AM Radio Stations via WiFi

[spongella]

Wonder how many folks are listening to AM radio via the Internet. Got two of those WiFi radios, a C Crane and a Sangean which can be programmed to receive not only AM but just about any station or Podcast that streams.
For example the Sangean has my favorite stations from all over the world such as:

WCBS NYC 880 All News
KYW Philly 1060
WVOX New Rochelle, NY 1460
WBBM Chicago 780
WSM Nashville 650
WFAS White Plains, NY 1230
WOND Atlantic City 1400
Radio Caprice - Russia- (Dixieland Music)
KDKA Pittsburgh 1020
Classic Country 1630
BBC World Service
Voice of America Global Live
Amateur Radio Newsline

While I am an "old school" type of guy who was brought up with an ear surgically attached to an AM transistor radio, the advantage of WiFi radio is that you can receive stations not possible during the daytime such as WSM from Nashville. Propagation is not a factor with WiFi. It also gives me the opportunity to tune into my home station back in NY to hear the latest around the old home town.

I think WiFi radio for AM can peacefully coexist with traditional AM radio in the hobbyist's shack. You can DX at night with your traditional AM radio and use WiFi when Mother Nature and the ionosphere put the kibosh on daytime distant listening.

 

[radio]

Stations who are smart actually PROMOTE wifi radio! One of the leaders in this, is our friends at WRDN in Durand, Wisconsin. "Real Country." VERY involved in their community, and yet VERY interesting to people listening far away. OUR station, WION-AM has been putting REAL AM STEREO on the web for nearly 3 years, and gets noticed by sound quality, and it's actually from an "over the air" tuner. We watch as our weekend feature shows pull in far away listeners, and our morning and afternoon shows "perk up" the listeners from across the United States and the world. The thing to remember, however is that "far away" listeners are a great talking point to stations, but they generate NO income to local advertisers unless the listener visits the town. The COST of streaming is high and requires a significant investment in technology and licensing, and in some cases, (not ours OR WRDN's)....you won't hear 100 percent duplication of the on-air product due to license restrictions. WE don't have that issue, because all of our program providers agreed to allow inclusion in the stream as long as it is not "on demand." But, back to your point. YES, it's a GREAT tool for AM radio stations, and the smart ones will also promote themselves by paying attention to what's called their "air chain" and put quality REAL AM audio on the web to show the world that AM radio, properly done, does NOT have to sound tinny. (that's usually the fault of the receiver manufacturer being cheap.)....The more stations on AM promoting GREAT sound, the better the AM band is, in this day of the FCC visiting the issue of "AM revitalization."

BTW...check out the Satguys Forum for WION radio, too! We'd love to have you tune-in, comment, and be part of what we do!

 

[Art7220]

Isn't that just Streaming Radio?
Spongella, you can also get KFI 640 LA. I have the .M3U text file. Search for kfi-am.akacast. The link should work on smartphones.
I was able back in the day, to get Stern on streaming stations (the show was blacked out normally).

 

[spongella]

Yes it is streaming radio. When you purchase one of these WiFi radios, you log into and register with the website used by that specific radio for access to a huge list (thousands of them) of stations all around the globe that stream. Some are AM, FM, former short wave, NOAA weather, Podcasts,etc. There are also scanner streams, airport tower communication streams and some experimental streams. The list is a lot like FTA, constantly adding/deleting.

Traditional AM radio via the ethers still has a definite place in my shack but the WiFi has distinct advantages.

 

[Mr Tony]

The main stations I stream via internet (and on my phone) are Minnesota stations
WVAL 800 St Cloud. They are a locally owned station and plays good classic country
KCHK 1350 New Prague. They are a awesome station. They play classic country, oldies and POLKAS!! When I am Minneapolis thats the main station I listen to

Have a few more but still getting the hang of my smartphone