Car radio / GPS recommendations

[mekender]

Does anybody make a unit with a decent analog AM radio anymore?

Put 3 aftermarket units in 3 different vehicles in recent years. Only one with an AM that came anywhere close to the factory unit was a double DIN unit with HD radio. I realize "nobody" listens to AM anymore but being a talk radio junkie it's 99% of what I listen to.

I am with you... My big problems with the only AM station worth listening to in my area is that any NC sporting event is automatically broadcast instead of normal shows... I mean I get it, some people like NCAA basketball or the local NFL team... But still...

And the other problem, after 8pm, either their broadcast strength drops by a lot or a station farther out amps their signal way the hell up. I mean seriously, most nights the signal goes from being easy to pick up in a 60 mile radius to only being picked up in about a 15 mile radius. Strange thing is their FM station is almost as bad...

I have been seriously thinking about picking up one of the HD radios or a satellite radio.

[Termite]

Does anybody make a unit with a decent analog AM radio anymore?

Sure!

IC7000.jpg

Course, it's a little pricey if you aren't going to use the transmitter functions (not to mention needing a license)

I use it's older brother in the home radio shack to listen to local AM stations when not otherwise engaged.

Will that thing cover the aviation and marine band frequencies, and the military aviation UHF frequencies?

[Rustyv]

And the other problem, after 8pm, either their broadcast strength drops by a lot or a station farther out amps their signal way the hell up. I mean seriously, most nights the signal goes from being easy to pick up in a 60 mile radius to only being picked up in about a 15 mile radius. Strange thing is their FM station is almost as bad...

FCC regulation. AM propagation goes wild at night when the sun stops ionizing the atmosphere. For that reason, unless the station is specially licensed they have to turn the TX power waaaay down at sunset.

We have a clear channel station around here (WBAP) that I've picked up in Nebraska easily on a clear night. Friends tell me if everything is just right, they can barely pick it up in Chicago. Not bad for a station here in Dallas.

Conversely, there's another one (KFXR I think) that you couldn't pick up if you were inside the guy wires on the tower after sundown. The coffee pot in the control room probably draws more power after sundown.

You might check and see if your station is owned by ClearChannel/iHeartMedia. Their app plus a good cellular data plan is the bomb if you can't pick up your station any other way.

[JustinR]

FCC regulation. AM propagation goes wild at night when the sun stops ionizing the atmosphere. For that reason, unless the station is specially licensed they have to turn the TX power waaaay down at sunset.

We have a clear channel station around here (WBAP) that I've picked up in Nebraska easily on a clear night. Friends tell me if everything is just right, they can barely pick it up in Chicago. Not bad for a station here in Dallas.

I've personally listened to WBAP on our aircraft's ADF all the way up to the Chicago area on the early morning or late night flights, so I can second that.

Down in Puerto Rico, there's an NDB by the name of Dorado (DDP, 391 KHz) that's at least a 2,000 watt station. It was strong enough at night that we could use it as an un-official backup to get back to PR from Bonaire or Curacao (just offshore of Venezuela) on our extended overwater flights if the GPS ever took a dump.

[blackeagle603]

In one vehicle I gave up on the AM and used an Android radio app to listen to the talk shows I wanted. Unlimited data plan came in handy.

[Weetabix]

(Who the hell needs a remote for the radio that's in arm's reach on the dash?)

My remote is the only way to mute the stereo. It's occasionally kind of convenient.

[randy]

Will that thing cover the aviation and marine band frequencies, and the military aviation UHF frequencies?

Receiver Specs: 0.030–199.999 MHz, 400.000–470.000 MHz,

Modes:USB, LSB, CW, RTTY, AM, FM, WFM (Rx only) (used to listen to commercial broadcast FM stations)

So, no on military UHF (200-400 MHz IIRC). Not unusual for this gap in amateur radios due to internal design issues (multiples of the Intermediate Frequency don't add up well in that zone) and, with the exception of a narrow portion (222-225 MHz), no amateur radio frequency allocations. So not a lot of incentive to add to the price/complexity of the radio to add that capability.

The 400-470 MHz covers the Amateur (shared with the Military on a not-to-interfere basis) UHF allocation (420-450MHz)with some extra on the side.

Should be good to go on general aviation (108-137 MHz AM) and marine band (I assume you mean VHF, 156.0 - 162.025 MHz FM).

[Rustyv]

Will that thing cover the aviation and marine band frequencies, and the military aviation UHF frequencies?

Receiver Specs: 0.030–199.999 MHz, 400.000–470.000 MHz,

Modes:USB, LSB, CW, RTTY, AM, FM, WFM (Rx only) (used to listen to commercial broadcast FM stations)

So, no on military UHF (200-400 MHz IIRC). Not unusual for this gap in amateur radios due to internal design issues (multiples of the Intermediate Frequency don't add up well in that zone) and, with the exception of a narrow portion (222-225 MHz), no amateur radio frequency allocations. So not a lot of incentive to add to the price/complexity of the radio to add that capability.

The 400-470 MHz covers the Amateur (shared with the Military on a not-to-interfere basis) UHF allocation (420-450MHz)with some extra on the side.

Should be good to go on general aviation (108-137 MHz AM) and marine band (I assume you mean VHF, 156.0 - 162.025 MHz FM).

The Kenwood V71A might do the trick. It list the following as specs:
TX: 144-148MHz and 430-450MHz
RX: 118-524MHz and 800-1300MHz excluding the cellular bands.

I don't know if it'll rx in all modes across those frequencies, but it's a pretty bad ass radio for the price.

[McClarkus]

Does anybody make a unit with a decent analog AM radio anymore?

Put 3 aftermarket units in 3 different vehicles in recent years. Only one with an AM that came anywhere close to the factory unit was a double DIN unit with HD radio. I realize "nobody" listens to AM anymore but being a talk radio junkie it's 99% of what I listen to.

ditto. pun intended.

[blackeagle603]

FWIW the answer is 225MHz... at least I recollect. That's the bottom of military UHF comm bands when I was in.

HF was 2 -30MHz.

Didn't do much VHF in Nav Air. Band was something like 140 to 150MHz.