The problem is the transition period during which both analog and digital are vying for the same occupied bandwidth. That transition period will take years. Eventually AM becomes digital only, at which time a digital station will only occupy about the bandwidth an analog only station now occupies. Then the adjacent 8-15khz hash will be gone. The sideband hash will, at that time, be immaterial because all radios will be digital. If we are still dxing then, we will be doing it digitally.

During the transition period, however, AM listenership will dwindle dramatically as listeners can no longer find a listenable analog signal. As more and more hybrid digital-analog signals appear, the more the noise will drive listeners away. Will they return when the transition is complete? I doubt it. Even if one uses five years as a transition period (it will be much longer, in actuality), by that time even newer, more technologically advanced delivery and entertainment mediums will become extant.

Consequently, I can't help believing that the FCC did, in fact, sound the death knell for AM today.

**** *. ***** Chief Engineer ***** Communications - Philadelphia W***-AM / W***-AM

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