AM Radio Discussion

[dfwrunner]

AM radio listening is generational. Having grown up during the 1960s when music on AM radio was our only choice, we didn't find it odd. Now, our kids grew up with FM radio, never listened to AM, and when forced to listen to music on AM asked what was wrong with the radio - too much static, no stereo, no dynamic range- the complaints we never had 50 years ago.

Of course, I don't think our kids listen to the radio these days. "Radio sucks" or "they don't play the music I can get on the Internet or mp3 device" are the common comments I hear now. It makes you wonder if years from now whether someone will be having the same conversation regarding the death of FM.

Don't know about others, but I was listening to FM 45 years ago, well aware of the above AM issues. But I loved DXing stations from all over the country. I had a super sensitive AM radio in the house with a 50 foot tall antenna connected to it. But for music and not too much later (WNNS) news on FM...

 

[ChuckTiller]

Don't know about others, but I was listening to FM 45 years ago, well aware of the above AM issues. But I loved DXing stations from all over the country. I had a super sensitive AM radio in the house with a 50 foot tall antenna connected to it. But for music and not too much later (WNNS) news on FM...

I became aware of it in 1968, when I was 17 years old. I was working at Astroworld at the time. There was a little Rainbow Bread Bakery shop near the front entrance. They baked small loaves of bread among other goodies to eat. I walked in and stood around with fellow employees shooting the breeze. The park had closed and we were all meeting there to go out after leaving. There was Top 40 station on the air. I listened until it signed off at midnight. I asked the folks who worked there why they were not listening to KILT or KNUZ. I learned that due to the 'ride operations' which required a lot of electricity coupled with the metal superstructures, AM stations were not listenable.

For the 1st time in my life, I was listening to FM radio. As the station went off the air, I heard, "KRBE Houston has come to the end of it's broadcast day. KRBE operates at 104.1 Megahertz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts horizontally and 15,000 watts vertically as authorized by the......" I knew then, that AM would not be able to compete with FM.

 

[davideduardo]

I became aware of it in 1968, when I was 17 years old. I was working at Astroworld at the time.

I actually worked at an FM in 1959! The station was WCUY in Cleveland, and the format was jazz. We had separate programming and a different studio location from our r&b AM sister, and operated from 4 PM to 11 PM, Monday to Saturday. It wasn't until several years later that the FCC required a minimum schedule and the station began running 7 AM to 11 PM 7 days a week.