iBiquity Digital Corporation and NAB FASTROAD recently announced that the first two stages of a project to develop on-channel digital booster technology for FM in-band/on-channel (IBOC) digital radio have now been completed. This work has been undertaken by iBiquity Digital Corporation, developers of the HD Radio IBOC system used by U.S. broadcasters to transition to digital radio, and is being co-funded by iBiquity and NAB FASTROAD.

On-channel digital booster technology is one of the principal techniques proposed for improving FM IBOC digital radio coverage. The boosters, strategically located within the coverage area of a radio station, would transmit only the digital portion of the hybrid IBOC signal. The approach to digital booster development being undertaken by iBiquity is aimed at a booster design that is interoperable among the various transmission equipment manufacturers. The technology is reverse-compatible with existing receivers and supportable by existing FM IBOC broadcast products, such as exciters, through upgrading.

A technical report describing the results of laboratory testing of this new digital booster technology is available online. The full text of the report and information on the NAB FASTROAD technology advocacy program are available at www.NABFASTROAD.org.