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..And now for something completely different: WWRL C-Quam

L

LinoNYC

Guest
This was sent to me several years ago by a fellow Am-fan.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ticp7x 96K/MP3 704kb

In the spring of 1997 WWRL returned to an R&B format and subsequently upgraded their power and antennas. After all was up and ready, this is an example of what they sounded like under ideal reception conditions.

Unfortunately, by then outside of auto radios C-Quam receivers were already a dwindling comoddity and their quality was variable. In my area the only non-auto set available was a Sony walkman.

Even with a great signal WWRL drifted into selling blocks of time by late summer 1997 and never made any ratings headway.

Lino
 
the clip sounded really good and for AM CQuam stereo gave AM a great sound. it's a shame that AM stations
were flipped so many times and some really good formats on AM were not given a fair chance. i still have my
sony amax walkman that i have connected to my receiver to listen to some AM stations that sometimes
play music and up to a point sound pretty good. i do feel that broadcasters turning off the exciters shoot
themselves in the foot because who knows how much the CQuam tech could have developed into
something better than HD(iboc).
 
Hi

Is it possible to get the whole recording on a high quality CD? I'd love to hear that song in full & to hear it in much better quality than just 96k bitrate...... Having only dial up internet makes it impossible to download a big high bitrate file, hence I'd like a copy on CD.

dxer2_2000
 
You don't have to bring it back. It's still here! WNMB in North Myrtle Beach, WZKY in Albemarle, NC,; WNNC in Newton, NC, WWL in Rockingham, NC and many others are broadcasting in AM Stereo. You can call up Delta Electronics and order a brand new AM Stereo exciter and mod monitor. AM stereo is a superb sound and on a broad band receiver it is truly spectacular. Here in North Myrtle Beach, we hear from people all the time who are listening to us in stereo in their Navigators, Expeditions, Explorers, Thunderbirds and Mustangs. We had a Mustang Cobra come to the station last week. It's driver was so excited to hear the classic hits in AM Stereo! AM Stereo is not failed technology. for most AM Stations, it is a better solution than HD. If anything failed in this technology, it is the FCC for its lack of a standard early in the game. Finally, I fail to understand in a time when we regulate everything else under the sun, the government can't set a standard for decent AM radios instead of the trash being made today which gives listeners the perception that AM is bad.
For anyone who cares to take a look at AM stereo promotion, visit our website at www.wnmb.net click on wnmb features and then click on AM Stereo.
 
Bill said:
You don't have to bring it back. It's still here! WNMB in North Myrtle Beach, WZKY in Albemarle, NC,; WNNC in Newton, NC, WWL in Rockingham, NC and many others are broadcasting in AM Stereo. You can call up Delta Electronics and order a brand new AM Stereo exciter and mod monitor. AM stereo is a superb sound and on a broad band receiver it is truly spectacular. Here in North Myrtle Beach, we hear from people all the time who are listening to us in stereo in their Navigators, Expeditions, Explorers, Thunderbirds and Mustangs. We had a Mustang Cobra come to the station last week. It's driver was so excited to hear the classic hits in AM Stereo! AM Stereo is not failed technology. for most AM Stations, it is a better solution than HD. If anything failed in this technology, it is the FCC for its lack of a standard early in the game. Finally, I fail to understand in a time when we regulate everything else under the sun, the government can't set a standard for decent AM radios instead of the trash being made today which gives listeners the perception that AM is bad.
For anyone who cares to take a look at AM stereo promotion, visit our website at www.wnmb.net click on wnmb features and then click on AM Stereo.
Click to expand...

Bill,

If I actually do what you say and follow the links to AudioCubes I get "no" AM Stereo Radios. Apparently none of the three listed are available anymore from them.

I salute you for what you are trying to do. I also like your approach. The "We're not doing HD now" makes sense to the listener. Nuch more than an approach taken by another station.

All the best.

Clouseau
 
I've been a fan of C-Quam for two and a half decades. But now that the dust has settled, I can admit that C-Quam has a couple of niggling problems that make it difficult for me to enjoy more than 10-20 miles from the tower, and then only in the daytime.

First of all, there's PLATFORM MOTION! Phase-shifts between carrier and sidebands WILL take place with distance, and atmospheric conditions, so I don't know what can be done. Second there is NOISE. A problem with all wide-bandwidth AM radios, it just seems worse with C-Quam (again, beyond the 10-20 mile range), as well as adjacent channel interference (monkeys do chatter!). It's frustrating, because anybody who's worked in a well-engineered C-Quam station knows the signal leaves the antenna in pristine condition. But a few miles out, environmental conditions begin to beat the crap out of it, so what reaches radios is a poor imitation of what left the station!

And another thing that bothers me, and always will is the lack of bass extension below 50hz. Stupid, and pointless. The fact that it's possible to broadcast a 25hz pilot tone proves that we could have had BASS DOWN THERE! I know the "automatic stereo light" was a big deal to some. But I didn't give a damn either way, and would have gladly traded it for bass which extended AT LEAST to 40hz...thus encompassing the open E string on electric (and acoustic) bass...the lowest "note" in most music. 30hz would be better. That would please everyone but pipe-organ and synth nuts.

Still, an AM station with C-Quam "in the rack" but switched off would do well to consider switching it back on. We finally have that influx of new AM Stereo radios many of us were hoping far during the Reagan Administration. So what if they all have "HD Radio" stamped on 'em? Small market (low budget) stations who still have AM Stereo gear, this is a no-brainer. TURN IT ON!
 
Mike Walker said:
I've been a fan of C-Quam for two and a half decades. But now that the dust has settled, I can admit that C-Quam has a couple of niggling problems that make it difficult for me to enjoy more than 10-20 miles from the tower, and then only in the daytime.

First of all, there's PLATFORM MOTION! Phase-shifts between carrier and sidebands WILL take place with distance, and atmospheric conditions, so I don't know what can be done. Second there is NOISE. A problem with all wide-bandwidth AM radios, it just seems worse with C-Quam (again, beyond the 10-20 mile range), as well as adjacent channel interference (monkeys do chatter!). It's frustrating, because anybody who's worked in a well-engineered C-Quam station knows the signal leaves the antenna in pristine condition. But a few miles out, environmental conditions begin to beat the crap out of it, so what reaches radios is a poor imitation of what left the station!
Click to expand...

As far as I know AMAX (as found in newer AMS radios) has largely solved these problems with noise blanking and blending to mono when the signal becomes weak.

But indeed, it makes no sense for any AM station owner to not consider installing AM Stereo if the station is not or cannot convert to HD.

db
 
It's more than the "stereo light" at issue. The 25Hz tone triggers the decoder to open the bandwidth from 7 to 9Kc, and play in stereo vs. mono. I agree however, that some AM Stero tuners were pretty weak in their bass reproduction, others were not noticible at all. The biggest offender was the Radio Shack AM Stereo $29.95 box tuner. Clean, but no sensitivity at all, and lean on bass.

We used one as a cheap "let me know we're on the air" monitor at a station I worked. The format was oldies based AC, using Drake-Chenault tapes on Revox units. We were not C-Quam, but when the 30hz end of music tone would hit, we always went into "stereo" on the tuner, and the sound would come alive, even if in mono.
 
I never found any annoyance from hearing the platform motion and monkey chatter on C-QUAM.

In my last job, with far more distance travel, I got many upgrades to Cadillacs, and greatly enjoyed the fidelity of DX stereo.

If the signal received is high fidelty 35-15,000, I can tolerate almost ANY level of QRN(atural), or considerable side-channel chatter.
I remember how good it sounds when it opens up, as the if/audio bw expands.
The modulation seems fatter and punchier, and I know I have read a treatise on why this is so.
I think the 25 hz was chosen because any lower would start to get triggered by "in spec" but differing carriers.

I remember listening to WLS at night in southern Illinois, and the stereo was wonderful at 300 miles.
A mexican 890 signal presented itself in the fixed WLS "soundstage" as a spanish speaker rotating CCW through all 4 corners of the
vehicle, stopping, then beginning to rotate audio phase CW.

This was a lot more fun to listen to than gargling audio with a always-on chorus effect.

Even old 1965 car radio reverbs sounded better than a narrow hallway "doubling" type of echo, if that's what they're trying to do with HD.
I presume it's something they don't want to happen.
 
Tom Wells said:
I never found any annoyance from hearing the platform motion and monkey chatter on C-QUAM.
Click to expand...

Neither did I.

In my last job, with far more distance travel, I got many upgrades to Cadillacs, and greatly enjoyed the fidelity of DX stereo.

If the signal received is high fidelty 35-15,000, I can tolerate almost ANY level of QRN(atural), or considerable side-channel chatter.
I remember how good it sounds when it opens up, as the if/audio bw expands.
The modulation seems fatter and punchier, and I know I have read a treatise on why this is so.
I think the 25 hz was chosen because any lower would start to get triggered by "in spec" but differing carriers.

I remember listening to WLS at night in southern Illinois, and the stereo was wonderful at 300 miles.
Click to expand...

It has sounded great a lot farthur than that. But it's still that"AM Sound" Stereo, but AM.
A mexican 890 signal presented itself in the fixed WLS "soundstage" as a spanish speaker rotating CCW through all 4 corners of the
vehicle, stopping, then beginning to rotate audio phase CW.

This was a lot more fun to listen to than gargling audio with a always-on chorus effect.

Even old 1965 car radio reverbs sounded better than a narrow hallway "doubling" type of echo, if that's what they're trying to do with HD.
I presume it's something they don't want to happen.
Click to expand...

Never heard that either...

Clouseau
 
dbdigital said:
Mike Walker said:
I've been a fan of C-Quam for two and a half decades. But now that the dust has settled, I can admit that C-Quam has a couple of niggling problems that make it difficult for me to enjoy more than 10-20 miles from the tower, and then only in the daytime.

First of all, there's PLATFORM MOTION! Phase-shifts between carrier and sidebands WILL take place with distance, and atmospheric conditions, so I don't know what can be done. Second there is NOISE. A problem with all wide-bandwidth AM radios, it just seems worse with C-Quam (again, beyond the 10-20 mile range), as well as adjacent channel interference (monkeys do chatter!). It's frustrating, because anybody who's worked in a well-engineered C-Quam station knows the signal leaves the antenna in pristine condition. But a few miles out, environmental conditions begin to beat the crap out of it, so what reaches radios is a poor imitation of what left the station!
Click to expand...

As far as I know AMAX (as found in newer AMS radios) has largely solved these problems with noise blanking and blending to mono when the signal becomes weak.
But indeed, it makes no sense for any AM station owner to not consider installing AM Stereo if the station is not or cannot convert to HD.

db
Click to expand...

Ditto.
 
The AM Stereo radio in my 2001 PT Cruiser does NOT have 'platform motion' - it automatically does a fade to mono, so no problem. The bandwidth on the 2001 Chrysler is less than the 1995 Chrysler AM stereo radio and the 1996 Delco (Caddy) AM stereo radio, but still sounds great. You can hear CQuam stations from over 60 miles in decent quality too.
Speaking of High Quality CQuam - if you can afford it - the Fanfare tuners are smokin'!!
Here's a sample of C-Quam AM Stereo from 45 miles and from 80 miles away: http://www.fanfarefm.com/soundbites.html
 
You're right AM/FM/SW that most models of AM Stereo radio used the 25hz tone to switch to stereo, and open up the bandwidth, my alltime favorite (and probably the best-selling non-car unit) didn't...the Sony SRF-A100. It had no pilot light for AM stereo, so the 25hz tone was completely superfluous. Shame on other manufacturers for not just letting the user switch to stereo, and damn that pilot tone. Give me my bass!
 
dbdigital, so what if AMAX "solves" the problem of platform motion (by blending to mono), and allows automatic reduction of interference/bandwidth. Sadly, AMAX went over like passing gas in church (sorry if that was vivid). Too bad the FCC didn't REQUIRE AMAX certification (or at least NRSC curve adoption) in new radios! The last decade and a half or so of AM could have sounded much better!

As for platform motion, I am probably more bothered by that than most people as I have always done most of my listening with headphones. I've been a headphone junkie since I plugged my first pair into the family's console when I was about 12...nearly four decades ago! Speakers for me are always a substitute until I can "get my cans on".

The last vehicle I had with AM Stereo was a 1989 Toyota 4X4 pickup. SWEET sounding radio. I should have ripped it out and kept it when I traded!
 
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