AM and FM frequencies "connected"

[amos]

I recall years ago that several stations AM and FM frequencies seemed to be somewhat connected. As an example, WHKY in Hickory, NC at 1290, WHKY-FM (now WLYT) 102.9. There were others, I just can't remember any examples right now.

Also, I seem to remember that some station's AM and FM frequencies "matched" when switching from AM to FM on an analog car radio. This might have just been a conciendence, unless there was some standard way AM and FM radios were aligned. But I know that on at least one station, when u flipped from AM to FM on the car radio dial, you didn't have to move the tuning dial to hit the other station.

Am I making this stuff up in my mind? Or does anybody remember anything like that?

Another was WAUG 1050 in Augusta, GA. WAUG-FM was 105.7.

-amos

 

[jonbruce]

I recall as a youngster when not many had fm radios.....the 1950's in Los Angeles KHJ 930 am matched up to then KHJ fm 101.1 when switched on the few am/fm's I had access to. Another interesting twist is that in the late 1940's a lot of am's had a number of frequencies to choose from to get an fm cp so some, including 1590 in Ventura Ca. picked 95.1, radio 159 "backwards" so to speak.

 

[w9wi]

I recall years ago that several stations AM and FM frequencies seemed to be somewhat connected. As an example, WHKY in Hickory, NC at 1290, WHKY-FM (now WLYT) 102.9. There were others, I just can't remember any examples right now.

Also, I seem to remember that some station's AM and FM frequencies "matched" when switching from AM to FM on an analog car radio. This might have just been a conciendence, unless there was some standard way AM and FM radios were aligned. But I know that on at least one station, when u flipped from AM to FM on the car radio dial, you didn't have to move the tuning dial to hit the other station.

When I came to Nashville in late 1990, WSIX AM/FM fell into both categories. AM 980 (now WYFN), FM 97.9 "98" - and on the analog radio in a 1986 Mercury Lynx, tune the AM station & slide the AM/FM switch, and the FM is in, and vice-versa. They also simulcast, most of the time.

Of course, YMMV with the AM/FM switch on the radio; different radios would line up differently.

 

[Tom Wells]

For WLS at 890 and the FM at 94.7, many car radios just happened to be set up or aligned so that switching the band already had you
on the "same" station. This was convenient when driving in the fringe area and the FM became too noisy. Flip to AM, and you're set for
another 150 miles of coverage. Well, that's how it worked when they were simulcasting AM/FM.