For example, I have two cars: a 2008 KIA Optima and a 2016 Toyota Corolla. Checking today while parked in my driveway in my city of 40,000, the Toyota radio produces very listenable (but not noise-free) daytime groundwave reception of WBBM and the other Chicago Class As. The lengths of those propagation paths to my location all exceed 225 miles. My Toyota radio also listenably receives a 530 kHz TIS station transmitting from a state park more than 30 miles away from me.
The KIA radio does not detect any of those signals from my receive location.
In addition to the stark differences between radio receivers I have always wondered why it is that, when the radio manufacturers ocassionally produce an excellent radio receiver the models come and go. They become available for awhile, then are discontinued.
It would be better for we consumers if the best radios remained available for longer periods of time.
In fact, I've noticed in a relationship with Universal Radio, one of the major suppliers for the U.S., the sales staff tend not to be familiar with many of the models they distribute for the very reason that radios don't stay in their catalog for long through no fault of their own.
My current OEM car radio (2013 Ford Flex) has a HORRIBLE (and I do mean horrible) AM section. I can barely pick up the strongest local stations on it. The FM is OK, but not great. And this is a relatively expensive vehicle.
The radio in my previous car, an econo Nissan Cube, was fantastic. One of the more sensitive (other than aftermarket) radios I've used, and the AM section was sensitive and noise free.
You can't really talk about signal quality and range unless you specify the receiver you use.
Receiver quality is as much of a factor in how far your signal will go as the transmitter power, even for commercial stations.
When someone asks me if talking about my hobby station how far you can go I always say there's no set distance, it depends on your radio.
The radio in my Chevy Cobalt is the same radio they had in the Buicks and it's very good on AM and FM.
Mark
Also antenna placment is critical along with the type. 4 inch Rubber Ducks can't be too efficient on FM let alone AM. My Honda Pilot has an in-glass antenna on the driver rear window. My Ford F-150 has a 31 inch vertical on the passenger side front. As things being equal radio-wise, guess what vehicle does best?
One of the big problems with car radios these days (particularly with AM) is noise, what with all the electronics in vehicles. The Flex is particularly succeptible to this. When the car is turned off, and the radio plays (on AM), it's much better, but still not great. When the car is running, there is a tremendous amount of hashing, whistling, etc. that completely obliterates all but the strongest signals.
With me the electric power steering motor causes a whistle or whine on AM but only on certain frequencies when the wheel is turned.
Mark
I think people develop loyalties for inferior radios because it's what they've got.
Not any more for me.
Having invested quite a bit in radios over the past few years I am now thinking about junking all of them. Each one has something wrong with it because of flawed design or manufacture.
Most recently I am hating the Grundig SATELLIT 750, which mainly is dressed up with enough buttons and display features to resemble a fancy radio, but it's packed with defects.
The audio is buggy. With the bass/treble controls set for "flat" response it sounds like the sound is coming through a large sewer pipe... very tubby and tooby. Not suitable as a reference monitor for audio production.
The voulume control sometimes INCREASES in volume when turned fully CCW, and jiggling it makes the sound pop on and off. Could be a broken solder inside.
Trying to open it up for inspection 2 out of 4 screws came free, but the remaining 2 are so thight that the heads would become stripped by an attempt to loosen them.
The "S" meter is a desirable feature for MW and SW but on FM only tops out at 4/5 of scale, being incorrectly calibrated.
Here at KDX we have a whole room full of imperfect radios and nothing in the future to keep the station alive.
I'm that close to calling the hobby done.
Sounds like the volume control could use a shot of contact cleaner if you can access the inside of the pot.
You are not going to really quit the hobby are you?
The Grundig field radio has a newer version that now also has a woofer, tweeter and port for bass and looks good. It's the 550.
https://radiojayallen.com/etongrundig-field-550-ngwfb/
Saw it here at Radioworld here in Toronto.
Mark
Mark asks: "You are not going to really quit the hobby are you?"
Oh no, I'm hooked because I need to have decent radio programs to listen to and the local stations around here couldn't be worse they are so terrible.
Plus the hobby gives me a platform to complain about the defects of radio recievers.
What I was thinking is that the inferior radios could spoil the hobby for others, people who might not be so obsessed.
Executive Solution for Control Point Radio Monitoring
On board audio systems of portable or table radios are not acceptable for critical monitoring in the Control Area of a radio station.
Yet, radios with an audio line output might be completely useable by attaching an audio amplifier and laboratory standard speaker system.
Beyond that, many interesting AM FM tuners can be found.
There comes a day when a serious radio station has got to get picky.
Beyond portable and table models is the field of rack mountable tuners.
This selection from B&H Photo Video starts out with a number of industrial-grade tuners, then scrolls through a few boom box types and kids toy room radios.
I have my eye on the Rolls HR78X AM FM Tuner.
Meanwhile, at universal-radio.com I don't see the Eton/Grundig Field 550 mentioned by Mark, maybe it's too new and will show up soon.
My last few radios came from Universal Radio and it's astounding how quickly the models come and go. One gets the impression the radio manufacturures are deliberately trying to produce disposable products that need to be replaced at regular intervals.
Thanks Mark. I saw that radio, but it doesn't display the words "Field 500", so I didn't know if it was the same one.
Also now we see on the left column alongside the radio the word "Discontinued"!
...but it's called Eton/Grundig Field on the unit.
Discontinued and the BT(blue tooth) model replaces it. Same radio(newest version)
Here it is at Radioworld here in Toronto..... https://www.radioworld.ca/eton-grundig-field-bt
And Grundig site... http://www.etoncorp.com/en/productdisplay/field-bt
And Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K2LQAZ0/ref=sr_ob_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506377781&sr=8-1
Mark