Post AVkuwtkRUPNJ8syET2 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
(DIR) More posts by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
(DIR) Post #AVkpFHjKSpcx0bpluy by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T18:27:59Z
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I agree that there are legit public safety issues invoked in this matter. - https://www.axios.com/2023/05/17/am-radio-congress-cars
(DIR) Post #AVkqGfV1fxK6yJMqFE by LeslieVS1965@mas.to
2023-05-17T18:39:56Z
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@lauren I absolutely agree! Mature tech, historically mature, shouldn't be shunted off for New&Shiny in every instance . . .
(DIR) Post #AVkr8ppLUeqGdkhU7k by craigmaloney@octodon.social
2023-05-17T18:49:21Z
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@lauren I'm a radio nut. I DJed in college and have friends that work in commercial radio.AM's days are numbered. The only thing keeping that spectrum from being overtaken by some other bright-shiny is that the signals have poor building penetration and EMF issues.If I were an AM station my plan would be to try to get onto FM sooner than later.And yes, I share the same concerns about disrupting communities and safety issues. But I can also envision a future with AM where it's just another thing that your shortwave receiver picks up.And, not to mention that AM radio has become a cesspool of conservative talk and religious stations with the occasional oasis sprinkled throughout.
(DIR) Post #AVkrJwRPFA5IL1nay0 by kj6dbe@mastodon.hams.social
2023-05-17T18:51:42Z
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@lauren In short, they feel it's more profitable to skimp on building in proper RF suppression.
(DIR) Post #AVkrLeEdu4rGS8dtmy by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T18:52:01Z
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@craigmaloney You will note that this legislation has BIPARTISAN support. And I support it fully.
(DIR) Post #AVkranucCtMyoEVB4q by craigmaloney@octodon.social
2023-05-17T18:54:47Z
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@lauren I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. My contention is that the stations in question might want to consider an exit strategy for when / if the AM band gets repurposed because (hipster voice) "nobody listens to it anymore because it's not in my car anymore".
(DIR) Post #AVks3rBD8XldLF7MUC by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T18:59:59Z
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@craigmaloney A lot of simulcasting AM->FM is already happening, sometimes using mainly the FM ID. That said, AM is the *only* tech that can be relied on in major emergencies. Cell and Internet goes down first. FM reach is often poor. This isn't a decision that should be permitted to be made unilaterally by the car companies, who don't give a damn about public safety.
(DIR) Post #AVks9IhSFGna8pnN20 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:01:00Z
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@kj6dbe That's why Congress is acting for once. This isn't a decision that should be left to auto makers who don't give a damn about public safety.
(DIR) Post #AVksFZLFHhAdUbOcvA by craigmaloney@octodon.social
2023-05-17T19:00:44Z
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@lauren Also, this might sound like I'm damning radio, but I think the disasterous and inept launch and uptake of HD radio might actually save radio in the long-term. The Digital TV roll-out is my example for how HD Radio could have killed radio for good by moving it into the digital broadcast sphere. Sadly we don't have the same imagination that DAB enjoyed.
(DIR) Post #AVksFa6kR5ATrvcYxk by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:02:09Z
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@craigmaloney Most people have never even heard of HD radio, beyond occasional IDs on the air. Hilariously inept planning and deployment.
(DIR) Post #AVksIW39ymRI9VLGdc by craigmaloney@octodon.social
2023-05-17T19:02:41Z
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@lauren Agreed. My tangential example is how AT&T is treating their rural customers (not to mention my anec-data for my own suburban parents and their going-on-day-5 of downed land-line service.
(DIR) Post #AVksNU24uKa9LLCkiG by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:03:36Z
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@craigmaloney I have choice words on this, but perhaps best by DM.
(DIR) Post #AVksXi7JOfTpvAWstM by craigmaloney@octodon.social
2023-05-17T19:05:24Z
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@lauren I know how much you hate swearing in your mentions so I'll save my usual salty-sailor-on-a-rage-bender for some other time. 😁 Suffice to say I'm working on getting them to alternatives. $90/mo for AT&T's sloppy seconds and abuse is criminal.
(DIR) Post #AVkt2ZOTsYsvqOH6kC by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:11:00Z
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@craigmaloney Again, best for DM.
(DIR) Post #AVktQrUEGKK0uKXxmy by vk2bea@mastodon.radio
2023-05-17T19:15:20Z
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@lauren This is a very weak argument by the broadcasters in an attempt to maintain an audience. If public safety were there goal, then convert the MW band to use Digital Radio Mondiale and single frequency networks to get better coverage with good audio quality with the same radiated power.Also, I can't removing AM as savings much on a $40K vehicle (the average price these days)
(DIR) Post #AVktcivFvffHozqQSW by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:17:34Z
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@vk2bea Keeping a wide-area analog signal around is absolutely necessary. During earthquakes here, I've seen EVERYTHING go out except AM, it was my only link to what the hell was going on.
(DIR) Post #AVkthuYM78fpLDbgTA by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:18:30Z
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@vk2bea No digital conversions. Keep it as is and fully backwards compatible to almost every car on the road.
(DIR) Post #AVku0QczbEVK22bb4y by topher@mastodon.online
2023-05-17T19:21:48Z
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@lauren @craigmaloney I love how the car manufacturers try and argue that you can still access AM radio through digital streaming packages and smartphone apps...Completely defeating the entire point and purpose.
(DIR) Post #AVku700oxEOfVnssE4 by vk2bea@mastodon.radio
2023-05-17T19:22:59Z
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@lauren We managed to convert from analog television, so doing so with radio is also possible (and desirable)
(DIR) Post #AVkuAuu9sySCpVdU4u by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:23:39Z
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@vk2bea That was already tried with HD Radio. A total disaster.
(DIR) Post #AVkuCfctf4Pc1XOjo0 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:23:54Z
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@topher @craigmaloney Exactly.
(DIR) Post #AVkueWOlZ2GJVp4L32 by vk2bea@mastodon.radio
2023-05-17T19:29:04Z
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@lauren HD radio is a VHF augmentation. (and works ... in a fashion).Europe replaced FM broadcasting on VHF with COFDM (a far superior system) quite successfully.
(DIR) Post #AVkuqfte4nNkReJ8Do by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:31:17Z
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@vk2bea Just got a note from someone saying what a mess the transition is in France, by the way. Don't cherry pick your examples too much.
(DIR) Post #AVkuwtkRUPNJ8syET2 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:32:25Z
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@vk2bea In any case, this is clearly not something for auto manufacturers to do on a unilateral basis without government involvement.
(DIR) Post #AVkvRC1O78nwVHLHc0 by craigmaloney@octodon.social
2023-05-17T19:34:27Z
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@topher @lauren I will say though that if they do that ham-fisted patch they did in the USA of requiring FM radios on all cell-phones (which basically added a single FM chip and offloaded the antenna to a wire hanging off of the cell phone) then we're going to need to educate congress on how that's not going to work quite the way they imagine.
(DIR) Post #AVkvRCklOR6Im0ZWL2 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:37:53Z
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@craigmaloney @topher That only required that the chips IF PRESENT be enabled to receive FM. But fewer and fewer phones have the necessary chips.
(DIR) Post #AVkvaRgJGB0Lg7tYRs by craigmaloney@octodon.social
2023-05-17T19:39:30Z
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@lauren Thanks for the clarification. I didn't understand the particulars only that suddenly my new phone had a passable FM radio. /cc @topher
(DIR) Post #AVkve4nAIvBBqXphs8 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:40:13Z
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@craigmaloney @topher There was mainly a particular chipset that is less and less common now that supported it.
(DIR) Post #AVkwFxuqJm3VWaUVSi by topher@mastodon.online
2023-05-17T19:47:02Z
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@lauren We can't be letting people slip by listening to the radio instead of paying for subscription services, now, can we?@craigmaloney
(DIR) Post #AVkwRH2BZnS20MJljM by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T19:49:06Z
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@topher @craigmaloney And getting targeted radio ads.
(DIR) Post #AVkyb9H3U13mk16qEi by craigmaloney@octodon.social
2023-05-17T19:49:30Z
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@topher perhaps if they had some "closed circuit" or "cable" "radio" that might solve the problem. 🤔 (Being completely cagey. Apparently my college had a closed-circuit radio before my freshman year and I'm grateful they got the "1,000 watts of bursting college FM". Which meant, according to our advertising, you could even hear us in Borculo. /cc @lauren
(DIR) Post #AVkyb9zinwmyyY0VrE by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T20:13:13Z
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@craigmaloney @topher "I am not programmed to respond in this area."
(DIR) Post #AVlD9c1QVJqt6b7vbE by vk2bea@mastodon.radio
2023-05-17T21:42:44Z
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@lauren cherry pick? No, I'll be careful to use some random response that agrees with me😸. By the way, did you pay for the five minute argument or the full half hour?
(DIR) Post #AVlD9cknmc9FNKMAKG by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-17T22:56:23Z
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@vk2bea I had a coupon code.
(DIR) Post #AVlkSXeiG8UZYL8Xey by kevindalley@sfba.social
2023-05-18T05:09:28Z
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@laurenMy AM shortwave radio works fine. RCA Victor tombstone, circa 1930s.Not great in a car or bicycle
(DIR) Post #AVlmiLBgaDeBQQDkps by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-18T05:34:51Z
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@kevindalley Very cool.
(DIR) Post #AVnHmwPNQkQnl7G4Zc by ATyj8GNyvVJIXkGeLA.lori@cambrian.social
2023-05-18T22:56:25Z
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The real emergency communication system is analog AM with vacuum tube equipment, in case of EMP.
(DIR) Post #AVnHmxXvCSrPHuGPWy by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-18T22:57:36Z
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@lori @vk2bea I am relatively sanguine about the risk of EMP attacks.
(DIR) Post #AVnHp4TWPQB9MCDFMO by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-05-18T22:58:09Z
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@lori @vk2bea That is, I don't really worry about them.
(DIR) Post #AVnMHH5BWn5SNpX7TM by vk2bea@mastodon.radio
2023-05-18T23:47:58Z
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@lauren @lori "Mr President, we cannot allow a thermionic gap!"Which reminds me, remember when the war department was going nuts over 'tempest' .... whatever happened to that.