"Faithful" refers to a belief whether true or not.
Those faithful to Part 15 are people who believe in radio broadcasting so deeply they are willing to endure the limits of the rules which allow small drips of energy for broadcasting. Despite its weakness the technology of Part 15 broadcast is true, in the sense that it actually exists.
But the numbers of faithful are waning, along with AM radio itself. Survival talk resembles that heard aboard a ship as it takes on water. The general public are "radio atheists," treating radio like an old antique from the stone age.
About five people here, five there, with baling buckets, going down with our micro-ships.
The optimist says "Maybe the neighbor likes country." (the neighbor is watching baseball).
The pessimist says "I like country... I listen to myself despite the wife, kids, pets, neighbors."
A few saviors meet at Teamspeak with high hopes for the ALPB, "the Extinction Committee", waving goodbye from posh wood paneling in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Despite being true, faith in radio is not enough: keeping the truth alive is the mission.
Join the ALPB during radio's last days.
Well said Carl!
You share thoughts that I have had for over a decade or so now.
I will be sure to check out ALPB.
Radio may be dying, in the sense that it is losing listeners, but then, so are a host of other, more modern types of media. There are simply more choices around now for people. The issue becomes more of getting found than anything else.
I like to view this as an opportunity. Embrace the changes and move forward. Pair Part 15 over-the-air radio with streaming radio. Register your radio stream on one of the many websites that index these things. Develop an app for smartphones & other devices to directly stream your station (and promote your over-the-air component heavily on that stream).
With that being said, I'm happy to announce that I'm finally moving forward on my plans to develop said app - I hope to make it pretty generic so that other Part 15 broadcasters can 'brand' their station on the app, and then use it for their own purposes. That's the current plan, at least.
I've decided to first develop it for IOS (the iPhone & iPad), and then move it over to Android and Windows Phone (the latter is finally playing with the big boys with the latest 8.1 update - I personally use a Windows Phone and actually prefer it over Android and IOS).
I'm a C programmer from way back, so it might take me a bit of time to get into the swing of things with XCode and Objective C (the development platform and development language respectively) but the app itself should be relatively simple, so, who knows?
Good post Carl...I grew up in the late fifties and sixties and the hit parade and radio was my real love in life. Had to have radio like the generation now can't live without a smart phone. The real age of radio was the birth of rock "n" roll till the end of the seventies. Hundreds of companies made hundreds of different radios with great styling. Now, I think other than sangean, no one makes radios anymore. Everyone had radios in their house. Every kitchen had one.
It's true, aside from the forum members on sites like these, radio is dead and gone. Don't know how the commercial stations stay on air and don't sign off in the evening with not too many people listening at home, especially AM.
I was a radio listener till the oldies stations got younger and weren't really oldies anymore.....then I thought the only way to keep the music I grew up with on the radio was to do it myself.....a Canadian "part 15" station.
We have ebay, and all the radio's are there, so they're not dead and gone yet.
Mark
While it may be true that in big cities Radio as we knew it is going to pot. However, remember that in "real life" (ass opposed to my Part 15 fantasy world) I've worked in, and currently still on, commercial AM radio. I have seen our listenership increase substantially over the past 5 years. I watch our sales figures grow monthly. Each month this year the sales department has surpassed its lofty goals. As far as Northern Minnesota locally operated, locally programmed Am radio goes, things are going wonderfully. This, on an AM station, 5,000 watts with real actual hometown people on the air. We also stream live on the 'net (except pro and college sports where we are banned from streaming it). We carry a lot of high school sports in the evenings, which garners a LOT of sponsorships, AND this is also our highest audience count on streaming numbers. I've done the morning show here for 27 years.
Our sister station, an FM satellite fed from Cumulus is also doing just fine. We incorporate a LOT of local programming. Out of every hour probably 15+ minutes is locally produced spots, news, community stuff, etc. We're on in most businesses in the area.
FWIW the local public broadcasting station -- which is INDEPENDENT from NPR, and MPR (Minnesota Public Radio) is also thriving. All three of the stations I'm mentioning here have been able to afford substantial upgrades the past few years -- we've invested probably 10,000 or more in new processing, and replaced our AM transmitter with a new Nautel. A new air board in the FM studio. The public station added a new station in another town 70 miles away to MEET DEMAND for people who couldn't quite get them from here... they moved into a new building along the Mississippi River that has an AMPHITHEATRE on the shore line for live concerts and events.
Recent survey I read in a trade magazine indicated over 90% of people (mostly young'ns I'm sure) hear new songs on the RADIO before the internet. they may listen to them on the internet once they know of them, but RADIO is still the top source for new songs.
Radio may be going to hell in a handbasket where you are, but up here in the North, the locally programmed stations are doing just fine, thank you.
And good ol' Iron Range Country, with it's 100mw covering two small towns is about to make a big leap. Not technically, but businesswise. I'll spill the details when the ink is dry.
Tim in Bovey
timinbovey "As far as Northern Minnesota locally operated, locally programmed Am radio goes, things are going wonderfully. This, on an AM station, 5,000 watts with real actual hometown people on the air."
This is good to hear.
Most all we have around here is 95% automated stations running CD carousels, satellite feeds, and a weather/commercial loop on a timer.
We might have 35-40% local origin programming on the local NPR at best.
Heck... Even the local licensed LPFM station appears to be completely automated.
What ever happened to "Request lines are open! the number to call is..(insert local number)..."? *Automation is what happened. THAT... combined with the same group of people buying up every station in our county and the surrounding counties.
Not too long ago stations played what the listener wanted to hear. Now the listener hears what the station wants to play.
Tim in Bovey has sparked the gap!
First off, thanks for the uplifting report on the health of radio in the outskirts where people live and work.
My sagging spirit is, admittedly, a big city issue. This market has been the bastion of mediocrity since 1960 when the national radio networks signed off. The experience of living here has made me biased and prejudiced.
And tips of the hat and salutes to Artisan, Jim Dee, Mark and everyone who understand the misgivings but continue to dedicate themselves to bringing radio for listeners who care.
Now I am laughing and talking out the door... "Hey! Big City! Here is the radio you want and need! Over here! Don't live meaningless lives. Drive by and tune AM 1670."
Now I'm feeling better. Where is the bathroom.
Back in the early 80's, there were 3 FM stations in my listening area that had "Wars" to see who could collect the most listeners. (WMMS, WWWM, *Both in the Cleveland area* and WDVE.. Pittsburg) It was total fun spinning the dial between the three just to see what they would come up with. Those were the days..
Another thing that makes radio boring is those mindless digital tuners. Hit "Search" and only find the stronger stations! They miss some really neat stuff that most just overlook or never know what is in there between everything the search selects. I love the old analog tuners..
I listen to a lot of XM radio. It reminds me of the old days and the DJ's have a ball! They can be themselves and use music to paint a picture or portray a thought, not seen much anymore on the radio. (Not to mention the endless commercials!)
Even if one had the money to totally support their own high power station, they still couldn't run it the way that they would want to.. It's sad..
Part-15 broadcasting is the only thing that keeps "Real" radio alive!
According to Professor Guy McPherson, appearing on the Radio Ecoshock Show, the human race will be extinct before 2050 due to extreme climate change.
The good news is that there will no longer be an FCC and we'd be able to do anything with power levels and antennas, the trouble is there will be no listeners, AC power, food, and worst of all, we won't be there.
Real estate will cost nothing and there'll be a lot of unused money lying around.
http://fractalplanet.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/how-guy-mcpherson-gets-it-wrong/
He probably forgot about how the Great Lakes were formed as well.
I guess Guy McPherson is just another guy making bleak predictions.
The great lakes are the result of a small leak that never got plugged.