(pocket) AM Radio in car - AM Antenna outside car

[davideduardo]

Government mandates are for safety features that, if omitted, would directly threaten the physical safety of the user, not something like AM radio that most non-geek, under-55 car owners would never even think about if they were to see threatening clouds or lightning ahead..

What annoys me is the NAB and the radio industry in general defending the “public service” provided by AM station when, save a few notable and commendable exceptions, nearly no AM stations even have a new department or are prepared to provide information in the event of an emergency.

A better solution would be to give permanence and protection to translators, allow AMs to go silent and keep their translators and to change the second adjacent assignment and protection rules so that FM stations and translators could upgrade. This would help clear out the AM dal and potentially move valuable service providing stations to FM.

AM has a “black tag” and can’t be resuscitated. Having the NAB lying about non-existent services helps nobody.

 

[Kelly A]

What annoys me is the NAB and the radio industry in general defending the “public service” provided by AM station when, save a few notable and commendable exceptions, nearly no AM stations even have a new department or are prepared to provide information in the event of an emergency.

That's a great point that all of the AM-crisis-defender's miss: With the headwinds from reduced station values, advertising losses and consolidation, few can afford to have live staff, let alone a studio to travel-to in an emergency situation. All one could hope for is a local municipality remembers-to, or bothers to activate their local EAS to automatically relay through participating radio stations. And with the success rate we've all seen with national EAS tests, that process rapidly comes apart like an airplane made out of toilet paper.

A better solution would be to give permanence and protection to translators, allow AMs to go silent and keep their translators and to change the second adjacent assignment and protection rules so that FM stations and translators could upgrade. This would help clear out the AM dal and potentially move valuable service providing stations to FM.

I agree, but not all AM stations got FM translators.

AM has a “black tag” and can’t be resuscitated. Having the NAB lying about non-existent services helps nobody.

It just makes the NAB appear like they're actually doing something.

 

[TheBigA]

What annoys me is the NAB and the radio industry in general defending the “public service” provided by AM station when, save a few notable and commendable exceptions, nearly no AM stations even have a new department or are prepared to provide information in the event of an emergency.

You're looking at it from a traditional staffing point of view. The main thing a radio station has to do is be on the air. That's the promise made to the FCC. They don't promise local staffing. But if an emergency occurs, the facility is available for local emergency officials to utilize to inform the public. That's the way the DHS law was written. The station doesn't have to provide the information.

All one could hope for is a local municipality remembers-to, or bothers to activate their local EAS to automatically relay through participating radio stations.

Correct. But that requires the AM transmitter to be operational, and for people to be able to receive the signal. That's what's at stake here. If AM isn't available, then it doesn't matter what DHS does. That's the primary part of the equation. Nobody is expecting the AM station to be locally staffed. That's not required.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Don't provide the AM radio (and necessary EMI mitigation) as standard equipment, but offer it as an option. It probably wouldn't be ordered much, if at all, but at least it would be there for those who want it.

Elon doesn't really do options. Literally the only options for the Tesla Model 3 are the battery size, RWD or AWD, "full self driving" or not, and color.

His company even charges extra for every paint color than white -- and not just a little. The cheapest color is $1000 extra, with red being $2000 extra. Changing the interior color is also $1000 with just two choices.

 

[davideduardo]

You're looking at it from a traditional staffing point of view. The main thing a radio station has to do is be on the air. That's the promise made to the FCC. They don't promise local staffing. But if an emergency occurs, the facility is available for local emergency officials to utilize to inform the public. That's the way the DHS law was written. The station doesn't have to provide the information.}

But that does not change the fact that about 90% of larger market AM stations don't cover much or most of their total market and fewer and fewer people even know what AM is.

We have seen that "emergency officials" are even less prepared than AM radio stations in many cases. We have seen that every test shows major deficiencies. We have seen real emergencies where no EAS activation or information was provided... whether Minot or East Palestine.

Correct. But that requires the AM transmitter to be operational, and for people to be able to receive the signal. That's what's at stake here. If AM isn't available, then it doesn't matter what DHS does. That's the primary part of the equation. Nobody is expecting the AM station to be locally staffed. That's not required.

But, already, over a third of all homes have no AM or FM radio. Many radio stations have no ability to provide service other than through government emergency activation. Most AM stations don't even cover their full metro area, and as noise levels increase, this situation is worsening.

My point is that the NAB is defending the AM band when AM no longer adequately covers most metro areas. Many AMs are only on the air to permit the operation of a translator; those don't spend on generators and auxiliary transmitters or the maintenance of night directional systems. The average AM station is a terribly weak link in any emergency situation and the NAB is kidding itself in thinking that it is of any value any more.

 

[Kelly A]

Correct. But that requires the AM transmitter to be operational, and for people to be able to receive the signal.

Properly configured EAS boxes will go to air and relay alerts automatically. That includes FM, and TV stations, not just AM.

That's what's at stake here. If AM isn't available, then it doesn't matter what DHS does. That's the primary part of the equation. Nobody is expecting the AM station to be locally staffed. That's not required.

Have you seen the many assumptions on this topic? For those who still think radio is like back in the 70's, they believe there are news staff sitting around like Les Nessman, waiting for the big one to hit.

 

[TheBigA]

We have seen that "emergency officials" are even less prepared than AM radio stations in many cases.

The only thing the NAB or radio can address is that our facilities are on the air and available if needed.

My point is that the NAB is defending the AM band when AM no longer adequately covers most metro areas.

That's the FCC's fault. Nothing the NAB or radio owners can do about that. Regardless, AM stations are on the air and available if needed.

 

[TheBigA]

Properly configured EAS boxes will go to air and relay alerts automatically. That includes FM, and TV stations, not just AM.

As long as the FCC licenses AM, it should be given the same access as FM or TV.

 

[davideduardo]

The only thing the NAB or radio can address is that our facilities are on the air and available if needed.

But my issue is that the NAB is tilting windmills by defending AM at all. They are advocates for a lost cause, AM, and defending community service that hardly exists anywhere. Better to preserve the dry powder for something important and, more importantly, defensible.

That's the FCC's fault. Nothing the NAB or radio owners can do about that. Regardless, AM stations are on the air and available if needed.

No, it is not the FCC's fault. The AM allocation / permit granting system is based on the old Federal Radio Commission from about 95 years ago. By the time it was realized that the system was very defective, the band was full of marginal and even totally inadequate facilities and nothing could be done.

Trusting local governments to know what to do in a severe emergency is a leap of faith I won't bet a dime on.

 

[davideduardo]

As long as the FCC licenses AM, it should be given the same access as FM or TV.

And it does. Today the issue is complex, starting with many people not aware of AM or what to look for and ending with major stations downgrading their signals to sell off valuable land or to save on engineering costs.

 

[TheBigA]

But my issue is that the NAB is tilting windmills by defending AM at all. They are advocates for a lost cause, AM,

That's their job. They have a lot of members that own AM stations. The members pay their dues, and they expect representation.

Trusting local governments to know what to do in a severe emergency is a leap of faith I won't bet a dime on.

You pay taxes, and should expect results. DHS gets billions in taxpayer dollars to make sure you're safe. They're responsible. Not some DJ at a radio station.

 

[davideduardo]

That's their job. They have a lot of members that own AM stations. The members pay their dues, and they expect representation.

This is so much like "the emperor has no clothes".

You pay taxes, and should expect results. DHS gets billions in taxpayer dollars to make sure you're safe. They're responsible. Not some DJ at a radio station.

But in most emergencies, except if North Korea launches, we are talking about local situations that local city, county and maybe state government and agencies control. On countless occasions we have seen a total failure to respond, and in others the response has been improperly activated.

First case: Minot.
Second case: my ongoing and reasonably frequent emergency messages on my cellphone about floods, fires and windstorms in an area about 100 miles away in a different climate zone.

 

[TheBigA]

This is so much like "the emperor has no clothes".

The NAB is a lobbying organization. Their job is to represent their members. They are not the emperor of radio.

On countless occasions we have seen a total failure to respond, and in others the response has been improperly activated.

That's not radio's problem. People in this country apparently don't understand how their government works. If the government does a bad job, the people need to complain to the elected reps. Otherwise, those reps will just continue to waste time and our money providing free content to TV news channels.

 

[davideduardo]

The NAB is a lobbying organization. Their job is to represent their members. They are not the emperor of radio.

But if you have a certain limited stockpile in the armory, you don't waste it taking shots at pigeons.

That's not radio's problem. People in this country apparently don't understand how their government works. If the government does a bad job, the people need to complain to the elected reps. Otherwise, those reps will just continue to waste time and our money providing free content to TV news channels.

Still, combining AM radio with typical government inefficiency is not a good system.

 

[TheBigA]

But if you have a certain limited stockpile in the armory, you don't waste it taking shots at pigeons.

Huh? What are you talking about? Let me repeat: Owners of AM stations are members of the NAB. They set the agenda.

Still, combining AM radio with typical government inefficiency is not a good system.

That's the system we have in this country. What do you suggest?

 

[davideduardo]

Huh? What are you talking about? Let me repeat: Owners of AM stations are members of the NAB. They set the agenda.

But the NAB board and management can tell the members that this is a wasted effort that might undermine the NAB's credibility on The Hill and elsewhere.

That's the system we have in this country. What do you suggest?

I suggest picking fights that can be won. AM is not one of them.

 

[TheBigA]

But the NAB board and management can tell the members that this is a wasted effort that might undermine the NAB's credibility on The Hill and elsewhere.

Then they would get fired. It's really that simple. The stations run the NAB, not the other way around.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

“No, it is not the FCC's fault.”

Yes it is…namely the FCC’s complete abdication of its responsibilities under Part 15, permitting millions of radiating devices to spew interfering signals over the AM band, devices that should have been banned. You yourself have noted the increased noise/interference problems that reduce AM coverage to a fraction of what it was/should be.

And while your point about the antiquated AM allocation system is valid, the FCC could have done something about that too, back before everyone got the idea that every Podunk in creation could have a station. Too late to change that now without major disruption.

 

[kfbkfb]

Maybe combine NAB lobbying efforts - try to get AM in all new EVs + [as a backup plan] change the FCC FM spacing rules (use engineering data from other countries that have used closer FM spacing for years and years) to allow for more FM translators.

If this lobbying effort works, then could propose "sunsetting" the AMs providing the signal to their FM translators and allow more than 250W for FM translators (use interference contours only to set the maximum power).


Kirk Bayne

 

[TheBigA]

If this lobbying effort works, then could propose "sunsetting" the AMs providing the signal to their FM translators and allow more than 250W for FM translators (use interference contours only to set the maximum power).

And if it doesn't? Once again, the owners run the NAB. The owners are opposed to closer FM spacing or sunsetting AMs.