A Banana Belt Radio Project for the long term

Sound richer than FM

I have a fondness for KCJJ 1630, which comes in here in Missouri most of the time. For a long time I listened to their morning show streamed (with video) on their website. The owner did the show with a staffer on the board, took phone calls, and played records. It got really wild at times. Maybe it's still on.

The C-QUAM would make for some deep action sports !!

Hi guys!

As referenced in another thread,

I listened to KCJJ many years ago

here in CT.

1630 is blocked now, oddly enough -

by a TIS station about 1/2 a mile

down my street.

About a year ago I called KCJJ and

asked if they were still C-QUAM stereo. 

The chief engineer said yes.

I don't think they have any music shows

any more. 

Somewhere on YouTube not too long ago,

I stumbled across a stereo AM Part 15 transmitter

that used VACUUM TUBES.  That's all I remember.

I'll have to check it again. 

And yup, C-QUAM AM stereo can sound really great.  There

are YouTube videos that show that.  They are worth

checking just for the fun of it. 

I'll have to hook this computer

up to a better sound system and

liisten to the video Lefty found.

Best Wishes,

Bruce, DOGRADIO

Hi  The  am stereo c-q uam transmitter your talking about is that chris chuff did its on y tube he compared the tube am stereo transmitter with his solid state unit i metion it on my blog.

AM STEREO IS THE WAY TO GO AND IT WOULD SAVE AM !

good luck jeff

Hey Bruce !

I think that AM Stereo will be a good thing for radio if it is pushed like the old days when AM Played Music .

This is where our Part 15 stations can be a boom for AM Radio.

I remember when AM stereo came into the world back around 81 or so several stations in the midwest were trying it. On the west coast not one station in my area even gave it a try and so it never cought on around here.

It felt a lot like that AM does not sound good so to hell with it .

However I and the others who did not understand that AM could sound just as good or even better than FM if it was treated right.

So here we are 35 years later and after my time playing music on KNRY AM 1240 .

That station was trying the high def thing at the time and decided to not use it because of the noise it was making on the band. The owner of the station was working with me on getting our Station engineer to make our station sound better.

Our ratings were growing on the time shifts that I was on the air playing Indie Rock and Oldies or classic rock that the other giants won't play .

But then one day the owner got an offer He could not say no to and that was the end of the After Dark show and many other shows that were very good over all.

KNRY AM 1240 left this world as a real station for the people and now it just does church type stuff . Yep I lost my gig and I lost my momentum to bring music back to AM Radio.

I tried to do Internet based radio and it did not work well at all.

At times I would have as many as ten thousand listeners . The bandwidth costs killed me.

What a bummer is all I can say.

So part 15 looked real good over all to me at first , then the endless ground issues started and that somewhat took me away from all of this.

But I can not get away from radio and my hope for Banana Belt Radio is to make something that people will enjoy and bring music back to radio in a way that many will enjoy.

The AM Stereo thing is one more way to bring people who care about music to our part 15 staions.

We also will have to work with Small manufactures to produce radios that have the bandwtih for our part 15 stations and also have stereo systems that can listen to our Stations with all of the might of our sound and our music .

I might have gone a bit off subject here.

But I really want to help bring music to radio in a way that makes people smile and makes advertisers want to help keep our little stations going.

I know longer look at part 15 am stations as little stations.

With the multi transmitter stuff and our kick ass Transmitters I feel we can really change the way things are done.

I only hope that I am not the only one who sees this.

Joe

Lefty or what ever or who ever I am.

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade.

But there is a huge installed base of radio receivers that can't receive AM stereo.  It's doubtful that people will want to replace those receivers, even if the manufacturers are convinced that stereo AM is the way to go for the future (and that's highly doubtful, given the array of other entertainment choices out there).

I believe the answer to saving AM radio lies in the programming, combined with alternative methods of signal distribution, such as the Internet.

Better programming has been discussed many times here.  And certainly, anything is better than the mindless sports/political/religious etc. talk shows that proliferate throughout the AM broadcast band today.

There are alternative methods of Internet distribution other than streaming.  Publish a show as a Podcast, and place it on a file distribution server, where you won't get hit with bandwidth costs.  Or post it to Usenet and let people download it on their own dime.  Or convince sites such as this one to host your Podcast.  If it's popular enough to attract over 10,000 online streaming listeners, then I'm sure that hosting sites can be found.  Even though currently the ALPB is financially a labour of love, perhaps with growth and even sponsors, the ALPB web site could host Podcasts.

In any radio station, there are really 2 divisions - those that produce the shows (i.e. - the creativity) and those that sell the advertising and promote the shows (i.e. - the business).  There are 2 different skill sets involved in each division, and it's difficult for any one individual to have both.  I recognize that there is also a 3rd division - the engineering side of the equation - but I'm going to largely ignore that for now.

Most of the people who post here and that are in the ALPB are aligned towards the creative side (and/or the engineering side).  Perhaps it's time to court and consult some true business people.

Could you clarify how alternative methods of signal distribution, such as the Internet is an answer to saving AM radio?

ArtisanRadio

The problem with Podcast's is that it is not live and will not attract people like my show on KNRY did . When I was on the Air people could talk to me about things in music they wanted to hear or even about life while the record was playing . My Job as a DJ was like a Bar tender . Or even like a bother or friend to the people who called.

The Live show is what really matters to many people and the podcast thing just seems dead.

Example , when I am broadcasting on Banana Belt radio I will be sending a stream to all of the ALPB Stations and will have a phone number for people to call in for requests and even just to talk... I don't do talk shows as I don't think there is any reason for me to do one , but I do live Music shows like an old time DJ when we were Kids and when I was on KNRY my phone with light up every night for requests and such.

As the year went on my ratings were climbing and my show was making everyone at KDON FM nervous , The Program manager called every night I was on the Air to try to see how I was able to start this show and bring all of the listeners to it.

I told him over and over it's the live aspect of it and the music is alive with new songs and old songs living together ..

A Pod Cast is not going to draw a listener like a live show.

So I am looking at AM Stereo to make the show even better.

The Job of a DJ is to make people feel like you care and you must talk to the audience like they are in front of you.
In other words , A DJ Like me must care about his audience and must always try to put a positive vibe out there.
Trust me I really do care about radio and I really care about bringing folks to our stations and I will do my very best to produce a show that makes you all proud to be part of the ALPB.

ArtisanRadio thanks for the post and trust me when I say this , everyone should share their thoughts on all of this so we can all talk and learn from each other .

Hi Artisan Radio   Check these guys web site out there is an adapter to put into your existing am radio to make them receive the stereo signal.

  Part No.  DQAM  AM STEREO DECORDER BOARD

 ASPISYS  WEB SITE:   http://www.aspisys.com/index.htm

 So you can install the decoder yourself or you can take your receiver into a repair center and have them install your decoder.

Check them out neat stuff good luck jeff

Not saying that AM stereo isn't a good idea.  But how many people will actually modify their existing radios?  Particularly for a technology that is already perceived as somewhat irrelevant.

When you're in a war, you have to pick the battles that you can win.  I don't believe that this is one of those.  All the more power to those who want to try, but I would focus on the programming and ways to distribute that programming over and above Part 15 AM.  Getting people to listen to you on smartphones and tablets and their computers (however that is accomplished) is far more likely than starting an AM stereo revolution.

I agree with Lefty about his two main points: live hosted DJ shows can be very enjoyable and broadcasting in AM stereo can help and cannot hurt.

Some of my fond memories of radio growing up was the period in the 1960s when DJ wars were fought over ratings, and some of the most creative talents in radio had their day.

Later attempts to automate hit music with or without pre-taped voice inserts never built much of an audience.

Even if listeners do not have stereo radios, the fact that you can honestly say you are in stereo, is a psychological boost in the listener's perception. He/she will believe your station sounds "better" because it is in stereo. They might even think they are hearing stereo. And best of all, AM stereo technology does not have a negative down-side the way FM stereo does.

The ALPB is working towards gaining public support of License Free, Low Power Broadcasting.  One way to do this is with programming the public will find interesting, wanting to be involved with.

Certainly the "live" aspect of radio is a big draw.  Diverse programming is another avenue.

With that in mind, The ALPB is trying to establish itself with the producers of radio programming.  We have approached one such production company, Syndication Networks Corporation, with regard to two of their programs, Twilight Zone Radio and Hollywood 360.

Please plan to attend The ALPB TeamSpeak meeting this evening, Feb. 1 at 9:00 pm Eastern Time, to discuss this opportunity whether or not you plan to carry these programs.  Everyones opinion is important.

The live aspect of radio can be great, but it really has nothing to do with broadcasting in stereo.

With Part 15 radio, the challenge will always be to get the greatest possible coverage, period (actually, it's probably the challenge for ANY radio station, it's just harder with the Part 15 restrictions).

I would take a synchronized network of Part 15 transmitters (using, say, Rangemasters) over a stereo broadcast any day.

And while Podcasts are by definition not live, they still get the programming 'out there'. Considering that most people won't phone into a radio station even when there is live programming, they will still get the 'live' experience.

Podcasts, also by definition, are very convenient, letting people listen whenever they feel like it.  In today's convenience-based society (I want it when I want it), that's very important.

For the most part I say "Have it all."

Cross promotion builds strength.

Websites give a "display window" to the radio station.

Podcasts extend the programming out to additional listeners.

Even something as "go nowhere" as stereo at least sounds important when you say "In stereo," which you could not say if you weren't at least in FM stereo, if not AM stereo, even if people can't actually get your FM signal. Also STEREO looks good in print on your website.

Saying "heard internationally" (by stream) sounds important even if your AM listener is in the next apartment.

"Taking calls" sounds big time even if it's just your girlfriend and kid.

An important part of the radio game is image. That's why I use a picture of Johnny Depp as my own publicity picture.