Folks, I'd like you guys to ponder this question: what would happen if the FCC decided to close down and discard the AM band? Where would radio stations like WBZ, WRKO and WROL end up? Would they be on an HD radio subchannel? Would they go into an expanded FM band? Or would they go out of business? Please let me hear from you. Thanks.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE FCC DECIDED TO CLOSE DOWN THE AM BAND?
- Thread starter blackgold
- Start date
WNTIRadio said:
Old-timers will tell you about getting police calls over skywave, back when the police band was just below the 160-meter ham band, in the 1700-1800 kHz range.
If the A.M. band were done away with, I'd pretty much give up radio as the F.M. band offers very little of anything interesting, save college radio. I am also opposed to A.M. stations that once or still have a sister F.M. in the same C.O.L. that the A.M. station started getting xlators. If you simulcast, switch off the A.M. side. This happened in Starke, Fl. with WEAG/1490. It simulcast WEAG-FM/106.3 & went dark this past December. But, it had the F.M. to carry on the legacy.
With the possible exception of some Radio Disney listeners
Carlin's radio routine (Wonderful WINO, I think) mentions where he station is, "just below the police calls, kids!"
Carlin's radio routine (Wonderful WINO, I think) mentions where he station is, "just below the police calls, kids!"
leegart said:
We've been hearing that AM is an old man's band for what, 10 years? 20? Maybe by now it's no one under 40 or 45 who'd notice AM's demise.
F
fmradio1
Guest
It's already pretty close to dead outside of a few big signals in countries like Canada and the UK. It won't happen right away here, but in a few years you'll see more operators just turn in their AM licenses, as it won't be cost effective to keep them on the air. If this starts happening frequently, you could see the FCC finally declare the band dead. They could do what Canada did...find owners an FM option if possible, either full signal or a translator, in return for turning in their AM license.
fmradio1 said:
That could potentially help AM radio: less competition, slightly more available revenue, and far less nighttime interference. No matter how bad it gets, and it is bad, the FCC won't declare the band because, as has been pointed out, it's a source of revenue for the Commission. I take no joy in seeing stations go dark, but the herd needs to be weeded out.
KeithE4 said:
The FCC has a situation where it needs to come up with a minority ownership plan. They've had hearings on it many times, but really have no way of solving the situation. My take is they're hoping at some point to take the AM band or a portion of the spectrum and designate it for minority ownership. Another alternative would be to turn it over to local emergency officials for local information.
When it's said like that I get this chill up my spine that the band needs to be Darwined. Most (but not all) sentiment from this seems to come from DXers who miss being able to hear KFI on the east coast (or something to that effect). I like having as many stations on as possible IF they are truly serving their communities (and merely putting an electrical signal over a geographic area doesn't pass muster with me). With all of that being said: if I had an A.M. station that was a stand-alone and it once had an F.M. sister, I would try to make my programming the best so the most amount of money possible would be coming in so I could purchase the F.M. (if the C.O.L.s were the same) and then simulcast until the A.M. station was ready to be phased out. I realized, if you asked somebody in 1920 if they thought these radio stations would be around in 90 or 100 years, would they think they would be? I think some would say not. I was involved with a station that was signed off so another station could increase power but the station in question could have survived if the ownership had not been so short-sighted. So, what I'm trying to say is I'm conflicted. I think the stations themselves may not be as lame (like an animal is lame, not the slang usage) as the owners. At the same time, if I had that theoretical A.M. station that could be taken off per the criteria I listed above, I would give it one HUGE sendoff! An appreciation party for the A.M. station for the community at a park or something. "Thank you NXXX AM 1234 from Anytown and NXXX-FM 98.7!"Schuyler said:
"I like having as many stations on as possible IF they are truly serving their communities (and merely putting an electrical signal over a geographic area doesn't pass muster with me)."
Unfortunately the following equation is true:
Satellite dish + computer + AM transmitter + space on a tower = AM radio station on the cheap. Sometimes there's even an engineer watching things. This is what the AM band has become.
Unfortunately the following equation is true:
Satellite dish + computer + AM transmitter + space on a tower = AM radio station on the cheap. Sometimes there's even an engineer watching things. This is what the AM band has become.
Thinning out the AM band is not a bad idea, but I'd also have the FCC strongly enforce the Part 15 interference laws. Letting the big signals (KYW, WBZ,WFAN et.al) is good, but some frequencies get blasted by trans-Atlantic or -Pacific signals running much higher power than is run here in the US.
For an example during Critical Hours in late fall/winter, WWKB and semi-local WCHE get buried by skywave from a 500 kW station in China, and a 2000 kW monster in NW Saudi Arabia on 1521 kHz. These two create a screaming 1 kHz howl that buries Buffalo. Another 1 kHz high example is the problem WLS and WAMG have on 890. An Algerian on 891 pretty much buries them with a 600 kW signal..and again that howl. We can clean the band up, but still need to deal with incoming skywave.
For an example during Critical Hours in late fall/winter, WWKB and semi-local WCHE get buried by skywave from a 500 kW station in China, and a 2000 kW monster in NW Saudi Arabia on 1521 kHz. These two create a screaming 1 kHz howl that buries Buffalo. Another 1 kHz high example is the problem WLS and WAMG have on 890. An Algerian on 891 pretty much buries them with a 600 kW signal..and again that howl. We can clean the band up, but still need to deal with incoming skywave.
- Status