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Our Special Event Station is happening September 7. Let us know if you will participate. Remember you can work from wherever you happen to be that day and you only need to put in the time you have available to you. You do have to be a member in good standing of DARS to participate. Email me if you plan to operate: gdick@telus.net
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Our newbie open house is this Saturday. 10am to 1pm. Drop by if you have time.
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Bill picked up an estate sale last weekend. I have the list below and if you are interested in any of the items email Bill at: victorecho7@telus.net. Don’t email me.
Kenwood 530S HF Radio (Band knob seems a little loose. Cycles through all bands but a little touchy. Radio powers on, recieves white noise, I’m not familiar with tubes though so unsure how to properly use/set up)
Kenwood AT230 Tuner
$250 for both pieces
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Yaesu 747GX HF radio W/ optional FM board in box, not installed. Compact and basic model.
Yaesu 757AT Tuner
Yaesu 757HD Power Supply
Yaesu FAS-1-4R Antenna Switch
$400 for 4 pieces
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2 X 200W SWR meters dual meter style, not cross hair. – $10ea
Cobra 148GTL SSB CB (’70s vintage) – $40
Realistic TRC-449 SSB CB – $20
AEA PK-232MBX Packet Modem (with manuals and cables and 12V DC) – $40
MFJ TNC-2 Packet Modem (with manuals and cables) – $20
Bencher Paddle BY-1? (has allan key on bottom for adjustments) with AEA KT-1 trainer, 12V DC and cables – $50
4:1 Balun & “Mystery Dipole” antenna – $20
Realistic HTX-202 VHF HT $25 (works, but needs new internal back-up battery)
Yaesu FT-208 VHF HT $5 (needs center negative 12V, minor case damage)
Kenwood HC-10 World Clock – $50
MFJ-260 300W Dummy Load – $10
2 X 3A Power Supplies – $5ea
Mic Compressor – $5
Radio Shack Roter with controller and cable – $20
TVI Supressor. – $5
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Came across an interesting article from Clay Freinwald from Seattle on the state of AM radio. I believe the same assumptions could be made for AM radio here in Canada. Have a read and check out one of his recommendations for what to do with the band.
During the show in Vegas there was a lot of talk about what to do with the place where broadcasting began, now getting attention by the Feds and others who are trying to figure out how to ‘save AM Radio’. At this stage of the game, it appears there are a number of folks are trying to fix it with a variety of band aids.
The decline in the popularity of AM, in my opinion, is due to a number of factors –
1) Regulatory
The Commish gave into pressure for more AM stations many years ago leading to a band that crammed full of signals that, in many cases, clobber each other.
Then they gave into those that thought that HD Radio would be their salvation and make AM work and sound like FM. (We all know how well that’s working.)
No one has done anything to combat the ever increasing noise floor from devices that are demodulated right along with the output of AM Stations. In short, there are no noise police.
AM stations have their frequency response limited due to channel separation issues and the FCC requirement to roll-off high frequency audio they used to be able to broadcast.
The AM band does not have sufficient channel bandwidth to permit anything but Low-Fi audio transmission – In mono!
2) Receiver manufacturers
Makers of receivers, for years, have made matters worse by limiting bandwidth effectively running AM audio through a low-pass-filter
Antennas in today’s AM receivers are almost a joke. Only C Crane appears to care about making receivers with sensitivity and decent antennas.
3) Physics
AM is subject to interference from acts of nature (Lightning and other static crashes).
Amplitude modulation just can’t compete with FM (The point Armstrong was trying to make years ago) and it certainly can’t compete with today’s digital modulation schemes that were not even thought of when AM was developed.
AM does not propagate into tunnels and under bridges.
…..And this is my short list based on a quick head-dump.
So how bad is AM doing? In the years I’ve been writing this column I’ve seen a steady drop in the ratings of AM Stations here in the Seattle area. One time powerhouse AMs (up until recently they called them Blowtorches) are becoming also-rans. Apparently power and dial position, once key ingredients for successful AMs no longer are factors. Here are some examples pulled from the latest 12+ numbers for Seattle-Tacoma (Market #13)
The highest rated AM Station is Historic 50,000 Watt KOMO at #16.
Legendary 50,000 Watt KIRO is now #21
Famous 50,000 Watt KJR is now #23.
KVI that sports 5,000 watts, full time, non-directional is at #25
50KW KIXI comes in at #26.
And here’s the clincher – KVI and KIXI are being beaten-out in the ratings by KNHC (FM) that’s run by bunch of high-school students!! Bottom line – This is a very sad situation, some would likely call it a crisis. It’s no wonder that the FCC is concerned…. they should be. So what should be done? Do we just let the AM band expire and dwindle down to just a few that are supported by their co-owned FM’s (Talk about a complete reversal) leaving the others to die, go dark, and join the famous ‘dust-heap of history”?? Or – do we do something that will pump new life into these operations?
I’m going to step out (with flack suit on) and lay out my recommendations.
1 – Open up the spectrum immediately below the existing FM band (TV channels 5 and 6 have been suggested) for aural broadcasting. (Now is the time to act before someone comes up with a use for the spectrum for more broadband).
2 – Enact an all channel radio rule that would require all receivers manufactured be capable of receiving the existing 88-108 as well as the new expanded band like we did with the expanded band AM Radios or the All-Channel TV rule.
3 – Create an allocation scheme that would insure that all existing AM stations would have priority and a level playing field being treated equally in the new-band.
4 – Set a date-certain for the process to start.
5 – Accept applications for the new band for 1 year.
6 – Grant construction permits with a required 2 year period to construct.
7 – Require simulcast operation for a period of 10 years.
8 – Sunset the existing AM band at the end of the 13th year.
9 – Perhaps require that all new-band stations operate Hybrid mode until year 13 when Analog FM could be turned off, leaving a digital-only band.
In the meantime –
1 – Do not grant more FM Translators to AM’s as all this does is clutter up the existing FM band. There is not enough spectrum for every AM to have translators anyway, especially after the FCC opened the band to LPFMs!
2 – Admit that AM HD and AM Stereo are failures and eliminate any further use of HD on the existing AM Band.
So what’s your idea for saving the legacy band?….Got a better idea? I’d love to hear it.
Oh Yes – What to do with the existing AM Band after this is all concluded? Here are some, off the top ideas –
1 – Let Amateurs (Hams) have it. Think of it as an expansion of the 160 Meter band.
2 – Create a series of true – clear channels – to be used for emergency message distribution.
Clay, K7CR, CPBE
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Have a good week everyone.