WABC starts petition to save AM radio

[TheBigA]

But most people spend more time at home than they do on the road.

The FCC rarely does things based on radio research.

 

[Yabadabado1]

The city I used to live in owns their own power lines, etc. Years ago they put a loop system in that tied all the sub-stations together so if one section of town or sub-station had an outage they could switch things around and bypass the "fault" and get power back to people. In the process they basically destroyed AM reception in town. Their lines leak so much, their are literally sections of road I can drive down and not hear anything coming through on the AM side except squeals, whistles, clicks, static, etc. Once I am out of the city limits and their service area, can pick up AM stations fine. Wish the FCC would come in and make them fix stuff but I know their response will be: Hey! WE'RE the government also and we'll do what we want so "F" off!"

 

[davideduardo]

The city I used to live in owns their own power lines, etc. Years ago they put a loop system in that tied all the sub-stations together so if one section of town or sub-station had an outage they could switch things around and bypass the "fault" and get power back to people. In the process they basically destroyed AM reception in town.

I recall, in the very early 1960's, I started hearing noise when I fired up my 18-tube Hammarlund HQ-180 for some serious DX. With a transistor radio, I walked around the neighborhood and determined it was coming from several electrical poles in my backyard and those of my nearest neighbors, about 150 feet or more from the house.

A DXer friend who was an engineer at Thompson-Ramo-Woolridge explained to this ignorant teenager that it was likely leakage over dirt or dust on the line insulators, and to call CEI, "The Illuminating Company" and report it.

I did. Within days, they came and cleaned all the insulators along the block. A supervisor knocked on the door, and my mother was home as I was at school, and he reported that the problem was solved and thanked us for reporting it. The noise was gone.

Try that today!

 

[Hyrum]

The safety argument is comes from DHS, that requires these stations to be on the air in the event of an emergency, so that information can be conveyed to the public. DHS doesn't distinguish between AM, FM or TV in its rules. They apply equally.

Oh my! Does DHS know about the number of AM stations which broadcast at powers like 26 watts during nighttime hours? Will they require emergencies only happen during daytime hours when stations are at full power? Will DHS arrange for a staff to be brought to the computer operated AM station to give out actual information from a source to be named later in the event of an emergency? DHS must not understand human nation if they think the 12 dollar an hour "attendant" at a failing local AM station is going to hang around to give out information in the event of a dangerous emergency. I don't believe that DHS may actually be prepared for an emergency. I'm fear that the AM stations on my car present may not be as valuable as they claim. If I drive five miles out of town, I can sometimes understand WOR through all the static and noise. They seem well staffed so I'll listen to them when the world begins to end.

 

[davideduardo]

Oh my! Does DHS know about the number of AM stations which broadcast at powers like 26 watts during nighttime hours? Will they require emergencies only happen during daytime hours when stations are at full power?

No, they know that the FCC has always allowed AMs to run at full daytime power in emergencies. In Florida hurricane situations in the past, this has been a common practice.

Will DHS arrange for a staff to be brought to the computer operated AM station to give out actual information from a source to be named later in the event of an emergency?

No, they will activate the emergency system which can "take over" stations automatically even if nobody is there.

DHS must not understand human nation if they think the 12 dollar an hour "attendant" at a failing local AM station is going to hang around to give out information in the event of a dangerous emergency.

And they system is not based on that assumption.

I don't believe that DHS may actually be prepared for an emergency. I'm fear that the AM stations on my car present may not be as valuable as they claim. If I drive five miles out of town, I can sometimes understand WOR through all the static and noise. They seem well staffed so I'll listen to them when the world begins to end.

And every AM and FM station in the country and even in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Somoa can be part of a local, regional or national system of notification and information.

 

[Hyrum]

If the marketplace determined the things available in cars, seatbelts would be the first thing to go.

Then the marketplace would allow them to be ordered as an extra cost option and some guys who want them may have to give up spending 10 bucks a pack for cigarettes in order to finance them. But they could supplement their unhealthy habits with money saved by not ordering an AM radio for the car.

 

[CTListener]

No, they know that the FCC has always allowed AMs to run at full daytime power in emergencies. In Florida hurricane situations in the past, this has been a common practice.

Ah, the good old "Friday Night Football or Apocalypse Exception"!

 

[pclover]

I recall, in the very early 1960's, I started hearing noise when I fired up my 18-tube Hammarlund HQ-180 for some serious DX. With a transistor radio, I walked around the neighborhood and determined it was coming from several electrical poles in my backyard and those of my nearest neighbors, about 150 feet or more from the house.

A DXer friend who was an engineer at Thompson-Ramo-Woolridge explained to this ignorant teenager that it was likely leakage over dirt or dust on the line insulators, and to call CEI, "The Illuminating Company" and report it.

I did. Within days, they came and cleaned all the insulators along the block. A supervisor knocked on the door, and my mother was home as I was at school, and he reported that the problem was solved and thanked us for reporting it. The noise was gone.

Try that today!

If only PG&E in California was like that today. I've reported problems including visible arcing on insulators, Arcing on the HV side of the transformer, and loud ratting noises and there answer is we don't care. They never call back and don't address the problems.

Even once caught a pole guy wire arcing to a tree. On that one i called the fire department because that was serious. Seems this is only time they respond...

Even after being sued and killing people their answer is we still don't care. I guess they rather kill people or start fires because it's cheaper then pro active maintenance.