KLOU: ANALOG VS. DIGITAL

Here’s some more bad news from radio’s Public Enemy Number One (Clear Channel). Another St. Louis station has converted to low-definition digital. KLOU (103.3 MHz) broadcasts a ‘60s and ‘70s Oldies format. The station incorrectly calls itself “Oldies Radio”; they cannot legitimately claim that because they won’t play hits from 1955 to 1959. Here’s the damage done by KLOU.

Frequency Before KLOU went digital After KLOU went digital

103.0 MHz Analog sidebands from 102.9 and 103.3 Wiped out by KLOU digital sidebands

103.1 MHz KDAA Rolla, MO (Fair to poor signal) Wiped out by KLOU digital sidebands

103.2 MHz Analog sidebands from KLOU Wiped out by KLOU digital sidebands

103.3 MHz Center channel Center channel

103.4 MHz Analog sidebands from KLOU Wiped out by KLOU digital sidebands

103.5 MHz WXLT Christopher, IL (Fair to poor signal) Wiped out by KLOU digital sidebands

103.6 MHz Analog sidebands from 103.3 and 103.7 Wiped out by KLOU digital sidebands

Yes, another waste of valuable spectrum space. In addition, KLOU’s Stereo separation, which had been excellent before this digital fiasco, is virtually non-existent with the digital signal superimposed. It’s just another example of a radio station ignoring the demands of the public, and going for a market that doesn’t exist.