Dcember 1, 2008

Purdue University's WBAA-AM now broadcasting in digital

"If you have a receiver, there will be significant improvement in the quality of the sound, especially the music," he says. "It's better fidelity and less interference. If you're in an area of high interference, like a parking garage or an area with a lot of electrical equipment, it won't be quite as good. Absent harsh conditions, it will give listeners a higher fidelity of sound, almost as good as FM, and better in some cases."

An HD radio receiver is needed to hear the digital signal, Singleton says. Receivers are available at most electronics and appliance stores and online at places such as the NPR shop at https://shop.npr.org/  or https://hdradio.com/buyers_guide.php

Testing of the digital signal began in late September.

"It took quite a bit of experimentation, and we tried a lot of different setups, but we're at the point where it can be announced publicly," Singleton says. "Your present radios will continue to function as they always have because the analog signal will not disappear, unlike the television conversion to digital."

The WBAA-FM signal will be converted to digital when a new transmitter, which will increase the station's power from 5,000 watts to 14,000 watts, is installed sometime next year.

"We're going to start the FM conversion after the holidays, and we hope to have it done sometime in the late spring," Singleton says.

With more power, WBAA-FM has the potential to increase its audience by 90,000 people, Singleton says.

Converting the FM station to digital also will allow the possibility for more programming through additional channels.

"We haven't decided on supplemental channels yet," he says. "We want to make sure everything works first. Once we get everything working, we'll decide on supplemental channels. No supplemental channels are available on AM."

Singleton says the station received a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to help pay for the digital conversion and the new power transmitter.

"We'll use all of that and more. We're matching that with money we have raised in the community," he says.

WBAA-AM, licensed in 1922, is Indiana's longest continuously operating radio station, and 920-AM provides news, information, public affairs, jazz, folk and other eclectic music. The programming can be heard globally via the station's Web site at https://www.purdue.edu/wbaa/listen_online/index.shtml

The WBAA-FM signal, 101.3 FM, provides Tippecanoe and surrounding counties a mix of classical music and fine arts programming.

Writer: Greg McClure, (765) 494-9394, gmcclure@purdue.edu

Source: Tim Singleton, (765) 494-3960, tjsingle@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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