Re: [PLUG] AM bye bye

[jeffv via plug <plug@lists.phillylinux.org>]

fascinating discussion on many levels

On 7/10/22 17:25, Steve Litt via plug wrote:

> > broadcast radio is dead.
>
> I hope not.

We get the least common denominator.


> > It just hasn't realized it yet.
> > Philly radio is a prime example. One group owns most of the stations.
>
> This is a problem. At one time the FCC limited how many stations one
> organization could own, but those days are gone.

I shot myself in the foot here (again) because I don't want them 
involved in anything (except maybe freq allocation). But it's the truth.



> > AM is highly susceptible to noise and dropouts - nature of the beast.
>
> Plus AM is nothing but 24/7 religion, 24/7 politics, and 24/7 sports.
> Almost all the strong shortwave stations I receive here in Orlando FL,
> on my MFJ-8100K regenerative shortwave radio, are 24/7 ultra-religion.

there are many guides for shortwave. While I agree, you can find other 
broadcasters and even a pirate or 2. Different bands open up at 
different times. If interested, you can listen in on the hams. Don't 
know much about your radio, but there are some great ones available now. 
Grundig and Tecsun are popular mfgrs.


> > It's a little thing, but now my car has BlueTooth/Aux in, so I can
> > listen to my own choices. It makes the ride pleasant.
>
> I see all your valid points, but have two counterpoints:
>
> 1) I've found pure music to be boring, I guess because I grew up with
>     "Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY, at beautiful US 30 drag strip, see..." and
>     it got me excited.

Agreed - this is the Taste Thing.
Being a guitar nut, no radio station works for me. *Gig of audio files 
on my phone works great. It's kinda what the market will bear, as we're 
free to go elsewhere.


> 2) Radio is the last communication medium that anybody can get into the
>     game, as a listener or a speaker, without having to pay a
>     corporation like Comcast or Facebook for the privilege. 

there are local broadcasting rules for very low power stations, which 
reach 2 of your neighbors :)  Aside from hams (require licenses), you're 
pretty limited.


>     Also think of this: After SHFT, the person who can haul his 12 volt
>     battery operated transmitter-receiver out of a couple concentric

The only people who could reliably communicate on 9-11 were the hams. 
Cell networks were jammed or down. You're dead correct.


>     metal garbage cans will have a very valuable resource. The batteries
>     can be recharged with an alternator driven by a bicycle. This sounds
>     hokie now, but a lot of things, like growing and bottling food,

Even my really straight relatives are buying emergency meals at CostCo.


Good points, Steve.
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