<div dir="ltr">I like AM. I listen in the car to 5Live and others (including the cricket on LW), and I also listen at home - mainly at night since I can't stand the World Service jingles (or content) during the night. Crystal clear sound quality is overrated...I like the 'radioness' (radioicity?) of listening of AM - the crackle, hum, distorition etc etc all give it warmth and, especially when listening to overseas stations, a wonderful sense of 'otherness'.<div>I'd love to hear more AM in the UK...but also recognise that in the digital age its fuzziness and humanity are unwelcome guests for many radio managers who prefer cold hard delivery. ;)</div><div><br></div><div>Eryl </div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 9:48 AM, Tony Bailey <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ravensound@pilgrimsound.co.uk" target="_blank">ravensound@pilgrimsound.co.uk</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<div>MF/AM (medium/long wave) is a legacy
system with older listeners predominantly, but we, the Aussies and
Americans still find it useful. It is possible to listen to it on
a battery powered radio which will run for days on a couple of
AA's. In the US they even extended the medium wave band, which
could be done here now as many receivers cover up to 1700 kHz.
It's ability to cross boundaries has sometimes been useful
although less cost effective now. As always, given relatively free
access to broadcasting excess demand has driven the need to
exploit any available waveband and this will continue until cheap
mobile internet radio takes over. <br>
<br>
There are a couple of ways I would look at AM community
applications: Low power AM as a way to get a better deal on music
licensing (fingers crossed!) for an essentially web only radio; or
higher power AM coupled with an online (decent quality) receiver
selling promotion to the served community. As with FM the
transmission site is critical. Keep away from domestic housing
and look for high ground conductivity, this is particularly
important with short aerials (less than 1/4 wave). To save costs,
you could reduce power overnight as audience numbers will often be
low and incoming interference high (the permitted power would not
overcome it anyway). There are still quite a few car radios with
AM for the dedicated listeners.<br>
<br>
Tony Bailey<br>
<br>
<br>
On 17/02/16 02:45, James Cridland wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
AM is being switched off all over Europe, including here in the
UK.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>AM receivers are being removed from cars (BMW one of the
first), will never be in most microprocessor-powered
electronics, like mobile phones.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The sound quality is relatively dire, the electricity costs
are huge, the interference is growing, the user experience
lacking, the audience is falling away. Many AM masts are nearing
the end of their life cycle.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>AM isn't an equivalent platform to FM, therefore; and you'd
be crazy to want to use it.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>(It is still quite large in Australia, for coverage reasons,
incidentally, but I still worry about its future here too).</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr">On Wed, 17 Feb 2016, 12:36 AM Ian Hickling <<a href="mailto:transplanfm@hotmail.com" target="_blank">transplanfm@hotmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">We have been trying for over 8 months now
to together a reliable and predictable AM transmission
system together for a Client (sadly not a CMA Member)
who insists on taking an AM frequency rather than
pushing Ofcom for FM.
<div>We're now looking at a 600W transmitter from
Bulgaria.<br>
<div>Can I ask for some views please?</div>
<div><span>Does anyone have anything positive to say
about Ofcom's policies of:</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Offering AM as an equivalental platform to FM?</li>
<li>Offering only AM if an Applicant wants greater
coverage than a 5km radius</li>
<li>Offering AM licences on a countrywide basis in
the second half of 2016</li>
</ul>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Thanks for whatever you can contribute</div>
</div>
<div><br>
<div>
<div><b>Ian Hickling</b><br>
</div>
Partner<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.transplanuk.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=""></a>
<div><i>Office: 01635 578435 (7am-11pm UK time)</i></div>
<div><i>Carphone: 07530 980115 (only responds when
driving)</i></div>
<div><i>6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS</i></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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