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Comment by CharlesW | Hacker News Reader

I've never listened to AM radio on purpose, and I'm not young. From what I've heard, it's a content desert that consists primarily of religious/crackpot programming. As fewer and fewer new cars support AM¹, the writing is on the wall, and there should be concrete plans to reallocate that spectrum for something more useful.

¹ https://www.thedrive.com/news/heres-why-some-automakers-tune...

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The only time that I've actively listened to AM purposefully (other than curiously "just to see what's there") is AM 1610. [0]. 1610 is often used in the US for Visitor Information -- short 3-10 minute recordings on automated loop [1]. I find them useful when visiting a new park for the first time, and before I stop in the visitor center.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1610_AM

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelers%27_information_stati...

[2] Yellowstone National Park 1610 recording. https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=E4A26B7F-1DD8-B7...

As a kid, my parents got me a cheap AM transmitter toy that broadcast on 1610.

Cutting edge tech in the early aughts, it ran on AA batteries and had a tape player, a microphone, and an aux in. My broadcasts made it across the cul-de-sac from my room. It was immensely enjoyable.

I was given one of those too, i think i still have it in a box somewhere. spent a lot of time playing dj with it.

My dad bought me a little 0.5W FM transmitter kit, and taught me how to solder putting it together. I definitely spent a bit of time making believe I was a radio DJ back then.

That sounds cool! I would have loved that. Early aughts you say? As in 2000-2009?

I can’t readily find when these became a thing but search for ‘pantry transmitter’ - I’m fairly sure that, whether for kids to muck around with, or to play the sound of your own vinyl records on another radio in your own home, these kinds of micro transmitters have been in use for decades.

This is a great use of radio, thanks for pointing it out.

I listen to AM radio for car repair, cooking tips & recipes, music, weather, latest news, sports, and much more.

This is really interesting, and also very foreign to me given that all of this is available on-demand in any form you like (i.e. YouTube videos for car repair). Do you happen to be a trucker? I'm trying to imagine the scenario where AM radio specifically is the best way to deliver this content.

The problem with on-demand is that it takes time and energy to go actually demand it. With radio, if you are working in the garage or garden or on a jobsite, you just tune into some station, and you get guys talking about fixing cars or something and that's it. With youtube or spotify or whatever, you have to go search for something interesting, it lasts for 15 minutes, and then you have to search again. Or maybe you get a podcast that last an hour. But it's never set and forget like radio. It's all just a waste if time unless you have something very specific you want to hear, rather than just background chit chat.

But never just backup chitchat: there's always a massive amount of unpleasant advertising.

Not a trucker. there are some areas where data is not available. In some countries I use pre-paid mobile phones. I turn off data in those places.

I (try to) walk at least an hour a day. I also hike trails. Ever seen a bear wait for Click and Clack[0] demonstrating the noise a worn CV join makes? Nor have I. ;-)

I have several hobbies which involve manual labour, but no major attention required (weeding, kneading, etc.). I can listen to the radio and still enjoy my hobby.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_Talk

You seem like the right guy to ask: Is there a modern edition of Car Talk? I miss those guys so much.

Ah! Just posted about Click & Clack.

I have heard some here and there, but nothing close to them. :'(

I have heard a station in California (do not know call sign), the motor man, or the motoring man. There was also in Detroit a station where two guys tried to pick up similar like C&C, car show or something.

Those guys were unreasonably entertaining for people who were also so unbelievably knowledgeable about cars. Diagnosed some of the most bizarre things from the tiniest of details.

British guy here: sorry if this is a silly question but are you talking about an actual radio station which is just people talking about repairing cars? That’s so interesting! Nothing like that here. Maybe the odd specialist show once a week like Gardener’s Question Time or whatever.

Mostly, yes! Not quite just talking about repairing cars, but cars in general with a core of repair related stuff. One of them passed away in 2014 and to me the show can't be the same. But you can check out past episodes here: https://www.cartalk.com/radio/browse/

I'm not even remotely a car guy but they're super entertaining. Perhaps one (two) of a kind talent.

Ask the A&Ps is a podcast that’s a pretty similar concept but for general aviation.

> it's a content desert that consists primarily of religious/crackpot programming.

There's quite a lot of that stuff -- but it's not the only kind of programming in the dial.

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