For those Y2K news-hounds: AM radio travels further than FM (FM = line of sight; AM bounces off the stratosphere and down). There are some very stong AM Stations in the USA/World. AM radio people are more experienced in reporting news, have good emergency experience and have a broad spectrum of talk/news than FM.

In today's mail, I recieved a flyer from Radio Shack. They were offering (on sale for August) a high-powered AM/FM radio for $39.95 (norm $59.99). The C Crane costs $159.00. This may be a low-cost alternative.

A) No I don't work for Radio Shack B) Will post on Prep Forum too.

Thought it may be of interest as far as Y2K News and during the rollover (roll-over = when you hit that bump in the road and roll over!

(;-)

-- dw (y2k@outhere.com), August 05, 1999

Answers

PS: ...or is it the ionosphere? AM signals bounce off the sky and earth and travel for hundreds of miles.

Anyway, maybe Gary North can take over Rush Limbagh's slot next year (with one half of his brain tied behind his back).

-- dw (y2k@outhere.com), August 05, 1999.

Actually it is shortwave signals that bounce off of the ionosphere. They can travel for thousands of miles. AM signals do travel hundreds of miles though.

-- Butt Nugget (nubuttet@better.mousetrap), August 05, 1999.

It is the ionosphere. I understand that this atmospheric layer will be strengthened by the expected (and already started) solar flare activity. Have heard conflicting info as to which overall frequency types of radio will be most and least affected by this.

my site: www.y2ksafeminnesota.com (newly updated)

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), August 05, 1999.

To add to the discussion:

HAARP (High Altitude Auroa Research Project http://www.haarp.com).

This powerful transmitter (many, many megawatts!) that is "supposed" to be an experiment, that supposedly can also control the weather, among, mind warping, etc. also, supposedly can ripple the ionosphere to the point where AM, Shortwave, etc. communication can be scattered to the point of zero effectiveness - while at the same time, be it's own means of communication. Simply put, it corrups most wireless communication, while being a means to transmit and recieve on it's own (low?) frequency.

So "they" say.

-- dw (y2k@outhere.com), August 05, 1999.

Ignore HAARP. Forget Radio Shack. Just buy a decent portable, battery operated radio from Sangean, Sony, or Grundig (Yacht Boy). Price range?: $150 to $225 is quite realistic.

Trust me.

-- A. Hambley (a.hambley@usa.net), August 05, 1999.

Hi A.H.,

Most of the digital AM/FM (and shortwave) radios carried by Radio Shack are Sangeans. About the only one they don't carry is the special 'super' AM receiver at C. Crane.

-- Dean -- from (almost) Duh Moines (dtmiller@nevia.net), August 06, 1999.

If you want to listen to am radio, the GE Super Radio is the only way to go. It will pull in stations that other am/fm radios don't even hear. It has a (TRF) tuned radio frequency stage and a extra long rod antenna that most don't have. Sells for about $50.00 and is made by Thompson Electronics as is the Radio Shack unit. Both have analog dial and operate on ac or dc. Anyone want the model numbers I can look them up for ya. Mike

-- Mike (mwomble@luminet.net), August 06, 1999.

For the true doomers, pay attention to battery usage. Trash Shack does sell a couple of good radios (I like my DX-375), but in general Trash Shack devices EAT batteries. The Trash Shack DX-398 was supposed to be good too, but people reported many quality-control problems as compared with buying the same radion from Sangean. BTW, the DX-375 I have is a stripped-down Grundig YB-400 (w/o SSB) most likely, but people still argue this point.

NiCd/NiMH batteries may not work well in some radios. The NiCd/NiMH batteries are only about 1.2 volts, instead 1.5 volts, and provide too low a voltage for some radios. Rechargeable Alkalines are 1.5volts, but a forever DEAD if you discharge completely (should recharge when discharged about 30%).

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous99.xxx), August 06, 1999.

I have a Sangean ats909 (their flagship am, fm, sw) and it is very battery intensive. I also have the CC Radio (am, fm, tv, weather band (made by sangean)). It is less power hungry and has far better reception with just its internal antenna. If you add a decent external antenna, its hard to beat at any price. The weather alert function is also nice.

Godspeed,

-- pinkrock (aphotonboy@aol.com), August 06, 1999.