The Fate Of AM Radio


What is the fate of AM Radio?

I have a feeling FM will become too crowded to fill the need for more FM Translators, full power AM stations will get to the point where the cost of operating in a hostile environment (ie man made noise) will no longer be cost effective and either go dark or turn to the internet to carry their programming which is what is happening over in Europe.

While maybe the heritage stations like WLW, WLS, KDKA could hold on a bit longer, in the end i honestly believe AM will become a memory, leaving it wide open for part 15 operators to play on. And i do mean play, i don't want to come off as a doom sayer or negative about the future of AM but the noise levels and costs of running high powered AM facilities don't add up. I just don't see how these stations can over come the noise problem because the problem isn't being addressed by the FCC, AM BCB owners have brought this to the FCC's attention but the commission doesn't seem to care, if it's not about a new more efficient way to to get wifi every where on the continent then they just aren't interested.

I find myself losing interest in radio a little more each day, maybe not losing interest but i certainly haven't been putting much effort into it.
I have been messing around with 2-way radio's in the CB Band,GMRS/FRS and even MURS Shoot, i am almost a ham operator without the license, i will however apply for a license in the GMRS band after having some folks grumbling about users not having licenses.

















Either way,
i am still doing radio, even if it isn't a broadcast station.

Comments

  1. This post is just a rant, a mini rant.
    I don't want to discourage anyone from experimenting with radio, transmitters and antennas. I just feel like the radio landscape is changing and not in a good way.

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