Looking for AM broadcast monitor

[ogrevorbis]

Hi Kage ... and everyone else,

I am doing some AM transmitting again and I'm in need of a good receiver for AM that I can use to monitor my signal. Most AM radios have terrible quality. I'm looking for something relatively cheap (not a real broadcast monitor unless I can get one used). Do any of you know of a receiver with good quality AM. I've googled the question and it seems like people have gotten answers to this before, but unfortunately, all of the recommendations were really old relics and I don't want something that might just break down. I am into electronics obviously, but I want to focus on my transmitter, not on tweaking or repairing my receiver. I'd prefer something that just works as opposed to very old units or schematics.

[Kage]

Heh I had the same question years ago. It came down to collecting every radio I could until I found one with a barn door IF stage. Find a receiver with terrible medium wave selection and rejection. Another option is finding an AM stereo receiver but those are kind of rare, they tend to open up bandwidth out to 8-9kHz when they think they hear a stereo AM C-QUAM signal which is often able to be switched on permanently.

A much simpler option is an RF sniffer. Basic diode and coil near your transmit antenna to demodulate RF and send it back to a studio monitor amplifier like a "crystal radio set", but problem with those things is that it's too clear and will give you a false impression of what average radios sound like, especially if pre-emphasis is used in transmission.

My suggestion is to keep an eye out for any radio you can test for fun. Eventually you will find one with a wide IF that will sound real good on AM. Most of the older tube based radios tend to, and there are a few HIFI tuners out there for FM that have respectable AM.

[ogrevorbis]

Just to give an update. I ended up going with an AM stereo Sony SRF-42. They pop up on ebay, but are no longer manufactured. The sound quality is superb. Even though I am not broadcasting stereo, the sound quality is as good as an FM mono station. Very impressed.