KNX (1070 AM) takes an in-depth look at the
Crescenta Valley next Friday, January 31st as “KNX on Your Corner” heads
North.
“Corner” was a program originally launched by
sister station KFWB (980 AM) to get out into the local communities and highlight
the areas through discussions and live broadcasts. KNX took over the series when
KFWB changed from news to a news/talk format.
This time the programming will focus on the
group of communities lying between the San Gabriel and the Verdugo Mountains:
Sunland, Tujunga, La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta-Montrose. Civic and
business leaders will be on hand to discuss the areas advantages and
challenges.
KNX will broadcast live throughout much of the
day from the Black Cow Cafe, 2223 Honolulu Avenue in Old Town Montrose. The
morning newscast anchored by Tom Haule and Vicky Moore will start the day’s
broadcasts from 5-9 a.m. It’s back to the studios at 9 while locals hear
roundtable discussions with area leaders.
At 1 p.m., Frank Mottek will host the Business
Hour live again from the Cafe, then at 2:00 Chris Sedens and the great Diane
Thompson will anchor the afternoon news from the Cafe as well.
I think the Corner series is one of the best
special events carried by KNX. Listeners can learn a lot about areas of the
County that they may never have even visited, and it gets the station involved
locally ... exactly what radio needs to do. It seems I am not alone in thinking
that way; the series was honored in 2013 with a Golden Mike from the Radio and
Television News Association of Southern California.
Upcoming Corner visits for 2014 will include San
Gabriel Valley, Orange County and Marina del Rey.
Digital Bliss
You may remember a while back that I was looking
to install a new car stereo “head unit” in my truck to take advantage of some
newer technology. Namely digital HD Radio and a built-in bluetooth cell phone
connection. In took a while, but I finally found one I like, that also includes
a new SiriusXm tuner add-on.
Without getting too technical, I learned a lot
about about some of the newer equipment. For example, with SiriusXM Satellite
Radio, there are actually three systems: the original Sirius system that uses
the Sirius satellites. the XM system that sues the XM satellites, and the
SiriusXM system that uses XM satellites but isn’t compatible with the other two
systems and was the solution to the FCC requirement to offer receiver compatible
to both Sirius and XM.
So my findings? I love the new radio. Not enough
to marry it (I am already happily married anyway) but a fun toy nonetheless. In
spite of its technical problems with interference, I do like the sound of
digital HD Radio on AM. KNX, in fact, has a superb-sounding signal on HD that
puts many FM stations to shame. KFI (640 AM) is nice as well but doesn’t have
the smooth high-end that KNX offers. KABC (790 AM) sounds like the highs are
overemphasized and not good to my ears. Where I drive, KNX, KFI, KABC and KFWB
stay locked onto HD fairly well, while KDIS (1110 AM) has trouble. KBRT (740 AM)
is somewhere between. As expected, KOGO (600 AM) from San Diego goes in and out
of HD as I drive.
The extra channels offered by the newest
SiriusXM system include some fun ones, such as Carlin’s Corner ... all George
Carlin all the time. And for reasons yet unknown to me, the SiriusXM system
seems to sound better than either of the old Sirius or XM system receivers. I am
not sure if they are using a different compression scheme of it’s just a better
amplifier on the new radio, but it is better to me ears. And I can now rewind
the audio if I miss something.
Overall, call me a happy camper.
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