Following yesterday's article on HD Radio's Dirty Little Secret, a reader found this RFP (PDF) by the Corporation for Public Broadcast (CPB) to investigate reported problems in HD Radio's coverage. The reports indicate that the HD Radio signal not only has less of a reach, but also interferes with the regular analog AM/FM radio signal.

Terrestrial radio's biggest advantage is their reach. Everyone has an AM/FM radio, and nearly everyone can get signal for free. Take away that, and you've got a serious problem.

Thanks Bud!

HD Radio has a dirty little secret. No, it's not the fact that it doesn't actually stand for "high definition" radio (it doesn't), though that alone illustrates the level of dignity behind the technology.

Nope, the dirty little secret is that HD Radio's coverage is far less than regular analog radio. About 60% of analog radio's reach even.

I'll quote Robert Conrad, respected owner of WCLV-FM, courtesy of Audiographics:

We were told back in the beginning that the HD coverage would be equal to the analog signal. Unfortunately, the industry is now finding out this is not the case, that the HD coverage is considerably less, something like 60% of the analog coverage. We've also found that even in a strong HD signal area, a dipole antenna is required.

We were also told that the HD would lessen interference with adjacent channel signals. That also appears not to be the case.

This is really very discouraging and is leading us to wonder why we should bother to promote HD. To do so will only disappoint, and, perhaps, antagonize a significant segment of the audience who finds that the system doesn't deliver.

That means that if you buy an overpriced HD Radio unit, you may not be able to listen to the same station that you heard advertising the benefits of HD Radio in the first place. Youch.