Question about AM radio (esp. if you listen to AAR in Washington DC)

[shawn703]

Air America is hosted here on 1260AM. Every day on my way home from work, I drive through a stetch of I-495S from I-270 to the American Legion Bridge. This is always around 5PM, and every day WITHOUT FAIL I am subjected to Sean Hannity's show on that stretch of highway. I thought at first I might have been receiving interference from another 1260AM radio station, until during one commercial I heard them say 630AM WMAL, which is the local right-wing radio station. I was wondering if anyone else experiences this. Do I have a screwy radio, or does it make sense for a radio tuned to 1260AM to pick up 630AM? Thanks!

[Randi_Listener]

1. There are some fucking weird happenings inside of the beltway.

The shit has been happening for years.

[K-W]

2. I can only say that such anomolies are more than common

with radio waves.

[On the Road]

3. I Have No Idea, But Thank You for Raising the Question

I rarely check out AM radio and didn't know AAR had a local presence.

[LTR]

4. Radio waves can be screwey

Perhaps the WMAL tower is nearby.

Here's where it is on this map:

Day:

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WMAL&service=AM&status=L&hours=D

Night:

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WMAL&service=AM&status=L&hours=N

Keep in mind, although at only 5000 watts, AM stations on the lower part of the dial tend to be more powerful. AM signals are weird.

[shawn703]

7. That's where I'm picking it up

I guess that explains it, where you are showing the tower being located is pretty close to where I'm hearing their station.

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. You're picking up a harmonic...

...630 kHz X 2 = 1260 kHz.

Usually odd-numbered harmonics are the strong ones, but if the 630 kHz station was nearby, or powerful, a second harmonic would do the trick.

[Canuckistanian]

6. Yes, it's possible...

630 is exactly half of 1260, so what you're hearing there is probably a "harmonic" of WMAL.
Although I can't imagine what would be causing a harmonic of an AM station to be heard on an ordinary radio. Unless there's a problem with your car radio.
Try this. Bring an protable AM radio in the car with you, both tuned to 1260. If the portable also picks up 630, something weird is happening.

[Eagle_Eye]

8. You realize that 'THEY' know you read the DU

Have you noticed any of these flying along the beltway when you drive?
<>

[Canuckistanian]

9. Don your tinfoil hats here

I'm just wondering if some smartass radio engineer realized that AAR is exactly twice his frequency and is modifying the signal (overmodulation?) to directly interfere with 1260.

Maybe not.
:tinfoilhat: