AM Station Classes, and Clear, Regional, and Local Channels (2023)

FAQs

What is Clear Channel? ›

A clear-channel station is an AM radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation.

AM broadcasting is radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation (AM) transmissions. It was the first method developed for making audio radio transmissions, and is still used worldwide, primarily for medium wave (also known as "AM band") transmissions, but also on the longwave and shortwave radio bands.

While US and Canadian Class A stations are authorized to operate at a maximum of 50,000 watts day and night (and a minimum of 10,000 watts at night, if grandfathered), certain existing Mexican Class A stations, and certain new Cuban Class A stations are authorized to operate at a higher power.

The FCC summarized its primary considerations as "fulltime operation with stereo, competitive technical quality, 10 kW daytime power, 1 kW nighttime power, non-directional antenna (or simple directional) and 400-800 km spacing between co-channel stations".

However, during nighttime hours the AM signals can travel over hundreds of miles by reflection from the ionosphere, a phenomenon called "skywave" propagation.

In the AM band, each AM station has a maximum bandwidth of 10 kHz, extending 5 kHz above and 5 kHz below the assigned center frequency. The AM band in the United States covers frequencies from 540 kHz up to 1700 kHz, in 10 kHz steps (540, 550, 560 ... 1680, 1690, 1700).

There are over 6,000 AM stations in the U.S. today. And they still have a huge audience of listeners, typically locals who seek out the latest weather, traffic, and news information. Most still listen in their cars or trucks.

Receiving an AM Signal

The DJ's voice is modulated onto that carrier wave by varying the amplitude of the transmitter's sine wave. An amplifier amplifies the signal to something like 50,000 watts for a large AM station. Then the antenna sends the radio waves out into space.

What is the most powerful FM radio station? ›

XERF is the most powerful commercial radio station in North America and the third most powerful in the world. With its mammoth transmitter across the Rio Grande in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, XERF can increase its signal up to five times the 50,000-watt limit allowed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

Commercial radio stations typically broadcast at 50,000 or 100,000 watts. Compare that to a handheld two-way radio which uses between 1/2 - 5 watts. You can see there is a big difference.

Most radios approved for LMR usage operate on either VHF (150-174 MHz), or UHF (421-512 MHz) frequencies. Once obtained, the license is good for 10 years. There are several different types of LMR licenses.

The best way to find local frequencies is to download the app RepeaterBook. It will find your location and instantly tell you the local repeaters around your area. You'll then program those into your radio.

The FCC has released new numbers show 30,367 total licensed broadcast outlets (AM/FM/TV) in the United states. That includes 4728 AM stations, 6613 commercial FM stations and 3989 educational/non-profit FM stations.

You can pick up some radio stations better at night because the reflection characteristics of the ionosphere are better at night.

Q: How do I get better AM reception? You can get better AM reception by using an external antenna such as a loop antenna, placing your radio near the window with its rear facing outside, or switching off/moving away any electrical appliances that have been proven to interfere with your radio's reception.

Yes, humans, under special circumstances, can hear radio-frequency pulses in the range of 2.4MHz to 10GHz (corresponding to radio frequencies and microwave) as buzzes, clocks, hiss or knocking at apparent auditory frequencies of 5kHz and higher (very high-pitched).

Radio stations in the United States have seen greater consolidation than newspapers or television in the past 10 years. Clear Channel Communications, Cumulus Media Inc., Disney, Emmis, Entercom Communications, and Viacom combined own 18 percent of all radio stations in the United States.

(NYSE: CCO) will retain the Clear Channel brand. As it continues to transform the global out-of-home industry, Clear Channel Outdoor's brand and products will become an even more important part of iHeartMedia's future.

Who used to own Clear Channel? ›

Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA) was one of the first outdoor advertising companies in the United States and is one of the largest. It has origins in three major predecessor companies: Foster & Kleiser (F&K) (1901–1986), Patrick Media Outdoor (1986–1995), and Eller Media Company (1959–1997).

(Amplitude Modulation radio) Radio broadcasting in the 540-1610 kHz frequency band (in the Americas) with 10 kHz spacing between channels. AM technology modulates a carrier by varying the signal strength, not by frequency as with FM.

With FM, the frequency (the number of times each second that the current changes direction) of the carrier signal is varied. FM signals have a great advantage over AM signals. Both signals are susceptible to slight changes in amplitude. With an AM broadcast, these changes result in static.

A 1,000 kHz radio wave has a wavelength of (2.998 × 10⁸ m/s)/(1.000 × 10⁶/s) = 299.8 m. An AM radio wave consists of a sinusoidal carrier wave, which is modulated by an audio signal.

Pros and Cons of AM vs. FM. The advantages of AM radio are that it is relatively easy to detect with simple equipment, even if the signal is not very strong. The other advantage is that it has a narrower bandwidth than FM, and wider coverage compared with FM radio.

After the early experiments with two stations, a number of systems were invented to broadcast a stereo signal in a way which was compatible with standard AM receivers. FM stereo was first implemented in 1961. In the United States, FM overtook AM as the dominant broadcast radio band in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

AM stands for Amplitude Modulation and has poorer sound quality compared with FM, but it is cheaper to transmit and can be sent over long distances -- especially at night. The lower frequencies of the band we use for AM signals creates a wavelength that is extremely large.

Differences in Sound Quality

Some receivers can't pick up low amplitude signals at all. FM radio, always remains at constant amplitude, so signal strength does not change. FM uses a higher frequency range and a bigger bandwidth than AM. AM radio operates from 535 kHz (kiloHertz) to 1605 kHz.

Radio works by transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves. The radio signal is an electronic current moving back and forth very quickly. A transmitter radiates this field outward via an antenna; a receiver then picks up the field and translates it to the sounds heard through the radio.

The main difference between AM and FM radio waves is that AM waves are amplitude modulated while FM waves are frequency modulated. AM waves are older and have a larger range, while FM waves have a smaller range but provide better sound quality.

What is the number 1 radio station in USA? ›

NPR has an overall listenership of 57 million listeners weekly across all shows and platforms as of 2020, with a growing proportion of that figure coming from off-air platforms.

Beginning in the 1920s, Cincinnati businessman Powel Crosley, Jr., ventured into radio broadcasting, establishing WLW, a Cincinnati radio station. He increased the station's broadcasting power to 500,000 watts, making it the most powerful station in the world.

Washington D.C.-based WTOP-FM was the leading radio station in the United States in 2020, with estimated revenues of around 62 million U.S. dollars. WTOP has remained at the top of the list for four consecutive years and brings in around 13 million dollars more than its nearest competitor: KIIS-FM.

With 855 stations, iHeartMedia is the largest radio station group owner in the United States, both by number of stations and by revenue.

They assume a 5 watt handheld, 50 watt mobile, 5/8 wave mobile antenna with 6 dB gain and 5/8 wave, 6dB gain omnidirectional base antenna at 50′. Urban Environment – Around 1/2 – 1 mile from handheld to handheld, up to 2 miles mobile to handheld, and up to 5 miles or more, base to mobile, with base antenna at 50′.

Transmitter power is limited to 4 watts in the US and the EU. CB radios have a range of about 3 miles (4.8 km) to 20 miles (32 km) depending on terrain, for line of sight communication; however, various radio propagation conditions may intermittently allow communication over much greater distances.

Most airband radios are 5 - 8 watts and typically have a range of around 200 miles.

Almost all GMRS radios also support FRS frequencies, which can be used without a license. Channels 8-14 on a typical 22 channel consumer radio reserved exclusively for FRS. These channels can be used license-free, but are limited to a half watt of transmit power and will have limited range.

How Does The FCC Know If You Have A License Or What Kind Of Radio ...

What are the unlicensed frequency bands? ›

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has three primary frequency bands designated for unlicensed operation. Unlicensed means the operator of the radios does not need to file directly with the FCC to use the radio. The three frequency bands used for this in the U.S. are the 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz.

The frequency range best for FM transmission is 88–108 MHz band, this is the frequency range at which all the broadcast radio works. Was this answer helpful?

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Twenty-two states have a moderate number of stations (20-39), though three have more than 100 stations each: Florida (121), Texas (114) and California (102).

The United States had the greatest number of radio stations broadcasting at the end of 2016, with 24,447 stations.

(NYSE: CCO) will retain the Clear Channel brand. As it continues to transform the global out-of-home industry, Clear Channel Outdoor's brand and products will become an even more important part of iHeartMedia's future.

Clear Channel Communications owns Outdoor Advertising, Katz Media Group, Premiere Radio Network, New Music Network, and SFX Sports Group.

What is the most powerful AM radio station in America? ›

XERF is the most powerful commercial radio station in North America and the third most powerful in the world. With its mammoth transmitter across the Rio Grande in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, XERF can increase its signal up to five times the 50,000-watt limit allowed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Private equity firms Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital Partners said on Wednesday they completed the $17.9 billion purchase of radio-station and billboard company Clear Channel Communications Inc.