AM is it really dead?

[vagrant]

I enjoy listening to sports on AM radio as it allows me to work on projects vs watching the boob tube. I may be fortunate to have AM sports stations in my area. Some stations simulcast on FM as well.

I also have an extremely low power FM transmitter, that enjoys a full wave antenna, to broadcast whatever that may not be on traditional AM radio at the moment. From NOAA weather to old time radio mysteries on a loop, or whatever suits me at the time is broadcast around the house…and probably my neighborhood.

 

[RRR]

Haha, not offering it in the electric vehicles, eh? I'll bet it's primarily because of the interference the EV's emit, rendering AM basically useless

 

[mmckenna]

Haha, not offering it in the electric vehicles, eh? I'll bet it's primarily because of the interference the EV's emit, rendering AM basically useless

Yeah, RFI is the issue. The manufacturers don't want to clean up the noise, so they just remove the AM function of the radio. Many hope that the FCC steps up and cracks down on EV manufacturers and forces them to clean up the noise.

 

[a727469]

My bet is nothing will be done on EVs. First of all, too many other options for entertainment in cars these days and definitely not a big enough EV market yet. Not to mention the FCC should have better things to do than since they don’t seem to do much on much larger cases of RFI. If radios are forced to have the am available, manufacturers will just ignore the RFI and say “live with it, that’s the way it is, turn on the FM’

 

[KK4JUG]

Nearly every programming decision on radio -- all radio -- these days is the result of tons of research, especially on the advertising end, so it probably is effective or they'd do it differently. And I would guess that some spots (leading spots?) cost more to run than the middle ones. But that is just a guess.

AM stations in small markets neither want nor can afford "tons of research" when it comes to advertising and programming. Their research might consist of the boss coming in and saying, "Jim Bob stopped me on the street this morning and said we don't play enough Merle Haggard. See if you can dig up some Haggard stuff so he'll leave me alone." These stations don't make a lot of money but they pay the bills. They (sort of) abide by the FCC's rules so everyone leaves them alone. A lot of them provide things like farm market information, local obits and might even do a live remote from the ribbon cutting at the new cafe on Main Street.

 

[Slippery999]

We moved to Hawaii six years ago and I didn't pay too much attention to AM. I retired and moved to Molokai Hawaii a few years ago and now I'm taking a look at AM here on the islands.

I picked up a Grundig AN200 AM Loop Antenna and I just started working with it. Stations aren't the strongest here but this antenna has really helped.

I'm doing some videos on the antenna and here is one where I use my Radio Shack DX-394 with the Grundig AN200 Antenna.

 

[mmckenna]

I picked up a Grundig AN200 AM Loop Antenna and I just started working with it. Stations aren't the strongest here but this antenna has really helped.

Curious, do you get any AM DX from the mainland?

I've never tried listening for anything out of Hawaii, not sure I'd stand a chance. But I did catch a long wave aeronautical beacon from Hawaii many years ago.

 

[Slippery999]

Curious, do you get any AM DX from the mainland?

I've never tried listening for anything out of Hawaii, not sure I'd stand a chance. But I did catch a long wave aeronautical beacon from Hawaii many years ago.

I only started trying but I did pick up two from the West coast. It's pretty rare, for me anyway. Hawaii's AM stations are pretty weak. This antenna helped a lot.

I do really well on Shortwave and the Ham bands. 🤙🏻

 

[mmckenna]

I only started trying but I did pick up two from the West coast. It's pretty rare, for me anyway.

Which two did you pick up? Most of the big clear channel AM stations are aimed up and down the coastline.

 

[Slippery999]

Which two did you pick up? Most of the big clear channel AM stations are aimed up and down the coastline.

Unfortunately, it was before I started a log. I believe one was from California I believe it was San Diego and the other was from Oregon.

 

[mmckenna]

Unfortunately, it was before I started a log. I believe one was from California I believe it was San Diego and the other was from Oregon.

OK, thanks. That gives some hints.