Letters to the Editor: When danger hits on the road, AM radio can be a lifesaver
To the editor: So, Sean Hannity is lobbying the federal government to stress automakers into retaining a function of their new fashions that will stop the silencing of conservative voices? It might appear to be that if the content material supplied by these conservative voices is deemed precious sufficient to the nation, the free market will take steps to shortly and simply to unravel the issue — with out large authorities stepping in and bullying personal sector firms.
Isn’t that the argument these conservative voices typically make use of?
R. C. Worth, San Clemente
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To the editor: Your article didn’t go far sufficient to elucidate why AM radio must survive for the foreseeable future.
When tragedy strikes, AM radio serves because the emergency spine for the Emergency Alert System and different real-time sources of native info to tell the general public of impending risks and to direct individuals in danger to security. When different technique of communication are disabled or impaired, and/or the lights exit, AM radio is that important, last-ditch hyperlink to info that may save lives and property.
Sadly, some auto business spokespeople have introduced plans to take away AM radios from automobile dashboards. These spokespeople recommend subscription companies are a substitute for AM radio. That’s not the case. Digital emergency warnings rely on the web or cell service, and most strategies the general public receives warnings by depend on utility energy. The web and cell towers are sometimes the primary issues to fail in emergencies resulting from harm or heavy use. Even when they continue to be energetic, streaming companies may be expensive (not free like AM radio), require prior registration, rely upon utility energy and aren’t required by the Federal Communications Fee to move emergency alert info on to a public in danger.
We have to preserve AM radio alive for so long as this outdated, however nonetheless precious dashboard element stays an important and at the moment irreplaceable emergency public info useful resource as our solely nationwide mass public warning lifeline when all else fails.
Richard A. Rudman, chair, California State Emergency Alert System Committee, Santa Paula
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To the editor: I steadily hearken to KNX within the automobile, each on FM and AM relying on the perimeter reception out right here in Riverside. So, I’m strongly in favor of maintaining AM radios in automobiles.
Nonetheless, take into account the rationale that the electrical automobile producers want to remove it: electrical motor static. If one EV causes an excessive amount of static for one AM radio, take into account what 1000’s of EVs on all our roads ultimately will do to low-power radio frequency gadgets in our houses and companies like cordless telephones, distant controls, Bluetooth gadgets in addition to AM radios, and so on.
The static drawback must be mounted on the supply — inside the electrical automobile.
Invoice McQuillan, Riverside
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To the editor: As a Chevy Bolt proprietor, I exist someplace within the Venn diagram of EVs and AM patronage. No doubt I’d miss AM radio. How else may I snort my head off listening to John Kobylt of the “John and Ken present” as he irresponsibly slams the “woke” media; brushes off local weather change as a hoax whereas Canada’s on hearth and ocean waters off the coast of Florida exceed 100 levels; and trashes electrical autos as if he have been a shill for Large Oil? To verify the laughs preserve coming, I’ve hedged my bets; I’ve SiriusXM radio.
Joe Kevany, Mount Washington
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To the editor: There are a lot of causes that AM radio must be out there in all motor autos. The robust sign will not be blocked by geography. A mountain between you and the transmitter is not going to silence the station. You possibly can obtain it. FM alerts may be blocked by mountains. Additionally, the AM sign can bounce off elements of the environment giving it much more vary. Clear channel AM stations have been created as a part of an emergency warning system with sure stations allowed larger energy output and no different stations utilizing a specific frequency for a lot of miles.
As for interference: A particular older good friend once I was rising up was an electronics engineer and a ham (newbie) radio operator. He additionally helped associates set up house stereo programs. One time he put in a system in a home that was a brief distance from KWKW’s transmitter towers then situated in Pasadena. He was in a position to protect and shield the system’s audio wires from the business radio sign. If one man can try this, definitely the mass of engineers within the vehicle business can work out how you can protect a automobile radio from the electrical system transferring the automobile.
Gary Inexperienced, Pasadena
