It's World Radio Day

[MarkJFine]

Yeah, I know what I said, but I can get into this one.

BTW, streaming audio isn't technically radio even if you use wifi or a satellite internet link. You have to use a real radio.

[Jay]

I don't typically listen to traditional AM/FM radio anymore, but I do subscribe to Sirius and listen to NBA radio to and from work every day. There are tons of stations on Sirius but I really only listen to a handful of them.

I know, it's not traditional radio but it's all I've got to contribute 

-Jay

[MarkJFine]

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@Jay wrote:

I don't typically listen to traditional AM/FM radio anymore,

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I know. There's a lot of competition for listenership now, including streaming live broadcasts, music services, podcasts, etc.

Even shortwave radio really took a turn for the worst when international broadcasters saw that live streams were a more cost effective means than maintaining massive tunable antenna arrays, worldwide broadcasting facilities and equipment.

The BBC's relay statio in Antigua used to be legendary on 5975 in the evening. They no longer target the Americas anymore, but you can still hear some of their feeds to Africa in the afternoon.

The technical advances like digital radio (ubiquity, et. al.) and the availability of alternate subcarriers on FM, as well as DRM on shortwave isn't really making as much of a dent in listenership as it was designed. It's mostly something for hobbyists and hipsters to play with, which isn't going to make money for anyone.

[Liz]

oh wow, nostalgia. My dad had a CB radio and I remember playing with it in the car while we were on the move. No one ever replied, but who would reply to a little girl just saying "breaker breaker" over and over. Now I hope no one actually heard me hahah

@MarkJFine What did you listen to on those evenings on 5975?

-Liz

[MarkJFine]

5975kHz was the long-held frequency for the BBC World Service via the Antigua (or was that Anguilla...) relay station. Clear as a bell, great relaible signal... BBC was how I became a (round) football fan, since they used to air Division I matches most mornings/afternoons on weekends.

CB is part of the shortwave spectrum (starts around 26975... ish?), but I was mostly a listener of international broadcasting than a talker.

Actually had a hobby-related shareware buisness that dealt with automated database-driven receiver control (and some other radio-related tools) for decades. Even published a frequency schedule subscription service for English language broadcasts.

[GabeU]

When I was growing up we had an old cabinet tube radio.  The thing was huge.  And though I highly doubt it could really pick up some of the stations it showed on the dial, with many of them being in Europe, it could definitely get stations that weren't in our area.  Comparing it to others, I'm relatively sure it was from the 1930s, though I can't say that with certainty.  

I still listen to local FM stations sometimes when I'm driving, but more often than not I have it on a classic rock satellite station.  

I don't think I've had my stereo on in the last three years.  It's not even plugged in.  😛 

[MarkJFine]

I have a Denon receiver in my office that very occasionally has my phone piped through it. For the most part it's used to pipe the TV audio while running on the treadmill or some other exercise. I might have the radio section on for about five minutes, once a year, just to see what's even still available to listen to just using the roof antenna.

Edit: I might even use it for game audio...

[GabeU]

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@MarkJFine wrote:

I have a Denon receiver in my office 

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Nice.  

[maratsade]

Radio as in news and music, AM and FM, or radio as in "Breaker breaker, 10.4, over"?

And I hope you can get into the food related national days. Because, come on! It's food!

[maratsade]

From what Jay says, you mean radio radio, not CB or whatever.  I don't listen to the radio at all, haven't for decades. 

Also, today is Thor's Day, so be sure to decorate your home with hammers. 

[Amanda]

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@maratsade wrote:

Also, today is Thor's Day, so be sure to decorate your home with hammers. 

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Why not the other way around?