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Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Discussion pertaining to Detroit, Ann Arbor, Port Huron, and SW Ontario
SixPlusOne
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Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by SixPlusOne » Mon May 15, 2023 12:32 pm

You've heard about this before. Time will tell if and when it actually happens. I insert this in the forum so you will know the latest.

Courtesy: The Hill

Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

"Car manufacturers typically cite electromagnetic interference as the reason for removing the radios from EVs. Electric motors can interfere with AM radio frequencies, making it sound staticky over the airwaves."


https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_me ... ew-models/



Dan in Northville
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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by Dan in Northville » Mon May 15, 2023 2:02 pm

And cruel fate deals yet another blow to Ron Cameron Sportstalk on WPON.



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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by audiophile » Tue May 23, 2023 12:41 pm

Ford reverses decision, will offer software update to allow AM reception on two 2023 EV models:
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireSto ... s-99540219

As said earlier the hardware costs to automakers was always minimal, as the radio chipsets include AM.


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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by Ben Zonia » Tue May 23, 2023 12:55 pm

They made it sound like AM radios interfere with electric car motors, not the other way around. A large percentage of news stories are deliberately confusing, especially the headlines, which are often incomprehensible, and which could have been better written by a grade school student in the 1960s.

Watch how quickly News Talk and Sports formats will turn up on full power FMs in major markets now. Many rumors say it is when, not if, these migrations will occur. Not 99 watt and 250 watt translators either. Many have already done so, and others are on "suburban" stations, some full Class Cs, Class C0s, and C1s, which were able to move in from the more former rural areas, made possible by stations resulting from and upgrades from Docket 80-90 and subsequent rulings. Stations on second adjacents or third adjacents as C1s and C0s can be just 51 to 60 miles apart, and completely cover most major cities with a 70 dBu from the opposite side of the market from the 1960s antenna farms. Other Major Market Class Bs and Class C,C0, and C1 are performing so poorly that they are ripe to move to Talk formats.


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Rate This
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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by Rate This » Tue May 23, 2023 1:35 pm

Ben Zonia wrote:
Tue May 23, 2023 12:55 pm
They made it sound like AM radios interfere with electric car motors, not the other way around. A large percentage of news stories are deliberately confusing, especially the headlines, which are often incomprehensible, and which could have been better written by a grade school student in the 1960s.

Watch how quickly News Talk and Sports formats will turn up on full power FMs in major markets now. Many rumors say it is when, not if, these migrations will occur. Not 99 watt and 250 watt translators either. Many have already done so, and others are on "suburban" stations, some full Class Cs, Class C0s, and C1s, which were able to move in from the more former rural areas, made possible by stations resulting from and upgrades from Docket 80-90 and subsequent rulings. Stations on second adjacents or third adjacents as C1s and C0s can be just 51 to 60 miles apart, and completely cover most major cities with a 70 dBu from the opposite side of the market from the 1960s antenna farms. Other Major Market Class Bs and Class C,C0, and C1 are performing so poorly that they are ripe to move to Talk formats.
FM radio is superior in literally every way. It’s a miracle AM wasn’t abandoned entirely 30 years ago just because it sounds like hot garbage on a clear day a block from the transmitter. If everything went FM I wouldn’t be bothered.



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Ben Zonia
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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by Ben Zonia » Tue May 23, 2023 2:21 pm

AM carrier reduction techniques to save power also introduce audio distortion in my experience, as well as weakened signals that skip the scan. Now, stations with low power and no carrier reduction sound better in my experience. There's one station I observed that actually cut off with high modulation at times, like they are over modulating, and another whose field strength is reduced by 30 percent. It seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot to cut power consumption. Stations that used to sound good don't anymore.

AM BC is still superior in coverage near and beyond the radio horizon, where shadows and the earth's curvature make FM stations weak. The lower the frequency, the better, as low frequency radio waves bend in such a way that it fills the terrain and horizon signal holes.


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RedfordRob
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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by RedfordRob » Tue May 23, 2023 3:00 pm

Ford reverses plan, vows to keep AM radio for its electric, non-electric vehicles

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ ... 247434007/



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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by MWmetalhead » Tue May 23, 2023 6:52 pm

Note that Ford has only made the commitment through the 2024 model year. All bets are off after that.
Watch how quickly News Talk and Sports formats will turn up on full power FMs in major markets now. Many rumors say it is when, not if, these migrations will occur.
I'm definitely in that camp. By 2030, it will be difficult for any AM station to remain relevant, even those that currently enjoy healthy ratings. Part of the migration of spoken word programming to FM will be due to fewer music-based stations being able to coexist as FM usage for music shrinks.



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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by Ben Zonia » Tue May 23, 2023 7:10 pm

The Music formats are so fragmented today, that when one format becomes unpopular, an AM simulcast or complete move to FM may occur.

In rural areas at Night, it is difficult to get news, weather, and information from local stations, and AM skywaves are definitely useful, both the Class A protected skywaves, and the de facto listenable high power Class B skywaves.


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bmw
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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by bmw » Tue May 23, 2023 7:12 pm

What is frustrating about the state of AM radio today is that it CAN sound really good - it just usually doesn't. At least for sports and talk radio, I actually prefer the sound of a well-modulated, non-HD AM station at a wide 10 khz bandwidth over FM.

If AM stations start to disappear from the band, what I'd love to see is a re-allocation eliminating every other frequency (thereby opening spacing up to 20 khz) and allowing stations to transmit at a bandwidth up to 15 khz. This would match FM fidelity and provide a 5 khz buffer against adjacent splatter. Ditch IBOC. And also, allocate a few frequencies (I'd propose 1650, 1670, and 1690) for non-licensed use at 1 watt of power.



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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by TC Talks » Tue May 23, 2023 9:56 pm

bmw wrote:
Tue May 23, 2023 7:12 pm
What is frustrating about the state of AM radio today is that it CAN sound really good - it just usually doesn't. At least for sports and talk radio, I actually prefer the sound of a well-modulated, non-HD AM station at a wide 10 khz bandwidth over FM.

If AM stations start to disappear from the band, what I'd love to see is a re-allocation eliminating every other frequency (thereby opening spacing up to 20 khz) and allowing stations to transmit at a bandwidth up to 15 khz. This would match FM fidelity and provide a 5 khz buffer against adjacent splatter. Ditch IBOC. And also, allocate a few frequencies (I'd propose 1650, 1670, and 1690) for non-licensed use at 1 watt of power.
With no commercial viability. I'm getting bored with the theorist take on AM.


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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by CurlyHoward » Tue May 23, 2023 11:00 pm

Ben Zonia wrote:
Tue May 23, 2023 7:10 pm
The Music formats are so fragmented today, that when one format becomes unpopular, an AM simulcast or complete move to FM may occur.

In rural areas at Night, it is difficult to get news, weather, and information from local stations, and AM skywaves are definitely useful, both the Class A protected skywaves, and the de facto listenable high power Class B skywaves.
Kindly explain how one gets local news, weather and information from signals running Hannity on delay, George Noory or ESPN Radio. Which is what most skywaves do at night, and have for decades now, besides the odd outlier like WSM or 740 in Toronto. Which also don't provide local news, weather and information for people in rural areas.



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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed May 24, 2023 7:40 am

AM radio is a joke; the same industry mouthpieces defending it are the same folks rushing to put FM translators of AM stations on the air because AM is so functionally obsolescent.

There are scores of NPR affiliated FM stations that broadcast 50 kW to 100 kW ERP equivalent. Seems to me those stations should serve as of the focal point for dispensing national emergency info, not crackly AM stations found on a broadcast band much of America never uses.



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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by Mega Hertz » Wed May 24, 2023 7:26 pm

I'm okay with AM radio going away. I can come here to find out who Joe Biden personally wronged and find out that Democrats are the cause of 93% of all cancers.


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Re: Say goodbye to AM radio: Why carmakers are removing it from new models

Post by Tman » Wed May 24, 2023 7:48 pm

Just put some traffic , news and weather information stations like WWJ on FM and problem solved .



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