AM Stereo Time Line

Ironically Stereo AM produces higher quality audio than IBOC AM. Yet Am stereo died struggling like Betamax did, in front of everyone and there was nothing we could do to save it. Stereo sound reproduction was first experimented with in the early 1900s, and was put into use in motion pictures around 1930. However, Stereo sound did not gain real market penetration until the introduction of the Stereo LP in 1957. More here.

Early experiments with Stereo radio broadcasting involved two separate stations broadcasting the Left and Right audio channels. Consumers did not accept this This Rube-Goldberg set up as it was just as ridiculous as it sounds.

In the early 1980s four competing AM systems went on air. These were:

1. Motorola (C-QuAM)
2. Magnavox (PMX)
3. Kahn-Hazeltine (ISB)
4. Harris Broadcast (V-CPM)
5. Belar System 

AM Stereo timeline Highlights:

• 1960 - AM Stereo first demonstrated on XETRA-AM, Tijuana, MX, using the Kahn ISB system.
• 1963 - WHAZ runs a stereo program on eight AM stations, four on each channel.
• 1984 - The FCC begins AM Stereo testing with five systems. Initially they select the Magnavox system. Their research is immediately accused of being flawed and incomplete.
• 1993 - FCC makes Motorola's C-QUAM the AM stereo standard. This sets off another series of lawsuits and accusations resulting in the FCC deciding that the marketplace should decide. The marketplace decides to continue fighting like children and this becomes a death blow to the possibility of AM stereo.

There are still over 100 stations still chugging along with stereo broadcast...
one that no one can receive, they are listed here.

Radio Reception Tips

As much as I encourage people to listen to their local non-coms; I thought I should chastise less and prod more. So here is a set of tips and products to improve your radio listening pleasure. FM radio reception can be iffy, especially in the educational portion [88.1-91.9] of the radio dial. AM can be even worse of course due to nighttime-fade-out etc.. There are hundreds of web-pages out there welling toys to improve reception. These run the gamut from utter crap to expensive over kill, to expensive crap.
Let's make this ridiculously simple:
1. Get a good tuner
2. Get a good antenna
3. Position them well
4. Trouble-shooting

1. GETTING A GOOD TUNER
The first step toward quality FM/stereo reception is a quality FM tuner or receiver. However, even with the best equipment money can buy, your tuner may not produce as good a sound as an inexpensive mono FM portable. But, small mono FM radios can still sound good because the speaker will filters out some noise and distortion. There are many good brands of Am/FM tuner. I like the Parasound TDQ1600 and also the Fanfare FT-1A
http://www.fanfare.com/ft1a-sht.html
http://www.parasound.com/service_information/owners_manuals/pdfs/tdq1600om.pdf

2. GETTING A GOOD ANTENNA (FM)
If you have a good receiver you should match it up with a good antenna. Indoors I recommend a simple dipole wire. You can buy these at radio shack for $2.00. Remember to mount at a 45 degree angle to the wall! For outdoor FM I recommend a nice Omni from Katherein Scala, or Winegard. If that's too pricey for you there are kits available that are kind of fun if you're into BDSM. Fanfare makes an FM whip antenna tuned fort precision in the educational band, it under performs at the top of the FM band, but that's not usually where the problems lie.
http://www.winegard.com/offair/prostar1000vhffmyagi.htm#6010
http://www.kathrein-scala.com/catalog/FMO.pdf http://www.fanfare.com/fm-2g-c.html

2. GETTING A GOOD ANTENNA (AM)
For AM antennas I recommend any of the following. In my experience unless you intend to run ~2250 feet of cable across the back yard, you should focus on positioning. here are some models I have tried with success. Again you can make your own loop. It;s not that hard really. I found a guy online who made one in a hula-hoop.
Outdoor:

• Belar LP-1A
• http://www.belar.com/AM/lp1.htm
• The ramsey Signal Magnet (also indoor)
• http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=SM100 another sheilded loop
• http://www.mwpersons.com/RFSystems.html

Indoor:

• Select-A-Tenna Model 541-M
• http://www.selectatenna.com/
• ANY HOMEBREW BOX LOOP THEY ARE ALL THE DAMN SAME:
• http://www.frontiernet.net/~jadale/My%20Loop%20Antennas.htm

3. POSITION THEM WELL
Mount FM and AM antennas outdoors above the roof line and if possible above the treeline. If not possible try to at least get away from obvious sources of interference: the Air conditioner, power lines, LCD screens, Transformers, electric fans etc. AM loop antennas are directional, turn them until they sound best. Positioning is not complicated, only tedious. If you encounter interference, try to get as far from it as possible, and/or shield your cable run. Quad shielded coaxial cable will do the job. And don't forget to ground your outdoor antennas so you don't burn down your damn house.

4. TROUBLESHOOTING
Read this: http://www.klcc.org/resources/reception.html
or email me and/or respond to this post.