In this letter to the editor, the author comments on the story “John Kean Explores AM Interference Issues.” Radio World welcomes letters to the editor on this or any story. Email [email protected].
I am glad to see John Kean is taking interest in AM radio and one of its major issues noise. More significant than noise, however, is the disinterest of station owners in providing quality programming. For the most part, they simply plug in a satellite program and let it run with no local input at all!
Yes, there are some very good AM stations on the dial. I will listen to them even if the program audio is only 3 dB above the noise because they offer quality programming. We need owners to become genuinely interested in their AM facilities and not just cast them aside.
Most of the good AM content comes from either the 50 kW clear channel operations or the small-town stations serving their communities well with a fully-staffed radio station.
Now regarding the noise issue: I don’t think it will ever be possible to eliminate the noise generated by all the cheap switching power supplies in nearly every device today. One solution which may sound drastic is this: Since the AM noise problem is not confined to the U.S. and involves Canada, Mexico, Cuba and almost every other country, perhaps it’s time to look into a blanket 3 dB power increase for every AM station.
Although this would not be a massive increase in field intensity the extra couple of mV, it might make a significant difference. Especially in major cities where, for example, 100 mV could turn into 140 mV and override some of the noise!
If this were done across the board, while the interference issue would become worse, just like when all the Class IV stations went from 250 watts to 1 kW, it provided enough signal to make previously unlistenable stations now easily listenable.
