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ABOUT ME
AMATEUR RADIO
LINUX & OPEN SOURCE
OTHER COMPUTER STUFF!
RADIO STUFF
STREAMING MEDIA STUFF
OTHER STUFF!
RADIO
STUFF
| AM RADIO | FM RADIO | SHORTWAVE RADIO | RADIO PICS |
| TORONTO AREA AM RADIO | TORONTO AREA FM RADIO |
GOOD OLD
FASHIONED
"AM" RADIO
Good old-fashioned "AM"
radio has been around since the early 1920's and is still going strong!
Actually, the term as its used in North America is a bit of a misnomer. "AM" refers to the type of modulation used to transmit the signal (amplitude modulation).
The more accurate term used in most other parts of the world is the "medium wave band" which refers to the part of the radio spectrum between 530 and 1700 KHz. (kilohertz). Medium wave hobbyists will tend to use the term "AM broadcast band".
In Europe and North Africa, there is actually a "second" AM broadcast band known as the "longwave" band that runs roughly between 150 and 300 KHz.
Most radio stations that broadcast on the international shortwave bands also make use of "amplitude modulation".
Be that as it may, "AM radio" has gotten a bit of a bad rap over the last couple of decades. People often complain of the poor audio quality of "AM radio" and the problems with "static".
Actually, there are many techological "fixes" that can indeed improve the audio quality of AM radio. The problem for the most part has been in the implementation. The electronics industry, broadcasters and government regulators have been involved in endless disputes over the establishment of standards that could impove audio quality. These disputes date back to the 1980's with disputes over standards for "AM stereo".
More recently, the industry has been working on "DRM"...no, not the evil "digital rights management" but rather "Digital Radio Mondiale". If everything falls into place, the radio stations adopt the standard and the receiver manufacturers start making the radios we could end up listening to beautiful digital audio not only on the medium wave band, but also on the long and shortwave bands!
Mind you, given the history of the industry, that's a big "if".
As for the "static" heard on the AM broadcast band, most of it isn't static at all. Sure in summer when there are summer thunderstorms around you will often hear static electricity on your AM radio.
Static is a "natural" phenomenon, while the other kinds of noises you hear are not...they're created by human activities and endeavors. Poorly maintained power lines, fluorescent light fixtures (including the "compact fluorescent bulbs), computer equipment, poorly designed electronic products and if you're in Toronto, the TTC's current fleet of streetcars all generate "RFI" or "radio frequency interference" that disrupts your ability to listen to AM radio.
That's why you'll get the best mediumwave reception out in the country where you can away from all of these "human-generated" sources of noise. Ham radio operators have two "short forms" that differentiate between radio interference of the "natural" kind and that caused by homo sapiens.
"QRN" refers to static crashes caused by thunderstorms, while "QRM" refers to interference caused by our various electrical and electronic devices.
The one really interesting property of the mediumwave broadcast band is the ability of signals to travel relatively long distances, particularly after dark.
During the daytime, signals on the mediumwave band will travel for not much more than a few hundred kilometers depending on the output power of the transmitter. After dark, signals on the mediumwave band can easily travel a couple of thousand kilometers and in exceptional circumstances travel for many thousands of kilometers. That's because the "D layer" of the ionosphere allows radio signals to literally bounce off of it!
During "auroral" conditions, when solar storms are quite active signals from "mid-latitude" stations will be attenuated somewhat permitting signals from points further south to be heard. For instance its not uncommon to hear stations from Colombia and Venezuela here in southern Ontario during auroral conditions.
In very exceptional circumstances its possible to hear mediumwave radio signals from Europe. This usually happens at the "low" end of the eleven year sunspot cycle To do this however, you will usually need a good quality receiver, good outdoor antennas, an electrically quiet location, the "right" solar conditions and some good luck.
Many of us as youngsters got into "twiddling the dials" of our radios at night to see what we could pick up. There's actually a radio "sub-hobby" called "AM Broadcast Band DXing" or "Mediumwave DXing" depending on "what side of the pond" you're on.
AM Broadcast Band "DX'ers" will twiddle with their radio equipment to try to see what they can pick up at night.
Here are some website links that you may find of help. Even if you don't care about picking up exotic signals on your AM radio, information on the sites will help you with your every day AM radio listening!
Ontario DX Association
National Radio Club
Mediumwave Circle
YLE (Finnish Television) video on Mediumwave DXing (Real Media format)
Radio Locator - An online searchable database of radio stations
DXing.info
DXer.ca
AM-DX Page
DX World.com Broadcast Band Propagation Logger - You can report what stations you're hearing on the AM broadcast band in "real time".
The AM STEREO Page - Information on AM stereo and AM stereo receivers
AM Stereo.com - Another AM stereo site
The AM Stereo MP3 Page - A site containing .mp3 audio clips of radio stations broadcasting in AM stereo
top
AM RADIO IN THE TORONTO AREA
** Blocks audio streaming outside the U.S.A.
If you have any corrections, updates, suggested additions etc., please feel free to drop me a note at feedback@ve3sre.com. Streaming audio formats used by various radio stations change on a regular basis and although I try, it's hard to keep this up-to-date. Afterall, this site is just a hobby for me.
top
Actually, the term as its used in North America is a bit of a misnomer. "AM" refers to the type of modulation used to transmit the signal (amplitude modulation).
The more accurate term used in most other parts of the world is the "medium wave band" which refers to the part of the radio spectrum between 530 and 1700 KHz. (kilohertz). Medium wave hobbyists will tend to use the term "AM broadcast band".
In Europe and North Africa, there is actually a "second" AM broadcast band known as the "longwave" band that runs roughly between 150 and 300 KHz.
Most radio stations that broadcast on the international shortwave bands also make use of "amplitude modulation".
Be that as it may, "AM radio" has gotten a bit of a bad rap over the last couple of decades. People often complain of the poor audio quality of "AM radio" and the problems with "static".
Actually, there are many techological "fixes" that can indeed improve the audio quality of AM radio. The problem for the most part has been in the implementation. The electronics industry, broadcasters and government regulators have been involved in endless disputes over the establishment of standards that could impove audio quality. These disputes date back to the 1980's with disputes over standards for "AM stereo".
More recently, the industry has been working on "DRM"...no, not the evil "digital rights management" but rather "Digital Radio Mondiale". If everything falls into place, the radio stations adopt the standard and the receiver manufacturers start making the radios we could end up listening to beautiful digital audio not only on the medium wave band, but also on the long and shortwave bands!
Mind you, given the history of the industry, that's a big "if".
As for the "static" heard on the AM broadcast band, most of it isn't static at all. Sure in summer when there are summer thunderstorms around you will often hear static electricity on your AM radio.
Static is a "natural" phenomenon, while the other kinds of noises you hear are not...they're created by human activities and endeavors. Poorly maintained power lines, fluorescent light fixtures (including the "compact fluorescent bulbs), computer equipment, poorly designed electronic products and if you're in Toronto, the TTC's current fleet of streetcars all generate "RFI" or "radio frequency interference" that disrupts your ability to listen to AM radio.
That's why you'll get the best mediumwave reception out in the country where you can away from all of these "human-generated" sources of noise. Ham radio operators have two "short forms" that differentiate between radio interference of the "natural" kind and that caused by homo sapiens.
"QRN" refers to static crashes caused by thunderstorms, while "QRM" refers to interference caused by our various electrical and electronic devices.
The one really interesting property of the mediumwave broadcast band is the ability of signals to travel relatively long distances, particularly after dark.
During the daytime, signals on the mediumwave band will travel for not much more than a few hundred kilometers depending on the output power of the transmitter. After dark, signals on the mediumwave band can easily travel a couple of thousand kilometers and in exceptional circumstances travel for many thousands of kilometers. That's because the "D layer" of the ionosphere allows radio signals to literally bounce off of it!
During "auroral" conditions, when solar storms are quite active signals from "mid-latitude" stations will be attenuated somewhat permitting signals from points further south to be heard. For instance its not uncommon to hear stations from Colombia and Venezuela here in southern Ontario during auroral conditions.
In very exceptional circumstances its possible to hear mediumwave radio signals from Europe. This usually happens at the "low" end of the eleven year sunspot cycle To do this however, you will usually need a good quality receiver, good outdoor antennas, an electrically quiet location, the "right" solar conditions and some good luck.
Many of us as youngsters got into "twiddling the dials" of our radios at night to see what we could pick up. There's actually a radio "sub-hobby" called "AM Broadcast Band DXing" or "Mediumwave DXing" depending on "what side of the pond" you're on.
AM Broadcast Band "DX'ers" will twiddle with their radio equipment to try to see what they can pick up at night.
Here are some website links that you may find of help. Even if you don't care about picking up exotic signals on your AM radio, information on the sites will help you with your every day AM radio listening!
Ontario DX Association
National Radio Club
Mediumwave Circle
YLE (Finnish Television) video on Mediumwave DXing (Real Media format)
Radio Locator - An online searchable database of radio stations
DXing.info
DXer.ca
AM-DX Page
DX World.com Broadcast Band Propagation Logger - You can report what stations you're hearing on the AM broadcast band in "real time".
The AM STEREO Page - Information on AM stereo and AM stereo receivers
AM Stereo.com - Another AM stereo site
The AM Stereo MP3 Page - A site containing .mp3 audio clips of radio stations broadcasting in AM stereo
top
AM RADIO IN THE TORONTO AREA
| Frequency |
Callsign |
Location |
Format |
Streaming
Audio Format |
|
| 530 |
CIAO |
Brampton |
Multicultural |
Windows Media Mac Users | |
| 550 |
WGR |
Buffalo,
NY |
Sports Radio | Windows Media | |
| 590 |
CJCL | Toronto |
Sports Radio "The Fan" | Flashplayer on Website |
|
| 610 |
CKTB |
St.
Catharines |
News/Talk | Flashplayer on Website |
|
| 640 |
CFMJ |
Toronto |
Talk Radio |
Flashplayer on
website |
|
| 680 |
CFTR |
Toronto |
"680 News" | Flashplayer
on Website |
|
| 710 |
CJRN |
Niagara
Falls |
Tourism
Info |
||
| 740 |
CHWO |
Toronto |
"adult standard" music | Stream
the World Player |
|
| 770 |
WTOR |
Youngstown,
NY |
Punjabi, Urdu & other languages | MP3 | |
| 820 |
CHAM |
Hamilton |
Country music | Flashplayer on Website |
|
| 860 |
CJBC |
Toronto |
Radio
Canada "La Premiere Chaine" (French language) |
Windows Media | |
| 900 |
CHML |
Hamilton |
News/Talk | Stream
the World Player |
|
| 930 |
WBEN |
Buffalo,
NY |
News | Windows Media | |
| 970 |
WNED |
Buffalo,
NY |
National Public Radio | Windows Media | |
| 1010 |
CFRB |
Toronto |
News/Talk - Simulcasts on 6.070 on the 49 meter band | Audio Player | |
| 1050 |
CHUM |
Toronto |
oldies music | Flashplayer on Website |
|
| 1080 |
WUFO |
Buffalo,
NY |
Black Gospel Music | Embedded Windows Media Player |
|
| 1150 |
CKOC |
Hamilton |
oldies music | Flashplayer on website |
|
| 1180 |
WHAM |
Rochester,
NY |
"News Radio 1180" | Flashplayer
on website ** |
|
| 1220 |
CHSC |
St.
Catharines |
Oldies music, talk, Italian language on weekends | Windows Media Player |
|
| 1230 |
WECK |
Cheektowaga,
NY |
"classic country" music | ||
| 1250 |
CJYE |
Oakville |
"Joy 1250" Evangelical Christian | "Stream
the World" player on website |
|
| 1270 |
WHLD |
Niagara
Falls, NY |
"Totally
Gospel" & Progressive Talk Radio |
MP3 | |
| 1280 |
CFBN |
Mississauga |
"The Sound of Money" (Business News) |
.pls Windows Media Player Real Player |
|
| 1300 |
WXRL |
Lancaster,
NY |
Country music | ||
| 1320 |
CJMR |
Mississauga |
Multicultural | ||
| 1340 |
WLVL |
Lockport,
NY |
News/Talk |
||
| 1400 |
WJJL |
Niagara
Falls, NY |
oldies music | ||
| 1430 |
CHKT |
Toronto |
Fairchild Radio - Chinese & other languages | Windows Media | |
| 1520 |
WWKB |
Buffalo,
NY |
Talk Radio | ||
| 1540 |
CHIN |
Toronto |
Multicultural | Flashplayer on Website |
|
| 1580 |
CKDO |
Oshawa |
"oldies
music" |
Windows Media |
|
| 1610 |
CHHA |
Toronto |
"Voces Latinas" - San Lorenzo Community Radio - Spanish & other languages | ||
| 1690 |
CHTO |
Toronto |
Multicultural (predominantly Greek language) - testing as of August, 2007 |
.pls Windows Media Player (mms) |
** Blocks audio streaming outside the U.S.A.
If you have any corrections, updates, suggested additions etc., please feel free to drop me a note at feedback@ve3sre.com. Streaming audio formats used by various radio stations change on a regular basis and although I try, it's hard to keep this up-to-date. Afterall, this site is just a hobby for me.
top
