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unless you are parked under the transmission tower chances are you are going to hear a lot of snap, crackle and pops and whistles.  AM IBOC DAB changes all that.  The digital AM station will have the quality of today's stereo FM station without the snaps, crackles, etc.  I'm guessing you might even start listening to AM music stations, especially in areas like the Berkshires where AM penetrates the mountains and hills so much better than FM.  An FM DAB station will have crystal clear, CD quality audio free of multipath distortion and intermodulation products.  Multipath is the distortion you hear when you listen to an FM station while driving in the canyons of a big city.  Intermodulation products are what you hear when you are listening to one FM station while driving near the transmitter of another.   Another extra added bonus of IBOC DAB is the ability of an FM station to transmit data at a rate of about 48 Kbs and an AM station to transmit data at a rate of about 1.2 Kbs.
As I mentioned earlier, there are three companies currently developing IBOC DAB.  All three are doing it nearly the same way by squeezing the digital signal within the FCC authorized bandwidth of today's AM and FM stations.  The plan is to broadcast the analog and digital signals simultaneously until the majority of the radios out there are capable of receiving the digital signal.  At that point, the entire bandwidth will be devoted to the digital signal and the analog signal will be shut down. The range of the digital signal will be limited until all of the bandwidth is devoted to the digital signal.  The interim radios will probably fade from the digital signal to the analog signal as the listener gets farther and farther away from the transmitter. 
What's all this good digital stuff going to cost?  Initially, USA Digital Radio says the receivers will cost about 15% to 30% more than today's receivers.   USA Digital Radio expects the cost to be $70,000 or more to convert an FM station and probably less to convert an AM station.
In Band, On Channel digital audio broadcasting IS going to happen in your lifetime and it WILL come to a station near you.  Stay tuned!

Kit Building
By Peter, KA1AXY

This fall, I'd like to try something different.  We'll be building the NA5N Desert Ratt 3 Regen Receiver, and we'll be building it from scratch!  Parts cost should be in the $10 - $20 range.  We'll build on bare PCB material, and all parts necessary for a working receiver will be supplied.  I'm still working out the details, but if you're interested in building a shortwave regenerative receiver (6.6 - 15 MHz) from R's, C's, Q's and some wire, let me know!

QSL Card
Submitted by Bob, W1RH

This month's card comes from Bob, W1RH.  Bob worked 9M8PV in 1988 as WB6EUQ.
The Federation of Malaysia is separated by a vast amount of water.  The country consists of West Malaysia and East Malaysia.  West Malaysia borders Thailand and Singapore (Singapore used to be one of the states in the Federation but separated from Malaysia in 1965).  East Malaysia borders Brunei and Indonesia.  East Malaysia and West Malaysia, for DXCC purposes, are considered separate DXCC entities due to the huge separation by water.  9M8 and 9M6 are the prefixes for East Malaysia. 9M8 is the prefix for the southern part of East Malaysia, the state of Sarawak.  9M6 is the prefix for the Northern part of East Malaysia, the state of Sabah.  Bob's card comes from the state of Sarawak.  This month's meeting presentation focuses on the state of Sabah.

More on the Meeting...

Paul, K1XM and Charlotte, KQ1F have traveled all over the world combining their hobbies of Ham radio and under water photography.  This month's meeting will consist of a professionally done slide presentation featuring their trip to 9M6 - the state of Sabah in East Malaysia.  The subject matter is light and the pictures are beautiful.  Following Paul and Charlotte's 30 minute presentation and a very brief business meeting is our usual October Pizza night.  This is one you don't want to miss! Join us on Thursday.
If you would like to share your favorite QSL card, which could be your own, with the club, please send it my way!  A caption or story would be appreciated also.

[email protected]

The FARA email reflector is working well. It provides us with an easy way to reach all our members who have email. You have to sign up for it to reach you, though. See the instructions on the FARA web page, and remember that, once you sign up, anything you send must come from the address you signed up with. If you change email addresses, you won't be able to post until you repeat the signup process from your new address.