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Noise killing AM radio
- Thread starter jimbo
- Start date
With all due respect, that's just silly. You can't make that prediction. Many communities around the affected areas will continue to function at unpredictable levels. The facts are that failing utility transformers and substations around floods and earthquakes alone, will generate massive amounts of noise for miles.
I don't care how little noise there is, none of those stations puts a signal over the Southland that can be heard in the daytime.
KNZR, at the awful 1560 frequency, has less signal towards LA than KUZZ on 550 (but neither is listenable, even with reduced noise.)
Really? Not me. Not one that works, anyway. And I work in the business.
Your basing your statement on the assumption that those substations will actually be receiving power -- however, transmission lines may also be down -- in many places. Which means those transformers and substations may be powerless.
While it's true that none of us have a crystal ball and can see exactly what happens during the future, the fact is that the Big One will happen and it will be disastrous. And according to the government studies I read online, the coastal areas will be powerless for weeks, or possibly months. They even mention AM radio as an important emergency information tool.
Here in earthquake territory where I live (two separate major faults), at night I can hear at least 5-6 regionals from East of the Cascades, California, and Canada on a regular basis at night. They can be heard even on a decent Walkman. It's not much different out on the coast, where the Cascadia fault will wreak more havoc. Information received at night is better than no information at all.
brettbutlerisok
Leading Participant
Right. At night, sure. If no radio station west of I-5 can operate (west and east in the southland probably) LA, SD, and TJ will have no radio during the day.
Yeah maybe the Cascadia, in the north-west. Big One or Cascadia, most of the Central Valley will be fine.
Southern San Andreas runs through Ft. Tejon, to just west of Coalinga. Think liquefaction. The southern Central Valley will not be fine.
One of the earlier posters listed off all hos portables. All FM. Car radio is a good idea unless you have a BMW.
So for the 'big one' AM news will have to come from KOMO and for Cascadia KGO.
One of the earlier posters listed off all hos portables. All FM. Car radio is a good idea unless you have a BMW.
So for the 'big one' AM news will have to come from KOMO and for Cascadia KGO.
As BigA commented, I'm willing to bet that .0001% of the population still knows where they have a working battery powered AM-FM radio.
What is easy to predict is when the big one hits the west coast, people will default to their cell phones and will panic when they can't get a working cell. Will they then think-gee, I'll tune in KOMO from Seattle or KGO from San Francisco for news? Nope! They will wander around looking for a phone signal or curl up into the fetal position.
What is easy to predict is when the big one hits the west coast, people will default to their cell phones and will panic when they can't get a working cell. Will they then think-gee, I'll tune in KOMO from Seattle or KGO from San Francisco for news? Nope! They will wander around looking for a phone signal or curl up into the fetal position.
brettbutlerisok
Leading Participant
Wrong. If KNBR could stay on through loma prieta, KMJ way over in Orange Cove will stay up for "the big one". Never heard of Cascadia before this thread, did some quick reading, seems that many will be effed.
I agree with Kelly A. Heck even if they knew to go try the car radio, I don't think most millennials would think of that until they were getting bored and wanted to hear some tunes. Then they would try to listen to the radio, while they charge their phones, so they can listen to their own tunes.
They will kill the car battery cause they are to stupid to start the car.
Unless it's hot or cold. They would start the car to use the heater or AC.
You're assuming the radio stations would stay on the air, their studios weren't damaged, their generators were operational, and their antennas wouldn't be damaged by the quake. Also assuming that emergency officials allowed radio employees to go to their stations. During Katrina, lots of radio employees were evacuated from their stations, and weren't allowed to return until many days later.
Grounded Grid
Frequent Participant
... and the officials learned from that.
Will everyone stay on the air? Unlikely. However, one thing Katrina did bring out was an astounding level of cooperation among competing broadcasters. Between them all, most areas managed at least some coverage. We even had a couple of our larger chains, up here in Seattle, send some of their engineers to LA to help. It may be a mess out there, but between the officials, the broadcasters and the amateurs, there will likely be way too much talent and equipment laying around for something not to get out.
Will everyone stay on the air? Unlikely. However, one thing Katrina did bring out was an astounding level of cooperation among competing broadcasters. Between them all, most areas managed at least some coverage. We even had a couple of our larger chains, up here in Seattle, send some of their engineers to LA to help. It may be a mess out there, but between the officials, the broadcasters and the amateurs, there will likely be way too much talent and equipment laying around for something not to get out.
vchimpanzee
Walk of Fame Participant
In 2006 I still had a 1984 Buick. I was on my way home from the beach and happened to push a button. I think I was trying to get to Rush Limbaugh on 1110 WBT. The closest button I had available was for 1150 WBAG, which I sometimes listened to in the Greensboro area. But that station had more and more talk as the years passed. I found out 1150 WAVO in Charlotte had a stronger signal. It was a Christian station which may have had talk at that time of day, or it may have had Southern gospel music. I'm not sure. A year later I got a 1997 Mercury. Not long after that WAVO was playing standards. So it would have been nice to have that station in the same location, only I didn't. And on the way home from the beach in future years, I couldn't even pick up WBT. 50,000-watt WBT. Which I had picked up farther to the east in past years. There's some kind of screaming that sometimes clears up. It isn't as bad for some reason if I turn the air conditioning on. Fortunately, Rush had moved to FM in a nearby market. I was about to lose the signal, but there was nothing else worth hearing.
That's why it's important to get yourself a ham radio license and a decent mobile rig. If nothing else you'll improve your geek quotient and impress your friends.
Whether a tower stays vertical is a highly uncertain thing. Here is a picture of another San Francisco station right after Loma Prieta.
R
Radio-X
Guest
Amen! And its never been cheaper or easier to do than right now...the testing crew at your local ARRL or Ham Radio organization are pretty darned happy to help you get it as well. No need for pricey study guides when you have the magic of the Googletron at your fingertips.
My cost for an HT+upgraded antenna+license was a hair over $70. Comes with a halfway decent FM broadcast tuner built in (that can be quickly modified to transmit on those frequencies if you're into that) That's about what you'd pay for a decent portable radio that's good enough to pick up AM/SW through the muck+mire of noise these days...
In the hypothetical SHTF scenario, I'd rather be equipped with a decent ham radio and my tried and true black powder rifle than an AM/FM radio and a cache of weapons.
Radio-X
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brettbutlerisok
Leading Participant
Wow. Remembering that story from the man on one of the light standards at Candlestick during the quake.
And then you can attend meetings, where grey hared white guys can argue about what color the group embroidered polo shirts will be. Important, life saving stuff like that..
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