Joining the "HD Radio" Generation

For a number of years now, I have spoken out against the technology known ad Hybrid Digital Radio, also known as "HD Radio". I'm still thoroughly convinced that it doesn't work on the AM side; however, it does have a future on the FM side of the dial.

Over the past week, I took delivery of an Insignia NS-HDRAD2 FM analog/digital receiver; I got it on sale for $35 from Best Buy's Web site. The main reason was for general program listening, not for DXing; the addition of a Hybrid Digital receiver has opened up a whole new world for me. I'm discovering new audio streams; I've been mostly listening to KWMU's HD2 Jazz channel (carrying NPR's Jazz 24 format), since St. Louis no longer has a full-time Mainstream Jazz station on analog FM. My former station, WSIE 88.7, flipped to Smooth Jazz last year, going head-to-head with Hip 96.3, on KNOU 96.3's HD3 channel. KWMU also has Classical music from Minnesota Public Radio on their HD3 channel (it's also on the HD3 channel of sister station WQUB 90.3 Quincy, IL). There are 20 presets on this receiver; I set six analog channels on the presets: KDHX 88.1 (Variety), KCFV 89.5 (Variety), W232CR 94.3 (News/Talk, simulcast of WBGZ 1570), K236CS 95.1 (Urban Gospel, simulcast of WSDZ 1260), K275CI 102.9 (Catholic, simulcast of KHOJ 1460), and 96.7, a channel I use a whole-house FM transmitter to monitor selected receivers in the shack.

I've found other interesting streams on the HD2 and HD3 channels. KNOU 96.3 also has a Classical-formatted HD2 channel, run by the Radio Arts Foundation. This one is also on an analog FM channel, K297BI 107.3. KLJY 99.1, the local Contemporary Christian station, runs a Christian CHR format on their HD2 channel; it's also available on three analog channels, K270BW 101.9, KPVR 94.1 and KHZR 97.7. KSHE 94.7's HD2 channel features Classic Rock, while the HD3 channel is Classic Hits. KFTK-FM 97.1 features two streams: the Adult Standards format of "Red" on their HD2 stream, while the Pre-Teen format of Radio Disney is on the HD3 stream. I've also found CBS Sports Radio on KYKY 98.1's HD3 channel. AM stations are simulcast on two HD streams: the HD3 stream of KEZK 102.5 (KMOX 1120) and the HD2 stream of KPNT 105.7 (KFNS 590). WIL 92.3 features what sounds like an Americana format on their HD2 channel. The only stations that don't use either an HD2 or HD3 stream are Radio One's stations, WFUN-FM 95.5 (Old School 95.5)and WHHL 104.1 (Hot 104). iHeart Radio's FMs use at least one HD stream, two of Hubbard's three stations (WXOS 101.1 and WARH 106.5) use HD2 and HD3 channels. CBS and Emmis' FM stations use two HD streams besides their main HD1 hybrid channel. None of St. Louis' FM HD stations use an HD4 channel; the closest one I know of that uses an HD4 channel is WPBG 93.3 Peoria, IL (the HD4 channel relays WMBD 1470).

The digital streams on my radio sound similar to FM Stereo. Some of the formats available on the HD2 and HD3 streams were once on analog stations. The music on KSHE's HD3 channel used to air on KIHT 96.3 as "K-Hits 96 FM", before the station became Now 96-3. The Adult Standards format on KFTK-FM's HD2 channel was once on 104.1 as WRDA, while the Pre-Teen format on the HD3 channel was once on WSDZ 1260. The format on KYKY's HD3 channel used to be on WGNU 920. 

My experience at KDHX 88.1 in 2015 changed my mind about Hybrid Digital Radio on FM. KDHX was once an HD station; a return to Hybrid Digital with HD2 and possibly an HD3 channel may be in their future plans. However, it has not changed my mind about Hybrid Digital Radio on AM; I think that AM should return to the C-QUAM standard for stereophonic broadcasting. It only takes dropping a few lines of "HD" codec to convert an AM station from "HD" to C-QUAM AM Stereo. Some AM/FM receivers that feature Hybrid Digital Radio can also decode C-QUAM AM Stereo.

I thought I would never buy a Hybrid Digital receiver; I'm glad I waited for the prices to come down.