Beautiful A.M. audio on 80 meters

[midwestsw]

So, as I am apt to do lately, is spin through the amateur bands mid-evening. Last night, no
exception, I usually start low, 180 meters, almost always a station or 3 there, then on to 80.
Usually, most of the transmissions are LSB, of course.
I landed on 3885 khz, unable to clarify voices with LSB or USB, so I hit the A,M. button, and
my speaker emanated beautiful audio. The reason, I found out, as I continued to monitor, was the
operators were using Collins radios, it was a net for the Collins Collectors A.M. Club.
Quite interesting, each station gave the models of their various transmitters and receivers,
antennas. To my ear, just a totally different tone, most booming right in from around the U.S.
I was always aware of the R-390, and was always curious just how good they sounded and were-
but WAY out of my budget. But kudos to these guys, keepin' those old school rigs in
good operating condition, and I'm sure there is a lot of knowledge and experience required to do so.
B.T.W., they were manufactured 65 miles north of my QTH, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Apparently they meet the first Wednesday of the month. I heard them @ 0120 UTC, so unsure
when they began. Might want to put it on Your January 2022 (!), calendar.
Happy listening.
midwestsw

 

[AB5ID]

When I was a teenager in the mid 80's, I had the same experience with a local AM group on 40 meters. Good sounding AM ham operators are entertaining and enjoyable to listen to.

 

[Patch42]

I landed on 3885 khz, unable to clarify voices with LSB or USB, so I hit the A,M. button, and
my speaker emanated beautiful audio.

I wonder why you couldn't clarify the voices on LSB or USB. You should be able to tune in AM broadcasts using either LSB or USB. Maybe the filter was too narrow?

 

[midwestsw]

Absolutely, there are the occasional A.M. operators I come across but rare. I usually tune
and listen for amateurs discussing equipment, antennas. Makes it even better if I can
catch their QTH. Yeah, I don't know Patch, may have been able to if I would've spent
more time, just wanted to get it listenable quickly.

 

[WB6WQF]

Yep, R390A and BC610 when I first got on the air. 54 years ago.

 

[mass-man]

One of my most memorable QSOs was on 6 mtr AM! 50.400 one Sunday afternoon, many years ago! Over an hour with a station in N. AZ from my TX QTH! Just listening to it was great, and we were using modern rigs so it didn't have the deep, gorgeous AM of the older tube rigs. Plus we talked about way more than ham radio...family, other hobbies and cars! I never did the QSL card thing, but sure wish I had for that one.

 

[Thunderknight]

Here is their net schedule:

CCA Nets | Collinsradio

 

[N9JCQ]

Every morning, when I head down to my home office which doubles as my shack, I turn on 3.880 AM and listen to the guys that gather there daily. They usually start at 6:30 AM CT and go to about 8:00 CT. Great AM sounding signals

 

[midwestsw]

Not a bad gig N9JCQ - home office/shack ! While I sure do miss the good 'ol days; powerhouse SW broadcasters, abundant utilities, HF aero and etc.that a lot of us grew up with- there's always the good 'ol ham bands. Still fascinating to me the distances
signals can travel, in a lot of cases with relatively little power.
Happy listening,
midwestsw

 

[RichardKramer]

3875 KHz is another popular AM hangout; lots of nice sounding signals here in the NE.

 

[prcguy]

One of the last times I listened to the West Coast AMI net 3870MHz on Wednesday evenings, Joe Walsh WB6ACU was chatting with someone.

 

[KB4MSZ]

One of the last times I listened to the West Coast AMI net 3870MHz on Wednesday evenings, Joe Walsh WB6ACU was chatting with someone.

I guess that's just life in the fast lane.

 

[merlin]

I spent a few hours last night scanning 80 and 40, and not one signal to be found.
The spectrum showed a few very weak spikes, but just above the noise floor.
I think it is time to re evaluate my long wire and put up something better.

 

[merlin]

Yep, R390A and BC610 when I first got on the air. 54 years ago.

I stuck an R390A in the blank panel area (top left) of my FRT24A . Made a tranceiver of it.

 

[midwestsw]

Merlin, I've contemplated doing the same thing, but not due to lack of signals. It is a rare
session for me to get skunked in those bands. I chalk it up to either conditions, or,
just off nights when people are otherwise occupied. It's just that in my 50 plus years of 'radio-ing',
at various houses/locations, I've enjoyed and done plenty of experimenting with lengths and configurations
of long wires. But, haven't messed with V's, dipoles, loops, etc. as much as I'd liked, and am curious what I AM
missing in some other bands. Eventual plan is to have an array of antennas with switching capability.
But, still grinding away at 61 yrs. old putting in a full 40 hours. Other priorities after work right now,
and the dreaded time change doesn't help, much too-early darkness.
I'll continue to make the long wire work for now. I can come in the house at night
and turn on the radio (a form 'sanity', 'addiction'.....) spin the dial, and pull in all kinds of catches all night long. I, for one,
prefer 'listening' to any of my too many radios, than 'watching' any of our TV's.
Happy listening all,
midwestsw