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What is & Why is the reason for am to cut off at night?
- Thread starter jras20
- Start date
> I always wondered what is the reason for AM to either turn
> down the power or cut off? I never realy understood that.
>
So they don't interfere with each other and 50kw "clear channel" (Not the company) AMs. AM travels much farther at night and if everybody stayed on at full power at night it would be a mess. It already is on certain frequencies like 1340 which are called "Graveyard" frequencies. Whole mess of the 1,000 watters on 1340 flood together and make 1340 just a bunch of flutter unless you are in the grade A area of your local 1340<P ID="signature">______________
AIM: JeremyA1069</P>
> down the power or cut off? I never realy understood that.
>
So they don't interfere with each other and 50kw "clear channel" (Not the company) AMs. AM travels much farther at night and if everybody stayed on at full power at night it would be a mess. It already is on certain frequencies like 1340 which are called "Graveyard" frequencies. Whole mess of the 1,000 watters on 1340 flood together and make 1340 just a bunch of flutter unless you are in the grade A area of your local 1340<P ID="signature">______________
AIM: JeremyA1069</P>
> I always wondered what is the reason for AM to either turn
> down the power or cut off? I never realy understood that.
AM (and shortwave) signals travel much farther at night due to the fact that the electrical charge in the ionospheric layer changes after sunset so that it reflects AM signals back to Earth much farther than they would normally go in the daytime.
Scan your AM dial most any nighttime, you'll hear some stations from much farther away than you would normally hear in the daytime.
Many AM stations legally must lower their power and/or change their directional pattern, or sign off at night to avoid interfering with others after sunset when AM signals travel farther.
> down the power or cut off? I never realy understood that.
AM (and shortwave) signals travel much farther at night due to the fact that the electrical charge in the ionospheric layer changes after sunset so that it reflects AM signals back to Earth much farther than they would normally go in the daytime.
Scan your AM dial most any nighttime, you'll hear some stations from much farther away than you would normally hear in the daytime.
Many AM stations legally must lower their power and/or change their directional pattern, or sign off at night to avoid interfering with others after sunset when AM signals travel farther.
> Thanks, yeah I notice I can get stations at night a lot
> frother, I can pick up out of state stations, I just wish I
> could build me a half way decent am antenna, the one I got
> now is ok, but at night it doesnt do very well, any
> suggestions?
>
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/
> frother, I can pick up out of state stations, I just wish I
> could build me a half way decent am antenna, the one I got
> now is ok, but at night it doesnt do very well, any
> suggestions?
>
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/
1
17meters
Guest
> Thanks, yeah I notice I can get stations at night a lot
> frother, I can pick up out of state stations, I just wish I
> could build me a half way decent am antenna, the one I got
> now is ok, but at night it doesnt do very well, any
> suggestions?
>
Many times the problem with receiving am is not so much the radio or the antenna..its the other stray signals in the air..from computers..tvs..water bed heaters..neon lights..etc. Make sure as much of those items are shut off when you're doing some dxing. Go sit out in the car (unless your car is a GM).. Car radios are often very good. (unless your car is a GM)
Get ahold of a CC radio or GE Superradio..Turn the computer off and you'll be amazed..
> frother, I can pick up out of state stations, I just wish I
> could build me a half way decent am antenna, the one I got
> now is ok, but at night it doesnt do very well, any
> suggestions?
>
Many times the problem with receiving am is not so much the radio or the antenna..its the other stray signals in the air..from computers..tvs..water bed heaters..neon lights..etc. Make sure as much of those items are shut off when you're doing some dxing. Go sit out in the car (unless your car is a GM).. Car radios are often very good. (unless your car is a GM)
Get ahold of a CC radio or GE Superradio..Turn the computer off and you'll be amazed..
> Whole mess of the 1,000 watters on 1340 flood together
> and make 1340 just a bunch of flutter unless you are
> in the grade A area of your local 1340.
That is, of course, unless you live where I do and your local 1340 doesn't even make it ten steps outside the city limits at night (even though the Grade A coverage should make it to about ten miles out in all directions)
Post 951 dedicated to WNKS Charlotte. That's Charlotte, North Carolina, where they actually pronounce it correctly: "SHAR-let"... unlike here in Michigan, where our Charlotte is pronounced "shar-LOT". Who the heck thought up that pronunciation?
<P ID="signature">______________
"Congratulations to Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, they had a baby yesterday. Spears said he sleeps 18 hours a day and so does the baby.
-- Conan O'Brien
http://theradioblog.blogspot.com</P>
> and make 1340 just a bunch of flutter unless you are
> in the grade A area of your local 1340.
That is, of course, unless you live where I do and your local 1340 doesn't even make it ten steps outside the city limits at night (even though the Grade A coverage should make it to about ten miles out in all directions)
Post 951 dedicated to WNKS Charlotte. That's Charlotte, North Carolina, where they actually pronounce it correctly: "SHAR-let"... unlike here in Michigan, where our Charlotte is pronounced "shar-LOT". Who the heck thought up that pronunciation?
<P ID="signature">______________
"Congratulations to Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, they had a baby yesterday. Spears said he sleeps 18 hours a day and so does the baby.
-- Conan O'Brien
http://theradioblog.blogspot.com</P>
> Many times the problem with receiving am is not so much the
> radio or the antenna..its the other stray signals in the
> air..from computers..tvs..water bed heaters..neon
> lights..etc. Make sure as much of those items are shut off
> when you're doing some dxing. Go sit out in the car (unless
> your car is a GM).. Car radios are often very good. (unless
> your car is a GM)
Or a Volkswagen with a fender-mount antenna. The AM radio is fine when the car isn't running, but after you start the engine, all you'll hear on anything but your strongest local station is the ignition, alternator, electric fuel pump, windsheild wiper motor, etc...
> radio or the antenna..its the other stray signals in the
> air..from computers..tvs..water bed heaters..neon
> lights..etc. Make sure as much of those items are shut off
> when you're doing some dxing. Go sit out in the car (unless
> your car is a GM).. Car radios are often very good. (unless
> your car is a GM)
Or a Volkswagen with a fender-mount antenna. The AM radio is fine when the car isn't running, but after you start the engine, all you'll hear on anything but your strongest local station is the ignition, alternator, electric fuel pump, windsheild wiper motor, etc...
Re: Charlotte dedication (was Re: What is & Why is the reason for am to cut off at night?)
> Post 951 dedicated to WNKS Charlotte. That's Charlotte,
> North Carolina, where they actually pronounce it correctly:
> "SHAR-let"... unlike here in Michigan, where our Charlotte
> is pronounced "shar-LOT". Who the heck thought up that
> pronunciation?
>
Charlotte, Vermont, also also places the stress on the second syllable. The town was so named to honor King George III's bride Charlotta. But so was the city in North Carolina. So why the difference in pronunciation? Young Charlotta (occasionally seen spelt as Charlotte) was German, and her name was pronounced "char-LOT-uh". In NC, what is now the booming metropolis of Charlotte, was originally called Charlotte Town. My guess is that earlier settlers had an easier time saying "SHAR-let-town" than "shar-LOT-town", and the Anglicized version stuck, even after the "Town" was dropped from the name. So Charlottes in Vermont and Michigan (and some others) are pronounced using German-based pronunciation, and Charlotte, North Carolina (as well as every female I've ever met with that name) use the Anglo-American pronunciation. There's certainly more to this, but since this is a radio message board I'll stop here.
Peace.
<P ID="signature">______________
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
-- Samuel Langhorne Clemens
</P>
> Post 951 dedicated to WNKS Charlotte. That's Charlotte,
> North Carolina, where they actually pronounce it correctly:
> "SHAR-let"... unlike here in Michigan, where our Charlotte
> is pronounced "shar-LOT". Who the heck thought up that
> pronunciation?
>
Charlotte, Vermont, also also places the stress on the second syllable. The town was so named to honor King George III's bride Charlotta. But so was the city in North Carolina. So why the difference in pronunciation? Young Charlotta (occasionally seen spelt as Charlotte) was German, and her name was pronounced "char-LOT-uh". In NC, what is now the booming metropolis of Charlotte, was originally called Charlotte Town. My guess is that earlier settlers had an easier time saying "SHAR-let-town" than "shar-LOT-town", and the Anglicized version stuck, even after the "Town" was dropped from the name. So Charlottes in Vermont and Michigan (and some others) are pronounced using German-based pronunciation, and Charlotte, North Carolina (as well as every female I've ever met with that name) use the Anglo-American pronunciation. There's certainly more to this, but since this is a radio message board I'll stop here.
Peace.
<P ID="signature">______________
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
-- Samuel Langhorne Clemens
</P>
Re: Charlotte dedication (was Re: What is & Why is the reason for am to cut off at night?)
> Charlotte, Vermont, also also places the stress on the
> second syllable. The town was so named to honor King George
> III's bride Charlotta. But so was the city in North
> Carolina. So why the difference in pronunciation? Young
> Charlotta (occasionally seen spelt as Charlotte) was German,
> and her name was pronounced "char-LOT-uh". In NC, what is
> now the booming metropolis of Charlotte, was originally
> called Charlotte Town. My guess is that earlier settlers
> had an easier time saying "SHAR-let-town" than
> "shar-LOT-town", and the Anglicized version stuck, even
> after the "Town" was dropped from the name. So Charlottes in
> Vermont and Michigan (and some others) are pronounced using
> German-based pronunciation, and Charlotte, North Carolina
> (as well as every female I've ever met with that name) use
> the Anglo-American pronunciation. There's certainly more to
> this, but since this is a radio message board I'll stop
> here.
>
> Peace.
I see... so I'm actually incorrect in saying that "shar-LOT" is the incorrect pronunciation, since it's the original German pronunciation. "SHAR-let" is actually the incorrect pronunciation, despite the fact that it's more common in our society. Hmm... interesting. I didn't know that Thanks for the info!<P ID="signature">______________
"Congratulations to Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, they had a baby yesterday. Spears said he sleeps 18 hours a day and so does the baby.
-- Conan O'Brien
http://theradioblog.blogspot.com</P>
> Charlotte, Vermont, also also places the stress on the
> second syllable. The town was so named to honor King George
> III's bride Charlotta. But so was the city in North
> Carolina. So why the difference in pronunciation? Young
> Charlotta (occasionally seen spelt as Charlotte) was German,
> and her name was pronounced "char-LOT-uh". In NC, what is
> now the booming metropolis of Charlotte, was originally
> called Charlotte Town. My guess is that earlier settlers
> had an easier time saying "SHAR-let-town" than
> "shar-LOT-town", and the Anglicized version stuck, even
> after the "Town" was dropped from the name. So Charlottes in
> Vermont and Michigan (and some others) are pronounced using
> German-based pronunciation, and Charlotte, North Carolina
> (as well as every female I've ever met with that name) use
> the Anglo-American pronunciation. There's certainly more to
> this, but since this is a radio message board I'll stop
> here.
>
> Peace.
I see... so I'm actually incorrect in saying that "shar-LOT" is the incorrect pronunciation, since it's the original German pronunciation. "SHAR-let" is actually the incorrect pronunciation, despite the fact that it's more common in our society. Hmm... interesting. I didn't know that
Thanks for the info!<P ID="signature">______________"Congratulations to Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, they had a baby yesterday. Spears said he sleeps 18 hours a day and so does the baby.
-- Conan O'Brien
http://theradioblog.blogspot.com</P>
Re: Pronunciation (OT)
> I see... so I'm actually incorrect in saying that "shar-LOT"
> is the incorrect pronunciation, since it's the original
> German pronunciation. "SHAR-let" is actually the incorrect
> pronunciation, despite the fact that it's more common in our
> society. Hmm... interesting. I didn't know that
> Thanks for the info!
>
Actually, my take is that neither is correct or incorrect. You say tomato, I say to-mah-to. Just make sure that if you're on the air somewhere close to one of these that you pronounce it the way the locals do. One town in my area that has been in the national spotlight over the past week is the tiny New Hampshire town of Alstead. Most people from out of the area pronounce the first syllable as "ALL", rhyming with "call" and "fall". Locals pronounce the first syllable "AL", rhyming with "gal" and "pal". Years ago when I first got into radio, I had a news story regarding the town and mispronounced the name. I got a call from a resident of the town who gently corrected me by saying the best way to remember the pronunciation was to think of the town being named after "some poor dead schmo named Al...as in Al's dead". Not a pretty mental image, but it works. Never made that mistake again!
Peace.
<P ID="signature">______________
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
-- Samuel Langhorne Clemens
</P>
> I see... so I'm actually incorrect in saying that "shar-LOT"
> is the incorrect pronunciation, since it's the original
> German pronunciation. "SHAR-let" is actually the incorrect
> pronunciation, despite the fact that it's more common in our
> society. Hmm... interesting. I didn't know that
> Thanks for the info!
>
Actually, my take is that neither is correct or incorrect. You say tomato, I say to-mah-to. Just make sure that if you're on the air somewhere close to one of these that you pronounce it the way the locals do. One town in my area that has been in the national spotlight over the past week is the tiny New Hampshire town of Alstead. Most people from out of the area pronounce the first syllable as "ALL", rhyming with "call" and "fall". Locals pronounce the first syllable "AL", rhyming with "gal" and "pal". Years ago when I first got into radio, I had a news story regarding the town and mispronounced the name. I got a call from a resident of the town who gently corrected me by saying the best way to remember the pronunciation was to think of the town being named after "some poor dead schmo named Al...as in Al's dead". Not a pretty mental image, but it works. Never made that mistake again!
Peace.
<P ID="signature">______________
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
-- Samuel Langhorne Clemens
</P>
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