WAMU ups HD Radio power signal fourfold

American University’s WAMU-FM DC announced the FCC has approved a digital power increase from 170 watts to 680 watts for its HD channels — the flagship frequency at 88.5–1; WAMU’s Bluegrass Country, a bluegrass and Americana station, at 88.5–2; and WAMU–3, at 88.5–3, a news and information station featuring international coverage from the BBC. This power is now four times the power than when WAMU started broadcasting digitally in May 2004.

The increased digital signal will improve coverage in areas where dropouts of HD Radio signal had occurred previously, increase penetration into buildings where listeners had to carefully locate radios and antennas for dropout free reception, and extend the distance over which the HD Radio signal can be received.

“WAMU 88.5 was one of the first stations nationwide to receive an experimental license from the FCC to offer new multicast channels, and these channels have allowed us to offer our listeners niche content while being at the forefront of an expanding technology,” said WAMU 88.5’s GM Caryn Mathes. “This power increase allows us to expand our coverage area, and we will be asking for listener feedback on improvements they hear when listening to our multicast channels in office, home, and mobile settings.”

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