20 meter AM and Xmtr need from New Member

[wd4icj]

Hi Group!  My 1st post ever on this site from WD4ICJ.  Hope to have some fun here!
I'm retired from commercial broadcasting now, and will be returning to the HF bands after a 30 year lapse!  Been doing some listening...found lots of AM on 80 meters but NONE on 20!  Where & when do you guys hang out on 20?  I want to start AM there only because a 20 is the only antenna I have up right now.  I have a 40 and an 80 but just haven't got around to mounting them yet.  Got an old (but good!) Knight T-150A that wants to go on the air again, plus, I'm in the market for a Globe Scout 65A -- another rig I had when I was a kid.  (Please see my add in the marketplace or classified section -- whatever you call it here -- and I hope to work you soon on one rig or the other.  (On AM, or course!)  '73's!   Ron Kocher - Palm Coast, FL

[WA3VJB]

Hi Ron, nice to have you among us.
I am interested in knowing what broadcasting background you have (engineering?  on-air?  sales?)

20m in my experience has a few things that consistently work against enjoyable AM activity. 14.286 MHz is the gathering point, see for yourself.

Roundtables are difficult to sustain because of long gaps where people cannot hear one another. Stations on incompatible modes then unwittingly fire up on or near the frequency, and can be underway for quite a while before they get told the frequency is in use.

Two-party QSOs are also hard to sustain because bystanders are unaccustomed to allowing adequate spacing for a wholesome AM conversation. So with pinched-down receiver, what's the point?

And in your case, you're not proposing much power to be noticed either among bystanders or among AMers you might encounter for a conversation on 20 meters.

In recent years we've lost a few of the "Tall Ships" who had the kind of signals on 20m it takes to encourage AM participation.  They were on regularly and others could anticipate hearing one or more of them when the band is open.  These days, perhaps for the same reasons I've outlined, there just isn't much AM there, so it's a self-fulfilling prophecy that with low expectations few people try.

amfone.net has a summary of band activity you might want to follow and contribute to.  Looks like there's a rising number of opportunities for enjoyable contacts on 15m and 10m, with elbow room and signal strength to really bring people out for a satisfying contact.  Both the Knight that you have, and the WRL transmitter you've got an eye on may do better on those bands than 20m at their power level, besides.

I very much hope you also will consider joining us on 80m and 40m, where you can usually find a number of AM stations populating the bands.  80m may surprise you on the weekends for the level of AM activity, with rountables and 2-party QSOs "down low" around 3800Kc, and in the traditional gathering area 3870-3885Kc.  On 40m,  7285Kc and up is where to watch.

Best to you,

[Opcom]

I hope you will enjoy AM and I know you will like the knowledgeable people here. Including sometimes the bawdy humor.

[wd4icj]

Thanks for the warm welcome!  Now I know where to look for AM on 20, but it also sounds like I should be working on getting my 80 & 40 antennas up instead.  Give the old man some time and he'll get around to it.

Paul, my commercial radio exp was a bit of everything.  Started as a dj in Washington, PA...made it into Washington, DC in a year-and-a-half, then from "town to town, up & down the dial" with stops in MD, W.VA., IN, and finally Florida where I am now.  Most of it was dj and program directorships, until I built my own little station in Florida where I did EVERYTHING.  Next to dj & programming, I would say engineering was what I did, and enjoyed the most.  Never was good at repairing things tho...most of the stuff that stopped working for me was simply replaced.  Never got into the BIG rigs.  I let my station go in '08, and am now an investor in the ups & downs of precious metals and the S&P 500 index. 

Again, Thanks for the info.  "See you on the radio"!   '73s,  Ron Kocher, Palm Coast, FL 

[Pete, WA2CWA]

You might find some AM activity around 14.330 MHz especially during the evening hours. If everyone just listens, no one will make any contacts. Find a clear frequency, get on the air, and call CQ.

[WD8BIL]

Hi Ron,

Welcome aboard!
A great option for you down there in Flori-duh is the Florida AM group. Listen evenings and weekends on or about 3655 kHz. I know Warren W1GUD in Tampa frequents that gang. He also shows up on 3875 - 3885 kHz from time to time with a great signal (most of the time) up here in Northern Ohio even with his Junkston Ranger!

Florida AM Group (Click here)

Bud WD8BIL