One reason radio is better than iPods or Pandora

[nd2023]

DX

Can't get e-skip or tropo when listening to my iPod. Listening to an Internet stream doesn't feel the same as DXing that station, even though it's the same audio. Sure, you can create your own "station" on Pandora, but can it be sent up to an e-skip cloud in the ionosphere or through a duct in the troposphere? And why would I spend $300 for an outdoor antenna and a Sony HD radio when I could stream almost every station that radio picks up.

When I'm traveling, I can pinpoint my location to within a few miles just by listening to the radio and knowing the signal strength of each station.

I can tell how big a temperature inversion is or where the ionosphere is ionized based on what stations I'm getting.

It's not remarkable to listen to a station online from 1000 miles away. It is remarkable to listen to that same station 1000 miles away on the radio because it's so rare.

 

[vibe]

I'm a dinosaur; its radio,cd's or silence for me. I used to even play cassettes in the Crown Vic (2005) until the player s$%^ the bed. I may get sat because of better playlists.
But with all that trying I don't get much e skip here in Central Mass.
May have to go on a e skip hunt soon.

 

[dxer720]

You can listen to your favorite song all you want on your iPod/CD/cassette, but when your hear it played on the radio, that's a special feeling.

Or it could be that I'm just too old.

 

[landtuna]

You can listen to your favorite song all you want on your iPod/CD/cassette, but when your hear it played on the radio, that's a special feeling.

....and then that 10-minute, 17-spot commercial kicks in and ruins that "special feeling". ;D

 

[BRNout]

You can listen to your favorite song all you want on your iPod/CD/cassette, but when your hear it played on the radio, that's a special feeling.

Or it could be that I'm just too old.

Well, I feel the same way and I am not that old. There is most certainly something different about the shared experience of hearing that song that you really groove to played on the radio. Especially if there's a real jock there to say something about it. Case in point: Dick Biondi on WLS-FM in Chicago. He'll play something that may well be on my iPod, but it just sounds different over the radio - particularly when he makes a comment about it. Also interesting to hear that song in the context of others played before and after it.

Yes, iPods and MP3 players are fantastic inventions. And I love having many of my favorite songs at hand to listen to whenever I care to. But something about hearing them played on the radio adds life to them. More of a special experience.

 

[nocomradio]

What's even more fun is a good old tube type shortwave radio. You get the distance, and the cool smell of warm vacuum tubes.

 

[ddsparxx]

Perhaps anything with an antenna to receive a signal...whatever it is a CB radio, plain ol' AM/FM radio, communications receiver with an antenna connected to it. That can be more fun than an Ipod, which I have never owned. Reason DX

Ipods don't have antennas. Computer games and DVD players don't. Cell phones do, I just look at the bars on the upper part of the screen but that may be less exciting.

 

[Tom Wells]

I "had to" create a part 15 radio station to properly hear the music I like presented on radio, because
it's so much different than any simple player. I NEED reverb and processing.

Then there really is a magical thing that happens in rf transmission, which is impossible to describe to
those who don't hear the difference anyway.

And I DO need commercials, PSAs and other drop-in audio elements.

Another reason radio is better is because you can listen to the "product" on an actual RADIO,
not some modern music-reproducer/emulator thingy.

The smell of warm vacuum tubes and dust (with a hint of mold) on an old radio is like a drug.

 

[spunker88]

With Pandora implementing streaming limits and wireless companies implementing bandwidth and download limits on mobile internet, I don't think Pandora will ever replace FM for the average person. I have an MP3 player filled with music for the car and usually play that when everyone is on commercials or if I am somewhere without good FM stations. I do listen to webstreams, usually of existing out of market FM signals that I found during a trip or tropo opening. Theres nothing like pulling them in during strong tropo and listening for a few hours at night. FM radios are easy to use, cheap to build, and pretty reliable. I imagine most people would get emergency info from FM when utilities/power go out.

 

[musichead1029]

Radio Used To Be Better.... 30 Years Ago

You can listen to your favorite song all you want on your iPod/CD/cassette, but when your hear it played on the radio, that's a special feeling.
Or it could be that I'm just too old.

I don't know if age has much to do with it, but it's been 20 years or so since radio played any song I consider a 'favorite.' From the 90s on, my favorites didn't make radio's narrow playlists.

I "had to" create a part 15 radio station to properly hear the music I like presented on radio, because
it's so much different than any simple player. I NEED reverb and processing.

Yep. A Winamp DSP reverb plug in and an FM transmitter do the trick in my household as well. Music in every room from a good sounding boombox (remember them?) or Tivoli radio (purchased back when they were affordable) or stereo system or outside with a pocket radio.

Then there really is a magical thing that happens in rf transmission,

The smell of warm vacuum tubes and dust (with a hint of mold) on an old radio is like a drug.

Yeah!

And I DO need commercials, PSAs and other drop-in audio elements.

Hmmm... that you might want to see a doctor about.

 

[radioman148]

You can listen to your favorite song all you want on your iPod/CD/cassette, but when your hear it played on the radio, that's a special feeling.

Or it could be that I'm just too old.

Well, I feel the same way and I am not that old. There is most certainly something different about the shared experience of hearing that song that you really groove to played on the radio. Especially if there's a real jock there to say something about it. Case in point: Dick Biondi on WLS-FM in Chicago. He'll play something that may well be on my iPod, but it just sounds different over the radio - particularly when he makes a comment about it. Also interesting to hear that song in the context of others played before and after it.

Yes, iPods and MP3 players are fantastic inventions. And I love having many of my favorite songs at hand to listen to whenever I care to. But something about hearing them played on the radio adds life to them. More of a special experience.

If you want to hear great music the way it should be played, try Dick Biondi's Friday night request show on WLS-FM.

http://www.947wls.com/

 

[adam502002]

You can listen to your favorite song all you want on your iPod/CD/cassette, but when your hear it played on the radio, that's a special feeling.

Or it could be that I'm just too old.

It's not that either of you are "old." It just means you are a true radio person. I'm 20...I totally get it, but my friends don't. haha

 

[ddsparxx]

Lot of people I have known, both young and old, don't get it either. I grew up with a family with no background in electronics at all. When they think of DX, they think of a trim line of certain Honda cars. One person thought that a Panasonic RF-2200 that I had is a kind of radio that plays country music.

 

[Icangelp]

Today, we have more choices. That is a very good thing.

 

[crainbebo]

I never use an MP3 player or iPod, I just use the good ol' fashioned FM radio. Even if I'm travelling and there's a staticky signal of a country station I like, I'll tune it in anyway.

Same with E-skip. A computer dosen't have the ability with online streams to fade in and out. With a radio during Es, it does, sometimes two or three deep on a frequency, and sometimes small-town no website/stream stations that are rare to get. The commercials played on online streams are PSAs or internet-only ads for Geico, SelectQuote, etc. With radio during skip openings, commercials played on small-town stations might be for farming, local restaurants, the local IGA store, etc.

-crainbebo

 

[dxer720]

There was an Es opening to the Roswell area, & one of the local commercials was for an alien fest they're having for the 4th of July. You wouldn't hear that in Chicago, huh.

 

[vibe]

I guess they need all the "listeners" they can get.

 

[radioman148]

There was an Es opening to the Roswell area, & one of the local commercials was for an alien fest they're having for the 4th of July. You wouldn't hear that in Chicago, huh.

Haven't heard it yet. ;D

 

[spunker88]

Since Upstate NY falls within ES range of tornado alley, its not uncommon to hear some weather warnings for distant locations via eskip. I just heard a tornado warning for Missouri the other day via eskip. Makes it really easy to ID the station since they give locations in the warning.

 

[Tom Wells]

Re: Radio Used To Be Better.... 30 Years Ago

You can listen to your favorite song all you want on your iPod/CD/cassette, but when your hear it played on the radio, that's a special feeling.
Or it could be that I'm just too old.

I don't know if age has much to do with it, but it's been 20 years or so since radio played any song I consider a 'favorite.' From the 90s on, my favorites didn't make radio's narrow playlists.

I "had to" create a part 15 radio station to properly hear the music I like presented on radio, because
it's so much different than any simple player. I NEED reverb and processing.

Yep. A Winamp DSP reverb plug in and an FM transmitter do the trick in my household as well. Music in every room from a good sounding boombox (remember them?) or Tivoli radio (purchased back when they were affordable) or stereo system or outside with a pocket radio.

Then there really is a magical thing that happens in rf transmission,

The smell of warm vacuum tubes and dust (with a hint of mold) on an old radio is like a drug.

Yeah!

And I DO need commercials, PSAs and other drop-in audio elements.

Hmmm... that you might want to see a doctor about.

My commercials are mostly those which are endearing by music, such as Nancy Sinatra singing "Things Go Better with Coca Cola".
But they're all commercials I approve of by actual endorsement of the product or respect for the audio element itself.

Now that its Summer, we broadcast from the Beach, which means running Winders Media Player with beach audio bed under the program.
Screaming youths at the beach are a fine mental audio perspective, if in proper aspect and proportion.
It helps that the screeches are all of FUN being had.