The Amplitude Modulation Page

Welcome to the HAMFARTS AM page!  Several FARTS members really enjoy the wide dynamic range and sound quality involved in amateur radio AM transmissions.  Typically, most individuals will locate older AM transmitters (such as a few pictured on this page) and expand the audio bandwidth on these radios for 'studio-quality' sound.  Within this group, you'll find members that have a vast knowledge of vacuum-tube electronics, but also recognize that there are some of the new breed AM boys that are using solid-state electronics to create the same beautiful sound (most commonly referred to as Class E transmitters).

The amateur AM community is a group that welcomes new blood, new ideas and new techniques all to benefit the AM operational mode.  Take a listen to the AM'ers on the air at some of the frequencies listed below.  While these frequencies are some of the more common gathering areas, you might also find the AM'ers elsewhere - so keep an ear out.

By the way, when you listen to this crowd, be sure to expand your receiver's bandwidth to the maximum amount - so you can hear all the hard work and effort that goes into making a transmitter provide a wide dynamic range.  Keep an eye out for the 'third BA'...

A common AM transmitter, the Heathkit DX-100

Another common AM transmitter, the Heathkit TX-1 Apache

To visit the AM discussion group on this website's forum area, please click the button below.

For an example of some of the audio that can be created by these great old rigs, click the button below.  This recording is from 2002; you'll hear Frank, KB3AHE (the slab bacon) on his Johnson Viking transmitter and Rick, N3HIA on his Heathkit Apache transmitter.  Both Frank and Rick were transmitting from the Baltimore area and this recording was captured near Pittsburgh, PA by Nelson, N3PN.  If you've got a full-range speaker system on your computer or a sub-woofer, be sure it's turned on.

A Few frequencies to listen to:

3.875 - 3.885MHz

3.733MHz

7.290-7.295MHz

29.100-29.125MHz