Just checking out a couple recent Radio World articles concerning AM. While this article didn't strike me as particularly noteworthy (it just doesn't seem to say anything intriguing or new), I guess it's still worth a mention (maybe I just gleamed too quickly over something genuinely significant). If nothing else it at least illustrates a proactive attitude, and it does address an issue our stations have to deal with.
John Kean Explores AM Interference Issues
Consultant continues challenge to maintain AM’s viability https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/news-makers/john-kean-explores-am-interference-issues
Unfortunately, manmade RF noise has been a source of increasing concern, causing some to write off AM as a lost cause. Others take a more hopeful view on AM’s viability; one of these is consulting engineer John Kean. ... RF noise in the medium-wave part of the spectrum to be one of the biggest technical problems for AM radio by far.... This got me interested in working with the AM improvement group, ...
This nextone I found a little more interesting, although not applicable for part 15 station perhaps some creative ideas might could be extrapolated somehow.
Skirt Antenna Helps Reimagine AM Radio
1370 KWRM looks to serve L.A. and San Bernardino with innovative setup
https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/facilities/skirt-antenna-helps-reimagine-am-radio-in-socal
"Homburger believes no tower has been built recently like this in the U.S. ... ..
He said the skirt antenna has provided better bandwidth. With a broadband AM receiver, he said, fidelity is analogous to that of an FM signal. ...if you can’t diplex somewhere else, this is a feasible way to make a station sound and propagate even better using a minimal amount of land for a short tower. ...“A flared skirt is a set of symmetrically spaced cables around the tower, which attach electrically near the top of the tower, extend outward from the tower along a path similar to the top guy cables, and then turn back in toward the tower base at a point roughly halfway down the tower,” . Insulators at this midpoint insulate the cables from ground. .. .. The resulting flared skirt takes the shape of a diamond, looking rather like umbrella spokes.”
I noticed the featured station airchain includes a particular Angry Audio processor that had always interested me since they came out, but generally beyond the average part 15 station budget (at least mine).
Smoothing the sound is an Angry Audio Chameleon, which Homburger likens to a modern Compeller: “It brings up the average modulation without sounding overly taxing.”
This bothers me, from the Radioworld article,
"There is another relatively new noise source that could affect both indoor and outdoor or mobile AM reception. This is the technology that’s being developed for wirelessly charging electric vehicles. These are very powerful RF interference sources — 10 kW power supplies in one’s garage. This is something that broadcasters really need to get the FCC to focus on. We have to make sure that emission levels are limited."
This bothers me. Why?! Why all this new stuff all the time and having to go wireless without taking into consideration the adverse effects? You can't just plug a charger into the car? If no cares about the interference to radio reception when they come out with this stuff they should be forced to by the FCC and ISED with regulations.
As for the switching power supplies I am guilty myself for adding to the interference. They power my own station. Transmitter, processor, computer, and everything else too. The FCC should enforce standards that the have to adhere to a minimum of interference. They mandate these for energy saving but what about not causing interference, although some are better than others in quality. All are not equal.
This bothers me, from the Radioworld article,
"There is another relatively new noise source that could affect both indoor and outdoor or mobile AM reception. This is the technology that’s being developed for wirelessly charging electric vehicles. These are very powerful RF interference sources — 10 kW power supplies in one’s garage. This is something that broadcasters really need to get the FCC to focus on. We have to make sure that emission levels are limited."
This bothers me. Why?! Why all this new stuff all the time and having to go wireless without taking into consideration the adverse effects? Yo...
It's almost funny, "Hey, instead of using a cable to transfer that 10kw of electricity three feet to that connection, let's just blast all that energy through the air in that direction!" Not only a sure sign of producing excessive interference but it also sounds extremely inefficient. What a waste of energy.
For example, a wifi connection uses more energy than a wired one. But that's very small scale example.
You know, considering the second article about the antenna... I just went back to see if there had been any comments to the article, there were none, no option for it. Anyway it just occurred to me on mention of the same at HB. I won't bother with the link because it's inaccessible to most of us anyway, but I notice over at HB in the thread New Antenna Option for Class B, C, & D AM Stations on the Horizon, Bill says
" It's no secret that I've been working with ISS to develop upgraded antennas for their AM TIS stations and a high power higher efficiency antenna."
Somehow my gut tells me that in reality any involvement he might have (if any) in the antenna development would be insignificant. maybe he sent some emails or ideas or something. He is quite apt (and known for) deceptive spins of the facts as a means of promoting himself. It's a consistent trait, so I tend to doubt he has any instrumental involvement with it at all. I think his statement is an inaccuracy. But that's just my gut, it might just be something I ate.
Nothing personal Bill, lol