Yeah, I don't know. It's been the hot topic at HB yesterday and today, but I haven't a clues what their talking about or what the "real reason" might be or how it relates to being in it's "last decade". Admittedly it's got me real curious, I suspect it doesn't actually have any direct relation to part 15 at all, and likely not even have anything to do with the AM band..
https://www.hobbybroadcaster.net/community/index.php?topic=20117.msg86102;topicseen#msg86102
Be honest with you, it's bugging the hell out of me, but at the same time I suspect if I was able to see the thread I would discover it's really nothing particularly significant to the hobby.. but I'm still curious.
Wow! that forum really leaves you hanging doesn't it!! Maybe Bill knows something
You were a member once? Can't you get in to see what it is?
Wait...Gerry at Procaster is a member and he can get in to see and I will contact today to get the answer.
But it is right as I have posted what you can see there. The two big AM transmitter makers are one man companies and are aging and as I already posted Procaster has said when the current stock runs out that will be it.
I's bugging me too but I will find out!!
I was a very active member for years but when he went subscription based he blocked me from access - I kind of knew that would happen though, Bill and I had been having a few differences for awhile, so I had expected my bann. Doesn't bother me except for times like this when curiosity grabs hold.
Like I said, I suspect the mystery topic doesn't actually have any direct connection with the AM band or part 15, but still somehow creates a unique talking point in regard to the hobby.
It's probably related to this. You get these kinds of discussions at HB quite often and it's usually just click bait to generate responses. A lot of time they're not very current, either.
I wouldn't worry about it. By the time the FCC gets around to doing something about this (other than threatening the licenses of broadcasters whose content they don't like), there will be a new administration in place, with different actors.
@artisan-radio Seems that this from the FCC is to deregulate. I don't see how this means "the last decade for AM part 15"
I will find out.
DeFelice doesn't like criticism.
I've attempted to engage him in debate on several neutral forums. He uses fallacious arguments for the most part, such as attacking the individual rather than the premise, and then, when the going gets tough, disappears.
But not to get off topic. Micro broadcasting may change, but will never truly go away. It may not be called Part 15 (and isn't here in Canada anyway), but it will exist in some form. Even if, in the unlikely case, this FCC gets what it appears to want and corporate broadcasters under their control take over all the airwaves. There are just too many people doing it in various forms today, some legally, probably the majority illegally (with overpowered, inexpensive transmitters being easily available). Why would that change?
Even the vaunted Pirate Act has done little to curb illegal activity. If the threat of fines in the millions of dollars doesn't stop free use of the airwaves, then what will?
@artisan-radio I am waiting for a reply from Gerry at procaster as he is a member there and his transmitters are advertised there and he can see the thread.
I would be careful. Gerry might not be aware of this, but everyone else who has disclosed 'confidential' material from Hobbybroadcaster, here and elsewhere, has gotten the boot from their site.
I laughingly say 'confidential', because most of the discussion over there references public Internet links.
@artisan-radio Yeah, it probably would piss off Bill, he doesn't like any topic to fly outside the walls of his castle, he deems topics as being only for the privileged members.
That's alright, I can kind of see his point, in a way, but at the same time I see it as a completely ludicrous attitude. He sees other part 15 sites as competition, but there is no such competition perse, no potentials of loss.. The more sources and sites the better, it actually nourishes the hobby - the same principal applies in small businesses, in reality competition, though it appears a threat, always breeds growth, it creates a kind of hotspot where it wasn't before which eventually leads to more business than they had ever gotten before - because of competition. I've seen it a million times.
But whatever, it's his site, his forum, he's commander in chief there and he can run his site anyway he feels a need to. He so happens to have the need of seeing himself as king of the part 15, and he is just that - while inside HBs virtual castle walls anyway, and it can not be denied he has contributed to the hobby vastly over the last few decades.
Let it be, that's ok.
I do see it noteworthy that his "last decade" post is a clear response or reaction to part15.orgs very recent topics about "availability of certified Part 15 AM transmitters" being manufactured by "independent businessmen" who are "heading into retirement".. The topic there was obviously created based on what Mark and we were talking about a few days ago, then he made his post saying that's not why at all, then he tell the "real reason" behind it.
Point being, his sacred topic really began here.. then he picked up on it and posted about it, and now is undoubtedly criticizing and/or ridiculing us for picking it back up from over there!
This is kind of fun Bill.. am I right? Are you commenting in that thread now how the "kiddies" over here had to resort to spying on your forum for topics? Did you also tell them your posting is a direct branch of the topic we originated here? - No, you didn't tell them that part did you?
Ok, I'm done, but it was fun shining the spotlight that way .
OK here's what it is about....and I hope the folks at the other forum relax. Nothing has been taken from your site.
I came across this....another prediction of the end of commercial AM radio that is just that, an opinion NOT FACT and this must be what the talk is about over there.
https://mediaconfidential.blogspot.com/2025/09/forecast-am-radio-to-vanish-by-2034.html
But the question is, will the analog band still be there to be used by us even if this would come to pass in a decade? We would still have FM at least in Canada where it's a bit better here. I don't think this is a concern as of now as there are no plans to digitalize AM radio as far as Canada is concerned. And even if they did it wouldn't bring people back to over the air broadcasts if they abandon it for other sources of programming.
As for EVs not all have abandoned AM, only some and passing the AM for all vehicles act would cure that. AM is not ending, other than the opinions of those that would like to see it gone.
For some good news I was speaking to Gerry and he is upset about no sales and Trump's tariffs that he reacted but has told me today that he doesn't have plans to stop production of Procasters AM and FM. And at the rate of sales they will be around for "as long as us" meaning him and I.
I loved the guys radio dial logo at the link.
The "real reason" Bill alluded to was probably specifically this: (quoted from the article):
"Previously, he has warned of AM's obsolescence, framing it as a medium increasingly irrelevant to younger generations and ill-equipped for modern consumption. ... ..
Audience Aging and Generational Drop-Off: Drawing from US data like Nielsen's Edison Research reports, Cridland points to AM's reliance on listeners over 55. Younger cohorts (under 35) show near-zero engagement, with time spent listening to traditional radio (including AM) halving in the last two decades for teens. In a 2025 Radioland edition, he references UK trends mirroring the US, where listening among 10-18-year-olds has fallen nearly 50% in 20 years—extrapolating this to the US, he implies AM could see its core demographic "age out" without replenishment. .."
@mark Thanks for that by the way, he's got a good point, the younger generation don't listen to AM. So when the present "old generation" dies out there won't be an AM audience left.
Of course that could change if AM programming geared itself to the younger generation with some form of entertainment or something... Anything other than drone-on-for-hours political option commentary's and such.
Yeah, I don't buy it.
If the so-called younger generation can buy up obsolete computing equipment for vastly inflated prices for the purpose of retro gaming, then who's to say that AM might not be in the same boat a decade or two from now. Retro Radio. Has a nice ring to it.
.For some good news I was speaking to Gerry and he is upset about no sales and Trump's tariffs that he reacted but has told me today that he doesn't have plans to stop production of Procasters AM and FM. And at the rate of sales they will be around for "as long as us" meaning him and I.
Told you so, and I don't even know Gerry, but do know knee jerk reactions. He was just momentarily fed up, then relaxed and got over it. That is good news. You ought to pitch him what I said about the Tiny Churches.
Yeah, I don't buy it.
If the so-called younger generation can buy up obsolete computing equipment for vastly inflated prices for the purpose of retro gaming, then who's to say that AM might not be in the same boat a decade or two from now. Retro Radio. Has a nice ring to it.
You know it seems to apply to cassette tapes, LPs and turntables, reel to reels, there are multiple manufactures puting out new multiple models in multiple price ranges of this kind of equipment now. Also most recently come the mini 2 song LPs which are essentially the old 45 records (but at 33rpm).. Yeah, the younger generation certainly has a taste for the retro. Good point.