AM radio quality deterioration recently (UK)

I have access to 3 different cars and listen to AM radio in the car (Radio 5, talk radio and some local stations).

I have noticed that the quality of general AM radio recently has gone pretty poor. For instance, 5 live has 2 frequencies 693 and 909 - usually one of them will sound ok, but recently both have been bad. Just tried to listen to talk radio on the way home and it was terrible.

One station even said recently that someone had emailed to complain about the standard of the signal. They werent sure what caused it but apologised.

I was just wondering whether any of this might be linked to recent solar activity or something similar to that?? Anyone else noticed this too??

More than likely it's being done to get everyone to convert to digital radio.
Tv in the uk goes completely digital in the next couple of years and it will probably be the same for radio before too much longer. What better way to convert people without an expensive push through advertising than just to reduce the quality of analogue reception to the point where people crossover by themselves.


[edit on 30-10-2008 by sayzaar]

Yes, it's a vast conspiracy to get people to go digital. I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with overriding conditions in the atmosphere etc...

In such a cut throat market, do you honestly think they would cut their OWN throats?

bbc radio 2 and bbc radio ulster both fm stations keep switching places on the radio here in portadown.. i listen to bbc r 2 and the bbc r ulster in the afternoon but lately they keep switching channels on there own every 40 mins or so..

No problem here in the states, except that local am station goes off the air at unexpected times. But I suspect that's just due to computer foul ups or incompetence of the staff. Local station is talk radio with syndicated programs, nothing local.

Every chance it's just atmospherics, reception during the Winter months is notoriously poor. I've been listening to "Medium Wave" for decades & reception is as bad as ever.

Have had to give up on AM altogether & invest in a cheapo internet radio (great little thing, incidentally, thoroughly recommend ... Jeff Rense has got his own radio station, Minnesota Public Radio has Garrison Keillor too ... I'm in seventh heaven). Of no use in your car, right enough, but a nice bit of kit for your home.

You could always complain

BBC Complaints

and

TV or radio interference or reception problems - Ofcom

The same thing is happening here in my part of Australia, too.

Not that there's that much on AM, but it's good to catch the cricket on the ABC.

Maybe it's something to with increased broadband signals about the place? Broadband over power lines supposedly generates a lot of interference.

reply to post by sayzaar


i'd have to aggree that it's probably due the upcoming switchover to digital. to be honest i thoght the radio stations were switching at the same time, obviously not. but in time they will switch to digital.

reply to post by sayzaar



Slightly off topic, but would anyone know why i can't get virgin radio on my freaking car radio. It drives me nuts the thing will scan this and that, operate from the steering wheel almost anyhting apart from microwave a hot dog or find virgin radio.

I get really pissed off when i drive around the country and it will tune in automatically to local stations (without even asking!) but cannot find virigin radio.
help please