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hard on improving sounds quality as a whole.

Q What is HD Radio?

A- HD Radio is an upgrading of the way AM and FM radio signals are transmitted, from analog to digital signals. Sounds neat. But what does that mean for us listeners?

HD Radio technology allows broadcasters to transmit a high-quality digital signal. For listeners who have an HD Radio receiver, the benefits are:

FM radio with near CD-quality sound
AM radio that sounds as good as traditional FM
No more static, pops, crackles or fades
Transmission of additional information, such as song titles and artists
Increased listening options with multicasting
Tagging a song for later purchase through the iTunes Store

Q- How does HD Radio Work?

A - HD Radio technology works pretty much just like traditional analog radio transmission:
1. The radio station sends out the analog and digital radio signals, along with a third signal for text data.
2. The digital signal is compressed before being transmitted.
3. The three-layered signal is transmitted from the radio station's upgraded digital transmitter.
4. Multipath interference, caused by the signal reflecting off of buildings, is ignored by the digital radio, which is able to discern the true signal and ignore interference.
5. Your radio receives the signal and, depending on your equipment, you hear either the digital or analog feed.

Q Where can I hear HD Radio?

A- For now in major markets only. It is costly to convert a radio station to HD. It is estimated that between $75,000 and $120,000 will be spent for each station in a radio group. Most groups are 3-7 stations in a market.

Learn more about this author, Bryan Fikes.
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