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DXing-Why?

KE4KLS_Radio said:
I had to chime in on this topic.

Even though I live in the Daytona Beach / Orlando Market, I get frustrated trying to pick up some of the local stations in my suburban location, in particular national news, or other programming on AM, particularly during critical hours or at night. At my location, WBT's 1110 AM skywave reliably comes in much better at night than the local WNDB 1150 AM in Daytona Beach, even though I'm only 20 miles from the tower. So I keep a preset in my car for 1110 even though the station is about 480 miles from my home when I'm out in the evening or early morning. As most of you know many AM stations have reduced groundwave coverage at night due to power reduction or interference. With most newer residential areas in recent years expanding further from the market core, no wonder there are fewer listeners on AM, the grade A signals just don't reach people well in surburban areas in the fringes (at least this is my observation here in FL). I do think that AM stations located in large markets (such as Houston or Jacksonville) should have an opportunity to add some sort of FM coverage, perhaps even an HD-2 channel, which BTW would be a good cross promotion of HD radio and AM....
Click to expand...

Simulcasting AM on HD multicast channels of sister FM stations is a good use for HD. AM radio has always and will always be limited in Atlanta due to poor ground conductivity. WSB-AM is being simulcast on a sister FM's HD subchannel.

In many markets, traditionally AM talk radio programming is being moved to FM for the reasons you cited. Just take a look at KTAR Phoenix or KTLK Minneapolis.

It's no real secret that FM is a superior broadcast medium to AM. I think we can expect more talk programming to move to FM in the coming years. Personally, I'd love to see HD subchannels on these stations that air repeated loops of the most popular shows like Rush and Hannity. A talk FM could split its HD channel into several voice quality channels and have one dedicated to a continuous loop of each of their most popular shows.
 
FM stations are looking for inexpensive programming to multicast. AMs are looking to extend coverage, and improve quality. "Let's talk".

Especially if you are running an FM station with HD, and there's an AM down the hall...it's a no-brainer.
 
If Arbitron says listenership is down drastically, I'll listen. It doesn't, so I don't (listen).

By the way, what the hell does Canada have to do with this discussion anyway? American figures don't fit your pre-conceived notions, so you toss in Canada? Canada has been "converting" from AM to FM for quite some time now, switching off AM outlets. That isn't happening in the US, and won't. Canada is (sorry guys) largely EMPTY (very sparsely populated), with far fewer stations. Apples and oranges, Pocket Lint. Apples and oranges...AGAIN!
 
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