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What’s With All The AM Signal Drop Outs?
I’m pretty sure there’s a simple answer to a question that’s been bugging me for a while, and I’m equally sure the tech savvy types on SOWNY know the answer.
In the past few months, I’ve noticed a huge increase in AM stations losing carrier in the middle of a broadcast. It happened the other day on AM640 and I heard it again mid-sentence on CFRB Wednesday morning. It sounds almost like the old sunset “pattern change,” of days gone by, when the transmitter would die out for a second, and then return. But these are happening in the middle of the day.
And 1010 seems the worst offender – I once recall hearing these 1-2 second drop outs take place as much as four or five times in an hour. Clearly, there’s a reason for them. I’m curious if anyone here knows what it is.
- unclefester
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Re: What’s With All The AM Signal Drop Outs?
Ah yes RA...."dropouts" on the AM band in the GTA...
No a new phenomen .
It ca be a really a tou call to try to figu out jus wha is goi on with these dropo .
I did a goo search and read what Professor Irwin Corey ha to say abo it..
Professor Corey
known far and wi as the "World Foremost Authority" says th se dr outs on the AM dial are most oft caus by !!
Who knew ??????
Here's hopi that hel you RA!!!
- Old Codger
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Re: What’s With All The AM Signal Drop Outs?
They're just practicing for when they go completely dark, dead and dormant. Currently they're just off the air...part-time.
These mega corps allowing stations to disappear!!! WTF is up with that? Where is the CRTC to stop this disregard for the airways, custodianship of licenses, and for ALL of the unserviced listeners out there in radio land?
These companies should be required to keep these signals going strong and broadcasting while the new ownership, who will be totally GIVEN the station [and the responsibility for its license], can ready their facility for the takeover. Then Bell, Rogers, Corus or whomever will also PAY to move the plant to the new facility. If you disrespect the signal it should cost you to transfer it to someone who will honour it...including the equipment to make it happen.
The CRTC is useless. The people they supposedly serve? Many of them are severely and corporately over-weight and burdened by their gross stupidity and lack of ability.
Last edited by Old Codger (August 17, 2016 2:31 pm)
- unclefester
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Re: What’s With All The AM Signal Drop Outs?
Old Codger...
You getting older and becoming more and more of a Codger every day !!!
A compliment to you sir !!
- RadioActive
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Re: What’s With All The AM Signal Drop Outs?
unclefester wrote:
Ah yes RA...."dropouts" on the AM band in the GTA...
No a new phenomen .
It ca be a really a tou call to try to figu out jus wha is goi on with these dropo .
I did a goo search and read what Professor Irwin Corey ha to say abo it..
Professor Corey
known far and wi as the "World Foremost Authority" says th se dr outs on the AM dial are most oft caus by !!
Who knew ??????
Here's hopi that hel you RA!!!
Fester:
Thanksverymuchforyouranswer,Ireallyappreciateyoutakingthetimetorespond.
Sorry about the above line. I ran out of "space..."
Irwincorey.org
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Thread Starter- unclefester
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Re: What’s With All The AM Signal Drop Outs?
I made light of this in an earlier post but not today...
These "dropouts" are really plaguing the Jerry Agar show this morning...
On my old ghetto blaster the momentary signal loss is at the rate of about once every minute...or more...
Really noticeable and very very irritating...
Can't the engineering/medical staff fix this ???
- RadioActive
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Re: What’s With All The AM Signal Drop Outs?
The weirdness at CFRB got even stranger on Thursday, with some signal dropouts again in the morning - followed by about five minutes of solid tone just after 10:30 am. (No idea what happened, but only a radio lunatic like me would sit there and listen to that irritating tone just to see how long it would last.) I tuned in at 10:38 and heard it, and it went on until 10:42. Not sure if it was happening before that or not.
There was also a brief period of silence just after the 11 o'clock news that went unexplained, although there was carrier, but no sound.
What's going on over there?
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Thread Starter- verger
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Re: What’s With All The AM Signal Drop Outs?
They didn't pay their $200 Fibe bill in time?
But yeah, I've noticed the dropouts too and frankly, they're annoying as hell. I understand technical problems occur, but it happens so often with so many stations that I think we've definitely hit upon a trend here.
My guess? Cheap ass stations, clusters, and the corporate behemoths don't spend enough on either personnel with expertise, or upgrading the more elderly aspects of AM transmitter equipment.