Ibiquity to Test AM on WOR

Buckley Broadcasting’s WOR will be a test station for IBOC Digital AM radio. Buckley says WOR will be the first AM station in New York City to broadcast a digital signal with tests to begin sometime in August. The average listener will not notice any difference in WOR’s signal, according to the station.
Ibiquity needs to do additional tests for AM IBOC at night for both groundwave and skywave conditions. The NRSC has recommended FM IBOC for day and night use, but has only endorsed AM for daytime use so far.
WOR employs a directional transmitting antenna and is in the test protocol to help answer questions as to how AM IBOC will perform with skywave interference. WOR was also chosen as a test station to help answer questions about how the digital portion of an AM signal will react in the “concrete canyons” of New York City (and other major cities, as well).
Thomas R. Ray, III, Corporate Director of Engineering for Buckley Broadcasting/WOR states, “I take great pride in having our radio station be part of the development of one of the biggest technical advancements in radio broadcasting since FM stereo in the 1960’s. WOR has been a pioneer since being one of the only radio stations on the air in the U.S. in 1922. We have been part of the development of the profanity delay, were pioneers in the development of the AM directional transmitting antenna, and were one of the major players during Radio’s ‘golden era’ by forming the Mutual Radio Network. I’m proud of being given the opportunity to pilot WOR through another technical pioneering phase”.