Change in sound the past couple of months

[johnbasalla]

Usually, there are a couple of AM stations in my market that I listen to that, at night, have interference issues from one or two other stations on the same frequency. Reduction in pattern and power are in play with that. However, for the past month to month and a half, at night, there has/have been no, or almost no interference. The stations sound clear.

Additionally, a couple of smaller (lower power) out-of-town, but not real far away, AM stations that normally start going down-hill audio quality-wise as evening approaches, have been sounding exceptionally clear for a longer period of time these days.

Does this have something to do with the cold winter weather? But, I haven't heard this kind of clarity before.

 

[gr8oldies]

Usually, there are a couple of AM stations in my market that I listen to that, at night, have interference issues from one or two other stations on the same frequency. Reduction in pattern and power are in play with that. However, for the past month to month and a half, at night, there has/have been no, or almost no interference. The stations sound clear.

Additionally, a couple of smaller (lower power) out-of-town, but not real far away, AM stations that normally start going down-hill audio quality-wise as evening approaches, have been sounding exceptionally clear for a longer period of time these days.

Does this have something to do with the cold winter weather? But, I haven't heard this kind of clarity before.

Winter weather no, auroral conditions more likely.

 

[schmave]

All I have is anecdotal evidence, but it seems like we've had a fair amount of auroral nights this winter. I can think of several occasions dating back to mid-October when the Chicago and New York flamethrowers, KMOX, etc. have either been absent or very tough to pick up here in central Ohio. If I can't get them, I know there is auroral activity.
The flip side to that is a station like WLW, just 90 miles from me and therefore groundwave 24/7, would sound a little more crisp than usual at night because of the lack of skywave activity, including very small but sometimes noticeable adjacent channel slop from WOR. WTAM was the same way on a mid-October drive from Akron back to Columbus during the Guardians-Yankees series. No cancellation on that particular night because of auroral activity; rather, the signal just faded out to almost nothing north of Columbus.

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

Ol' 1 1/8 Ears here never noticed the sonics part, guys. Thanks for the alert.

Back in Queens NYC and here in PA, graveyard channels stations were the Auroral flares. Two each.

Local 1450 WPAM is no longer on the air. They basically had a horrible nighttime signal, and 7 miles north of them you had to lobe them IN. But when they and semi-local WAZL 1490 Hazleton (17 miles) were crystal and unfettered, the Aurora was out munching.
In Queens, 1240 WGBB Freeport on Long Island customarily faded at the Queens/Nassau County line. So one night when we took 'GBB clear all the way into the Queens Midtown Funnel (21 miles) it became apparent that something was afoot. When we returned later from Manhattan and popped out of the Midtown, a faint WTMA 1250 from SC was heard next to WGBB.
Meantime, on WGBB's other side -- 1230 -- WFAS Westchester was clear as a bell. Four GYs, 4 pilots.
Besides -- all Auroras are the same. You've seen one; you've seen them all. It's much more beneficial to be inside, listening to the Aurora

'ZZZZAPPP!!!!' (lightning bolt, blackout ....)
Well, okay, God. On the other hand, you know, I haven't seen a good display in a few years now .......

 

[boombox4]

It may be due to the ionosphere. Wintertime is usually the best night time reception on the AM band, especially for long distance. Weather has little, if anything to do with it. Cold weather is just coincidental with the winter ionospheric DX conditions -- they both occur at the same time, but aren't directly related to each other.