Why do AM radio stations turn down output at night?



In the United States, the output of AM radio stations at night is restricted by the

Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Christian radio station Relevant Radio explains why.

Radio 101: Why AM stations reduce power at night - Relevant Radio
https://relevantradio.com/2020/01/radio-101-why-am-stations-reduce-power-at-night/

Lindsay Kettner of Relevant Radio is often asked by radio listeners, 'Why can't I listen to Relevant Radio at night?'

The reason for this is the FCC's regulations regarding nighttime broadcasts of AM radio stations. The FCC stipulates, ``Most AM radio stations must reduce power or cease operation at night to avoid interference with other AM stations.''

The FCC also states, ``The relatively long wavelengths of AM radio signals are not reflected by the ionosphere during the daytime and are transmitted by spreading on the surface of the earth.On the other hand, AM radio signals at night are reflected by the ionosphere due to a phenomenon called skywave . As a result, the signal reaches a wider range than during the daytime, ”explaining that the FCC rules are the result of the laws of physics.

Therefore, many AM radio stations reduce the output at sunset to avoid interference with other radio stations.



On the other hand, in the United States, which has introduced daylight saving time, ``Since the sunshine hours are longer than usual, local AM radio stations will have more time to broadcast at maximum output,'' Kettner said.

Mr. Kettner says that if the reduced output at night affects radio listening, 'online live streaming at relatedradio.com', ' Relevant Radio's app ', 'streaming with smart speakers such as Amazon Echo and Google Home', We recommend listening to the radio in a way such as ' podcasts of shows '.

in Science, Posted by log1r_ut