HD Radio

A Good Deal
If you don’t have an HD radio yet, now is the perfect time to pick one up! For a limited time only you can buy a brand new HD-100 Radio at a substantial discount, for details visit our friends at Radiosophy. Treat yourself to the very latest in radio technology and help support WUWF.

The Basics 
Beginning in February 2006, WUWF started broadcasting in HD or high definition FM.  Listeners tuned to 88.1 FM on their old radios won’t hear anything different. But, listeners who have purchased a new HD radio will be treated to a superior sound on our main channel, free of hiss, static, pops, and other audio interruptions.

The sound of an FM HD radio is as good as that of a CD. Additionally, the advent of HD allows WUWF to become two stations! The new technology allows us to add a second channel of audio, which we currently program with an exciting mix of music, news and programs you are sure to enjoy. 

As with any new technology, there are many questions you may have. Here’s some information you may find helpful as you consider switching to an HD radio.

Just What the Heck is It?
HD Radio broadcasting is dramatically higher quality audio, far more programming choice and compelling new wireless data services brought to you by your local AM and FM radio stations. No more static, hiss, pops or fades.

Today, thousands of radio stations are upgrading their broadcast technology; hundreds (including WUWF) are currently broadcasting with digital HD Radio technology, with many also offering new HD Multicast Channels. WUWF remains in the same place on the radio dial, but when you have a new digital HD Radio Receiver your AM sounds like FM and FM sounds like CDs.

In addition, the wireless data feature enables text information – titles, artists, weather or traffic alerts – to be broadcast directly to your receiver’s display screen. And, WUWF is now “multicasting,” offering more than one stream.

The Advantages
HD Radio technology features:

• FM Multi-Casting (two or more program streams)

• Static free, crystal clear reception

• FM has CD quality

• AM has FM analog quality

• Data Services: artist, song title, local alerts scroll across your tuner

Coming soon, a new variety of services will be available including:

• Real-time traffic reports displayed on inboard navigation system

• Surround-Sound

• Digital Storage: Ability to record, rewind and re-listen to live radio

• On-Demand: Instant access to programs and news reports

How It Works
Stations bundle analog and digital audio signals with text data, such as artist and song information, weather and traffic. The digital signal layer is compressed and the combined digital and analog signals are broadcast. The most common form of interference, multi-path distortion, occurs when part of a signal bounces off an object and arrives at the receiver at a different time than the main signal. HD Radio receivers are designed to sort through the reflected signals and eliminate static, hiss, pops and fades.

HD Radio works the same way that traditional analog transmits, except that the audio is digitally formatted and transmitted as a continuous digital data stream in addition to the analog waveform signal.

On the broadcast end, audio is digitally compressed and broadcast by a transmitter designed specifically for HD Radio. Audio is also transmitted in its analog form, as usual. The radio station sends out the analog and digital signals on the same broadcast frequency, along with the signals for the text data.

On the listener end, the signals are received and decoded. An HD Radio tuner picks up the digital radio transmission with its accompanying text. Older analog receivers continue to pick up the analog broadcasters.

Currently, stations like WUWF are operating in a hybrid mode of both analog and digital in order reach both receivers. Eventually, as analog receivers are replaced by digital tuners, broadcasters may be able to turn off their analog signals and use that spectrum for more digital program channels or data applications.

Much more information on HD Radio can be found at Ibiquity Dot Com. Of course you may always call WUWF or e-mail us with any questions you might have.

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