AM Radio

[MarioMania]

I love listening to AM at night, still Music out there, But for how long

From my Area in Carmichael

Oldies 92.5 1270 KBZZ Sparks, NV
My975 1270 KVMI Tulare, CA Mixing with KBZZ
The Bear at 1057 1660 KBRE, Merced, CA

in the daytmes it's
1600 KUBA Yuba City, CA
Oldies 92.5 1270 KBZZ Sparks, NV
The Bear at 1057 1660 KBRE Merced, CA

 

[tvnut]

The disappearance of the great all-night music shows is one of the losses as radio evolved. In the Midwest, time was you had rock from WLS and WCFL in Chicago, CKKW in Windsor/Detroit and WABC New York on a good night, plus KOMA and WBKW at the top of the dial.

Then there were the individual good-music shows on WGN, WCCO, WJR and KMOX, all hosted by unique personalities. Add in the two major nationally-programmed shows, "Music Til Dawn" with live hosts in each city and "Dolly Holiday" with a national host (heard most widely on KOA), sponsored by American Airlines and Holiday Inn respectively, and there was something for everyone.

Today, after country music on WSM 650 and oldies on CFZM 740, I'm hard-pressed to think of other music shows that can be heard far and wide.

 

[davideduardo]

The disappearance of the great all-night music shows is one of the losses as radio evolved. In the Midwest, time was you had rock from WLS and WCFL in Chicago, CKKW in Windsor/Detroit and WABC New York on a good night, plus KOMA and WBKW at the top of the dial.

Then there were the individual good-music shows on WGN, WCCO, WJR and KMOX, all hosted by unique personalities. Add in the two major nationally-programmed shows, "Music Til Dawn" with live hosts in each city and "Dolly Holiday" with a national host (heard most widely on KOA), sponsored by American Airlines and Holiday Inn respectively, and there was something for everyone.

Today, after country music on WSM 650 and oldies on CFZM 740, I'm hard-pressed to think of other music shows that can be heard far and wide.

Really, who would want to hear lo-fi music on an AM station that fades in and out at night when most people now have a good variety of local stations and many more personalized channels via streaming?

 

[Kelly A]

Really, who would want to hear lo-fi music on an AM station that fades in and out at night when most people now have a good variety of local stations and many more personalized channels via streaming?

I can tell you one participant around here who apparently would: VChimpanzee
He thinks DTV looks and FM sounds too real.

 

[tvnut]

I don't know if there was a great clamor for the shows then, except by sponsors, some of whom were headed by insomniacs (American Airlines in the case of Music Til Dawn; Talman Savings in the case of WGN and WFMT in Chicago) and others who saw value and relatively inexpensive airtime overnight.

But enough people listened for enough time for the all-night shows to get a footing. One typo in original post: it's CKLW, of course.

It was neat as a kid to listen to a show like Franklyn MacCormack's Meister Brau Showcase on WGN on the way back from relatives, and then ride past the transmitter in what were then the sticks. Maybe that's where the romance of radio comes from.

 

[kenglish]

I have to agree that there is a "romance" to listening to the radio. I've noticed that there are many, many music stations on the European SDR's, so AM seems to have an audience somewhere.
There's a great DJ on RNZI, "Saturday Night with Phil O'Brien" (wish he was syndicated to other countries). There are others.
Sadly, streaming sux in my area.

 

[boombox4]

Really, who would want to hear lo-fi music on an AM station that fades in and out at night when most people now have a good variety of local stations and many more personalized channels via streaming?

People who grew up on the AM band, and DXers. Most people ditch it for higher fidelity.

 

[KeithE4]

People who grew up on the AM band, and DXers. Most people ditch it for higher fidelity.

And the ability to hear their desired station without fading or noise, as long as the internet connection is good. There are apps that cover just about every radio station in the world that's worth listening to. TuneIn, iHeart, Radio.com, and so on.

Why bother with the headaches of straining one's ears on Ancient Modulation? If I'm driving late at night, I might turn on a distant station on the radio just because I'm not going to futz with my phone in the car (in AZ, it's also illegal to do that while driving). But if I'm out of my car, I have all the major streaming services on my phone, tablet, and/or PC. Why bother with AM?

 

[crainbebo]

Seems like a lot more music on AM than 10 years ago. These AMs are only operating to feed the FM translator which often is a music format. But it is nice to still hear music on the band instead of more blabbing and talking and sports...

 

[MarioMania]

And the ability to hear their desired station without fading or noise, as long as the internet connection is good. There are apps that cover just about every radio station in the world that's worth listening to. TuneIn, iHeart, Radio.com, and so on.

Why bother with the headaches of straining one's ears on Ancient Modulation? If I'm driving late at night, I might turn on a distant station on the radio just because I'm not going to futz with my phone in the car (in AZ, it's also illegal to do that while driving). But if I'm out of my car, I have all the major streaming services on my phone, tablet, and/or PC. Why bother with AM?

That's the fun listening to it at night

Love AM

 

[semoochie]

People who grew up on the AM band, and DXers. Most people ditch it for higher fidelity.

I grew up with AM and haven't listened regularly since the last Oldies station left the band. I haven't dxed for nearly 40 years!

 

[radioman148]

I DX most of the time on the remote SDRs. Alot better antennas and less noise than my own setup. Also, it's interesting to hear what these radios can hear in very different locations.

 

[DXBob]

For local AM listening, I have a circa 1957 Heathkit tube-based AM Tuner that my late Broadcast Engineer father built from a kit. The Tuner is "wide band" and has "pre-emphasis" which produces great sound on a strong local signal. I do receive some strong DX skywave signals at night with a loop antenna but selectivity on this tuner is not high. I have the tuner hooked up to my main stereo system and the sound quality on strong local signals is truly incredible. This tuner was designed for high quality listening. A photo is attached.

Bob

 

[boombox4]

And the ability to hear their desired station without fading or noise, as long as the internet connection is good. There are apps that cover just about every radio station in the world that's worth listening to. TuneIn, iHeart, Radio.com, and so on.

Why bother with the headaches of straining one's ears on Ancient Modulation? If I'm driving late at night, I might turn on a distant station on the radio just because I'm not going to futz with my phone in the car (in AZ, it's also illegal to do that while driving). But if I'm out of my car, I have all the major streaming services on my phone, tablet, and/or PC. Why bother with AM?

One could also say: "Why radio?" After all, it's not just AM, FM also isn't without its problems.... having to move the antenna, or radio, a few inches to keep the signal from sounding like fuzz...and then, even with that bit of maneuvering, you still get cruddy reception the moment someone walks in certain places in the house. This is not to mention the flit-flit-flit noises on some stations while driving down the road.

 

[kenglish]

I use a Wellbrook loop antenna, often connected to my Denon TU-680NAB Supertuner (c. 1984) for MW AM. Sounds pretty good.
When I retired, they asked what I wanted for a gift.... I told them I would love to have the old McKay-Dymek tuner that was in the storage room.
Instead, they bought me a laptop 😢 .

 

[boombox4]

I get good sound out of my Realistic DX-350A, though headphones. Its ceramic filter has fairly wide skirts, which allow decent fidelity, but it still has pull when it comes to reception. A couple of my older transistor radios have pretty good sound, as well. Both of my Superadios sound pretty good (SR1, SR2) also.

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

Really, who would want to hear lo-fi music on an AM station that fades in and out at night when most people now have a good variety of local stations and many more personalized channels via streaming?

Even Top 40 radio built character. It taught you about sharing (with others, a station that played tracks you did like and tracks you didn't like), and pursuing alternatives in life (by changing stations). Also, waiting out that song you didn't like knowing you would probably like the next one better (like having a bad day, knowing that tomorrow will be better). New listening options teach you that you can always have your own way. Not sure that's a good thing.

 

[Kevin]

Really, who would want to hear lo-fi music on an AM station that fades in and out at night when most people now have a good variety of local stations and many more personalized channels via streaming?

Not everyone likes streaming, not everyone can afford the data plans and streaming is not radio in its true form. Most of us older listeners prefer to listen to our music the old school way with an actual radio. Give me an AM and FM radio anytime, it’s free and easy to use and it’s everywhere, no data required. Radio is like the vinyl record, the true audiophile prefers records over CD’s, MP3 and any of the other digital music platforms. I love radio and prefer AM more than FM and can live without streaming.

 

[frankberry]

When I drive into the northern Michigan woods, AM reception is terrific! No interference-generating sources for miles.

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

Ask Alexa to play a station and there it is loud and clear. It takes the magic out of DXing for many that we once knew. Once upon time, we might try for days, weeks, or even months to get that prize catch of a station. Sure, we listened to a lot of static and fading. We were use to it.
It's hard for an old dog to learn new tricks unless he has to.