Path: ...!2.eu.feeder.erje.net!feeder.erje.net!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail From: "Carlos E.R." Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design Subject: Re: AM radio law opposed by tech and auto industries is close to passing Date: Sat, 4 May 2024 12:23:51 +0200 Lines: 51 Message-ID: References: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: individual.net aztXrz5HNNsQHHbjjeWNWAhTN73NBPeyQSDYpZgcYqvzcwpBFY X-Orig-Path: Telcontar.valinor!not-for-mail Cancel-Lock: sha1:XKEhogln0qyFKpGYD1PfUwxODDA= sha256:/TCeMU+IlInISvz3hJDw8UD2qsixy7QgPuIAHHSy10A= User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Content-Language: es-ES, en-CA In-Reply-To: Bytes: 2936 On 2024-05-02 21:34, Don Y wrote: > On 5/1/2024 11:28 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote: >> You are talking of the USA? >> >> I would think that there are areas over there where FM in cars does >> not work, and people have to use AM. >> >> It happens in Spain, which is far smaller, so surely it happens in the >> USA. > > It's not just location. > > There are lots of ways to deliver a message (announcement) to people > wirelessly -- AM, FM, FM-HD, TV, Satellite radio, cell phone, "air raid" > sirens, etc. > > But, you have to think of which they are likely to be able to receive > AND which are easiest to "support". > > You can legislate requirements for broadcasters (as a condition of > granting them use of the air waves) mandating they "conduct periodic > tests of (an) emergency broadcast capability".  But, you are ultimately > reliant on them to maintain that capability, despite any pressure on > profits, etc. > > We routinely lose TV reception due to outages on the mountain (where > most of the transmitters are located).  Imagine the consequences of > an earthquake or wildfire in areas where transmitters (or repeaters) > are located.  Or, hurricane, tornado, flood, etc. > > Not everyone owns a cell phone -- or keeps it ON for the convenience > of CALLERS!  The same can be said of all broadcast media (do I have > to keep a radio/TV ON 24/7/365 "just in case"? The cell network is very vulnerable to disasters, you can not rely on it. > > AM radio can be leveraged for wide area coverage without requiring > lots of other technology to keep it operational.  And, the receivers > can run for long periods of time on batteries (that are likely > stale) or clock-spring mechanisms (emergency radios). > I have seen radios with a hand spun dynamo. I saw some electronic magazine publishing one such radio made using the motor from a floppy drive (if memory serves) as generator. -- Cheers, Carlos.