[BC] IBOC Query

[WFIFeng@aol.com]

In a message dated 02/01/2006 10:36:05 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
craig1 at shianet.org writes:

> Ibiquity is not technically a subcarrier (thus the necessity to buy a 
>  new transmitter).  Not the least of which is because the energy is all 
>  in the adjacent channel.  The DRE system (FM- Xtra) does use the regular 
>  FM Subcarrier region for its digital system and requires nothing more 
>  than the encoder to be on the air right now. 
>  
>  If everything goes as planned, I will have DRE on the air in Lansing, MI 
>  for the Michigan Association of Broadcasters convention in March with 
>  receivers on the floor.  The really good news is that it is compatible 
>  with Ibiquity since it is all on channel.

That is the system I would very much like to see succeed. I wish you the 
best! Let us know how it goes.

If I had an FM station, that's they system I'd use. $9000, once, and it's on 
the air. "Forever", with no additional fees. Selling the radios shouldn't be 
too difficult, if there was something worthwhile on the "SCA" channel(s). 
Technically, you should be able to sell them on-air. There is a Christian 
Children's program provider that runs (AFAIK) exclusively on SCA, and sells the radios 
to listeners.

How much does an FM-Xtra radio go for? Is there a retrofit-kit that can be 
adapted to work with an analog receiver? (Like Ramsey sells an SCA decoder kit. 
I have one, and it worked ok when I used it a few times.)

Willie...