebands too much splatter interference from KXXO 96.1 Olympia will have to look at the tropo charts soon because I once got the ID from KMTT 103.7 seattle while recieveing a country station on the same frequency would be a worth while experement.

Did you hear KMTT-HD while receiving KXPC on 103.7?

That one post sounds like it's bouncing back and forth between HDTV and HD radio.

no I did not just got their ID I guess the antennas the cable company is using don't have the front to back ratio I thought they did, not a perfect null on the digital sidebands from KMTT-HD it would be weird if that happened though.

KZEL doesn't have and PAD data on the HD.

All it says is "KZEL HD."

KZEL's Analog is quite a bit louder then their HD.

Yes, someone needs to get that fixed!