[BC] Mono Expands on the FM Band

[Paul Smith W4KNX]

My bet is that most of those people listening to those rimshots were
listening in mono anyway.  More than likely their recievers had blended to
mono long before the signal crapped out.

Paul SMith
Sarasota, FL

-----Original Message-----
From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net
[mailto:broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net]On Behalf Of R J Carpenter
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2006 11:12 AM
To: broadcast at radiolists.net
Cc: Carpenter, Robert
Subject: [BC] Mono Expands on the FM Band


>From the DC-area radio/TV gossip site DCRTV.COM:
-------------------
Mono Returns To DC's FM Band - 1/16 - Mono is making a comeback on the
DC area's FM band. Radio engineers have long known that a mono FM
signal has more range than a stereo one does. In fringe areas, a
stereo signal can feature an annoying hiss. The resurrection of mono
arrived several years ago, when Bonneville's WTOP started an FM relay
on Warrenton's 94.3, which got moved to 107.7. The mono signal
improved coverage into the DC metro. And since the programming was
news and talk, the loss of stereo didn't seem to matter to listeners.
Then, Bonneville stripped stereo from its 104.1 and 103.9, two
edge-of-the-metro area signals that carried "modern" music-based Z104.
It improved the coverage area, but didn't seem to do a lot for the
station's anemic ratings. Z104 was decapitated earlier this month.
And, now, Bonneville is running WGMS in mono on 104.1 and 103.9. Will
classical music fans appreciate Bach and Beethoven in a more "flatter"
sounding mono? A quick check of the DC FM band finds several other
stations broadcasting in mono, including the new WTOP news signal on
103.5, WGMS's old home. Also in mono: CSPAN's wonk-talk WCSP 90.1,
which battles closely-spaced Culpeper's Christian contemporary WPER
89.9 in parts of Northern Virginia, and Mega's Spanish "classica"
music rimshots of WBZS 92.7 in Prince Frederick and WBPS 94.3 in
Warrenton. Still talking in stereo: NPR-based WAMU 88.5 and WETA-FM
90.9.....
------------------
... and what does this hint about the efficacy of IBOC?

bob carpenter


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