The Future - AM + Streaming only (no FM & HD)

[kfbkfb]

Once the AM band is cleared out (by stations going off due to business reasons), I think a good way to provide emergency info to Smartphone users is to set up several 50kW omni 24/7 AM stations in the USA, starting at 540kHz (spaced as closely as possible) and restricting the bandwidth to 3.5kHz with heavy compression to keep the audio loud all the time.

The USA Gov could require AM radios in Smartphones after a certain date.

If the Smartphone network goes down for an extended time (natural disaster or hackers taking [part of] the power grid down for example), the Smartphone could automatically switch to the Emergency Radio AM based network [ER, get it ].

When nothing is happening, the ER AM stations could rebroadcast the audio from CNN or FOX cable news or MSNBC cable news.

It seems like it would be much easier to "harden" several 50kW AM stations (power backup, maybe a second broadcast tower some distance away from the primary tower) than to provide backup for a very large number of Smartphone towers.

(with the power off in large areas, the interference in the AM band would be reduced, making long range reception easier)


Kirk Bayne

 

[TheBigA]

The USA Gov could require AM radios in Smartphones after a certain date.

Keep in mind the US gov could have required FM radios in smartphones and didn't. The NAB lobbied them very hard, and they still didn't. Then the radio industry tried to pay smartphone companies to add FM and most said no. Why would they add AM?

Here's some history for you from 2010:

Should FM Be Required on Cell Phones?

Federal legislation proposed by the U.S. National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is causing an uproar in the electronics industry because it aims to force a significant change in all future cell phones and similar portable devices: They would all be required to include an FM broadcast tuner...

www.nbcnews.com

Cellphone companies have no reason to help the radio industry.

 

[kfbkfb]

The AM reception requirement would be so that my proposed AM radio emergency info network would actually be useful, with automatic switchover (probably with a Smartphone screen notification about what is happening - that the Smartphone networks are down and the Smartphone can't make calls, only play the emergency [AM radio] info).


Kirk Bayne

 

[KeithE4]

The USA Gov could require AM radios in Smartphones after a certain date.

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT, OVER!

There is no physical possibility of installing AM tuners in smartphones. The antenna alone is a showstopper.

 

[TheBigA]

The AM reception requirement would be so that my proposed AM radio emergency info network would actually be useful,

The FCC has already has an emergency info network in smartphones, and it doesn't use AM radio.

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

The Wireless Emergency Alerts system is an essential part of America's emergency preparedness. Since its launch in 2012, the WEA system has been used more than 62,000 times to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations – all through alerts on...

www.fcc.gov

 

[davideduardo]

(with the power off in large areas, the interference in the AM band would be reduced, making long range reception easier)

Only at night.

 

[kfbkfb]

I'm thinking of something like Wildfires that destroy the power and Internet systems, Earthquakes, a large number of Tornados in a moderate sized area, or some hackers taking down the power grid in a moderate size area for an extended time, a distant AM signal could all that's available for emergency info.

On the AM antenna in Smartphones - for a Country that sent Men to the Moon over 1/2 century ago, it absolutely, completely, and totally impossible to design an AM antenna that would work in a Smartphone?


Kirk Bayne

 

[davideduardo]

On the AM antenna in Smartphones - for a Country that sent Men to the Moon over 1/2 century ago, it absolutely, completely, and totally impossible to design an AM antenna that would work in a Smartphone?

It's related to wavelength and signal strength.

The US, for mostly political reasons, did not want higher power radio stations. So we have only low and the lower end of medium power AM stations, which even at the highest levels don't fully cover today's large, spread out metros; think WSB and WSM as examples.

AM frequencies have very long wavelengths... 1800 feet at the bottom of the dial and around 570 feet at the top of the dial and that takes a sizable antenna to pick up weaker signals. Even for 50 kw stations, when you get 50 or 60 miles from the transmitter you need something that won't fit nicely in a cellular phone.

If you open a 60's or 70's pocket radio, nearly a third of the case was taken up by the antenna for AM.

Even FM in a cellular needed to use the wire in headphones to work.

You can't change the laws of physics.

 

[TheBigA]

I'm thinking of something like Wildfires that destroy the power and Internet systems, Earthquakes, a large number of Tornados in a moderate sized area, or some hackers taking down the power grid in a moderate size area for an extended time, a distant AM signal could all that's available for emergency info.

Have you made a legal presentation to the FCC? Because they seem to feel they've addressed the issue.

They also addressed the AM radio issue with their revitalization plan. So they're done.

My other question is who would own these AM stations that would only air emergency info? The states?

 

[KeithE4]

I'm thinking of something like Wildfires that destroy the power and Internet systems, Earthquakes, a large number of Tornados in a moderate sized area, or some hackers taking down the power grid in a moderate size area for an extended time, a distant AM signal could all that's available for emergency info.

On the AM antenna in Smartphones - for a Country that sent Men to the Moon over 1/2 century ago, it absolutely, completely, and totally impossible to design an AM antenna that would work in a Smartphone?


Kirk Bayne

Do you have even the first clue about how Ancient Modulation loopstick antennas work? They have to be at least 1/2 inch diameter and 3 inches wide to function, such as in a 1960s pocket radio. The average smartphone's thickness is half that.

Even if it were possible to design a functional loopstick antenna that could fit in a modern phone, how much customer demand is there to even bother with it? I'll give you two guesses: None, and less than none.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

They also addressed the AM radio issue with their revitalization plan. So they're done.

It should rightfully be called the "devitalization plan". Washington loves to name things the opposite of what they really are.

 

[kfbkfb]

I'm thinking about emergency info only, the AM reception would be a USA Gov requirement (as a backup system).

I know almost nothing about receiving antenna systems and designs.


Canada is thinking a decade or 2 to switch to wireless broadband streaming for everything, all AM/FM/(D)TV signals would be switched off, I'm thinking of using existing tech to provide a backup system in case part of the wireless broadband infrastructure suffers catastrophic damage (some examples in previous posts).


Kirk Bayne

 

[TheBigA]

I'm thinking about emergency info only, the AM reception would be a USA Gov requirement (as a backup system).

How would the US Gov make such a requirement? And once again, who would own the AM stations providing that emergency info, since it appears that profit making companies are slowly moving off that platform.

 

[kfbkfb]

Could add a small charge to each Smartphone bill (USA emergency backup system charge) and maybe CNN, FOX, MSNBC could pay to be the audio on the emergency AM radio network when there's no emergency.

The FCC was able to require UHF tuners in TVs and later ATSC 1.0 DTV tuners in TVs, the AM stations would be Gov "owned", not commercial (probably built/maintained by private contractors).

I just think that, once the USA has switched to wireless broadband (only) streaming for all content distribution [replacing all terrestrial AM/FM/HD/(D)TV signals], some sort of emergency backup system will be needed and AM radio is well understood and could, IMHO, serve that purpose.


Kirk Bayne

 

[TheBigA]

Could add a small charge to each Smartphone bill (USA emergency backup system charge) and maybe CNN, FOX, MSNBC could pay to be the audio on the emergency AM radio network when there's no emergency.

So you think the phone companies would get in the AM radio business? That hasn't happened in 100 years. The last time was when AT&T owned WEAF in 1922. It's not going to happen. If they add a charge to bills, it will be for service on their cellular network. As I said, they already provide that service.

the AM stations would be Gov "owned", not commercial (probably built/maintained by private contractors).

Federal law prohibits the US Gov from owning any radio stations that broadcast in the US. That was to prevent the government from getting in the propaganda business.

 

[davideduardo]

Could add a small charge to each Smartphone bill (USA emergency backup system charge) and maybe CNN, FOX, MSNBC could pay to be the audio on the emergency AM radio network when there's no emergency.

Not... ever... gonna'... happen.

The FCC was able to require UHF tuners in TVs and later ATSC 1.0 DTV tuners in TVs, the AM stations would be Gov "owned", not commercial (probably built/maintained by private contractors).

The UHF tuners fit in all the free space around the pyramid-shaped TV picture tube placed in a rectangular box. There is no such space in cellular phones.

I just think that, once the USA has switched to wireless broadband (only) streaming for all content distribution [replacing all terrestrial AM/FM/HD/(D)TV signals], some sort of emergency backup system will be needed and AM radio is well understood and could, IMHO, serve that purpose.

AM is not "well understood" by most people under 40 or so. In fact, a third of all US homes / residences have no radio at all today.

 

[kfbkfb]

About my well understood comment - I was thinking about >100 years of experience with how AM tech works, what it can and can't do.

I do think that content distribution will move to wireless broadband streaming only sooner or later, anyone have any other ideas about how to provide a backup system for emergency info when the broadband system isn't working?


Kirk Bayne

 

[boombox4]

Do you have even the first clue about how Ancient Modulation loopstick antennas work? They have to be at least 1/2 inch diameter and 3 inches wide to function, such as in a 1960s pocket radio. The average smartphone's thickness is half that.

Even if it were possible to design a functional loopstick antenna that could fit in a modern phone, how much customer demand is there to even bother with it? I'll give you two guesses: None, and less than none.

Point taken, but I've seen smaller antennas in AM radios, 7-9mm thick and maybe 80mm long. But yeah, no phone manufacturer is going to add AM and no Federal government is going to demand AM be used. They have hardened some stations and are relying on multiple media for emergency -- phone alerts, EBS on FM and AM, and the hardened stations in case of SHTF scenarios.

For emergency purposes, there are enough AM radios still out in the wild, to where adding AM to a smartphone would be unneeded, even if the components could be fit into a smartphone -- which they probably couldn't, and there would be interference from the phone's circuitry itself.

 

[Kelly A]

I think one major point is being missed in this suggestion: Smartphones ARE already radios. Cell sites are radio transceivers. Adding a long wave (kHz receiver) into something that operates in the microwave bands, would be like taking a modern turbocharged car, and replacing the engine with a Model T powerplant.

The advantage of a cellular coverage approach, is during severe weather or emergency events, cellular systems are geographically dispersed across a wide area. Take a look at the recent tornado's in Mississippi; tornadoes ripped through a pretty wide swath of area, some cell sites went off line, while other sites outside the devastation took the load. There were no reports of people not being able to communicate, or receive emergency information after the storms. Sure there would be lack of signal in some smaller spaces, but probably less the case than standing under a freeway overpass trying to receive an AM signal.

 

[davideduardo]

The advantage of a cellular coverage approach, is during severe weather or emergency events, cellular systems are geographically dispersed across a wide area. Take a look at the recent tornado's in Mississippi; tornadoes ripped through a pretty wide swath of area, some cell sites went off line, while other sites outside the devastation took the load. There were no reports of people not being able to communicate, or receive emergency information after the storms. Sure there would be lack of signal in some smaller spaces, but probably less the case than standing under a freeway overpass trying to receive an AM signal.

But that type of cell-based operation does not work in the event of hurricanes, which can be well over 100 miles wide in their path of destruction, earthquakes which also can be severe in a 100 mile or more radius zone and some other weather related events as well as large power outages that could affect entire smaller states or regions such as the case several years back in Texas.

In such events, with no electricity, phones won't recharge, listening in a car off the battery is not a viable long-term solution, cells will lose battery backup, TVs won't work at all, leaving us with the most basic radio which is generally AM. In the Puerto Rico hurricane, only one station out of 120 radio operations remained on the air... a non-directional low-band AM.